LAUREL, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Antenna Research Associates, Inc. (“ARA” or the “Company”), a leading provider of integrated radio frequency (“RF”) and advanced communications products to the aerospace and defense (“A&D”) end-markets, today announced the appointments of experienced industry executives Larry Sala and Rich Sorelle to its Board of Directors.
Sala is an Executive Partner at OceanSound Partners and brings nearly four decades of experience working with RF and microwave microelectronics, components and subsystems technology providers to the A&D and space end-markets. He was previously CEO, President, and Chairman of the Board of Anaren Inc., a global designer and manufacturer of high-frequency RF and microwave microelectronics components for the space, A&D, and telecommunications sectors. During his tenure, Sala spearheaded the expansion of Anaren's product portfolio, increased its global footprint, and led several strategic acquisitions. Under his leadership, Anaren was acquired by Veritas Capital in 2014 and later sold to TTM Technologies in 2018. Sala is a former board member of Carlisle Companies, BlackBox Biometrics, and SRC (formerly known as Syracuse Research Corporation), and has a Secret Clearance. Sala holds an M.B.A, an M.S. in Electrical Engineering, and a B.S. in Computer Engineering, each from Syracuse University.
“Throughout my career, I’ve witnessed customers in the A&D market seek to address the challenge of reducing size and weight while improving performance in aerospace, defense, and space platforms. ARA’s impressive track record of innovation across these dimensions has enabled them to deliver impressive and profitable growth in the constantly evolving market for RF and advanced communications technologies. As customers increasingly seek collaborative partners to help design and deploy mission-critical communication systems, ARA is well-positioned to continue delivering innovative and performant solutions to some of the market’s most discerning customers. I’m excited to work alongside the ARA team to refine our product strategy and accelerate the company’s growth trajectory,” said Sala.
Similarly, Sorelle brings over 35 years of operations and management experience in the defense electronics industry to ARA. Sorelle is currently the CEO of Spectrum Control, a provider of RF and microwave signal conditioning and electromagnetic spectrum management solutions. Previously, Sorelle was CEO and Chairman of Abaco Systems, where he drove substantial growth, product innovation, and R&D investment, culminating in the company's acquisition by AMETEK in 2021. Prior to that, he spent nearly 20 years with ITT Exelis, holding key roles that contributed to the growth of their Electronic Systems division, which was later acquired by Harris Corporation. His career began on the manufacturing floor while he pursued a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the New York Institute of Technology.
“My experiences at Spectrum Control, Abaco, and ITT Exelis have given me a deep understanding of the changing requirements of commercial and government customers across multiple mission-critical end-markets. ARA has set itself apart as a differentiated provider of specialized RF and communications solutions that are impactful for national security. Their small form-factor AESA technologies enable impactful support for the warfighter while advancing our country’s defense capabilities. I'm excited to collaborate with the teams at ARA and OceanSound to drive growth and continue delivering innovative solutions,” stated Sorelle.
“We are thrilled to welcome Larry and Rich as members of our Board of Directors as they each bring decades of relevant experience and leadership to ARA,” commented Logen Thiran, Chief Executive Officer of ARA. “Their track records overseeing growth and operational excellence along with their vast network of industry relationships make them ideally suited to join our Board to support the company as we enact our value creation strategy.”
“Larry and Rich bring a deep, complementary understanding of ARA's core markets, particularly in guiding the evolution of the company’s products, which will be valuable in enhancing ARA’s growth as a trusted supplier and partner to major Primes and Tier 1 providers. Having worked extensively with Larry at Anaren and Rich at Abaco, we’re excited to work closely with both again, alongside Logen and the ARA management team, to strategically grow and transform the company,” said Joe Benavides, Managing Partner of OceanSound.
About Antenna Research Associates
Established in 1963, ARA is a leading provider of integrated RF and advanced communications products, including components, assemblies and subsystems, to the aerospace and defense end-markets. ARA maintains deep specialization and differentiation in active electronically scanned array antenna capabilities utilized in size-, weight-, power-, and cost-constrained environments. ARA was founded in 1963 and is based in Laurel, Maryland. For more information, please visit www.ara-inc.com.
About OceanSound Partners
OceanSound Partners is a New York-based private equity firm that pursues control investments in technology and technology-enabled services companies serving government and highly regulated enterprise end markets. OceanSound employs a partnership approach, working closely with founders, entrepreneurs, and executives of middle market businesses to drive transformational growth. For more information, please visit www.oceansoundpartners.com.
