Leadership Team

With over 25 years of leadership experience, Steve Pykett has built a reputation as a results-driven leader with deep expertise in operational excellence, engineering, and organizational transformation.

Before joining Fairbanks Morse Defense, Steve served as President of Investment Castings at Precision Castparts, where he oversaw key strategic initiatives. Prior to that, he held senior leadership roles at L3Harris Technologies and GKN Aerospace, where he successfully guided engineering and operational functions.

Steve’s career began with an 18-year tenure at Rolls-Royce, during which he managed a cutting-edge, single crystal investment casting facility. This role exemplified his technical acumen and ability to implement advanced manufacturing processes to achieve high levels of performance and quality.

Steve holds a Master’s Degree in Operations Excellence from Cranfield University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Nottingham Trent University. He is a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), reflecting his rich technical expertise and commitment to professional excellence.

His achievements extend beyond technical experience. Steve has consistently demonstrated excellent leadership skills, a customer-focused approach, and the ability to foster continuous improvement and lean methodologies. He is also credited with building strong health and safety cultures, reinforced by his IOSH accreditation.

With his forward-thinking vision, proven business acumen, and extensive aerospace expertise, Steve continues to drive innovation and growth in his role at Fairbanks Morse Defense, positioning the company for greater success in the future.

Mike Clark is a transformational leader focused on making Fairbanks Morse Defense a world-class supply partner. He is responsible for guiding FMD’s operations, continuous improvement, engineering, R&D, supply chain, program management, new engine sales, and environmental health and safety programs.

Before joining FMD, Mike served as the Executive Vice President and General Manager of Operations at Atkore, Inc., a manufacturer and distributor of electrical materials. He spent 10 years in operational leadership roles across several divisions of Meggitt PLC, an aerospace, defense, and energy equipment manufacturing company based in the United Kingdom. His last role with Meggitt PLC was a Group Vice President of Operations. Prior to that Mike held roles of increasing responsibilities in quality, manufacturing , and continuous improvement with Groth Corporation.

Mike began his career as Business Development Manager and Principal Consultant for the Quality Institute of America, an international management consulting firm. Mike earned a Bachelor of Science in Maritime Administration from Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. He also completed an Executive Strategic Management Program at the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School in Oxford, United Kingdom. In addition, he is a Six Sigma Black Belt, Master Lean Black Belt, and an AS 9100 Lead Auditor.

Tim Oswald is the CHRO for Fairbanks Morse Defense. In this role, he leads our Human Resources team. Tim brings over 15 years of HR experience, including HR leadership roles in significantly larger organizations including Regal Beloit Corporation and Springs Window Fashions.

Tim is also very active in his local community with service as a Board Member of the United Way Blackhawk Region, Vice Chair of the Greater Beloit Economic Development Corporation and he volunteers coaching both youth girls’ basketball and varsity boys’ basketball in his school district.

Tim graduated with a Bachelors of Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin – Madison with a double major in Management/Human Resources and Marketing. He also earned his MBA from the New York Institute of Technology.

Crystal Brent leads Marketing strategies across all of Fairbanks Morse Defense (FMD), overseeing a growing portfolio of brands and enhancing customer experience. She is passionate about expanding FMD’s presence and brand within the naval marine industry and beyond.

Prior to FMD, Crystal served as Chief Marketing Officer for Mercy Ships Canada, a non-profit operating the world’s largest non-military hospital ships providing free surgeries in Africa. Her career also includes extensive roles at Rolls-Royce, where she held various sales and marketing positions in Aerospace, Defense, and Maritime sectors.

With a wealth of international experience, Crystal has lived and worked in Bergen, Norway; London, Bristol, and Derby in the UK; Montreal, Canada; Houston, US; Singapore; and Hong Kong. She serves on the board of Radio Lollipop at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital in New York City, as well as a Legal Clinic serving the underprivileged in Toronto.  A native of Canada, Crystal holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Queen’s University.

Nick Morgan is the Vice President of Strategy for Fairbanks Morse Defense. In this role, Nick is responsible for Fairbanks Morse’s mergers and acquisitions activity, including front-end M&A sourcing and due diligence. He also leads strategic projects related to growth/new business opportunities.

Before joining Fairbanks Morse, Nick served as a Senior Manager at Bain & Company, where he led engagements in the Private Equity practice, conducting due diligence on acquisition targets for PE buyers. While at Bain, Nick also led strategy, operations and implementation projects for corporate clients, including F50 clients in the Aerospace & Defense sector. Prior to joining Bain & Company, Mr. Morgan served as an analyst in investment banking and private equity.

Nick earned a Bachelor of Arts in economics from Northwestern University in Evanston, IL and a Masters of Business Administration from Columbia Business School in New York, NY.

Keith Haasl holds the position of President of Service and Technology at Fairbanks Morse Defense. In this capacity, he heads the Service division and Technology division, responsible for supervising the advancement and implementation of FMD’s cutting-edge technology solutions and the extensive portfolio of aftermarket parts, service and support.

Keith started his career at Fairbanks Morse Defense as a Field Service Engineer in 1994 and held successive customer-facing leadership positions through 2015. He briefly served as a Program Manager in the defense industry and as a Plant Manager in the aerospace and industrial business space with responsibility for leading the operations, maintenance, program management, engineering, procurement, and quality teams before rejoining Fairbanks Morse Defense in 2020 as Vice President of Solutions.

Throughout his career, Keith has established a reputation throughout the industry for his unwavering dedication to customer support and a reputation as a trusted solutions-focused advisor for the defense contractor’s naval defense customers. He is highly respected as a hands-on leader who works alongside his teams, sharing his broad experience and expertise.

Keith has a Bachelor of Science degree from Upper Iowa University and a Master of Business Administration from Cardinal Stritch University. He is a U.S. Army veteran (20th Engineer Brigade) and served in Saudi Arabia and Iraq during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

Jared Barefield is a seasoned financial expert with an extensive tenure at Fairbanks Morse Defense (FMD), where he has excelled since March 2004. Over his illustrious career at FMD, Jared has held various pivotal roles within the Finance department, showcasing exceptional dedication and proficiency.

Before joining FMD, Jared spent six years at Textron Fastening Systems, a $500 million segment of Textron, where he honed his financial acumen and played a key role in driving financial strategies.

Jared holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Northern Illinois University, laying the foundation for his exceptional financial expertise. In May 2017, he further fortified his knowledge base by attaining an MBA from the esteemed University of Wisconsin-Madison.

As the Chief Accounting Officer at Fairbanks Morse Defense, Jared brings a wealth of experience, a strong financial acumen, and a strategic vision that continues to be instrumental in FMD’s success. His dedication to financial excellence and commitment to driving growth make him an invaluable asset to the company.

Chris McVicker joined Fairbanks Morse Defense in September 2024 as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), bringing with him a wealth of experience and a strategic financial acumen. Chris is responsible for overseeing the company’s financial operations, strategic planning, and ensuring financial stability to support the company’s growth and mission.

Prior to this role, Chris served as the CFO of Celerus Flow Technology for 5 years, where he played a pivotal role in steering the company’s financial strategy following its carve-out from SPX/SPX Flow. During his tenure at SPX/SPX Flow, Chris held various positions with increasing responsibilities, contributing significantly to the company’s financial growth and stability. Prior to SPX/SPX Flow, Chris was with PriceWaterhouseCoopers serving a variety of roles across audit and advisory services.

Chris graduated from Robert Morris University with a Bachelors of Business Administration in Finance. He also earned his MBA from Queens University of Charlotte.