ICE is a forward-thinking innovator and global market leader that designs, develops, manufactures, tests, delivers, and supports live training solutions that increase warfighter effectiveness and survivability worldwide.
Shawn Kirkpatrick has served as ICE’s President since 2004. Shawn’s focus as President is product line expansion within the United States while growing new customers in Europe, the Middle East, and the Far-East. Investment in research and development, infrastructure, industry certifications, and personnel are key pillars supporting product and customer expansion.
Shawn served as Executive Vice President (VP) of Operations and Finance for four years before becoming President. During his tenure as VP, Shawn led efforts instrumental to ICE’s first Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementation for full integration of the financial and manufacturing organizations. Policies and practices associated with the ERP implementation were put in place to ensure compliance with the FAR, DFARS and DCAA. Shawn also had responsibility over all aspects of employee benefits. Previously, Shawn spent six years as the Program Manager for Ground Systems and led the development and production of simulation, test instrumentation, and training equipment.
Prior to ICE, Shawn worked for various defense companies in Software, Test and Systems Engineering roles including Hughes Helicopters, Texas Instruments, and McDonnell Douglas Corporation dating back to 1985. Shawn is an Arizona State University (ASU) cum laude graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering.
Prior to joining ICE, Margie worked for a myriad of companies (medical device manufacturer, land and real estate developers, state auditor) in various accounting capacities including Auditor, Accountant, Controller, Secretary/Treasurer.
Margie joined ICE in 2008 and is responsible for the management of all financial aspects of the company. These include audit coverage, tax-return reporting, financial statement preparation, cash management and forecasting. In addition, she has worked to streamline financial and procedural policies.
Ben Covington has been with Inter-Coastal Electronics in various capacities since 2008. Ben started as a Production Planner, and was later promoted to Program Manager. As a Program Manager Ben lead efforts for MAST, AV TESS, LUH Offensive, and all Depot Repair functions. Ben has experience with ICE’s training products on all active Army Aviation platforms and has worked alongside PEO STRI Live Training Systems counterparts from development through fielding. Ben is now responsible for ICE’s day-to-day operations in Supply Chain Management, Production, Test, and Depot Repair.
Jim Barker retired from the US Army as an Aviation Senior Leader in 2014 after 26 years of service around the world. Immediately upon retirement, Jim spent 3 years with the Boeing Company as the Senior Manager for AH-6 and AH-64 Attack Helicopter Sales and Marketing.
Military career highlights include Tank and Scout Platoon Leader in Germany deploying in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. In 1993, Jim transferred from Armor to Aviation. His following assignments as an aviator included time in the 101st Air Assault Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division in Germany, and Directorate of Combat Developments at Fort Rucker, commanding the 2nd Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment. Following Squadron command, Barker was assigned as the Senior Aviation Trainer at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center, Hohenfels Germany, completed studies at the Naval War College, and commanded the 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade in the Republic of Korea. Jim culminated his career as the USPACOM J7, Director for Training and Exercises.
Communicate directly with Jim at: jbarker@inter-coastal.net.
Matthew Hitchon has been in the Aerospace and Defense industry for 17 years, with the past 14 years focused on Live and Virtual Training Systems. Matthew was the lead proposal and system engineer on numerous Live and Virtual Aviation training programs including: RC-12x Cockpit Procedural Trainer (CPT), Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH), Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), RAH-66 Comanche, and AH-64 A/D Helicopters. As the Senior Systems and Test Engineer for several United Kingdom programs, Matthew’s experience includes the WAH-64 Training System, AWES Training Range at Salisbury Plains, and the Lynx helicopter training system. Matthew also was the Chief Engineer on multiple PEO STRI programs, including the Exportable Training Capabilities Instrumentation System (ETC-IS), Longbow Apache Integration (LBA-I) to the MCTCs, and the 3rd Armed Forces Combat Training Center (AFCTC-3) for the Egyptian Army. While at SAIC, Matthew managed over 60 engineers and technicians in the area of Systems, Software, and Design Engineering, as well as the Technical Publications and Configuration Management groups.
Matthew is currently the Principle Engineer of Systems Integration at ICE, working directly with PEO STRI and industry partners in Orlando, Florida. Matthew began his career at ICE in June 2001 as a lead Software Test Engineer. Matthew’s efforts in developing test procedures exceeded industry standards and assisted ICE to pass its first Software Quality Assurance (SQA) audit and Formal Qualification Test (FQT). These Software Development Processes are currently in use at ICE today.
Communicate with Matt directly at: mhitchon@inter-coastal.net.
Dwayne Robinson has been working for ICE for 15 years participating in all aspects of product realization from inception to delivery for Live and Virtual Training Systems. Dwayne currently heads several engineering teams providing guidance with regards to instrumentation requirements, electromechanical design, cybersecurity, and software testing. Dwayne’s experience with DOD solutions covers aircraft and ground systems instrumentation focused on weapon simulation systems, live fire training systems, and network infrastructures. Dwayne has been directly involved with implementations for the Longbow Apache Integration (LBA-I) to the MCTCs, Kiowa Warrior Cockpit and Sensor Upgrade Program (KW CASUP), Aviation Homestation Interim Package (AHIP), Digital Air Ground Integration Range Capability (DAGIR), and Digital Range Training Systems (DRTS), and the Exportable Training Capabilities-Instrumentation System (ETC-IS) currently fielded at the Joint Pacific Multipurpose Range Complex (JPMRC). At Initiate Systems, Dwayne played a major role in leading a team of engineers to transition from waterfall development techniques to Agile methodologies.
Communicate with Dwayne directly at: DRobinson@Inter-Coastal.net.
David Weston joined the ICE team in 2011 as a design engineer and led the electronics development of multiple TESS components including the Advanced Smart Onboard Data Interface Module (ASMODIM), the Light Utility Helicopter Weapons Processor (LUH WP), the Kiowa Warrior Cockpit and Sensor Upgrade Program (KW CASUP), TESS Training Missile (TTM), and TESS ground components.
David has 16 years of product development experience in the semiconductor, energy and aerospace industries. He has previously overseen the development of semiconductor test systems, satellite-based communications systems, and energy management systems. At Sensata Technologies, he was responsible for a multinational engineering and operations team. He is now in charge of aligning the ICE technical strategy with business goals, discovery and implementation of new technologies, and leading the ICE engineering team.
Communicate directly with David: dweston@inter-coastal.net.
ICE is certified to Design, Develop, Perform Qualification Testing, Manufacture, and Provide Life-Cycle Support of Live Training, Test Instrumentation, Telemetry, and Tactical Systems and Services for Aviation and Ground Defense Systems. See our manufacturing capabilities.
