Leadership
Rancher Government Solutions mission is to deliver the latest in open source technology to the U.S. Government in a secure, validated way.
Executive Leadership Team
Heather McMahon
Interim Chief Executive Officer
Heather McMahon is a leading expert in counterintelligence, security, cyber, supply chain risk management, and critical technology protection for the defense and intelligence communities. She is a seasoned Army combat veteran, served in the White House as Senior Director to the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board, and the founder and CEO of Artemist Advisory Group.
Brian Shimkaveg
VP of Sales
Brian Shimkaveg leads the development of sales strategies and fostering customer relationships to modernize our nation’s mission-critical IT systems. With over 20 years of experience in technology and the Public Sector, Brian ensures RGS customers access to advanced and secure IT infrastructure solutions. He has held senior roles at Falkory AI, Red Hat, and The Boeing Company, where he led successful sales initiatives and built strong customer connections. Brian's extensive expertise in sales and government contracts makes him a key contributor to RGS's success.
Brandon Gulla
Chief Technology Officer
Brandon Gulla leads the RGS engineering organization and drives product innovation and development. With over 15 years of experience in technical and leadership roles, Brandon is a passionate advocate for distributed systems and an active contributor to open-source projects. Brandon is a frequent speaker on topics such as Kubernetes, containerization, open-source software, cloud computing and security
John Hodges
Chief Operating Officer
John Hodges leads the RGS operations team and is responsible for delivering our services while driving cross-functional efficiency and strategic growth.
Matthew French
Chief Financial Officer
Matthew French leads the financial team at RGS and is responsible for financial operations, creating efficiencies and process improvements while supporting and informing profitable decision making.
Mike Byrd
Vice President of Ecosystems and Partner Management
Mike Byrd brings to the senior management team his 28 years of government IT thought leadership and experience at both Red Hat and Sun Microsystems to RGS.
Don Poole
Vice President of Communications & Marketing
Don Poole leads the communication and marketing teams and is responsible for spreading the word on our transformational Kubernetes management platform.
Jose Simonelli
Vice President of Professional Services & Customer Success
Jose Simonelli is head of RGS' Professional Services and Customer Success team ensuring our government clients receive unparalleled service tailored to their unique needs.
Board of Directors
Dr. Dale Meyerrose
Chairman of the Board
The Honorable Dr. Dale Meyerrose, DPS, Major General (U.S. Air Force, Retired) is an international, preeminent technology and cybersecurity strategist with more than four decades of combined public, private and academic leadership experience.
James Hunt
Independent Director
James (Jim) Hunt is a seasoned technology and investment professional with a principle focus on companies with technologies that can have a positive impact on the national security sector markets.
James M. Byrne, Esq.
Independent Director
The Honorable James M. Byrne currently serves as Vice President, Ethics and Business Conduct, for the Lockheed Martin Corporation, responsible for the strategic direction and operational excellence of their award-winning domestic and international ethics program.
Proxy Board
The Proxy Board serves as a crucial safeguard against Foreign Ownership, Control, or Influence (FOCI) risks by providing independent oversight, ensuring compliance with security regulations, and maintaining the integrity of the company's operations while protecting U.S. national security interests. Directors Meyerrose, Hunt, and Byrne having been approved by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency, form the Rancher Government Solutions Proxy Board.