Board of Directors
Steve Pann
Steve Pann has over thirty years of experience in new concepts, technology strategy and development in support of demanding Government missions.
Steve is a co-founder and Managing Partner at Razor’s Edge Ventures. Steve believes future companies are not a zero-sum between humans and technology. Humans can collaborate with artificial intelligence, autonomous robots, biotech, and that advanced technology will create a stronger national security and more jobs rather than destroy them. He focuses on investments in growth stage technology companies and technology-enabled national security companies in the areas of aerospace and space-based operations, satellite systems, defense technology applications, ISR, sensing, alternative power systems, environmental technologies, global-situational awareness, Cyber, hyperscale and edge processing, alternative energy and biotechnology. Steve is also interested in exponential moonshot technologies capable of creating new waves of unexpected companies and capabilities we have not even thought of yet.
In the last five years, Steve’s portfolio of companies has yielded over $1 billion in shareholder returns including Altamira (acquired by ClearSky), Blackbird Technologies (acquired by Raytheon), and BlackLynx (acquired by Jacobs). As a private investor, Mr. Pann invested in, and served on the Board of Directors of, SRI (acquired by Peraton) and invested early stage and follow-on growth capital in Revere Bank (OTCMKTS: REVB), acquired by Sandy Spring Bank.
Steve currently serves on the board of Razor’s Edge portfolio companies BlackSea Technologies and TenantBase, and is a board observer at HawkEye 360 and X-Bow Systems. He is an advisor to Razor’s Edge portfolio companies GoSecure and X-Bow Systems. Steve believes in the strategic importance of unexpected transformational technology developments, vice incremental advancements. Steve is well known as a technology innovator within the national security community, and actively works in conjunction with Razor’s portfolio companies supporting growth platforms and USG customer mission requirements.
Before founding Razor’s Edge with his partners, Steve co-founded and served as Chief Strategy Officer at Blackbird Technologies and was a member of its Board of Directors. During his tenure at Blackbird, Mr. Pann co-founded RavenWing (acquired by Boeing), a mobile communications company. Before joining the private sector, Mr. Pann served in the Government for eighteen years developing and deploying advanced technologies in support of critical national security programs. This includes service ranging from an EOD IED Bomb Disposal Technician to Space systems.
Steve earned a bachelor’s degree from American University and served as an infantry officer in the United States Marine Corps.
Steve is currently interested in existing companies and moonshot technology development in the following areas: Space, Satellite Manufacturing, ISR Sensing, Subsea Systems, Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Science, Precision Timing and Navigation, Autonomy, Cyber, Big Data, Edge Processing, Data Aggregators, Alternative Power Systems, Additive Manufacturing, Climate and Decarbonization, Water Production Systems, Geoengineering, Worker re-Training Tech, Future Food, Biotech, Genomics, Synthetic Biology, Augmented Human, Blockchain, Cryptocurrencies and DeFi.
Jack Kerrigan
Jack Kerrigan has a multi-decade track record of investing in, advising, and building successful technology companies.
Jack is a co-founder and Managing Partner at Razor’s Edge Ventures. Jack focuses on investments in technology-enabled national security companies and growth stage software companies.
In the last five years, Jack’s portfolio of companies has yielded significant shareholder returns including BlackLynx (acquired by Jacobs), BlackHorse (acquired by Parsons), and Altamira (acquired by ClearSky). As an angel investor, Mr. Kerrigan invested in, and served on the Board of Directors of, Unanet (acquired by JMI) and invested early stage and follow-on growth capital in Revere Bank (OTCMKTS: REVB), acquired by Sandy Spring Bank.
Jack currently serves on the board of Razor’s Edge portfolio companies Veros Technologies, BlackSea Technologies, Authentic8, RackTop Systems, and GoSecure, and is a board observer at Altamira. In addition to his board work in support of the Razor’s Edge portfolio, Mr. Kerrigan serves on the Board of Trustees for the University of Virginia College Foundation.
Before founding Razor’s Edge with his partners, Jack was the Chief Operating Officer, and General Counsel at Blackbird Technologies (acquired by Raytheon). Earlier in his career, Mr. Kerrigan co-founded RavenWing (acquired by Boeing), a mobile communications company.
Jack earned a J.D. and bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia.
Robert Work
Robert “Bob” Work was the thirty-second Deputy Secretary of Defense, serving alongside three Secretaries of Defense across two administrations from May 2014 to July 2017. In 2001, he retired as a Colonel in the United States Marine Corps after 27 years on active duty. He subsequently was a Senior Fellow and then Vice President and Director of Studies at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (CSBA). In May 2009, he was confirmed as the thirty-first Under Secretary of the Navy in the first Obama administration. Bob stepped down as the Under Secretary in March 2013 to become the Chief Executive Officer for the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). He remained in that position until he assumed the role of Deputy Secretary of Defense in May 2014. He currently is the President and Owner of TeamWork, LLC, which specializes in defense strategy and policy, programming and budgeting, military-technical competitions, revolutions in war, and the future of war. He sits on the Board of Directors of Raytheon Technologies and several smaller high-tech firms. Most recently he was Co-Chair of the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence.
Bob holds a B.S. from the University of Illinois; an M.S. from the University of Southern California; an M.S. from the Naval Postgraduate School; and an M.I.P.P. from the Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the International Institute of Strategic Studies.
William Hilarides
Vice Admiral (Retired) William “Willy” Hilarides deployed for almost 20 years on four nuclear powered submarines of three different designs. He commanded USS KEY WEST (SSN 722) from May 1998 to November 2000.
Willy entered the Acquisition Professional community in 2002, serving as the Program Manager of the SSGN Submarine Conversion Program, Program Executive Officer for Submarines, and Commander of the Naval Sea System Command (NAVSEA). As NAVSEA, he oversaw a global workforce of almost 70,000 and annual expenditures of over $40B, and was responsible for the development, delivery and maintenance of the Navy’s ships, submarines and warfare systems.
Willy received various personal and campaign awards, including the Distinguished Service Medal and the Intelligence Distinguished Service medal. He retired in 2016 after 35 years of service.
Since retiring, he has consulted in Defense, Intelligence and Cyber, Energy, and Health Care. He currently serves as the Chair of the Australian Naval Shipbuilding Expert Advisory Panel, is an Outside Director for CSA, Saildrone and MIND Technologies, is Chair of the Inova Fair Oaks Hospital Safety and Quality Board, and is the President of the Naval Submarine League.
Willy graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1981 with a Bachelor of Science in Physics. He holds a Master’s degree in Engineering Management from the Catholic University of America, and is a certified Acquisition Professional in the US Defense Acquisition System.
Art Money
Starting in January 1996, Art Money served as Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Research, Development, and Acquisition as well as Chief Information Officer for the Air Force. He later served as the Senior Civilian Official in the Office of the ASD C3I (1998). On October 5, 1999, Art became the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence (ASD C3I). Additionally, he served as the Department of Defense (DOD) Chief Information Officer from February 1998 to April 2001.
After leaving the Pentagon in April 2001, Art became Member and Chair of various USG Advisory Boards, Panels, and Commissions, Member of the Board of Directors in several US Public and Private Companies, and Member of many US Company Advisory Boards.
Prior to the USG duties, Art spent 33 years in industry. He was President of ESL Inc., a subsidiary of TRW from January 1990 to December 1994, prior to its consolidation with TRW's Avionics and Surveillance.
Art holds a BS and MS in mechanical engineering.
Mark Rice
Mark Rice is President of the Maritime Applied Physics Corporation. After working for several engineering firms and U.S. Government laboratories, he formed Maritime Applied Physics Corporation (MAPC) in 1986. The company has recently completed two unmanned surface vessels for the U.S. Navy. MAPC currently designs and manufactures electro-mechanical systems that range from submarine and surface ship components to commercial motion control systems. Mark is a past Chair of the National Advisory Board of the NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership. He has a BA in Physics from the University of Maine and is a licensed Professional Engineer.