CERDEC Leadership

Mr. Henry Muller was appointed Director, Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center March 22, 2015. As director, he is responsible for establishing CERDEC's comprehensive Science and Technology (S&T) Portfolio providing strategic program formulation guidance involving short-and long-range goals utilizing existing and anticipated state-of-the art advances in communications, mission command, sensors, electronic warfare, intelligence and countermeasure equipment and services. Programs encompass technology thrusts in Mission Command, Communications, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance technologies and systems in various stages of the life cycle model. In addition to the center's Science and Technology mission, he oversees its engineering support and services provided to the acquisition Program Executive Offices, Life Cycle Management Commands, and other DOD and Federal customers.

Prior to his appointment, Mr. Muller served as the Director of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center’s Intelligence and Information Warfare Directorate (I2WD). As Director, he was responsible for providing signals intelligence, electronic warfare, measurement and signature intelligence, information operations, intelligence dissemination/fusion and quick-reaction capabilities through the research and development of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems in acquisition support to the U.S. Army.

Mr. Muller entered the Senior Executive Service in November 2008 when he was appointed Director of CERDEC's Space and Terrestrial Communications Directorate (S&TCD), in which he served until January 2012. Prior to that, he served as CERDEC's Associate Director, June 2004 – November 2008, and as chief of the Information Operations Division of CERDEC I2WD, August 2002 – June 2004.

Mr. Muller earned a Master of Science in management of technology from Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, N.J., 1997, and a Bachelor of Science in aerospace engineering from Polytechnic Institute of New York, Brooklyn, N.Y., 1983.

Mr. John Willison is Director of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center (CERDEC) Space and Terrestrial Communications Directorate (S&TCD). As Director, Mr. Willison leads more than 450 scientists, engineers and support staff and provides the strategic direction for the organization. Mr. Willison leads the S&TCD research programs encompassing technology areas including network science, nanotechnologies, software-defined radios, network operations, strategic satellite communications, information assurance, antennas, spectrum management, and commercial wireless technologies.

Mr. Willison was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in August 2011 as the Director of the CERDEC Command, Power and Integration Directorate (CP&I). As the Director, he was responsible for planning and executing the Army’s science and technology investments in mission command, power generation, and quick reaction and prototyping technology.

Mr. Willison previously served as the Technical Director for Program Executive Office Communications, Command and Control Tactical (PEO C3T) Project Manager Battle Command (PM BC), April 2007 – August 2011. Prior to that, he held several positions within the Army’s Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM) Software Engineering Center (SEC), including Director of the Advanced Battlespace Solutions Directorate, March 2000 – April 2007, Chief of the Architecture & Technology Division, October 1996 – March 2000, and Army Project Manager for the Joint Army and DARPA Software Technology for Adaptable and Reliable Systems (STARS) Project.

Mr. Willison earned his Master of Science in software engineering from Monmouth University, N.J., 1992 and a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from Lafayette College, Pa., 1986.

Mr. Michael Lombardi is the Acting Director for the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center’s Intelligence and Information Warfare Directorate (I2WD). He was previously appointed deputy director of I2WD in July 2011 and was responsible for managing a geographically dispersed organization of approximately 400 government and 500 contractor personnel.

As Acting Director, Mr. Lombardi and his organization are responsible for providing signals intelligence, electronic warfare, measurement and signature intelligence, cyber and information operations, intelligence dissemination/fusion materiel capabilities spanning Science and Technology, Quick Reaction Capabilities and Acquisition Support to the U.S. Army.  

Mr. Lombardi has held various positions throughout his 29-year-career to include director of the CERDEC Software Engineering Directorate, associate director of CERDEC Command and Control Directorate (now CERDEC Command, Power and Integration Directorate), program manager at the Research, Development and Engineering Command for eCybermission, and branch and division chief positions.

Mr. Lombardi earned a Master of Science in software engineering from Monmouth University, West Long Branch, N.J. and a Bachelor of Science in engineering from City University of New York, New York, N.Y. He also completed the Harvard University Senior Executive Fellows program in 2008 and the APG Senior Leader Cohort Program in 2014.

Dr. Donald Reago, Jr. is the Director of the Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center (CERDEC) Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD), in Fort Belvoir, Va. In this capacity he is responsible for planning and executing the Army’s science and technology investments in Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) and Countermine/Counter-Improvised Explosive Devices sensors and signal processing. He is responsible for the technical direction of a science and technology program with a $200 million annual budget, a staff of approximately 470, and a technical scope comprised of in-house research, contract research and development, and support to various Program Executive Offices and Program Managers across the Army and Joint Service acquisition communities.

