Astrion CEO David Zolet Clinches 5th Wash100 Award for Innovation, Strategic Growth Leadership
Executive Mosaic is honored to present Astrion CEO David Zolet as a 2025 Wash100 Award recipient for his leadership in driving strategic growth and innovation through mergers and acquisitions and contract wins.
Choose David Zolet as one of your favorite GovCon industry leaders. The Popular Vote Competition of the 2025 Wash100 Award runs through April 30. Don’t miss your chance to cast your vote!
This marks the fifth time that Zolet has been selected to Executive Mosaic’s annual list of the 100 most impactful and influential leaders from the government and GovCon sector.
“It’s about time Dave made another Wash100 appearance. A GovCon superstar with prior leadership roles at LMI, Northrop Grumman, IBM and CSC, he’s always been an entrepreneur at heart, and now he’s making things happen at Astrion,” said Jim Garrettson, CEO of Executive Mosaic and founder of the Wash100 Award.
“2024 was a huge year under his leadership—landing major Army and Air Force contracts through joint ventures and making the major acquisition of Axient. With Astrion’s focus on cybersecurity, digital services, mission support and systems engineering, Dave has the company on a serious growth trajectory,” added Garrettson.
Axient Acquisition
Less than a year after assuming the CEO role, Zolet led the company to its major acquisition to expand capabilities and footprint in the defense and federal civilian markets.
In July 2024, the Brightstar Capital Partners portfolio company agreed to acquire Axient, a provider of advanced technology, mission engineering and operations and multidomain test and analysis services for defense and federal civilian agency customers.
“At Astrion, our mission extends beyond today. We are committed to the extraordinary and making our nation more resilient for future generations. Axient’s specialized capabilities, talented employees and robust customer base make it a highly complementary fit with Astrion,” Zolet said of the transaction. “Together, we will deliver elevated solutions for military and civilian agencies, delivering Results with Impact to critical global challenges.”
Nearly two months after announcing the deal, Astrion closed its acquisition of Axient.
“We are thrilled to welcome Axient’s talented team to Astrion,” Zolet said in a statement published in September. “The dedication and expertise of our combined workforce are fundamental to our success and mission to Be the Difference. Together, we will leverage our collective strengths to drive innovation and deliver results with impact for our customers.”
Launch of New Executive Leadership Team
A month after completing the acquisition, Zolet and Astrion unveiled the new executive leadership team to drive innovation and advance growth initiatives.
Zolet said the company’s combination with Axient simplifies operations for customers.
“Combining Axient and Astrion is about more than scale, it is a multiplication of possibilities,” the five-time Wash100 awardee noted. “This executive team embodies our commitment to growth, diverse perspectives, and strategic expertise in addressing critical challenges across cybersecurity, mission support, systems engineering, and digital solutions.”
Notable Contract Wins
Under Zolet’s direction, Astrion secured significant military contracts in 2024.
Astrion’s joint venture with Fluor – Beyond New Horizons – booked the 12-year, $3.7 billion Test Operations and Sustainment II, or TOS II, contract from the U.S. Air Force in support of the Arnold Engineering Development Complex.
“Through this contract, Astrion will establish a new era of aerospace testing for the Air Force characterized by cutting-edge innovation, unparalleled efficiency, and unwavering dedication,” Zolet said. “We are proud to support the Air Force as it elevates its preparation for the next generation of readiness. We strive to be the difference for our customers delivering results with impact.”
The U.S. Army awarded Joint Technical Solutions – Astrion’s joint venture with AI Signal Research – a five-year, $910 million contract to provide test and engineering services for the branch’s Redstone Test Center.
“Leveraging our over 30-year legacy of assisting the U.S. Army, we provide our customers with guidance on new defense and technology issues to get ready for what’s ahead,” the Astrion chief executive said in a statement. “This partnership underscores Astrion’s dedication to ensuring mission continuity and maintaining operational stability. We take pride in our ongoing service to the customer, embodying our commitment to future innovation and excellence.”
Astrion’s Emergence From Oasis-ERC Combination
Following the merger of Oasis Systems and ERC, Astrion officially launched in December 2023, with a focus on helping defense, space and civilian government agencies address cybersecurity, systems engineering, mission support and digital challenges.
“Astrion is a launchpad for bolder, inventive solutions using our unique legacy of experience, innovation and determination to advance our customers’ missions, help them see the unseen, and address tomorrow’s challenges with agility, creativity, and shared vision,” the executive said of the new company.
The company has over 2,800 employees supporting customers across the U.S. Air Force, Army, Navy, space and civilian agencies. It has centers of excellence in Washington, D.C., Burlington, Massachusetts, and Huntsville, Alabama.
Career Background
Zolet is a recognized government industry leader with over three decades of experience in the government tech market.
The Johns Hopkins University graduate previously served as CEO at CentralSquare Technologies and LMI, where he led the firm’s transition into a solutions provider to help advance the federal government’s digital transformation efforts.
He also held leadership positions at DXC Technology, IBM and Northrop Grumman.
Zolet’s strong commitment to supporting public sector customers through innovation continues to reflect in his journey as head of Astrion, enabling him to play a central role in driving growth and delivering cutting-edge solutions and services to government clients while ensuring mission success.
Executive Mosaic congratulates David Zolet and the entire Astrion team for this Wash100 win. Show your support for David Zolet at Wash100.com!