Iten Defense, a Portfolio Company of Edgewater Capital Partners, Appoints Damon Walsh as CEO

ASHTABULA, Ohio, Feb. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Iten Defense, a provider of advanced composites and armor solutions, today announced a new Chief Executive Officer, Damon Walsh. Mr. Walsh succeeds CEO and co-founder, Lex Watson, who will remain on the company's Board of Directors and in an active advisor role.

Mr. Walsh is a defense industry executive with over 40 years of cross-functional leadership experience. His background includes 25 years of service in the U.S. Army, including 12 years as an Infantry and Special Forces officer at multiple levels of command and staff. He was then selected for duty in the Army Acquisition Corps and served his final 13 years in uniform in a wide variety of contract and program management assignments including Rock Island Arsenal; DCMC-Haiti; US Special Operations Command; DCMA Iraq; and as the commanding officer of the Lima Army Tank Plant/DCMA-GDLS. Following his time as an Army Officer, Mr. Walsh served in senior roles at several companies including Force Protection, Jet Hot – High Performance Coatings, and SYNNEXUS. He most recently served as Chairman of the Board and Co-Founder of Mission Solutions Group.

"Damon's background in the defense industry and leadership acumen makes him a natural choice to lead the company through its next phase of growth and help to expand our presence in key end markets," said Peter Ostergard, Managing Partner at Edgewater Capital Partners.

"When we founded Iten Defense, we did so to safeguard the warfighter and others who put themselves in harm's way. Damon shares our passion and has spent his career in and out of uniform supporting that vision, and I am excited that Damon will be leading our team into our next chapter of success," said Lex Watson, Board Member.

"I am elated to be joining Iten Defense as CEO and help to build on its successful track record of providing customers innovative composite solutions to meet their most challenging problems," said Mr. Walsh.

About Iten Defense

Iten Defense is a provider of advanced composites and armor solutions used in personal protective equipment, fixed and rotary-wing aircraft, tactical vehicles, maritime vessels, and commercial applications. Iten Defense's extensive technical expertise and specialized knowledge in ballistic armor enables its customers to meet strict performance requirements for mission critical applications. Iten Defense is headquartered in Ashtabula, Ohio. For more information on Iten Defense, visit www.itendefense.com.

About Edgewater Capital

Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Edgewater Capital Partners is a sector-focused private equity firm investing in lower middle-market performance materials and services businesses. The firm has extensive experience in investing in the people, technology, and facilities to accelerate the growth trajectory of specialty industrials, life sciences, advanced materials, and specialty chemicals businesses. Over twenty-five years of industry specific investing has allowed the firm to develop a deep understanding of the complexities and nuances common to these businesses. For more information on Edgewater Capital Partners, visit www.edgewatercapital.com.

SOURCE Iten Defense