CELESTE VOLZ FORD                    

Celeste Volz Ford is the founder and CEO of Stellar Solutions, Inc., a professional engineering services firm with operations in California, Colorado and Washington, DC. Since its inception in 1995, Stellar Solutions has become a recognized leader in the aerospace field by participating in critical government and commercial satellite programs, both national and international. In 1998, Ms. Ford established the Stellar Solutions Foundation to support community-based organizations and charities. The year 2000 saw the launch of Stellar Ventures, a venture investment enterprise and incubator fostering early-stage technology development and market applications. In 2001, Ms. Ford co-founded QuakeFinder, LLC to research, develop and market a technology that will enable global forecasts of seismic activity, and eventually provide customers with an early warning system to detect destructive earthquakes. In 2004, she organized Stellar Solutions Aerospace Ltd based in London to serve customers in overseas markets.

Ms. Ford has received wide recognition in her field, having served on congressional commissions in the aerospace industry as well as on panels focusing on entrepreneurship and women in business. Her career progressed through positions of increasing responsibility preparing her for the key leadership position she holds today. Ms. Ford began her career as a guidance and control engineer for COMSAT (Communications Satellite Corporation) in 1978. She left COMSAT to become a project manager at the Aerospace Corporation, where her work with NASA on the Space Shuttle led to the recognition of “Woman of the Year” in 1984. Ms. Ford then joined Scitor Corporation where she successfully started and grew a satellite launch business area. In 1995, she founded Stellar Solutions and rapidly led it to international prominence as a leading global provider of aerospace engineering expertise.

Ms. Ford earned her BS from the University of Notre Dame and received her MS from Stanford University. She serves on several Boards, including Foundry Networks, Heritage Bank, Bay Microsystems and California Space Authority. She is a member of the University of Notre Dame’s Engineering Advisory Council and is involved with the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, American Leadership Forum, United States Space Foundation, National Association of Women Business Owners and Vistage International. She is a frequent speaker at industry events. Celeste and her husband Kevin have three children and are active in their local community.

Awards
Ernest & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2009 Northern California Award Recipient
California Award for Performance Excellence (CAPE) which emulates Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Program
Bay Area Most Admired CEO Award presented by San Francisco Business Journal and Vistage
Women of Distinction “Business Services” Award presented by Silicon Valley Business Journal & NAWBO
Fortune Small Business Magazine - “Best Bosses”
Women in Aerospace, Leadership Award
Top 50 Women-Owned Businesses – Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal
Fastest Growing Company of the Bay Area – San Francisco Business Times
Working Woman Entrepreneurial Excellence Award for “General Excellence”
NAWBO Enterprising Woman of the Year
University of Notre Dame Engineering Honor Award
“Outstanding Woman of 2000” presented by the American Business Women’s Association Bay Area Council as part of the 21st Century Dynamic Women Awards
Working Woman Entrepreneurial Excellence Awards for “Best Employer” and “General Excellence"
President’s Award from the National Association of Women Business Owners

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