Management Team

Introduction:  Nilmini Thompson is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and CEO of two (2) successful federal contracting services companies: Systems Products and Solutions (SPS), Incorporated, and Millennium Systems Services Incorporated (MSSI).  Headquartered in Huntsville, AL, her award-winning companies have performed a wide variety of ground and aviation service and product-based contract services in over 20 countries, spanning across 5 continents, and 30 locations. 

Accomplishments:  Nilmini has served on the Board of Directors for the Huntsville Chamber of Commerce and Board of Directors for the Women’s Business Center of North Alabama.  Nilmini also served as Board of Director for the BBVA Compass Bank Advisory Board and served as a Chair and Board of Director for Madison Visionary Partner (MVP) in Madison, AL. Nilmini continues to be active in community projects and is a member of the Madison County, AL Rotary Club.  In 2011, she was nominated for the City of Madison’s Philanthropy Award.

Experience:  With over 19 years of business executive experience, Nilmini’ s experience include creating, communicating, implementing an organization’s vision, mission, and overall goals; development and integration of an organization’s strategic direction; overseeing implementation and monitoring of company business operational and financial activities; identification and execution of acquisition sales; business development planning and approach; and representing organizational interests in local community and professional association forums.

Education:  Nilmini holds degrees from Central Texas College and is multilinguistic, speaking English, Arabic, and Singhalese.

Clayton Hinchman is the former Founder, President and CEO of USi.  USi was acquired by Ignite on April 1, 2016. 

Clayton served in the United States Army as an Infantry Officer.  He medically retired as a Captain due to wounds sustained during an improvised explosive attack while conducting a night raid to kill or capture Al Qaeda in Iraq.

During his Army career, he was assigned to 10th Mountain Division and Special Operations Task Force 17. He earned his Airborne and Air Assault wings, and also graduated as the Honor Graduate from the US Army Ranger School. His military decorations include the Combat Infantryman Badge, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and Meritorious Service Medal.

Clayton earned his undergraduate from the United States Military Academy at West Point, Masters from Georgetown University, continuing executive education at Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management, and is a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program at Babson College.

John joined SPS after serving with Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) and Camber Corporation for 13 years. John has held a variety of positions including Sr Director, Operations Manager, and Program Manager. John’s Directorate encompassed 12 Department of Defense customers and over 400 employees at 10 locations. In addition to his responsibilities as a Sr Director, John was the Camber Corporation AMCOM EXPRESS Program Manager and served on the Board of Managers for Aviation & Missiles Solutions (AMS). 

John served as a commissioned officer United States Army with 24 years of service and is a Master Army Aviator. John is a graduate of the Army Command & General Staff College. He received his Masters of Science in Procurement and Acquisition from Webster University.

Marty has served the US Army for over 45 years as a Department of Army Civilian, a member of the US Army Reserves, and as a Department of Defense contractor.

Marty is a Certified Professional Logistician (CPL #877) and served the US Army Aviation & Missile Command (AMCOM) in many logistics assignments culminating as Deputy Director for Readiness for AMCOM.

Marty served 25 years in the US Army Reserves as an Ordnance Officer and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel.  His final assignment was Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff G-4, for the 87^th Division – Exercise.  His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Army Service Ribbon.

As a Defense contractor, Marty managed the PATRIOT missile Repair and Return program for the AMCOM Security Assistance Management Directorate, led the Army Materiel Command (AMC) contract team to develop the Integrated Logistics Enterprise Program (ILEP), assisted the AMCOM Logistics Center to develop algorithms to link Condition Based Maintenance to the Supply Chain, and led a System Engineering & Technical Assistance team to support development and fielding of the Joint Tactical Ground Station.  Marty is currently the onsite Program Manager for the HQ AMC G-3 Logistics Support & Services contract.

Marty earned his undergraduate degree in Chemistry from North Georgia College and a Master of Science in Systems Management from Florida Institute of Technology.

Over 40 years of combined military, industry, and corporate experience managing a myriad of tasks supporting the National Defense Strategy; managed numerous task orders and contracts both for the military (28 years) and subsequently for corporate (12 years) entities. Notable military assignments include US Central Command, Deputy Assistant Director, J5 Strategy and Policy Directorate; 1st Aviation Brigade, Fort Rucker, AL Brigade Commander; US Forces Command, Fort McPherson, Atlanta, GA G3 Aviation Division Chief; Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans/Force Development, Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC) Joint Warfighting Integration Officer. Battalion Commander 17th Aviation Brigade, USFK, assignments also include AVIM Commander 82^nd Airborne Division and AVIM Commander 1^st Cavalry Division.

