Steve Mathias

Lead a highly skilled global sales team, responsible for delivering exceptional drones and sensors tailored to automated aerial intelligence solutions. Our products are utilized in diverse markets, including agriculture, academia, public safety, and defense.

Render Forward LLC partners with innovative small businesses in the global defense industrial base, providing the strategic support needed to bring their disruptive technologies to market and deliver crucial capabilities to the warfighter.

Led efforts for Defense market positioning and business development activities, aligning key global GKN Aerospace resources to support new program pursuits and customer relationship development. Successfully established entry positions in new product offerings across various markets, valued at over $3.5 billion in potential revenue growth. • Strategic Planning: Developed the inaugural strategic plan, facilitating data-driven decision-making for core markets and product lines, which enhanced overall strategic alignment and responsiveness. • Growth Execution: Successfully secured entry positions in high-value new product offerings across multiple markets, including Crewed and Un-Crewed; Missile Systems; Vertical Lift; Space; and Seabased. • Business Development: Established a highly functional and effective global business development team, implementing robust market analysis processes and engagement strategies to drive significant growth in international markets. • Marketing and Communications Strategy: Designed and executed a comprehensive strategy and engagement plan that significantly enhanced GKN's visibility within the Defense Industrial Base, bolstering its market presence and fostering valuable relationships across the industry. • Bid and Proposal Processes: Established and implemented comprehensive bid and proposal processes that boosted on-time submission rates to over 90%. • Mergers & Acquisitions: Developed a strategic market expansion plan that identified and assessed two target companies with existing programs of record and complementary technical capabilities, to enhance organizational growth and competitive advantage. • Innovation: Successfully obtained funding in the 2024 Defense Appropriations Bill to advance the development of large-scale components utilizing Laser Metal Deposition with Wire technology, significantly contributing to innovation and capability enhancement.

Vice President of Global Military Sales and Strategy leading a diverse team across seven international locations. Achieved a growth of over $4 billion in Bell’s revenue by executing targeted domestic and global capture initiatives. • Demonstrated track record identifying, assessing, pursuing and capturing major global defense and aerospace market opportunities. • Extensive experience successfully navigating U.S. and Foreign Governments planning, programming, budgeting and execution processes. • Led Bell’s Domestic and International military sales, business development and strategy for military products to the United States Government and all commercial and military products to the global military market, including the aftermarket services that support these products. • Oversaw a re-engineering initiative that created an innovative market segment for the sale of commercial aircraft to foreign militaries, expanding Bell’s footprint in international markets. • Served as senior representative for Bell, adeptly engaging with senior leadership in government and industry worldwide, fostering strong relationships and strategic partnerships. • Coordinated cross-functional efforts for financial planning, integrated operations, and program performance, optimizing organizational efficiency and effectiveness. • Developed and executed Bell’s Vertical Lift strategic communications and marketing plan, significantly enhancing customer value perception and brand awareness of Bell products.

Proven U.S. Government senior executive with a history of achieving success by building and leading high performing cross functional teams through complex and scalable environments. Extensive experience in strategic planning, operations, logistics and sustainment, requirements and capabilities development, budget development and execution, program management, and force development and training. • Deputy Chief of Staff G-8, U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) - Led the management of over 200 Army and Special Operations materiel air and land acquisition programs, coordinating with Program Executive Offices, Acquisition Executives, and requirement developers. - Developed and defended the USASOC long range business plan that included a $10 billion Program Objective Memorandum (POM). - Oversaw all Army Special Operations Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDS) submissions through both Army and USSOCOM. - Extensive background with SOCOM, MARSOC, AFSOC, NSW and JSOC. • Deputy Commander / Chief of Staff, U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command (USASOAC) and Director Special Operations Aviation, USASOC. - Oversaw the Army Special Operations Aviation modernization plan including over 18 Special Operations Aviation acquisition programs valued in excess of $2.5 billion. - Oversaw special operations aircraft materiel management and maintenance logistical support including interaction with the Special Operations Forces Support Activity (SOFSA). • As Chief of Staff, NATO Special Operations Forces Training Mission-Afghanistan, demonstrated cross-cultural team building skills while building a functional multi-national team in under 30 days. • Throughout my military career I worked collaboratively and collectively with other branches of service, external government agencies, federal contractors and industry to resolve issues and achieve success during periods of volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity.