Tom Verbeck, President and CEO, Service Disabled Veteran, co-founded Granite Gate and applies his extensive experience in the strategic and tactical management of the firm.
Mr. Verbeck has over 36 years of extraordinary operational and technical leadership rising to Brigadier General in the United States Air Force. He led multi-military service and business organizations successfully accomplishing multiple tasks at multiple levels (politically and technically) and rapidly responding to crisis operations - around the globe - in more than 92 countries in Europe, Africa, Middle East, and Southeast Asia. He stood-up the first rapid response Engineering and Installation Group that was successfully deployed after the first Desert Storm, and he led the reconstruction and relocation of forces after the bombing of US troops in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
In addition, he is an experienced Chief Information Officer (CIO) (TOP 100 Federal CIOs) and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) with extensive acquisition, technology development, and senior leadership experience in command, control, communications and computer systems at all levels of classification.
He is an accomplished speaker and teacher known throughout Europe and Africa. Additionally, as a service disabled veteran he led the successful deployment of the App for veterans to immediately access their VA medical records via iPhone or Android smart phones.
He earned a M.S. in Systems Management from the University of Southern California and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. He is a distinguished graduate of the National Defense University and is a Master Air Traffic Controller and Master Communications and Computer Officer (CYBER).
Edward Merrill, Executive Vice President and COO, co-founded Granite Gate with Mr. Verbeck and supports the operation of the firm. He has over 35 years experience in project and program management stemming from over fifty major engagements with federal government clients including the White House, Department of Energy, and Department of Defense. He earned a M.S. in the Technology of Management from American University and a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Tennessee. He is PMP certified by the Project Management Institute.