Dr. Reago is an internationally recognized authority in night vision and countermine technology, and has served on numerous Joint, National, and International coordinating activities. He is currently the Chairman of the Office of Secretary of Defense (OSD) Sensors and Processing Community of Interest and the Army representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Sensors and Electronics Technology Panel. He is a fellow and member of the Executive Committee for the Military Sensing Symposium.

Dr. Reago received a Bachelor of Science in physics from the University of Missouri-Rolla, Mo., 1983 and a Doctor of Philosophy in physics from the University of Missouri-Rolla in 1986.

Mr. Christopher P. Manning is the Acting Director of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center (CERDEC) Command, Power and Integration Directorate (CP&ID;). As Acting Director, he is responsible for planning and executing the Army’s science and technology investments in mission command, positioning, navigation and timing, power and energy, and quick reaction and prototyping technology.

Mr. Manning previously served as the Division Chief of CP&ID;’S Prototyping, Integration and Testing Division. Prior to that he was the Deputy Chief of Staff for Program Executive Office Command, Control, Communications-Tactical (PEO C3T). In 2013, he deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as the Deputy Director Forward Operations for the office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics and Technology). From 2010 to 2013, Mr. Manning was chartered as the first Project Director for Communications Security under PEO C3T and charged with staffing, building, and establishing the program office.

Mr. Manning served as the Deputy Product Manager for Global Positioning Systems (GPS) from October 2006 through May 2010. Before this he was Chief of Control Management Systems, in CERDEC’s Software Engineering Directorate. He started his Department of the Army Civilian career as a Chief Engineer for Product Manager GPS.

Mr. Manning was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, Signal Corps, through the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) at Michigan State University where he graduated from the Honors College with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering. He later completed his graduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania with a Master’s of Science degree in Engineering (Management of Technology).

Mr. Manning’s first military assignment was Communications Platoon Leader for 4th Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery (PATRIOT) at Fort Lewis, Washington. He later served as Executive Officer for D Company, 29th Signal Battalion at Fort Lewis, WA. His other assignments included Assistant S-3 (Systems Integration Branch) and Assistant S-3 (Operations) for 22nd Signal Brigade in Darmstadt, Germany. He commanded the 578th Signal Company for 24 months including a deployment to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Upon completion of company command, he was assigned to the Army Acquisition Corps. His last military assignment was Assistant Product Manager, Firefinder Radars, at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey.

Ronald Michel serves as the Director of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center (CERDEC) Product Realization Engineering and Quality Directorate (PRD).

Mr. Michel leads an organization that applies engineering and technical skills across the Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) product lifecycle to reduce risk and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of products, systems and operations for the Army.

Mr. Michel previously worked as an engineer within the Army Materiel Command Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM) Engineering Directorate and later went on to serve as branch chief for the Net Radio Branch, Programs and Policy Branch, and SINCGARS Prototype Branch. He also assisted in the organizational restructuring that created the CECOM Logistics and Readiness Center.

Prior to joining CERDEC, Mr. Michel served as the test program director for the Ka-Band Satellite Communications Terminal and Net-Centric Waveform Development Programs of the Program Executive Office Command, Control, and Communications Tactical PM MILSATCOM and PM WIN-T Technical Management Division. In 2005, Mr. Michel served in dual-capacities as its deputy director and chief of the Technical Management and Programs Division when the Army first established CERDEC PRD.

Mr. Michel received a Bachelor of Science in engineering from Rutgers University, N.J. and a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in management information systems from Monmouth University, N.J.

Michael Skurla currently serves as the Director of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center (CERDEC) Software Engineering Directorate (SED). In this capacity, he supports CERDEC’s efforts to conceptualize, develop, provide and improve software products, services and technologies to enhance the warfighting capabilities of the Army, Joint Services and Coalition Forces, along with supporting Homeland Defense initiatives. These products and services include: system level software engineering for over 200 individual battlespace systems; system-of-systems level software integration; software architecture design and implementation; software technology assessment and application; software quality assessment, and world-wide technical support to deployed systems. Mr. Skurla previously served as SED Deputy Director from July 2004-2008.

Mr. Skurla also serves as the Executive Secretariat for the DOD Joint Advisory Council and Joint Advisory Council Executive Group that oversee the Software Engineering Institute, a Federally Funded Research and Development Center that conducts software engineering research in acquisition, architecture and product lines, process improvement and performance measurement, security engineering, and system interoperability and dependability.

