Neel Mehta
Kay Sears, former president of Intelsat General and a 28-year satellite communications industry veteran, has been named vice president of strategy and business development at Lockheed Martin‘s space systems segment.
Her appointment takes effect April 4 and she will oversee the organization’s strategic planning, expansion initiatives, advanced technology development and work with commercial and government customers in her new position, Lockheed said Tuesday.
Space News first reported the details of Sears’ transition to Lockheed Thursday and noted she will be succeeded at Intelsat General by Skot Butler, vice president of satellite networks and space services.
She will replace John Karas, who has been appointed to lead business development for the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent program at the Bethesda, Maryland-based defense company.
“Kay is a respected leader with a proven track record of helping defense and civil agencies advance their missions through space and satellite communications,†noted Rick Ambrose, executive vice president of Lockheed’s space systems business area.
Sears, an inductee into Executive Mosaic‘s Wash100 for 2016, held the president role at the Luxembourg-based satellite services company’s U.S. subsidiary for eight years.
She also previously helped establish the government services organizations at Verestar and G2 Satellite Solutions as well as served on the President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee and the Space Foundation’s board.
