Ross Wilkers
Joe Stein, the retired U.S. Air Force Major General who most recently helped lead the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense’s policy posture with NATO and Europe, has joined SkyLink Aviation as the firm’s senior executive for operational strategy.
The company pointed to Stein’s leadership experience as a commander of large aviation organizations, and at high-level international, joint political and military positions, as key to its efforts to capture new international business. In this capacity, he will lead several strategic operations in the U.S.
SkyLink provides governments, militaries and international organizations around the world with a wide range of “first-mile” aviation, logistics and infrastructure services, according to CEOÂ Dave Dacquino.
The company says it flies more than 600 worldwide charter flights each year.
Click here to read an executive spotlight with Rima Saleh, SkyLink’s executive vice president of business development, to learn more about its operations and growth plan.
Stein spent close to 40 years serving in the military and helped lead and shape NATO in several roles, including as a senior executive leader within NATO’s worldwide operations as Deputy Chief of Staff at NATO’s headquarters, and Deputy Defense Advisor for the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense’s USNATO Office.
During his five years with the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, Stein said he championed ballistic missile defense, helped lead its efforts aligning President Obama and NATO’s strategies in Afghanistan, and was an advocate for U.S. industry in NATO, multinational and allied nation procurements.
He earlier helped establish NATO’s Training Mission in Iraq and oversaw a 100 percent growth in the alliance’s “global deployed footprint.â€
During Stein’s service with the Air Force, he managed the multi-billion dollar Tactical Air Force procurement program as Director of Requirements and Director of Aerospace Operations at the headquarters of the Air Combat Command.
He earlier led the Air Force’s manpower programming, headquarters organization and other career and specialty efforts in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks as Director of Manpower and Organization at the U.S. Air Force Headquarters at the Pentagon.
Stein also served as Air Staff lead for public and private competitions during that period.
Stein attained his undergraduate degree from the U.S. Air Force Academy and later earned a graduate degree in Systems Management from the University of Southern California. He would go on to complete studies at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs while serving as Commander of the 93rd Air Control Wing, where he would lead the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System to initial operational capability.
Stein also served as Commander of the 7th Bomb Wing, leading the Realistic Bomber Training Initiative among other achievements.
