Washington stalwart Arnold Punaro takes helm of NDIA board

Arnold Punaro and Michael Bayer

ARLINGTON, VA -- Arnold Punaro, CEO of The Punaro Group LLC of Washington, is the newly seated chair of the National Defense Industrial Association, the Arlington, VA-based group announces. His position became effective Oct. 1 and he will lead NDIA’s board for two years.

Punaro, who led NDIA's board from 2013-15, takes the seat from Richard McConn, CEO of M International Inc., whose two-year term as board president has concluded. McConn will continue on the board in emeritus status and as chair of the Nomination and Governance Committee.

Michael Bayer, president and CEO of Dumbarton Strategies of Washington, takes over from Punaro as the vice chair of the NDIA board.

“A productive, objective, nonpartisan dialogue with the executive and legislative branches has never been more essential to our industry,” Punaro said. “I will ensure NDIA continues this successful approach.”

Hawk Carlisle, NDIA's president and CEO, welcomed the leaders in their new roles. “Arnold Punaro brings unmatched knowledge and experience to NDIA's mission,” Carlisle said, “and Michael Bayer, who also is an NDIA executive committee member, has deep experience with this organization and our goals. Their leadership will ensure NDIA's continued success, particularly during this challenging time with the pandemic.”

A retired Marine Corps major general, Punaro served as staff director of the Senate Armed Services Committee for 13 years and later as an SAIC executive vice president for 14 years. He is CEO of The Punaro Group, a consulting firm he founded in 2010 that guides businesses through the federal marketplace. Punaro received NDIA's 2018 James Forrestal Industry Leadership Award for his commitment to national security, service members and the defense industrial base. Punaro also is the chairman of the Secretary of Defense Reserve Forces Policy Board and a member of the Defense Business Board.

Along with Dumbarton, Bayer is a director on the boards of BEI Sensors, Waste Control Specialists Inc., Beretta Holdings and NorthStar Group Services.  His past director positions include Sprint Energy Services, APITech, ATAC, DOSS Aviation, EG&G, Duratek, Athena, Stratos Global, Dyncorp International and Vangent Holding Corp. He is chairman of the Defense Business Board, which advises the Defense Secretary and other senior leaders on business practices from a private-sector perspective.  He is also a long-serving member of the Defense Science Board.

For media queries, contact Evamarie Socha at esocha@NDIA.org.