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Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. has appointed John R. “Bob” Ranck as the designated successor to Buddy Sams, senior vice president, Government Programs and Sales. Sams will retire after the end of this year. Ranck will become a member of the Gulfstream Leadership Team and report to Larry Flynn, president, Gulfstream, in January 2015.
In his new position, Ranck is responsible for Gulfstream’s worldwide government sales and marketing activities, business development, contracting, pricing, proposal management, program management and government relations efforts. He also directs the company’s response to international and domestic special missions requirements and coordinates support for regional sales executives in pursuit of international military and head-of-state air transportation opportunities. He will be based in Washington, D.C.
Ranck most recently served as the vice president of Business Development at Integrated Systems Solutions, a services company that performs scientific, technical and staffing support for federal agencies.
Ranck retired from the U.S. Air Force on Jan. 1, 2013, after a 30-year career. Over the course of his Air Force career, Ranck spent more than seven years at the 89th Airlift Wing at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, beginning as a Special Air Mission pilot in 1995, later becoming commander of the 1st Airlift Squadron, the 89th Operations Group commander and finishing in 2005 as the vice commander of the 89th Airlift Wing. He was promoted to brigadier general in 2008 and held staff positions at the Pentagon in operational policy, planning and programming.
“Bob brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to his new role at Gulfstream Aerospace,” said Larry Flynn, president, Gulfstream. “He has flown the GV, had responsibility for running the Air Force’s premier Special Air Mission operation with more than 55 aircraft and 6,500 people, performed fleet and composition analyses and evaluated the range, payload and communications requirements for various special airlift missions. He has invaluable intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platform experience, a financial programming background and hands-on international government experience. These roles make him the ideal candidate to guide our government team and advise our operators.”
Ranck earned a Bachelor of Science degree in operations research from the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He earned a Master of Public Administration degree from Golden Gate University in San Francisco, California, and a Master of Arts degree in national security and strategic studies from the National War College, Fort Lesley H. McNair, Washington, D.C.
Sams joined Gulfstream as the vice president of Government and Special Missions Marketing in December 1995 following his retirement from the U.S. Air Force. During almost two decades at the helm of Gulfstream’s government business, Sams directed the effort to introduce the highly successful C-37 program into the U.S. armed forces, greatly expanded the company’s special missions program through innovative modification of Gulfstream business jets into a variety of high-performance military and civil platforms, and maintained a leadership position in the important head-of-state market by providing a new generation of executive airlift to governments across the globe.
He was named a senior vice president and member of the Leadership Team in 1998. His position was designated senior vice president of Government Programs and Sales in 2003 in recognition of Gulfstream’s expanded influence in the special missions and head-of-state markets in addition to the company’s core government executive airlift business.
“Buddy was responsible for integrating the company’s highly successful government business into the overall commercial structure of Gulfstream,” Flynn said. “Under his leadership, Gulfstream’s government business expanded into the special missions platform arena, both internationally and domestically. Buddy has contributed significantly to our overall commercial success. We wish him well.”
