Leadership changes announced in the ATA Integrated Test and Evaluation Department

  • Published
  • By Raquel March
  • AEDC/PA
ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, TENN. --  As the past director of the Aerospace Testing Alliance (ATA) Integrated Test and Evaluation Department (TE) Chip Stepanek leaves to venture into a new role with the ATA contractor lead company Jacobs Technology, four engineers will transition into new leadership positions at Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC).

Dr. Rob McAmis, former deputy director of TE, will assume the role as director of TE. McAmis holds a doctorate in mechanical engineering from the University of Tennessee Space Institute (UTSI) and has served as the deputy director of TE for more than two years. He has held multiple leadership positions in the AEDC turbine engine testing area and has worked at AEDC for 29 years.

Jeff Henderson will transition into the TE deputy director position after previously serving as the TE Test Operations branch manager. At the beginning of his 28-year career at AEDC, Henderson served in leading the Turbine Test Operations and then moved into plant management for multiple test facilities. He received his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Roy Thompson, a mechanical engineer employed with AEDC for 24 years, will succeed Henderson in the position of TE Test Operations branch manager. He has a background in project engineering in the AEDC turbine test area and was a lead test and systems engineer. Thompson also served as the Flight Systems Plant Assets branch manager. He holds a bachelor's degree from Tennessee Tech University.

Steve Taylor will join Thompson in leading the TE Test Operations branch. Taylor, a mechanical engineer, began his career at AEDC as a plant operations engineer and later served as a test operations engineer. He also has experience as an AEDC investment project engineer and project manager and was the section manager for the AEDC Space and Missiles Test Operations. He has been employed at AEDC for 27 years and received his bachelor's degree from Tennessee Tech University.