Ireland Degges
The Honorable Dr. John Hillen has joined Enlightenment Capital‘s advisory board.
A longtime player in both the government and industry spaces, Hillen will use his decades of military, national security and intelligence experience to provide insights to the aerospace, defense, government and technology-centered investment firm, Enlightenment Capital shared with ExecutiveBiz on Monday.
“I am looking forward to providing insights for the fund’s portfolio companies and new partnerships in the ADG&T sector,” Hillen said.
As a member of Enlightenment Capital’s advisory board, Hillen will work alongside former Deputy Secretary of Defense Bob Work, former Vice Chairman to the Joint Chiefs of Staff James Cartwright and former Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James, among others.
Hillen previously served as CEO of EverWatch, an Enlighten Capital portfolio company that was sold to Booz Allen Hamilton in 2022. He said that as one of Enlightenment Capital’s initial investors, he was “privileged to work in partnership” with the EverWatch team throughout the build and sale.
In 2015, Hillen received a Wash100 Award for his thought leadership in the government contracting space.
“The board appointment of John Hillen — among the most recognizable names and faces in GovCon and a significant contributor to the early success of Executive Mosaic — bodes very well for the continued success of Enlightenment Capital and showcases their commitment to the government contracting sector. Congratulations to John, and we look forward to his continued impact across the GovCon ecosystem,” said Jim Garrettson, CEO of Executive Mosaic and founder of the Wash100 Award.
Hillen began his career in the U.S. Army and later served as assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs, a role he held from 2005 to 2007. He has held a number of executive positions within the private sector, and he currently sits on the boards of multiple defense, intelligence and critical infrastructure organizations, including QinetiQ US, Atkins Nuclear Solutions and Software AG.
