Senior Management Team

Michael Skellern
Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Skellern is a global business leader and entrepreneur with more than 45 years of executive management experience leading private and publicly-traded international companies as President, CEO, Chairman, and Board Member, in the aerospace, defense, security, maritime, and technology sectors. His experience includes mergers, acquisitions, corporate development, capital formation, global market development, and strategic advisory services to multinationals and governments.

Mike has developed, merged, acquired, and operated private and public defense, security, and commercial companies in 14 countries across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, including organizations with more than 3,000 people. In addition, he has an extensive worldwide network of senior industry and government leaders.

In 1990, Mike formed Pacific International, Inc., now PI Global, Inc., and two subsidiaries to provide global solutions and resources to solve complex international challenges. Pacific International's Commercial Group developed proprietary and major multinational client businesses, which offered industry-leading products, global market development, manufacturing operations, and global supply chain distribution. Company clients included major international companies such as; American Standard, BMW, Borden, Bosch, Dr. Scholl, General Electric, Ingersoll-Rand, Home Depot, and Siam Cement Group.

Pacific International’s Defense Group developed multiple defense and security companies in its Government Group, which provided strategic and tactical products, services, systems, and solutions to address complex international security challenges for U.S. and allied foreign governments. To meet specific contract requirements, Mike developed multiple purpose-built companies. Government clients included the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Diplomatic Security Service, Department of Defense, U.S. Army and U.S. Navy, Department of Justice, and Other Government Agencies. In addition, the Company secured multiple NATO country Government, Defense, and Security contracts.

Mr. Skellern led several international defense company mergers and acquisitions to secure additional contracts on every continent. Contract awards encompassed program management, strategic and tactical security, diplomatic security, critical infrastructure protection, integrated intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and inter-operable response systems from Company offices and operations in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Singapore.

From June 2007 through 2009, Mike served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Strategic Security Institute, a European security and counter-terrorism policy, education, and tactical training organization headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. Tactical training included weapons, close combat, and counter-terrorism driver training. Mike worked closely with European Union country’s special operations, intelligence, law enforcement, and government security agencies. He also worked closely with the European Union (EU) Security Agency, collaborating with senior government defense, intelligence, and security agencies on international counter-terrorism and public transportation security challenges.

Mike currently serves on the boards of public and private companies. In addition, he holds three international defense product patents.

Mike is a U.S. Army combat veteran with service in Asia, Europe, and the United States. He is a member of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers, the Special Forces Club, and Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Chuck Packard
Chief Financial Officer

Mr. Packard is a seasoned board member, business executive, entrepreneur, and business strategist with more than 40 years of successful professional corporate development, operations and financial management spanning industries from professional sports, airlines, technology, real estate and financial services.

Mr. Packard served as the Chief Financial Officer and Vice Chairman of the Board for George Argyros and The Argyros Family Interests. His business acumen contributed to the successful due diligence, acquisition, operation and disposition of the Seattle Mariners Baseball Team, AirCal to American Airlines and TicketMaster. He was instrumental in development of California Speedway and its subsequent sale to International Speedway Corporation. In addition, he was responsible for numerous real estate project acquisitions, development and property management of real estate valued in excess of $16 billion. He also served as Principal and CFO of the Argyros Fund - $3.5 billion real estate portfolio.

Chuck developed various Due Diligence Analyses for multiple businesses to determine the proper valuation prior to acquisition; was instrumental in improving the daily operations to increase the valuation for a liquidity event; developed and implemented a disciplined financial approach of Business-Specific Performance Metrics for all operating businesses to maximize annual cash flow and disposition valuation; developed team members to increase management team strength for better operating results; and negotiated Business Joint-Ventures with partners in the Americas, Europe and the Middle East.

Mr. Packard serves as Chairman of the Orange County Employee Pension and Retirement System, a $16.5 billion pension fund.  He also served as a Member of the Board of Directors of public and private companies including Kaiser Steel – Kaiser Resources and currently Integrity Housing.

Chuck is a U.S. Air Force Veteran and holds an MBA from the University of Toledo, Ohio.

RADM Stephen I. Johnson (US Navy ret.)
Managing Director, Defense Programs

Steve Johnson is a business advisor, executive coach and facilitator with a passion for making a difference in the business success and personal lives of business leaders.

After graduation from Duke University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics, RADM Johnson completed nuclear propulsion and submarine training and embarked on a 30 year Navy career that included service in four submarines (USS Bergall (SSN 667); USS Ethan Allen (SSBN 608) (Blue) as Engineer Officer; USS Tecumseh (SSBN 628) (Gold) as Executive Officer; and USS City of Corpus Christi (SSN 705) as Commanding Officer.

During his tour as Commanding Officer, USS City of Corpus Christi was the most decorated submarine in the Atlantic Submarine Force. Awards included the Navy Unit Commendation, the Meritorious Unit Citation, three consecutive Battle Efficiency “E” awards, Submarine Force nominee for the Atlantic Fleet Battenburg Cup for overall operational excellence, and eleven other departmental awards for excellence in operations, communications, weapons employment, engineering, supply, and medical readiness. Subsequent to Command, RADM Johnson was selected to head Prospective Commanding Officer Training and Fleet Liaison, Naval Reactors (NAVSEA 08).

