Your Extended Business Development Team
Cemocan “Gemo” Yesil
GLOBAL DEFENSE SECTOR | FOUNDER & OWNER
Gemo is a combat veteran, an aerospace engineer, and a global Aerospace & Defense executive with over 20 years of experience. As a dual-rated U.S. Air Force pilot, he flew combat rescue helicopters and tactical airlift jets in Iraq and Afghanistan. In the Defense industry, he managed Fortune 500 engineering teams on several billion-dollar programs at Sikorsky-Lockheed and scaled his EdTech startup into a profitable national business. Gemo has also held senior corporate leadership roles including Global Sales Director at CMC Electronics, VP of Defense Business Development at Gecko Robotics, and VP of Sales and Marketing at HABCO Industries. He founded Bastion Atlas in 2024 to assemble an elite team of Aerospace & Defense business development professionals and extend their impact across the global industry.
Brad Nolen
GLOBAL COMMERCIAL AEROSPACE SECTOR
Brad is an aerospace executive with nearly 30 years of experience spanning product design, marketing, and global sales across the aerospace and defense industry. Most recently, he served as VP of Sales and Marketing at CMC Electronics, where he built and led an international sales organization that delivered a 30 percent revenue increase within two years. Previously, Brad was VP of Marketing and Product Design at Bombardier, leading a global team of 130 professionals responsible for the design, positioning, and commercialization of private jets worldwide. He played a central role in Bombardier’s rebranding and led early development of several flagship platforms, including the Global 7500. Brad holds an MBA from Queen’s University, a Bachelor of Aerospace Engineering from Carleton University, and completed Stanford’s AI/ML program.
Whitney Jones
U.S. NAVY PROGRAMS, MARITIME STRATEGY
Whitney is a former Navy civilian leader who was responsible for the standup of the Submarine and Maritime Industrial Base organizations, managing a ~$10B portfolio across U.S. Navy programs and platforms. She also has experience justifying and defending efforts, communications, and strategy for “first of class” vessels and technologies including the Columbia-class submarine and DDG 1000 programs. She has extensive relationships across NAVSEA, industry, academia, and senior Navy/DoW leadership, enabling effective coordination and influence across the maritime enterprise. Her experience leading program offices, managing strategic operations, and engaging with both domestic and international stakeholders positions her to connect with key decision-makers and drive opportunities for investment. Whitney’s perspective on evolving maritime requirements and industrial trends aligns with emerging opportunities in next-generation surface and unmanned platforms.
William “Buck” Clemons
U.S. ARMY & AIR FORCE PROGRAMS
Buck brings four decades of military aviation experience and a proven record of defense business development to Bastion Atlas. A retired U.S. Army AH-64 Apache aviator with 20 years of service, he served as a Tactical Operations Officer specializing in electronic warfare, joint mission planning, and personnel recovery. Since transitioning to industry, Buck has guided defense clients through complex acquisition environments, securing contracts valued in the hundreds of millions across aviation, unmanned systems, and electronic warfare programs. He leverages deep relationships with Army Aviation Program Offices and industry leaders including Boeing, Sikorsky, and Lockheed, shaping requirements and building winning strategies. Buck applies an analytical approach to business development that emphasizes deliberate planning and execution. He holds a graduate degree in Computer Resources and Information Management.
Nate Scopac
U.S. AIR FORCE & NATO PROGRAMS
Nate is a strategy and growth executive with extensive experience in the military and commercial aerospace sectors. Most recently he developed corporate strategy for Collins Aerospace where he was responsible for international and defense investment decisions. Before that, Nate spent a 25-year career as a U.S. Air Force pilot. He has extensive experience at the NATO headquarters and the Pentagon. He commanded a 500-person aviation unit in Afghanistan and a US based 1200-person organization that ran the gamut from training to operational test and education. He has experience in 16 different military aircraft. Nate holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Air Force Academy and a Master of Global Business Administration from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.
Randy Meiklejohn
CANADIAN DEFENCE PROGRAMS
Randy brings 36 years of Canadian Forces experience – including assignments as the Director of Air Requirements (DAR) and Commander of the 427th Tactical Helicopter Squadron – and extensive expertise as an experimental test pilot, a corporate program manager, and in human factors engineering. Since transitioning to industry, he has managed defense and government programs, supporting rotary-wing commercial and military capabilities. After nearly 4 decades in uniform and 13 Years with CMC Electronics, Randy joined Bastion Atlas as a Business Development executive. His deep network across the U.S., Canadian, and international defense communities – and the relationships he has cultivated over decades – positions him to anticipate programs on the horizon, identify emerging opportunities, and guide Bastion Atlas toward initiatives with the highest potential in Canada and the U.S.
J.T. Naylor
U.S. ARMY PROGRAMS
J.T. Naylor is a retired U.S. Army aviator and acquisition officer with experience across military leadership and business development. After operational command during Operation Iraqi Freedom, he served in acquisition roles spanning requirements development, program management supporting Army Special Operations Aviation, and assignments with RDECOM, AFRICOM J-8 in Stuttgart, and the U.S. Embassy in Paris, where he attended the French war college (IHEDN). He concluded his Army career as Product Director for Common Systems Integration at PM Aircraft Survivability Equipment, leading JUONS programs and contributing to Future Vertical Lift requirements. Post-retirement, J.T. worked at Northrop Grumman supporting UH-60V, MOSA, FVL, and FMS/DCS. He is currently the Director of Army Data Innovation at Dell Technologies, bringing extensive global engagement and strategic growth experience to Bastion Atlas.
Greg Plantz
NORTH AMERICAN OEM RELATIONSHIPS
Greg Plantz is an aerospace sales performance and business growth executive with extensive experience across the Aerospace & Defense sector. He has served in senior commercial leadership roles at Astronautics Corporation of America, CMC Electronics, and Cobham, where he successfully advanced customer engagements and expanded market presence through strategic account development. Greg’s background includes both defense and commercial aerospace sales leadership, with a focus on driving revenue, strengthening OEM and government relationships, and supporting integrated solutions delivery. In addition to his corporate experience, he is an FAA-certified and U.S. Coast Guard AUXAIR flight instructor and charter pilot, bringing operational insight and aviation credibility to his client engagements. Greg’s combined technical knowledge, sales expertise, and industry relationships enable impactful business development support for Bastion Atlas clients.
Jude Santiago
BUSINESS OPERATIONS
Jude Santiago is Bastion Atlas’ Business Operations Director and an operations professional with 13 years of experience across defense, logistics, and large-scale enterprise environments. He also served as a logistics officer in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, with experience planning and supporting military operations across Europe, Africa, and Asia. During his time on active duty, Jude owned strategy, planning, and execution for more than $750M in supply chain, materials, programs, products, and services for the U.S. Air Force. In industry, he most recently led an hourly workforce of 120 associates at one of Amazon’s largest fulfillment centers, achieving throughput of up to one million packages per day during peak volume events. His background in operational execution and logistics enables delivery for aerospace and defense clients.
Let’s Start a Dialogue
Reach out to our team and start a conversation with Bastion Atlas today. We look forward to exploring potential avenues of collaboration and how we can elevate your business.