-Small Business Outreach Conference

Keynote Speaker

RONALD A. POUSSARD

Mr. Ronald A. Poussard, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is Director, Office of Small Business Programs, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. He leads the Small and Minority Business Program, the Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Institution Programs for the Department of the Air Force.

Mr. Poussard began his career with the Department of the Navy as a student trainee in 1982 before becoming a contract specialist intern at Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., until 1987. He has held a variety of positions with the Department of the Air Force in the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Contracting, to include serving as a staff analyst supporting major systems such as the C-17 cargo airlift aircraft. In addition, he was the Deputy Director of Contracting and the Small Business Director at the 11th Wing, Bolling AFB, D.C., and served as the Director of Contracts and contracting officer establishing the first joint Air Force, National Reconnaissance Office and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency space-based radar program. He served as senior business adviser to Air Force Program Executive Officers and field acquisition commanders for space and command and control programs, providing contracting and business analyses for the development of acquisition strategies and source selections.

Mr. Poussard served as Deputy Director of the Defense Acquisition Regulations System, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, Washington, D.C., where he was responsible for directing the activities of the Defense Acquisition Regulation Council charged with creating, publishing and maintaining the Department of Defense's procurement business rules in the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement and representing the DOD in development of the Federal Acquisition Regulation. Prior to assuming his current position, Mr. Poussard was the Air Force Program Executive Officer for Combat and Mission Support Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition. He led the acquisition of services for the Air Force and was responsible for managing and overseeing more than $100 billion in existing and planned contracts awarded by commands across the Air Force.