Rich Kretzschmar

Richard Kretzschmar presently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Integration Innovation, Inc. (i3) leading efforts to plan business objectives, to develop organizational policies, to coordinate functions and operations across the company, and to establish responsibilities and procedures to effectively support a broad array of Department of Defense & Commercial Clients. Prior to joining i3, Mr. Kretzschmar served as the acting Deputy Program Executive Officer for Aviation. In this capacity, he served as the senior Department of the Army Civilian for the organization responsible for centralized life cycle management of all Army aviation platforms. His scope of responsibility included nearly 100 aviation programs with an annual portfolio budget of ~$7.3B. Mr. Kretzschmar possesses thirty-four years of aerospace engineering and program acquisition experience encompassing a variety of missile, rotary and fixed wing aircraft, and unmanned aircraft systems. He is acknowledged throughout the world for both his technical and management expertise related to major weapon system development and acquisition. An aerodynamicist by training, Mr. Kretzschmar joined the Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center (AMRDEC) in 1992 and served in a variety of technical leadership positions. Notable achievements in his technical career include technology advancement of novel aerodynamic control surfaces such as lattice control surfaces and flex fins to include development of aerodynamic prediction methodologies for these unique devices. Mr. Kretzschmar transitioned to PEO Aviation in 2011 and served in leadership roles for several of PEO Aviation highest priority programs including Deputy Project Manager, Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Project Manager for the Improved Turbine Engine and Future Vertical Lift (ITE/FVL) Programs. Responsibilities included the development, acquisition, testing, integration, and sustainment activities associated with these major weapon system programs.

Mr. Kretzschmar holds both BS and MS degrees in Aerospace Engineering from Auburn University and an MA degree in Business Administration from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is level III certified in Program Management and Advanced System Engineering, Research, Development and Engineering career fields.

Mr. Kretzschmar has won numerous awards including the Army Aviation Association of America 2014 Department of the Army Civilian of the Year Award, the 2014 Association of the United States Army (Redstone Chapter) Civilian of the Year, The Department of the Army Superior Civilian Service Award, the Department of the Army Commander’s Award for Civilian Service, the 2023 Auburn University Distinguished Engineer Alumni Award and the 2004 Outstanding Young Auburn Engineer Award.

Mr. Kretzschmar is a member of several professional organizations including the Association of the United States Army and the Army Aviation Association of America. He is a board member for the Tennessee Valley Corridor and Huntsville Madison County Chamber of Commerce and serves on the Auburn University Engineering Advisory Council.

Richard and Vicki Kretzschmar have been happily married for 31 years. Vicki is a 1992 Graduate of Auburn University and is the current Business Manager for the Auburn University Huntsville Research and Innovation Campus. Their son Will is a graduate of Auburn University and is attending medical School at University of Alabama Birmingham. In addition to his professional responsibilities, Mr. Kretzschmar is an active member of his local community. He is an Elder of the First Presbyterian Church in Huntsville and he and Vicki enthusiastically support numerous local charities.