New investments in high-priority technologies will enable company to accelerate mission solution development

FALLS CHURCH, Va. – General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT), a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE:GD), announced today that it has expanded its artificial intelligence, cyber and mission software Centers of Excellence (COE). This expansion is a key component of GDIT’s new strategy to invest in high-priority technologies to accelerate the development and deployment of mission solutions for government agencies.

The COEs will focus on several core areas, including:

• AI Center of Excellence: Leveraging AI/ML, generative AI and agentic AI technologies to develop rapid, repeatable and proven solutions for defense, civilian, healthcare and intelligence agency missions.
• Cyber Center of Excellence: Enhancing capabilities in full spectrum cyber, zero trust, threat intelligence and automated cyber defense to protect critical infrastructure, mission operations and government networks.
• Mission Software Center of Excellence: Applying AI-assisted software development, digital engineering and commercial technology solutions to rapidly modernize mission systems.

“Federal agencies require speed, agility and forward-looking mission solutions to keep pace with evolving demands,” said Ben Gianni, GDIT senior vice president and chief technology officer. “Our expanded COEs, which bring together our deep mission understanding, technical expertise and advanced technology capabilities, will enable us to move faster, innovate more boldly and deliver long-term value to our customers.”

GDIT’s vice president of AI and data insights, Dave Vennergrund, will lead the company’s AI COE. Vennergrund has three decades of technology experience, including 22 years at GDIT. He has led several mission-critical federal programs leveraging generative AI, machine learning, computer vision, natural language processing and data modernization. He also oversaw the development of GDIT’s Luna AI solution, one of the company’s nine Digital Accelerators built to rapidly advance government missions.

To lead the cyber COE, the company hired Karen Valenta as vice president of cyber. Valenta brings 25 years of experience delivering advanced cyber technology and mission solutions and has spearheaded several cyber transformation initiatives across the commercial industry and the intelligence community.

Additionally, GDIT appointed Jay Olsen, who currently serves as the company’s technology vice president of application services, as its mission software COE lead. Olsen, who has more than 30 years of experience, has led GDIT’s growth and go-to-market strategy in the areas of agile, DevSecOps, human-centered design, application modernization and cloud-native software development.

GDIT is a business unit of General Dynamics, a global aerospace and defense company that offers a broad portfolio of products and services in business aviation; ship construction and repair; land combat vehicles, weapons systems and munitions; and technology products and services. General Dynamics employs more than 110,000 people worldwide and generated $47.7 billion in revenue in 2024. More information about General Dynamics Information Technology is available at www.gdit.com. More information about General Dynamics is available at www.gd.com.

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Oliver Nutt
Oliver.Nutt@gdit.com