U.S. Air Force Small Business

Biography

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Ronald A. Poussard

Mr. Ronald A. Poussard, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is Director, Office of Small Business Programs, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. He leads the Small and Minority Business Program, the Historically Black Colleges, Universities & Minority Institutions Program for the Department of the Air Force.

Mr. Poussard began his career with the Department of the Navy as a student trainee in 1982 before becoming a contract specialist intern at Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., until 1987. He has held a variety of positions with the Department of the Air Force in the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Contracting, to include serving as a staff analyst supporting major systems such as the C-17 cargo airlift aircraft. In addition, he was the Deputy Director of Contracting and the Small Business Director at the 11th Wing, Bolling AFB, D.C., and served as the Director of Contracts and contracting officer establishing the first joint Air Force, National Reconnaissance Office and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency space-based radar program. He served as senior business adviser to Air Force Program Executive Officers and field acquisition commanders for space and command and control programs, providing contracting and business analyses for the development of acquisition strategies and source selections.

Mr. Poussard served as Deputy Director of the Defense Acquisition Regulations System, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, Washington, D.C., where he was responsible for directing the activities of the Defense Acquisition Regulation Council charged with creating, publishing and maintaining the Department of Defense's procurement business rules in the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement and representing the DOD in development of the Federal Acquisition Regulation. Prior to assuming his current position, Mr. Poussard was the Air Force Program Executive Officer for Combat and Mission Support Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition. He led the acquisition of services for the Air Force and was responsible for managing and overseeing more than $100 billion in existing and planned contracts awarded by commands across the Air Force.

Education

  • 1984, Bachelor of Science degree in political science, Northeastern University
  • 1990, Executive Leadership Development Course
  • 1991, Master's degree in national security studies, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
  • 1996, Senior Executive Leadership Course
  • 2001, Master's degree in National Resource Management, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
  • 2001, Senior Acquisition Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
  • 2002, Defense Leadership and Management Program
  • 2006, Program for Senior Managers in Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.

Career Chronology

  1. January 1982 - November 1984, student procurement trainee, Supervisor of Shipbuilding Conversion and Repair, Department of the Navy, Boston, Mass.
  2. November 1984 - March 1987, procurement intern - Copper Cap, Electronic Systems Division, Hanscom AFB, Mass.
  3. March 1987 - November 1996, procurement analyst, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Contracting, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
  4. December 1996 - July 1998, Deputy Director of Contracts, and Director of Small Business, 11th Contracting Squadron, Bolling AFB, D.C.
  5. July 1998 - October 1999, Director of Contracts, Discover II Joint Program Office, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Va.
  6. October 1999 - August 2000, senior business adviser, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Contracting, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
  7. August 2000 - June 2001, student, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
  8. July 2001 - August 2002, senior business adviser, Director of Defense Procurement and Acquisition Policy, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, Washington, D.C.
  9. August 2002 - March 2005, Deputy Director, Defense Acquisition Regulations, Director of Defense Procurement and Acquisition Policy, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, Washington, D.C.
  10. March 2005 - February 2007, Program Executive Officer for Combat and Mission Support Services, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Washington, D.C.
  11. February 2007 - present, Director, Office of Small Business Programs, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.

Awards & Honors

  • 2000 Meritorious Civilian Service Award
  • 2005 Exceptional Civilian Service Award

Professional Certifications

  • Contracting and Systems Acquisition, Level III, Acquisition Professional Development Program
  • 1998 - 2005  Certified Professional Contracts Manager, National Contracts Management Association
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Page Last Updated: April 30, 2009