Ball Aerospace Hires Facktor Lepore to Lead Washington Operations

BOULDER, Colo., Jan. 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. today announced the appointment of Debra Facktor Lepore to the newly created position of vice president and general manager of Washington Operations.  Effective Jan. 15, Lepore will lead Ball's Washington operations, corporate communications and strategic planning, reporting to President and CEO, David L. Taylor.

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"Ball Aerospace continues to increase its position in the market and its presence in the Washington, DC area," said Taylor.  "The hiring of Debra Facktor Lepore is a key part of that strategy."

In her role, Lepore will be responsible for increasing Ball Aerospace's profile in the industry and market as well as facilitating collaboration across the company. She will also be the company's senior executive in the Washington, DC area.

"Debra's entrepreneurial, business and technical skills create an excellent match for Ball as we build upon recent growth in several markets including intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, operational weather and tactical defense," added Ball Aerospace Chief Operating Officer, Rob Strain.

Lepore, president of the aerospace consulting firm, DFL Space LLC, brings 25 years of industry experience to the position, nearly all of which involved start-up projects or companies.  An industry professor at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, N.J., she led the Master's of Engineering in Technical Leadership program, and served as Director of Strategic Programs for the Systems Engineering Research Center.  Lepore is the previous president of AirLaunch LLC.  Earlier in her career she served as vice president of Business Development and Strategic Planning for Kistler Aerospace Corporation and as Chief of Moscow Operations for ANSER's Center for International Aerospace Cooperation.

Lepore is an associate fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and an Academician of the International Academy of Astronautics. She also is a leader in numerous industry organizations, including Women in Aerospace and the FAA's Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee.   

Lepore earned bachelor's and master's degrees in aerospace engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich.  A complete biography of Lepore can be viewed at: http://www.ballaerospace.com/page.jsp?page=12&id=22

Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. supports critical missions for national agencies such as the Department of Defense, NASA, NOAA and other U.S. government and commercial entities. The company develops and manufactures spacecraft, advanced instruments and sensors, components, data exploitation systems and RF solutions for strategic, tactical and scientific applications. For more information visit www.ballaerospace.com.

Ball Corporation (NYSE:BLL) is a supplier of high quality packaging for beverage, food and household products customers, and of aerospace and other technologies and services, primarily for the U.S. government. Ball Corporation and its subsidiaries employ more than approximately 15,000 people worldwide and reported 2011 sales of more than $8.6 billion. For the latest Ball news and for other company information, please visit http://www.ball.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains "forward-looking" statements concerning future events and financial performance. Words such as "expects," "anticipates, " "estimates" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Key risks and uncertainties are summarized in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Exhibit 99.2 in our Form 10-K, which are available on our website and at www.sec.gov. Factors that might affect our packaging segments include fluctuation in product demand and preferences; availability and cost of raw materials; competitive packaging availability, pricing and substitution; changes in climate and weather; crop yields; competitive activity; failure to achieve anticipated productivity improvements or production cost reductions; mandatory deposit or other restrictive packaging laws; changes in major customer or supplier contracts or loss of a major customer or supplier; political instability and sanctions; and changes in foreign exchange rates or tax rates. Factors that might affect our aerospace segment include: funding, authorization, availability and returns of government and commercial contracts; and delays, extensions and technical uncertainties affecting segment contracts. Factors that might affect the company as a whole include those listed plus: accounting changes; changes in senior management; the recent global recession and its effects on liquidity, credit risk, asset values and the economy; successful or unsuccessful acquisitions; regulatory action or laws including tax, environmental, health and workplace safety, including U.S. FDA and other actions affecting products filled in our containers, or chemicals or substances used in raw materials or in the manufacturing process; governmental investigations; technological developments and innovations; goodwill impairment; antitrust, patent and other litigation; strikes; labor cost changes; rates of return projected and earned on assets of the company's defined benefit retirement plans; pension changes; uncertainties surrounding the U.S. government budget and debt limit; reduced cash flow; interest rates affecting our debt; and changes to unaudited results due to statutory audits or other effects.

SOURCE Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.