FOUNDER

Mr. Kody Viele is the Founder and CEO of Viele Exploratory Sustainable Solutions LLC (VESS), a mission intelligence company focused on the development, integration, and deployment of next-generation capabilities across air, land, sea, space, and digital domains. Under his leadership, VESS has grown from inception into a multi-company portfolio delivering advanced UAV systems, AI/ML-enabled platforms, and mission intelligence solutions in direct support of U.S. Department of Defense and allied national security missions.

Mr. Viele has successfully built, scaled, and operationalized defense technologies and intelligence-driven services from concept through deployment, serving as a prime contractor on multiple federal programs. He has led the delivery of mission-critical capabilities to U.S. government customers and coalition partners, spanning autonomous systems, advanced sensing, and data-driven decision platforms. His work is centered on solving complex operational and geopolitical challenges in austere and contested environments.

Director of Contracting

Mr. Donald O. Viele serves as Director of Contracting at Viele Exploratory Sustainable Solutions LLC (VESS), where he leads contracting strategy, compliance, and execution for mission-critical government and infrastructure programs. He brings more than four decades of experience supporting high-consequence operations across New York State and New York City, with operational and advisory engagements throughout Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

As Director of Contracting, Mr. Viele ensures that mission intelligence products and services meet stringent federal, state, and regulatory requirements, while remaining operationally relevant in time-sensitive and contested environments. He is a recognized legal authority in boundary and real property analysis, frequently serving as a key expert witness in complex proceedings, and is the author of a published law text on real property law.

Strategic Advisor and Liaison - Pentagon

Dan is a senior logistics and sustainment expert with over 30 years of military service and post-retirement leadership in defense consulting. He retired in 2017 following a distinguished career that culminated at the Pentagon, where he served as the Senior Enlisted Advisor to two Deputy Commandants. Throughout his military career, Dan led operations across seven combat tours and multiple humanitarian and stability missions.

Strategic Operations Lead

Sarah brings more than 20 years of experience leading operations in complex, regulated, and high-pressure environments where precision, reliability, and accountability are critical. In her new role, she will be responsible for overseeing operational strategy, acquisition and logistics coordination, internal process alignment, and cross-functional execution in support of VESS’s expanding federal portfolio.

Principal - Federal Strategy & National Security Affairs

JC Cardinale serves as Principal for Federal Strategy & National Security Affairs, bringing more than a decade of experience shaping defense and national security outcomes at the highest levels of government. He has held senior roles in the U.S. Senate, where he led federal engagement on defense appropriations, acquisition strategy, and policy affecting the Department of War (Formerly Department of Defense) and the national security enterprise.

In parallel with his policy career, JC has served in leadership roles throughout the U.S. Army, including multiple combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. He continues to serve as a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve, where he operates as a joint operations planner supporting global combatant commands. His background uniquely combines legislative strategy, defense acquisition insight, and operational military experience to advance long-term federal and national security objectives.

Program Manager - Dagger Unmanned UAV Portfolio

Dr. Crassidis, also a professor of mechanical engineering at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Received his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University at Buffalo specializing in control systems engineering and systems design and dynamics. Dr. Crassidis has worked for Calspan Corporation as a senior aeronautical engineer and lead systems engineer for an experimental flight research NF-16 aircraft (VISTA) used primarily as an in-flight simulator.

Dr. Crassidis has more than 20 years of industrial experience in the areas of autonomous air and ground vehicle development; aerospace flight system design; and navigation, control, and measurements systems. Dr. Crassidis prior work includes advanced navigation correction algorithms, autonomous air vehicles, energy harvesting, and intelligent flight controls. He is the author of several papers on the topic of advanced autonomous control and model-free control of unmanned aircraft system platforms.