Prior to this assignment, he served as the Chief of Homeland Operations for the U.S. Army Combatant Command Interoperability Program Office. He worked closely with the Department of Homeland Security, FEMA Region II, State of New Jersey, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey fostering improvements in interoperability and situational awareness.

Mr. Skurla holds a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from Wilkes College, Pa., as well as a Master of Science in software engineering, from Monmouth University, N.J. Mr. Skurla completed the Software Engineering Program of the U.S. Army Logistics Management College, Texarkana, Texas.

Mr. Gary W. Blohm is the Acting Director of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center (CERDEC) Intelligence and Information Warfare Directorate. As Acting Director, Mr. Blohm and his organization are responsible for providing signals intelligence, electronic warfare, measurement and signature intelligence, cyber and information operations, intelligence dissemination/fusion materiel capabilities spanning Science and Technology, Quick Reaction Capabilities and Acquisition Support to the U.S. Army.

Mr. Blohm previously served as Director of CERDEC’s Command, Power and Integration Directorate, where he was responsible for planning and executing the Army’s science and technology investments in mission command, power generation, and quick reaction and prototyping technology.

Mr. Blohm served as the Director for the Army Architecture Integration Center, Headquarters, Department of the Army, Chief Information Office/G-6 from 2010-2015. He was responsible for ensuring the interoperability and supportability of the Army’s Information Technology Architectures and led the planning, development, and implementation of the Army’s Enterprise Architecture, used in decision support regarding governance, policies, compliance, standards, investment strategies, engineering, identification of capability sets, force development, fielding and blueprints for operations.

Mr. Blohm served as Director of the CERDEC from 2008-2010. He has also served as the Deputy Program Manager for Networks and Complimentary Programs for Future Combat Systems from 2007- 2008, ran a special network Study with OSD on Tactical Networks for CIO/G6 in 2006 and was the Director for CERDEC’s Space and Terrestrial Communications Directorate from 2003-2006.

Mr. Blohm earned his Master of Business Administration from Fairleigh Dickinson University, N.J., 1991 and a Bachelor of Engineering in electrical engineering from the Stevens Institute of Technology, N.J., 1985.

Col. Matthew F. Schramm assumed his duties as the Military Deputy for the Director of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center (CERDEC) on Feb. 1, 2016.

Schramm’s previous assignment was the Deputy Director, C4ISRED at the Army Evaluation Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. His acquisition assignments include Assistant Product Manager for Future Combat Systems - Network Systems’ Integration (PM FCS-NSI) and Counter Radio-Controlled IED Electronic Warfare (PM CREW, PEO IEW&S) programs, Ft. Monmouth, New Jersey; the Biometrics Task Force, Multi-National Corps Iraq (MNC-I), Operation Iraqi Freedom; and Proponency Officer, U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center (USAASC), Ft. Belvoir, Virginia. He served as the Product Manager for the General Fund Enterprise Business System - Sensitive Activities (GFEBS-SA, PEO EIS), Ft. Belvoir, Virginia.

Schramm’s military assignments include various command and staff positions with the 123rd Signal Battalion, Kitzingen, Germany; the 121st Signal Battalion in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Operation Joint Endeavor; the 1st Squadron, 7th U.S. Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division, Ft. Hood, Texas; the 57th Signal Battalion, 3rd Signal Brigade, Ft. Hood, Texas and Operation Bright Star, Egypt; and the U.S. Army Garrison and the Communications-Electronics Command at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey.

Schramm graduated from The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and was commissioned on May 14, 1994. He also holds a Master of Business Administration from Pennsylvania State University.

Sgt. 1st Class Clifford T. Martin II assumed duties as Senior Enlisted Advisor of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center (CERDEC) on Feb. 1, 2016.

Martin’s previous assignment was Assistant Inspector General for the 5th Signal Command (Theater), Wiesbaden, Germany.

Martin’s assignments include I Corps G6, Ft. Lewis, Washington; U.S. Army Recruiting Command, Eugene, Oregon; 67th Signal Battalion, Ft. Gordon, Georgia; 2/17th Field Artillery Battalion, CP Hovey, South Korea; 93 Signal Brigade, Ft. Gordon Georgia; 304th Signal Battalion, CP Red Cloud South Korea; U.S. Army Signal Activity, Ft. Belvoir, Virginia and 3/11 Field Artillery Battalion, Ft. Lewis, Washington.

Martin’s military education includes U.S. Army Recruiting School, U.S. Army Inspector General School, Joint Inspector General School, Equal Opportunity Leaders Course, Area NBC Officers Course, Advanced Leaders Course, Senior Leaders Course, Manager Development Course and Unit Victim Advocate Course.