Richard J. Stuart

Richard Stuart is a founder, CEO, and President of ARES Corporation.  Prior to ARES Corporation, Stuart served as President and CEO of CYGNA Group, an engineering firm specializing in construction design, analysis, licensing, and construction.

After four years with the US Army Corps of Engineers, Stuart began his civilian career as a faculty member at the University of Connecticut teaching undergraduate Structural Design and Engineering Mechanics courses.  He then moved to the Atomic Energy Commission/Nuclear Regulatory Commission (5 years) in Washington, D.C. as a Section Chief in the Division of Operating Reactors, where his prime responsibilities were for the structural, seismic, mechanical and materials engineering licensing for operating nuclear power plants.  Stuart moved to San Francisco in 1978 to join Impell Corporation as Manager of the Advanced Analysis Division and was later named Senior Vice President for Business Development, responsible for the development and implementation for all new technologies and business areas.  He joined CYGNA Group in 1984 as President and CEO where he grew the business in commercial nuclear power from 200 to 350 people over 5 years. 

Stuart started ARES Corporation in 1992 on the premise of using Applied Research and Engineering Sciences to provide high-quality products and services to commercial industry and government agencies on complex projects involving high risk to workers, the public, and the environment.  ARES specializes in Risk Management, Project Management, Engineering & Design, Information Technology and Software, and Knowledge Management with emphasis in the subspecialties of Safety and Mission Assurance, PRA, System’s Engineering, and Project and Business Management.  Stuart’s expertise encompasses the simultaneous assessment of technical, financial and schedule risks on highly complex projects such as nuclear power plants, satellite launch vehicles, linear accelerators, hazardous waste site cleanup, complex lasers, Space Shuttle and the International Space Station.  He pioneered the optimization of project performance in research and development, engineering, design, fabrication and construction.  A few of Stuart’s space related accomplishments include a booster PRA Model for Boeing Satellite Systems; the major elements of the Risk Management Program for United Space Alliance – Shuttle Program; PRA for the F15/F16 Fighter Bomber; PRA for the B2 Bomber; Independent Assessment of Risk Management for the Ground-Based Missile Defense for the United States; and Lean/Six Sigma for the payload integration processes for International Space Station.  ARES developed and manages NASA’s knowledge management system, PBMA.  ARES currently manages the Program Integration and Control for the International Space Station. This is a $172 Million contract to manage Risk Management, Systems Engineering, Configuration Management, IT, Business Management and International Partner coordination. 

ARES Corporation is the winner of numerous awards including NASA Johnson Space Center Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year, Small Business Subcontractor of the Year for both Los Alamos National Laboratory and United Space Alliance and sole winner of the Small Business Administration’s 2001 Small Business Subcontractor of the Year for the United States of America.  ARES has offices and offices across the United States and Canada.

Stuart received his BS and PhD degrees in engineering from the University of Connecticut, a master’s degree in engineering from Stanford University, and a PMD from Harvard Business School.  He earned memberships to Chi Epsilon, the Civil Engineering National Honor Society; Tau Beta Pi, Engineering National Honor Society; and Sigma Xi, the Research National Honor Society.  Stuart served as an officer in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  After graduating from Engineering Officer’s Basic Training School and Ranger Training, he was stationed in Germany and Vietnam where he earned the Army Commendation Medal and the Bronze Star respectively.