Constellis Holdings appointed Daniel Gelston as CEO, effective immediately. Outgoing CEO Terry Ryan will transition to the role of executive vice chairman, reporting to the board of directors.

“After a global search for the right individual to lead us into the future, the board of directors is pleased to name Daniel Gelston as Constellis’ next CEO,” said Michael Lundin, the board’s lead director. “Dan brings a unique combination of enterprise-level leadership, deep defense and security expertise gained through military service and private company leadership, and expertise in AI and data-driven solutions. Together, these strengths align perfectly with our critical mission supporting government and private sector customers. His strategic leadership will accelerate Constellis’ transformation as we sharpen our focus to advance technology, data integrity and leverage artificial intelligence to better serve customers and to anticipate evolving global challenges.”

As CEO, Gelston will spearhead a strategic shift to integrate emerging technologies, specifically predictive analytics and AI-enabled operational insights into Constellis’ core service delivery. By leveraging data as a strategic asset, the company aims to move beyond reactive security into a proactive model of tech-enabled prevention. This evolution optimizes human performance and delivers measurable value across national security, critical infrastructure and enterprise missions.

“I am honored to lead Constellis at this pivotal moment and grateful for the confidence the board has placed in me,” Gelston said. “This organization stands at the forefront of adaptive technology to enhance security and safety for national and global organizations. We are committed to enabling customer success by accelerating informed decision making, embedding AI innovation and delivering integrated solutions. I look forward to collaborating with our experienced personnel and valued customers to outpace emerging threats and unlock new opportunities for impact and growth.”

Gelston joins Constellis with a proven record of driving transformational growth and innovation in the defense and federal sectors. He recently launched and scaled the government business at C3 AI. As C3’s Federal systems president, he secured major wins against top competitors in AI-driven mission solutions across the defense, intelligence community, federal law enforcement and federal civilian markets. Prior to that, Gelston served as group president for defense and security and CEO of CAE USA Inc., leading the global training and simulation enterprise through a successful turnaround and executing the company’s largest acquisition in its history. His leadership experience spans major defense companies including L3Harris Technologies, Smiths Detection and Cobham, consistently delivering operational excellence and strategic impact.

“As we enter this new chapter, we appreciate Terry’s steadfast leadership in setting the stage for our current position,” Lundin said. “His support as executive vice chairman will ensure that as we pivot toward a more technical future, we remain grounded in the mission excellence our customers expect.”

With the planned transition, Terry Ryan moves to executive vice chairman, where he will serve as a strategic advisor on key business initiatives and market opportunities. He and the board of directors will work closely with Gelston to ensure a seamless transition that reinforces stability for customers and employees.

“I am proud of what we have achieved and confident that Dan is the right leader to guide Constellis into its next chapter,” Ryan said. “Our commitment to safety, innovation and mission success will remain our trademark and channel to achieve success amid the accelerating pace of change.”