Awards include: Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit (2), Bronze Star, Air Medal, Army Meritorious Service (6), Senior Army Aviator Badge (AH-1S and CH-47D), Airborne Badge, and Air Assault Badge, Quad A Order of St. Michael (Silver)

Corporate Assignments include multiple Positions, from SVP in a Large Corporation, to Business Unit Director and Business Development Director in both Large and Small Companies.  Significant experience at all management levels executing assigned missions, managing budgets/resources, and executing profit and loss objectives.

B.A., Political Science University of South Florida, Tampa Florida 1977

M.S., National Resourcing Strategy (Focus: National Transportation Industry) National, Defense University (NDU), Industrial College of the Armed Forces (ICAF), Washington, DC, 1997

Lawrence Alexander served in the United States Army as an Infantry Platoon Sergeant. He retired after serving 20yrs of Active service.

During his active service, his assignments were 6th Infantry Divisions Artic Light 1^st 17^th INF Fort Richardson Alaska.101^st Airborne DIV Air Assault 1^st BDE 2bn 327^th INF No Slack &.3^rd BDE 3^rd bn187^th INF Battle Hard. 2^nd INF DIV 1^st 503^rd INF, Camp Casey Korea. 11^th INF REGT, Fort Benning GA. 1^st 507^th ABN School & 2/11 INF IOBC. Supporting and Deploying to Saini Egypt MFO, Desert Strom, KOSOVO, Operations Uphold Democracy, OIF, and OEF.

His military decorations include. Combat and Expert Infantrymen’s badges, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Accommodation, US Army Jump Master, and Sniper School graduate.

After retirement, he began his second career working to support the warfighter teaching MRAP new equipment Operator, Maintenance, and Recovery courses. He earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Phoenix and a Master from Grand Canyon University.

Terry Blodgett is a Retired Civil Servant with approximately 30 years of service.

Terry served in the United States Army Reserve Command from June 1991 to March 2007 as Chief of Supply, Chief of Equipment, Special Projects Officer and Chief of Logistics Studies.

During his Army career, he was assigned to the United States Army Corps of Engineers in Ozark, AR; United States Forest Service in Ozark, AR and Mansfield, AR; Fourth US Army, Fort Sheridan, IL; and United States Army Reserve Command, Fort McPherson, GA.  His civil service decorations include the Superior Civilian Service Award; AMC Commanders Award for Civilian Service; Achievement Medal for Civilian Service; and Multiple Certificates of Appreciation

Terry earned his undergraduate from the Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, AR; Sustaining Base Leadership and Management Program, Army Management Staff College, Fort Belvoir, VA; Supply Officers Course, Fort Lee, VA; and Army Logistics Transformation, Penn State University, State College, PA.

Cruz Gonzalez is a former Government Civilian, Logistics Management Specialist assigned to the Aviation Field Maintenance Directorate at Redstone Arsenal.

Cruz is a decorated military veteran, who retired after 20yrs of service, 10 years of which was under the command of the 160^th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR).  He served as a crewmember on the highly modified UH/MH-60 Blackhawks deploying to numerous real-world/combat missions accumulating over 2000 flight hours.  

Cruz was selected for the Warrant Offer Candidate’s course (151AE).  After his graduation he served as Platoon Leader for D co. 1-4 Avn Regt (Attack), Ft Hood and 1-2 Avn Regt (Attack), Korea.  Other duties include Facility Maintenance Officer for the TRADOC System Manager (TSM) in support of the RAH-66 Comanche aircraft.

Mr. Gonzalez’s military tenure covered Military Operations such as Urgent Fury, Prime Chance, Just Cause, Desert Storm, Bosnia (SFOR), and GWOT. His military decorations include the Senior Aircrew Badge, Air Medal (3), AFEM w/ Arrowhead Device & Star (2), Asia Service medal w/ Bronze Service Star, Kuwait Liberation Medal, Joint Meritorious Unit Award and Army Commendation medal (2).   

Mr. Gonzalez’s education includes the Warrant Officer Professional Development Course, Army Aviation Maintenance Manager Course, Army Warrant Officer Advance Course, and Aviation Safety Officer Course. He earned his Bachelors in Professional Aeronautics from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Art Sharpe has been a Deputy Program Manager on the Army Materiel Command Logistics Support Contract since 2014. 

