Pa.-backed LLR adds military-industrial dealmaker
Ex-Bush aide John Hillen will help pick winners for Pa. pensions
LLR Partners, a Philadelphia private-equity firm that counts Pennsylvania's public school employees' and state workers' pension programs among its investors, keeps adding ex-national security experts to its group that invests in military technology developers.
The latest is John Hillen, MBA PhD, a former Army officer and current Navy adviser who served as Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs in the last Bush administration, 2005-07, where he was "responsible for coordinating America's diplomatic strategy with its military operations," according to LLR's statement. "He also oversaw the State Department's policies for international security, security assistance, military operations, weapons removal and abatement and defense trade," and is featured in Nathan Hodge's book Armed Humanitarians.
Hillen was CEO of Sotera Defense Systems (formerly Global Defense Technology & Systems) and led its acquisitions, 2009 IPO, and 2009 privatization (the company was Contractor of the Year for $300 million-plus sales at the 2012 GovCon Awards). He previously headed CGI Federal and American Management Systems (acquired by CACI International.) In LLR's statement, Hillen said he'll "help more government contractors grow."
Previous LLR military-technology hires include former CIA chief technology officer Guy Hunt; and military contractor investment pros Jason Rigoli and Michael Levenberg.