Crumpton Massie Technologies

Henry A. Crumpton | John L. Massie | David C. O'Brien | Terrence Erickson | Michael Hillmann

Ambassador Henry A. Crumpton
President, Crumpton Group LLC
Chairman, Crumpton Massie Technologies LLC

Ambassador Henry A. Crumpton is the founder of the Crumpton Group (CG) LLC, an international advisory and business development firm. CG works with global corporations, including those in the infrastructure, energy, and financial services industries. Ambassador Crumpton advises CEOs and their teams on the political, security, and commercial dynamics in emerging and frontier markets.

As Chairman of Crumpton Massie Technologies (CMT), Ambassador Crumpton brings unique experience and a broad range of networks to address technical challenges in expeditionary environments, especially in the application of unmanned aircraft systems.

Ambassador Crumpton is a Director of Argan Inc, and serves on the Audit Committee. He is also on the advisory boards of DC Capital Partners, a private equity firm, and AECOM Inc.

From 2005 until 2007 Ambassador Crumpton served as the Coordinator for Counterterrorism at the U.S. Department of State where he helped develop and implement U.S. counterterrorism policy.

Ambassador Crumpton joined the CIA’s Clandestine Service in 1981 as an operations officer. For most of his 24-year career he operated in the foreign field, including assignments as Chief of Station. In Washington, he served at the FBI as Deputy Chief of the International Terrorism Operations Section, 1998-1999. He was Deputy Chief (Operations) of CIA’s Counterterrorism Center, 1999-2001. He led the CIA’s Afghanistan campaign, 2001-2002. Some of his achievements have been portrayed in the best-selling books Bush at War, American Soldier, First In, Jawbreaker, and At the Center of the Storm. He was Chief of the CIA’s National Resources Division, 2003-2005.

He received a B.A. in Political Science from the University of New Mexico and a Masters in International Public Policy, with honors, from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies. He is a contributing author to Transforming U.S. Intelligence (2005). He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and an honorary member of the OSS Society.

Ambassador Crumpton is the recipient of the Intelligence Commendation Medal; the George H.W. Bush Award for excellence in counterterrorism; the Sherman Kent Award, in recognition of an outstanding contribution to the literature of intelligence; the Donovan Award; and the Distinguished Intelligence Medal, the CIA’s highest award for achievement.

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John Lawrence Massie
President, Chief Executive Officer

As President and CEO of Crumpton Massie Technologies (CMT), Mr. Massie works with innovators in the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) industry, providing them with a suite of testing, training, and air-ground integration services. Mr. Massie provides CMT clients access to intellectual capital, facilities and resources necessary to optimize and implement developing technologies.

He is a former Operations Officer with the Central Intelligence Agency, specializing in Counterproliferation and Counterterrorism. He held varied assignments, including service and leadership abroad. For his service, he received the Intelligence Medal of Merit (two awards), the George H. W. Bush award for excellence in Counterterrorism, and the Director’s Medal.

Mr. Massie worked as an engineer for U.S. Naval ship construction at Lockheed Shipbuilding in Seattle, holding positions in engineering and IT management. As a naval officer, he made two wartime deployments to Vietnam aboard the nuclear cruiser USS Bainbridge and later supervised the overhaul and refueling of Bainbridge’s two reactor plants. Mr. Massie received the Vietnam Service and Campaign Medals and the Navy Achievement Medal for his service.

From 2002-2007, Mr. Massie owned and operated Geronimo Trail Guest Ranch in New Mexico. After leaving active naval service in 1976, he also served for a year as a National Park Ranger in Yellowstone and Olympic National Parks.

Mr. Massie holds a Master’s in Business Administration from Seattle University and is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Ocean Engineering. Mr. Massie attended the U.S. Naval Nuclear Power School and Prototype, qualifying as Engineering Officer of the Watch, and later qualified as Engineer through Naval Reactors.

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David C. O’Brien
Chief Operating Officer

David O’Brien brings extensive experience in the field of military aviation to CMT. He is a designated Naval Aviator, with expertise in rotary and fixed wing operations.

As COO of Crumpton Massie Technologies (CMT), Mr. O’Brien lends his aviation experience to foster research and development in the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) industry. Specifically, he has written a test and evaluation plan for smaller, tactical UAS, which will be adapted for law enforcement use. Mr. O’Brien is also the lead on a number of other projects, including design and development of an Afghan Village and Markaaz to be used for military training purposes, and on-site support for the testing and evaluation of an expeditionary power source using renewable energy.

Before joining CMT, Mr. O’Brien was a flight instructor in Pensacola, FL, flying the T-6A Texan II aircraft. This role included training Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force officers in primary flight training.

Mr. O’Brien was trained in the SH-60B helicopter and was later assigned to HSL-46 in Mayport, FL, for his operational sea tour. While assigned to HSL-46 Mr. O’Brien held multiple aircraft qualifications, including lead check pilot and standardization officer. He deployed to the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific in support of counternarcotics operations. Prior to leaving his sea tour, Mr. O’Brien was selected to fly humanitarian rescue missions in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and Rita.

His decorations include the Air Medal for Individual Action, the Navy Commendation Medal, the Navy Achievement Medal, and the Humanitarian Service Medal. He currently serves in the United States Naval Reserves.

He graduated from the United States Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. He was selected for Naval Flight School and received his wings of gold at Naval Air Station Whiting Field.

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Terrence Erickson
Senior Advisor

Terrence J. Erickson brings 40 years of experience and expertise in military systems research, development, testing and evaluation to CMT. He spent 15 years working exclusively with Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and has been a civilian aviator for 25 years.

As Senior Advisor to CMT and as President of Aviation Specialties, Inc., Mr. Erickson focuses on manned and unmanned aircraft systems operations and testing.

Mr. Erickson has been an independent UAS consultant since retiring from AAI, Inc. in 2008. He has also consulted in technical field acoustics, shock and vibration. During his career, Mr. Erickson has worked on a variety of systems and projects, including environmental testing for the Advanced Lightweight Torpedo (MK-50), integration of the MK-50 into the Navy Sea Lance Missile system, and testing and evaluation of two major UAS. He co-led the team that attained the first Experimental Certificate to fly UAS at a general aviation airport. He continues to work closely with the Federal Aviation Administration’s Unmanned Program Office to obtain Certificates of Authorization and Special Airworthiness Certificates for clients.

Mr. Erickson served in the United States Air Force and completed a tour in Vietnam as Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge for a Forward Air Control team attached to the 199th Light Infantry Brigade. He graduated from the University of Minnesota Institute of Technology in 1972 with a Bachelor of Physics degree.

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Michael R. Hillmann
Senior Advisor

Michael R. Hillmann joined CMT as a Senior Advisor in April 2010, bringing 42 years of leadership experience in the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), including service as Deputy Chief of Police. His expertise includes special weapons and tactics, emergency management, special event planning and air support.

Mr. Hillmann devoted the majority of his career to special operations assignments. Beginning in 1981, he served as the LAPD Department of Defense liaison, providing training and special mission support to Joint Special Operations Command Tier Groups. He instructed law enforcement and military personnel in SWAT, hostage rescue, tactical supervision, civil disorder and crowd control, unusual occurrence management and critical incident decision-making. He developed LAPD’s Crisis Negotiation Team in 1976 and was responsible for Tactical Intelligence Support for the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics. Starting in 2002, Mr. Hillmann was responsible for city-wide gang enforcement operations targeting 317 gangs.

Mr. Hillmann earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Redlands, California, and holds an FBI Secret Clearance.

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