John A. Sutton

John is currently advising technology firms on operations, technology, strategy, growth, and M&A. John is on the Advisory Board of Quadrint Inc., co-founder of DE Federal LLC, and is teaching business at George Mason University. Through 2019, John was KeyW’s (NASD: KEYW) Chief Operating Officer. John led the delivery, performance, and customer satisfaction of KeyW’s product and solution business. He built the team and system to deliver revenue and profit commitments resulting in seven quarters of meeting or beating analyst expectations leading to KeyW’s sale to Jacobs (NYSE: J) in 2019 for a record 22.5x LTM multiple. 

John has built high-performing teams delivering systems, software, telecommunications, and cyber security to federal and commercial clients resulting in delivery and growth of contracts totaling several billions in profitable revenue. John has served nearly every federal agency delivering ships, space systems, EW and cryptography, sub-sea telecommunications, unmanned & force protection systems, ISR systems, weapons systems, cyber solutions and products, agile development, and cloud deployments. 

Prior to KeyW, John led business development for QinetiQ NA’s $1.2 billion products and solutions and also as General Manager of the Defense, Intelligence and Commercial Cyber business. QinetiQ was a Proxy agreement under FOCI mitigation with DoD. Thereafter, John served as a principal in the sale and integration of QinetiQ NA to Veritas Capital and he helped form Vencore as General Manager of the Defense, NSA, and DHS Group. 

John led Global Crossing’s federal business ensuring compliance of a CIFIUS negotiated Network Security Agreement and a DoD regulated Proxy Agreement addressing Foreign Ownership Control or Influence (FOCI). John’s deep expertise in operating national security businesses meeting DoD, FOCI, and CIFIUS regulations is unique. 

John began his career in 1981 as a Merchant Marine Officer serving as Third, Second, and Chief Mate on U.S. Flag ships. In 1986, he joined Advanced Technology launching his business career operating and growing technology businesses. As a leading player in growing firms to successful exits generating a total value of $4 billion, i.e. PRC to Litton, GRC to AT&T, McDonald Bradley to ManTech at 17.5X, Global Crossing to Level 3, QNA to Veritas, and KeyW to Jacobs. 

John has served on George Mason University’s Business School Advisory Board, Advisory Boards for Blue Canopy and JIVE, and the Executive Committee of INSA. In addition, he was the founding chair of the Washington Executive General Manager’s Council and volunteers for the Wounded Warrior Mentor Program. John’s awards include; Time Magazine Top Inventions of 2008 Team Award, Department of the Army Superior Performance, DoD Pro Patria Award, and Department of the Navy AEGIS Excellence Award. He has a current Full Scope Polygraph clearance. 

A native of Scituate, Massachusetts, John holds a Master of Business Administration from George Mason University and a Bachelor of Science in Marine Transportation from Massachusetts Maritime Academy. He is a USA Hockey Level 4 Coach and is an active hockey player. He is on the Oxford Community Center’s Board of Trustees, and an Adjunct Professor at George Mason University’ Costello College of Business. He splits time between Oxford, MD and Reston, VA with his wife, Dodi, and they have four grown children and three grandchildren. 

Education

• Master of Business Administration from George Mason University 
• Bachelor of Science in Marine Transportation from Massachusetts Maritime Academy