System High Appoints New Chief Financial Officer
Chantilly, VA – May 6, 2019: System High, a leading provider of proactive protection (P2), security engineering, counterintelligence, and cybersecurity solutions to select government and commercial customers, announced Michael Santelli is joining the Company as its Chief Financial Officer and EVP of Corporate Development. System High is backed by Enlightenment Capital.
Michael Santelli has a 25-year track record leading successful private equity-sponsored companies delivering intelligence and security solutions to sensitive government agencies. Most recently serving as CEO of OMNIPLEX World Services Corporation, an integrated security services firm, he led the Company through a sale to a strategic buyer after achieving 70% top-line growth in four years. Mike brings experience with building and scaling high-performing businesses, driving M&A processes, and creating trusted customer relationships.
“We are thrilled to welcome Mike to the System High team as we continue building System High into the leading provider of innovative security solutions to the Defense, Intelligence, and commercial sectors,” said Rob Howe, President and CEO of System High. “Mike’s experience in these sectors will be integral to driving our growth and implementing the systems and operations that create value for our employees, customers, and partners.”
“I am excited to join the highly talented System High team as it continues on its accelerated growth trajectory,” said Santelli. “I look forward to leveraging my experience driving organic and inorganic growth as an executive at private equity-backed companies operating in the security space as we enter this next stage of evolution with our partnership with Enlightenment Capital.”
“Mike’s passion and track record growing and scaling high-performing organizations will be essential as System High continues to expand as a mission-critical partner across the national security and commercial sectors,” said Jason Rigoli, Partner of Enlightenment Capital. “The Company will greatly benefit from his experience as we evaluate add-ons and strategic partnerships to continue to provide differentiated offerings to our customers and new career opportunities for our employees.”
About System High
System High provides high-end solutions for some of the nation’s most sensitive activities and has become a leading provider and integrator of global protection and security engineering services. System High’s reputation of succeeding where others have failed is a direct result of bringing together and delivering the most innovative, critical thinking professionals to solve the most complex security challenges across both government and commercial sectors. For more information, visit www.systemhigh.com.
About Enlightenment Capital
Enlightenment Capital, a Washington, DC area based private investment firm, provides senior debt, mezzanine debt, and equity to middle market companies in the Aerospace, Defense & Government (ADG) sector. The firm partners with businesses that provide vital services, protect critical infrastructure, innovate cyber and data solutions, enhance decision making capabilities, engineer aerospace systems, safeguard national security, and endeavor to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow. For more information, visit www.enlightenment-cap.com.
System High Appoints Sarah Lord as Chief Operating Officer
System High has announced the appointment of Sarah Lord as Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the corporation effective immediately. As COO, Ms. Lord will execute the corporate strategy by effectively overseeing and managing the day-to-day company operations and resources to achieve organizational performance and growth objectives.
“Sarah brings insight and perspective from both her formal education and through excelling at each position she performed coming up through the ranks. She is the epitome of a rising professional at System High. She effectively balances the needs of our people to the needs of our customers and the company,” said President and CEO, Rob Howe. “Her servant leadership style is evident in everything she does, from tailoring our culture to meet the desires of our employees and customers to always putting others before herself.”
Since joining System High in 2009, Lord has been promoted to positions of increased responsibilities and most recently held the position of Chief Human Capital Officer. In addition to her traditional responsibilities in this area, she performed a multitude of other functions to include creating the corporate “Burn Blue” culture, which drives excellence in everything at System High. “People-first companies must adopt and embrace people-first practices in everything we do,” said Lord. “We are devoted to creating a professional experience that attracts superior performers who choose to spend their careers with us. This commitment to our people, and most importantly their families, is a pillar of our success and reflective of the servant leadership present across our entire organization.” “The culture that is evident at System High is truly unique in industry, and is a discriminator that made the partnership so appealing to us,” said Jason Rigoli, Partner at Enlightenment Capital. “Sarah’s passion and commitment to the success of System High is evident across the organization.”
“With our recent partnership and our exclusive P2 solutions, System High is well-postured to dominate lifecycle protection in the upcoming years,” said Lord. “I am tremendously honored and humbled to accept the position of COO, and could not be more excited to contribute to our continued success. We’re going to do great things.”
About Enlightenment Capital
Enlightenment Capital, a Washington, DC area based private investment firm, provides senior debt, mezzanine debt, and equity to middle market companies in the Aerospace, Defense & Government (ADG) sector. The firm partners with businesses that provide vital services, protect critical infrastructure, innovate cyber and data solutions, enhance decision making capabilities, engineer aerospace systems, safeguard national security, and endeavor to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow. For more information, visit www.enlightenment-cap.com.
