Nidak Sumrean appointed to Senior Executive Service

ISR systems engineering lecturer Nidak Sumrean has been appointed to the federal government’s Senior Executive Service (SES). Sumrean teaches ENSE 626, “System Life Cycle Cost Analysis and Risk Management,” in ISR’s M.S. in Systems Engineering program.

Sumrean is the current deputy program manager for the Strategic and Theater Sealift Program Office in the Pentagon. In his new position, he will be the next director of cost engineering and industrial analysis, NAVSEA 05C.

Members of the SES serve in the executive branch of the federal government in key positions just below top presidential appointees. SES members are the major link between these appointees and the rest of the federal work force. They operate and oversee nearly every government activity in approximately 75 federal agencies.

Sumrean has more than 23 years of experience in the Department of Defense, in both the military and civil service. Following an active duty tour in the Air Force, Sumrean joined the civil service in April 1989 as an Aerospace Engineer at the Marine Corps Depot, Cherry Point, N.C. His expertise was focused on developing testing procedures and depot repairs for new aircraft arriving into the Naval aviation inventory, which included the E-2C and AV-8B aircraft.

In 1991, Sumrean relocated to the Naval Aviation Headquarters in the Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment program office (PMA 251) where he was assigned responsibility for acquisition and system engineering management of government furnished equipment on the Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) ship class. In 1992, Sumrean joined the NAVAIR Cost Engineering department where he was responsible for developing cost estimates and acquisition strategies for Program Executive Office Tactical Aircraft programs in support of the planning, programming and fielding of the Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC) and the Mission Computer Upgrade system aboard the E-2C aircraft.

After the BRAC decisions of 1996, Sumrean relocated to the NAVSEA Cost Engineering and Industrial Analysis division where he was responsible for system and cost support to the Program Executive Office Theater Surface Combatants for the Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC) and Theater Ballistic Missile Defense (TBMD) programs. He attended the National Defense University's Industrial College of the Armed Forces during the 2002-2003 academic year.

From 2003-2007, he served as the primary advisor for Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for ships on issues related to the shipbuilding industrial base and acquisition oversight of all amphibious and auxiliary ship construction and conversion programs. In 2007, Sumrean was selected as the deputy program manager of the newly formed Strategic and Theater sealift program office. He was responsible for program management of the Maritime Prepositioning Force (Future) MPF(F) family of programs and the Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV) program along with associated research and technology development.

Sumrean has a Bachelors degree from North Carolina State University in Aerospace Engineering and Masters degrees in Systems Engineering Management from Capitol University and National Resource Strategy along with a Senior Acquisition Course certificate from the National Defense University. He is DAWIA level III certified in Program Management, System Engineering, and Business Cost Estimating and Financial Management.

Published December 16, 2008