RADM Johnson transitioned from the Line to the Navy’s Acquisition Corp in 1993, and served as Program Manager, Submarine Electronics Systems Program Office (PMS 401) from 1993-1996, responsible for the acquisition of the Virginia Class Submarine Combat System. In 1996, the Program Office was awarded the first Department of Defense (DoD) David Packard Award for acquisition program excellence. RADM Johnson was selected to Flag Rank in 1995. His first flag tour included simultaneous service as Commander of the Naval Information Management Center (NISMC) and Program Director, Global Information and Network Systems (PD-15) at Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, San Diego CA. During this period he served as Source Selection Authority for what at that time was the largest Information Technology contract ever awarded by the Federal Government ($3.9B). This acquisition was awarded the DoD Excellence in Contracting Award for 1997. RADM Johnson’s final Navy tour was as Director, Navy Year 2000 Project Office (CNO-N6Y), successfully achieving Year 2000 remediation across the Navy enterprise.

Subsequent to retirement from active service RADM Johnson founded SBS Consulting Inc., a provider of corporate-level consulting services to improve business development and marketing; increase sales; optimize corporate processes and teams; and improve program management. SBS Incorporated also provides training, red/gold team analyses, and continuous business process improvement services.

RADM Johnson has also served as a Managing Director of Source Companies LLC, an investment banking and value growth consulting company providing debt capitalization and growth advisory services to medium-sized, closely held businesses; and as a Technology and Business Advisor to the William J. von Liebig Center for Entrepreneurial and Technology Advancement at the Jacobs School of Engineering, University of California, San Diego. He has served on several corporate boards and on the Board of AFCEA International, the world’s largest military communications industry association.

David J. Hopps MIExpE, MIoD
Managing Director, Explosives, Munitions, and Ordnance

David is a highly motivated and adaptable leader who utilises significant organisational and technical skills developed through extensive experience gained initially with the British Army and subsequently with government, commercial and non-governmental defence and security organisations in the United Kingdom and abroad. 

David’s experience spans several conflict theatres, predominantly in the Explosive Ordnance Disposal field, and assignments in strategic and tactical planning and intelligence roles. He was awarded a Mention in Despatches for work undertaken as Commander of the EOD Squadron during terrorist activities in Northern Ireland and mainland Great Britain. Subsequent risk management work included kidnap for ransom negotiations, counter-terrorism training in the Middle East, and for the US Department of Homeland Security.

David’s risk management experience led to numerous assignments in the energy sector including Command and Control training at many UK nuclear facilities.

His risk management assignments include solutions risk and crisis management for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security where he established, selected, trained, and ran teams tasked to identify and track the possible movement of weapons of mass effect (WME) from locations in Europe and the Far East to the USA. 

David provided kidnap for ransom advice to corporations, families, and individuals over eight years in Central and South America. He advised Lloyds of London Insurance Brokers on the risks relating to hijacking at sea of vessels in the area of Somalia and provided international risk surveys, risk assessments, and risk mitigation advisory services against generic and explosive-based risks for clients such as the Bank of England, JP Morgan, Bank of Ghana, Cutlers Court, The Tower of London, numerous private and government organisations in Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico and Brazil. David prepared extensive Risk Assessments for explosives risk assessments and risk mitigation advisory services in the UK, U.S., Saudi Arabia, Bosnia, Kuwait, Thailand, and Romania.  

Client project management assignments include ongoing training at a munitions processing facility in the Middle East, project. Project managed a team providing security to deep-sea cargo recovery operations in the Indian Ocean, Mediterranean, and the Atlantic Ocean.

His professional associations, training, and certifications include; Certified Protection Professional (American Society of Industrial Security), Biological and Chemical Munitions Disposal Course and Ammunition Technical Officer Course.

He is a Member of the Institute of Directors and the Institute of Explosive Engineers.

David is a graduate of the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, England and the Canadian Forces Command and Staff College.

Dennis M. Cole (ret)
Managing Director, Law Enforcement Programs

Dennis Cole has extensive senior level and tactical domestic and international law enforcement experience in the field in special operations, education and training.  Dennis is a retired Chief of Police, San Diego County Sheriffs' Captain, and Commander of its Special Enforcement Detail. 

He has served with PI Global (Pacific International) in various executive management capacities, including the development of Universal Guardian, a publicly traded security products, tactical services and risk mitigation company, and Shield Defense, a less-lethal weapons company.

Dennis served in several leadership roles in his thirty-one (31) year law enforcement career. His law enforcement assignments include, San Diego County fireboat captain, Chief of Police for the City of Vista, California, Director of the San Diego Regional Public Safety Training Institute at Miramar College, Commander of the Sheriff’s Special Enforcement Detail. He spent seventeen (17) years in special weapons and tactics (SWAT), where he developed many the techniques currently used in law enforcement special operations worldwide. 

Dennis is a recognized leader, lecturer and associate professor in law enforcement instruction from the departmental level, special operations training, and college level. He is also recognized subject matter expert in public safety, chemical agents, law enforcement special operations, and crisis management. He has worked with several government agencies to develop special tactics for crisis resolution including the Central Intelligence Agency, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, Transportation Safeguards Division of the Department of Energy, Secret Service, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, National Institute of Justice, and many others.

Mr. Cole served in the United States Army from 1966-1970 in the United States and Southeast Asia.

He is a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Academy Class 186. Captain Cole has been granted two U.S. Patents for non-lethal personal protection devices. 

Mr. Cole served on the Board of Directors of Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International and The Association of Special Enforcement, a fraternal organization of special operations personnel.

He is a member of the International Tactical Officers Association and Veterans of Foreign Wars.