Leadership

Al Hirsch is currently engaged as the project manager for the Energy Management System project team supporting the development of the Texas Nodal Energy Management System.  Hirsch concurrently serves as the managing director at CTARCo International in Washington state.  Prior to his current engagements, Hirsch completed a major assignment directing the Contracts Management, Procurement, and Operations Group for a large multinational energy company.

Hirsch began his career in avionics design and worldwide strategic defense satellite communications systems engineering.  He was then appointed as the project director for the NATO Spread Spectrum Multiple Access/Time Division Multiple Access Satellite Communications Systems project which was installed and integrated into the military management structure of the thirteen NATO signatories.  At completion, Hirsch was asked to lead the recovery of the NAVSTAR GPS Concept Validation and Demonstration Program to full scale development.  Hirsch took this program through two major decision DSARC (Defense Systems Acquistion and Review Council) milestones, which resulted in the current GPS constellation and functionality being available for U.S. military, civilian and NATO use.  He has managed joint ventures as well as large and small technology programs for both international and domestic government agencies and commercial businesses.

Hirsch has served as COO and CFO to several start-up companies.  An experienced instructor and thesis advisor, he holds a B.S.E.E. with honors and distinction from Iowa State University and a Master of Science in management from Pepperdine University.  Additionally, he has completed graduate studies in management at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.  Hirsch also serves as an adjunct instructor for the Graduate School of Business at City University and for the University of Washington.  He was awarded City University’s 2003 President’s Distinguished Instructor Award for the Graduate School of Business.  Hirsch has also recently completed his second appointment to the Iowa State University’s College of Engineering  Executive in Residence Program.

Hirsch lives in High Country in the Washington Cascades near Seattle, Washington. He has four grown children and enjoys yachting in the Sound and looks forward to his next series of cruises up through Canada to Alaska.