Art served in the United States Army as an Ordnance, Quartermaster and Multi-Functional Logistics officer in the United States Army, the Army Reserve, and the National Guard.  He retired as a lieutenant-colonel from the Army in 2014.

During his military career, he served in multiple active duty and reserve units, culminating as the deputy chief of plans and operations for Army Materiel Command where he was the senior military officer in the AMC Operations Center.  As a combat veteran, his awards and decorations include the Combat Action Badge, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, multiple Meritorious Service Medals and Army Commendation Medals as well as multiple wartime and peacetime campaign and service medals.

As a civilian, Art has led or managed large government organizations, including the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission, the Mississippi State Department of Health’s Office of Health Regulation and the Office of Emergency Preparedness and Response.  He was the onsite Incident Commander for health and medical support during the government’s response to Hurricane Katrina.  He has served as an Assistant Attorney General, an administrative judge and has been a lawyer for over 36 years. Art earned his undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Mississippi State University and his Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi School of Law.

Russ McDonald is a lifelong resident of Madison County and has worked for contractors supporting the DoD/NASA community for 32 years

Russ’s professional career includes 26 years with Camber Corporation where he was one the early employees who contributed to the long term growth of that company. The majority of his experience is in Information Systems where he was a Task and Project Manager supporting Army and MDA customers and in Proposal Planning and Development. Russ held a PMP certification from 2010-2019.

Russ earned his undergraduate degree in Finance from the University of Alabama in 1980.

Tempie Yates migrated to Huntsville working in Human Resources working for the automotive industry and has 19 years of experience.

Tempie has several years of HR experience within the Automotive, Educational and Government contracting.  Tempie specializes in on-boarding, new hire orientation and benefits.

Tempie earned her BA degree in Business Administration from Stillman College in 2001 and a MBA from Strayer University in 2008.

Bill brings over 45 years of combined military and business experience and knowledge to his position with SPS.

Bill was commissioned and trained as an Army Infantry Officer serving over 23 years serving in various Army staff and troop assignments including the 1^st and 2^nd  Infantry Divisions, the Training and Doctrine Command, Beckley West Virginia Recruiting Battalion, USA Infantry School, Deputy Commander Rock Island Arsenal, and Inspector General for Depot Systems Command (DESCOM). His military decorations include the Expert Infantry Badge, Legion of Merit, 3 Meritorious Service Medals, and 4 Army Commendation Medals. 

After his military retirement, Bill served for 13 years as the Director of Human Resources and Safety for a unionized manufacturing company. Bill joined Millennium Systems Services (MSSI) in 2006, serving as the Business Operations Manager, Program Manager, and President. Bill transitioned to Systems Products and Solutions in 2017 where he serves as the Senior Capture and Proposal Manager. Bill is also one of the Facility Security Officers and the Assistant Quality Manager. Educational highlights include a Bachelors’ degree in Business Administration from Marshall University, a Master’s degree in Human Resources Management from Pepperdine University, Infantry Officer’s Basic and Advanced courses, Recruiting Commanders Course, Army Command and General Staff College, Installation Commanders Course, and the Inspector General Course.

Mary Katterheinrich is the former Program Acquisition Lead for the Acquisition Business Support Services (ABSS) contract at NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center.

Mary has over 20 years of contract and procurement experience with NASA, the Department of Defense (DOD), and professional services industry.  Before joining Systems Products and Solutions, Inc. (SPS), Mary served in a number of positions with increasing responsibility in the aerospace and defense industry providing leadership and support in the areas of finance and government contracts including planning, negotiating, awarding, cost/price analysis, pricing and administering contracts from “cradle to grave”. 

Mary’s primary role is to advise in all phases of federal, state and international; contracting and procurement including negotiating and drafting of acquisition agreements ensuring regulatory compliance.

Kimberly has 18 plus years of Government accounting and Deltek Costpoint/Time and Expense experience. She has had a career of working within many areas of Finance/Accounting in the Government contracting sector in the Huntsville, Alabama area. 

She graduated from John C. Calhoun Community College with an Associates Degree in Business Administration, and from Auburn University with a Bachelors Degree in Accounting.

Jimmy Miller has worked in the IT field for 15+ years.

Jimmy began working in the grocery store and meat market before starting his IT career at LG Electronics, and then spent 10 years working for Global company, Eurofins Scientific, as a Systems Administrator, and helped them grow the company’s IT Infrastructure, going through multiple integrations and mergers.

Jimmy completed the Certified Network Engineer program at Virginia College. Obtained certifications in Network +, A+, and Microsoft Certified Professional.