Enlightenment invests in System High
Enlightenment Capital has made an investment in Chantilly, Virginia-based System High Corporation, a provider of proactive protection, security engineering, counterintelligence, and cybersecurity solutions, serving select government and commercial customers. No financial terms were disclosed.
PRESS RELEASE
Chevy Chase, Maryland – January 22, 2019: Enlightenment Capital, an Aerospace, Defense & Government focused investment firm based in the Washington, DC area, announced it has invested in System High Corporation to help accelerate the Company’s growth. System High will serve as Enlightenment’s newest platform. System High is a leading provider of proactive protection (P2), security engineering, counterintelligence, and cybersecurity solutions, serving select government and commercial customers.
Founded in 2005 with offices in the Washington, DC area and Colorado Springs, CO, System High is a leader in the design, development, and enforcement of proactive protection systems that preserve critical technologies and enhance information protection systems for a multitude of government and civilian organizations. “System High continues to attract the best professionals in our business space, and our customers benefit from our team’s focus on supporting our clients’ security goals,” said Rob Howe, newly appointed CEO and President. “I am proud to partner with Enlightenment and the System High family of professionals, which are passionate about preserving our national security.”
“System High will serve as the initial investment of a new Enlightenment platform, which will provide mission critical protection of the technology that underpins many of the most sensitive efforts within the Defense, Intelligence, and commercial sectors,” said Jason Rigoli, Partner of Enlightenment Capital. “We look forward to working with the leadership team to drive the Company’s growth as they continue to play an integral role in this special arena.”
“System High sits at the critical intersection of defense innovation and IP protection,” said Devin Talbott, Managing Partner of Enlightenment Capital. “We plan to support management and invest in the Company’s continued momentum – both organically and through M&A.”
“Enlightenment is an ideal partner and will be instrumental in helping execute our new long range strategic plan,” said Kirk Blubaugh, Company Founder, who will join the Company board, remain a shareholder, and act as a strategic advisor to the Company.
About System High
System High provides high-end solutions for some of the nation’s most sensitive activities and has become a leading provider and integrator of global protection and security engineering services. System High’s reputation of succeeding where others have failed is a direct result of bringing together and delivering the most innovative, critical thinking professionals to solve the most complex security challenges across both government and commercial sectors. For more information, visit www.systemhigh.com.
About Enlightenment Capital
Enlightenment Capital, a Washington, DC area based private investment firm, provides senior debt, mezzanine debt, and equity to middle market companies in the Aerospace, Defense & Government (ADG) sector. The firm partners with businesses that provide vital services, protect critical infrastructure, innovate cyber and data solutions, enhance decision making capabilities, engineer aerospace systems, safeguard national security, and endeavor to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow. For more information, visit www.enlightenment-cap.com.
Read the press article here:https://www.pehub.com/2019/01/enlightenment-invests-in-system-high/#
System High Corporation names Rob Howe President
System High has announced the appointment of Rob Howe as president of the corporation, effective immediately. As president, Rob will have full executive responsibility for the company’s strategy development and execution, corporate performance, and growth objectives. Rob will also retain his current role of Chief Operating Officer.
“Rob’s ability to devise and execute an innovative strategy revolutionized our success in maximizing System High’s fiscal performance and operational value to our customers,” said Kirk Blubaugh, CEO and founder of System High Corporation. “Since Rob joined System High as our Chief Strategy Officer in 2013, he has helped position us to double in size and kept us on track to continue our aggressive growth, while solidifying the discriminatory value of the company and its people.”
“Our focus on better serving our people so they can better serve our customers is incorporated into every decision we make,” said Rob Howe. “This culture has set us apart from all our competitors and is critical for sustaining our reputation of providing innovative protection services and solutions that go beyond compliance.”
“Our vision of being the most sought-after employer and provider of sensitive protection and security engineering professionals has been realized, but we are never satisfied–we are constantly exploring creative ways to better serve our people and our customers,” Howe said. “Our collective efforts have also positioned System High exceptionally well to double in size within the next 12 to 18 months. This will afford us with even more opportunities to better serve the national security of our country, as well as provide greater opportunities for our folks to grow in their careers within System High.”
Before joining System High, Rob served in numerous executive and advisory roles across industry. Rob also had a successful 20-year career in the United States Air Force, protecting some of the nation’s most sensitive operational activities and classified acquisition programs. Rob assumes the role of president from Kirk Blubaugh, who will remain as the Chief Executive Officer and assume responsibilities as Chairman of the Board.
About System High
System High Corporation has become the premier integrator of innovative and sustainable protection solutions for the nation’s most sensitive and mission-critical programs and systems across the U.S Defense and Intelligence communities, as well as select commercial clients.