AeroVironment has announced a significant leadership change, appointing Mary Clum as the new president of its Space, Cyber and Directed Energy (SCDE) business. The appointment will be effective October 24, 2025. Clum will succeed Trip Ferguson, who is stepping down from the role.
In her new position, Clum will report directly to Wahid Nawabi, the Chairman, President, and CEO of AeroVironment. The company confirmed that Ferguson will remain for a brief period to ensure a smooth transition of responsibilities.
Key Takeaways
- Mary Clum will become president of AeroVironment's Space, Cyber and Directed Energy business on October 24, 2025.
- She succeeds Trip Ferguson, who is departing the company but will assist with the leadership transition.
- Clum previously served as executive vice president of Space and Directed Energy Mission Systems.
- Her background includes leadership roles at BlueHalo and over a decade of experience at Raytheon.
- Michael Pace has been promoted to senior vice president of Space and Directed Energy Mission Systems as part of the leadership team restructuring.
A Strategic Leadership Appointment
AeroVironment's decision to promote Mary Clum places an experienced executive at the head of one of its most critical divisions. The SCDE business is responsible for developing advanced technologies for national security missions across multiple domains.
Wahid Nawabi, the company's CEO, expressed strong confidence in the appointment. He highlighted Clum's track record and suitability for the role.
“Mary has the experience, expertise, and resolve to lead SCDE as we enhance our industry-leading technologies, scale our production capabilities, innovate into new markets, and strengthen our relationships with our partners,” Nawabi stated.
Nawabi also noted Clum's contributions since joining the company, particularly in advancing key projects. “Since joining AV, Mary has expertly guided emerging technologies – including directed energy weapon systems and long-haul space laser communication terminals – from concept to reality with the urgency required to fulfill critical national security missions,” he added.
Clum's Extensive Industry Background
Mary Clum brings a wealth of experience from the aerospace and defense sectors to her new position. She joined AeroVironment in May 2025 as part of the company's acquisition of BlueHalo. At BlueHalo, she was a member of the executive leadership team and served as president of the Product and Space Systems portfolio.
From BlueHalo to AeroVironment
Clum's role at BlueHalo involved overseeing product innovation and manufacturing operations. Her responsibilities included driving growth across the portfolio and ensuring alignment with the company's long-term strategic objectives. This experience is directly relevant to her new leadership position at AeroVironment.
Prior to her tenure at BlueHalo, Clum spent more than ten years at Raytheon. During her time there, she held several key positions, including senior manager for the Directed Energy and Mobile Range product areas. This deep background in directed energy is a significant asset for AeroVironment's SCDE division.
Her industry contributions have been recognized publicly. In 2024, Clum received the WashingtonExec Pinnacle Award for Space Executive of the Year for a private company.
New Leadership Team Structure
Clum's promotion is part of a broader restructuring of the SCDE leadership team. Michael Pace, formerly the senior vice president of Space RF Systems, has been promoted to senior vice president of Space and Directed Energy Mission Systems.
Technical Expertise in Key Areas
Michael Pace is recognized as a technical expert in several advanced fields, including:
- Digital beamformed phased arrays
- Software-defined architectures
These technologies are crucial for modern communication and sensor systems used in space and defense applications.
Pace will join Johnathan Jones on Clum’s new leadership team. Jones was recently appointed as the senior vice president of Cyber and Mission Solutions. Together, they will manage the key segments within the SCDE business unit.
Vision for the Future
In a statement regarding her new role, Clum expressed her commitment to advancing the division's mission.
“I’m excited to guide SCDE’s talented team as we take our mission even further,” Clum said. “Across all domains, the SCDE team is engineering a safer future for our nation and its allies.”
She emphasized the team's proven capabilities and ongoing projects. “Our people have provided more than 260 systems on orbit, with proven performance in the harshest environments. They are delivering advanced solutions, supporting orbital warfare, space domain awareness, resilient communications, command and control, all while degrading adversarial capabilities,” she explained.
Transition and Departure
Trip Ferguson, the outgoing president, reflected positively on his time leading the SCDE segment and endorsed his successor. “It has been a privilege to lead AV’s SCDE segment,” Ferguson commented.
He praised Clum's leadership qualities and expressed confidence in the future of the division under her direction. “Over the past three years, I have had the pleasure of working closely with Mary and have seen firsthand her innovative vision. I know SCDE is in good hands with her at the helm and believe AV is well positioned to capitalize on the range of market opportunities ahead.”
Ferguson stated that his departure would allow him to spend more time with his family. His temporary support during the transition period is intended to maintain operational continuity and momentum on key projects.