Jim Gavrilis, a defense industry veteran, has been appointed president and CEO of newly created High Point Aerotechnologies.
High Point is a holding company of private investment firm Highlander Partners that will focus on acquiring and developing emerging technologies, operating companies and experts in the counter-unmanned aircraft systems industry, Highlander said Tuesday.
Gavrilis will bring to the role his expertise in UAS and electronic warfare technology and experience in military, academia and business.
“Under Jim’s experienced leadership, we intend to deploy Highlander’s creative approach to company-building to become a significant factor in the emerging C-UAS industry, which is of critical importance to our national security,” said Larry Hirsch, chairman of Highlander Partners.
Gavrilis is a former U.S. Army officer with more than two decades of experience in staff and command. After his retirement from the military, he worked at several defense and intelligence companies and held leadership roles, including vice president for special operations programs, director of strategic initiatives and chief of staff.
He served as senior adviser to the Center for Naval Analyses and the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory and taught graduate courses at Georgetown University and George Washington University.
“We are in the process of recruiting subject matter experts to join the High Point team, and we intend to analyze both mature businesses and developing technologies for potential acquisition,” said Gavrilis.
