CAMAS, WA (January 25, 2022) – PLEXSYS Interface Products Inc. (PLEXSYS) welcomed two new members to its Board of Directors (Board) at its December 2021 board meeting. With the retirement of Larry Paulson (Brigadier General, USAF, retired) from the Board after seven distinguished years, PLEXSYS is excited to announce that John N.T. (Jack) Shanahan (Lieutenant General, USAF, retired) and Ms. Vanessa Chandler have joined our PLEXSYS Next journey as Directors to the Board.
The announcement underscores the PLEXSYS mission to provide solutions globally that address training and operational needs of government and commercial markets. We leverage our industry knowledge, experience, and partnerships with a suite of cutting-edge capabilities and innovative technologies. We are committed to continually enhancing our customer’s success across the globe and investing in our people, solutions, and services.
“Our people, mission, and vision continue to attract the very best talent and minds,” said Ron Wiegand, PLEXSYS CEO. “We are truly honored that Vanessa Chandler and Jack Shanahan chose to serve our employee-owned company and help guide our strategic future to new heights.”
Before he retired from the US Air Force, Jack served as the inaugural Director of the Department of Defense Joint Artificial Intelligence Center (JAIC). In this position, he was responsible for accelerating the delivery of AI-enabled capabilities, scaling the department-wide impact of AI, and synchronizing AI activities across the joint force.
Jack served in various operational and staff positions in multiple fields, including flying, intelligence, policy, and command and control. He commanded at the squadron, group, wing, Agency, and Numbered Air Force levels. As the first Director of the Department of Defense Algorithmic Warfare Cross-Functional Team (Project Maven), Jack established and led the DoD’s pathfinder AI fielding program charged with bringing AI capabilities to intelligence collection and analysis.
“I am honored to join the PLEXSYS Board of Directors,” Jack said. “I share the PLEXSYS team’s same deep commitment to and passion for improving training and readiness through innovative, leading-edge technology solutions.”
Ms. Vanessa Chandler is the Senior Legal Counsel for Vivino Inc., San Francisco, California. She is the first in-house counsel for this rapidly growing company and is building the requisite infrastructure to support its growth and expansion. Vanessa has over twenty years of contracting experience in both the defense and commercial sectors and has advised the Boards of several entities. Vanessa served as General Counsel for Virgin Galactic LLC and led the company through its merger with SPAC entity, Social Capital Hedosophia. Additionally, Vanessa served as General Counsel to HDT Global Inc. and Westar Aerospace & Defense Group Inc., Senior Trade Counsel for Raytheon Company’s Space and Airborne Systems, and Senior Policy Advisor to the Missouri State Auditor.
She received her Masters in Business Administration in 2009 from the University of Missouri and her Juris Doctor in 1997 from the University of Virginia School of Law.
“I am excited to serve on the PLEXSYS Board of Directors,” Vanessa said. “I look forward to contributing to PLEXSYS’s growth and supporting its mission of providing the members of our military with the best resources available.”
Founded in 1986, PLEXSYS is a modeling and simulation (M&S) software company with 30+ years of delivering Live, Virtual, and Constructive (LVC) training readiness solutions and innovation. We are a 100% employee-owned small business, with more than 200 full-time employees plus part-time consultants in nine states and four foreign countries. Learn more…
