George Pedersen, co-founder and former chairman and CEO of ManTech, has died at the age of 87.
He helped establish ManTech in 1968 with a single simulation and modeling support contract with the U.S. Navy.
Under his leadership, the Herndon, Virginia-based technology services contractor kicked off trading on the stock market in 2002 and grew into a company with more than 9,000 employees.
Pedersen “was an early founder in our industry as well as a leader in the growth of the Greater Washington, D.C. region,” Kevin Phillips, chairman of ManTech and a six-time Wash100 awardee, said in a statement published Tuesday.
“He was gifted in business, an adaptive and decisive leader, and most of all committed to the missions that helped secure the lives and liberties of our nation’s citizens,” Phillips added.
In February 2022, Pedersen retired as a board member and chairman emeritus of ManTech after a five-decade career with the company.
“George was not only a visionary entrepreneur but a remarkable and caring individual who played a pivotal role in shaping ManTech into the company it is today,” Matt Tait, president and CEO of ManTech, said of Pedersen’s passing.
“George’s legacy of service, sacrifice and mission success will long be remembered and remain a bedrock at ManTech and across the government industry,” added Tait, a 2023 Wash100 Award recipient.
