Russ “Mr Wizard” Matijevich is the Chief Growth Officer for Airbus US Space & Defense, Inc. He is the senior executive leading Airbus US efforts in strategy, business development, government relations, strategic communications, and marketing in support of all Airbus US lines of business.
Russ is a retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel with over 30 years of space, satellite, and aeronautics/aviation experience. During his military career, he led teams on worldwide deployments integrating space-based solutions into tactical environments; was the Chief Engineer for the Transformational Communications Satellite (TSAT) space segment, and retired as the Deputy Director, Space Policy, within the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
Since his retirement from active duty in 2011, Russ has served in key executive positions with Northrop Grumman, HawkEye 360, and most recently as Chief Engineer at BAE Systems where he worked several projects expanding BAE’s space-radiation hardened electronics product portfolio.
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in aerospace engineering from Mississippi State University and a Master of Science degree in astronautical engineering from West Coast University. An accomplished competitive sailboat racer, he is also an award-winning photographer and enjoys songwriting and playing his guitar.