Aviation Systems Engineering Company (ASEC) began as a humble concept, and when we say humble, we mean it! It all began in 2003 in a Denny’s restaurant in Waldorf, MD – booth #9 to be exact. We still affectionately refer to this as our first ASEC corporate office. In booth #9 sat: Vin Bellezza, David Bennett, Doug Desrochers, and “JB” Hollyer; the foursome put their heads together to develop our five-year business plan (which happened to be eclipsed in year two) and our strategy to hire the BEST employees to start and build the company. We decided early on that our focus would always be on treating our employees (and their families) well, giving them semi-autonomous responsibility, and providing them with great benefits. Our motto became “Doing what’s right for the Warfighter.” In 2004, Navy Test Pilot School pilot and flight instructor Denny Roderick joined the team; Denny was instrumental in our strategy to provide direct aircraft flight support services to our flying test community.
Since our formation in 2003, we have grown into a successful, employee-owned business with a talented workforce spread throughout the nation. We proudly employee a veteran workforce of more than 75%. Today, twenty years later, ASEC has 400 dedicated employees applying their expertise in in the areas of engineering, test & evaluation, training, logistics, advanced technologies, flight services, and program management support. Through this growth we’ve made a conscious effort to always remember the values we started with.
We acquired our first official office space in Lexington Park, MD in 2004. The office’s proximity to Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River made this a prime spot for ASEC to thrive; NAS Patuxent River is home to the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) and many United States Navy aviation programs and activities.
ASEC purchased and modified our first airplane, the Navion, in 2005, followed by a DHC-6-300 Twin Otter being leased as the second aircraft for our fleet in 2008. This was the beginning of our strategy of providing the Navy with affordable air platforms for testing developmental sensors and avionics with an experienced cadre of former USN test pilots and aircrew.
In 2009, ASEC opened our second corporate office in Jacksonville, FL. This office sits across the street from Naval Air Station (NAS) Jacksonville – the nation’s third-largest Navy base, where military personnel and allied forces specialize in anti-submarine warfare and training the best aviators in the world. In 2016, the Jacksonville ASEC office was recognized by the Jacksonville Business Journal as Jacksonville’s “Best Place to Work.”
Continuing to grow and strive for success at every level, ASEC began the process of creating an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) in 2011 so that ASEC could become beneficially employee-owned. We wanted to reward our employees that helped us build and grow the company. We always felt that we were a family-like business and that it was the right thing to do. That process was completed in 2018, enabling all employees to contribute to and share in the success of ASEC through the ESOP. Today, every employee’s growth in ASEC is also rewarded by additional retirement financial security.
Beyond growing in expertise and serving the military through the life cycle of acquisitions programs from requirements, defense, and design to testing and engineering and logistics work, ASEC launched a new initiative with the development of interactive electronic technical manuals (IETMs) for NAVAIR, and into the development of a small deployable “Lockblade” UAV. These are two examples of projects initiated by ASEC employees which have grown into major company focal areas. You too can take the initiative, turn an idea into a project, and lead a team!
ASEC continues to build upon our legacy of quality and excellence; we remain committed to our goal of providing a highly qualified, dedicated workforce to meet our customers’ requirements. At ASEC, we recognize that our people are truly the key to our success. We hire and retain the best in the business and treat them with the highest degree of respect.
We’d love to sit down and talk with you, maybe not in Denny’s booth #9, but in either of our corporate locations or by phone – maybe you will be the next person to help us continue building the ASEC legacy. We welcome you to contact us at marketing@asec-incorporated.com.