Doug Shepherd: CEO, Co-Owner:
Doug Shepherd is a seasoned senior executive, program manager, and former U.S. Army Sergeant Major with more than three decades of leadership experience spanning defense operations, federal contracting, business development, program management, and organizational transformation. Throughout his military and civilian career, he has built a reputation for leading complex, multidisciplinary teams, driving operational excellence, and delivering high value results across geographically dispersed environments. Mr. Shepherd has been in the defense contracting industry for over 13 years, prior to entering the defense contracting industry, Mr. Shepherd completed an accomplished 24 year Army career culminating as a Sergeant Major. His service included senior leadership positions with the Asymmetric Warfare Group, 75th Ranger Regiment, and multiple combat deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. He directed largescale organizational functions, supervised thousands of personnel, managed multi-million dollar equipment portfolios, and authored training programs still used across elite military units today. Mr. Shepherd holds a Master of Arts in Management and Leadership from Webster University, and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Saint Leo University. Known for his strategic mindset, operational discipline, and ability to bridge government and industry, Mr. Shepherd continues to be a trusted leader in the defense, training, and national security sectors.
Johnny Hester: President, Co-Owner:
Johnny Hester is a senior executive, strategic advisor, and retired U.S. Army Colonel with more than 35 years of leadership experience spanning Special Operations, joint and interagency environments, and federal contracting. As President and Co-Founder of Apex Leadership Group
LLC (APEX), he provides executive leadership across corporate strategy, business development, and program execution, delivering mission-critical logistics, operational support, and advisory services to U.S. government customers. During his military career, Mr. Hester served as a U.S. Army Special Forces officer in senior command and operational staff assignments, including Director of Operations at Theater Special Operations Command–Central, Deputy Commander of Joint Special Operations Task Force–Iraq, and Director of Joint Collective Training and Exercises at U.S. Special Operations Command. In these roles, he led large-scale joint and multinational operations, managed complex training and exercise portfolios, and directed institutional capacity-building efforts in support of national-level objectives and warfighter readiness. Following his transition from military service, Mr. Hester entered the defense and federal services sector, where he has held senior executive roles responsible for strategy, growth, capture, and program delivery. He has led programs supporting the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and other civilian federal agencies, with direct responsibility for enhancing warfighter readiness and delivering enterprise
logistics and warehouse operations, property accountability, training and doctrine development, and advisory services. His commercial leadership emphasizes disciplined execution, regulatory compliance, risk management, and scalable operating models aligned to customer mission
requirements. Mr. Hester holds advanced graduate degrees in National Security Policy and Military Arts and Science and earned his undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University. Known for his ability to bridge operational experience with commercial rigor, he brings a mission-focused, results-driven approach to leading organizations and delivering reliable outcomes for government clients.
