D. EDWARD KELLER JR.

D. Edward “Ed” Keller, Jr., a member of the Senior Executive Service, is Director of Contracting for the Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. Alongside the Director, he directs contracting activities executing $6 billion a year for selected study, development and fielding activities involving 40 programs tasked directly by the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, the Secretary of the Air Force and the Air Force Chief of Staff.

Additionally, Mr. Keller is Director of Contracting, Air Force Special Access Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. He is responsible for oversight and support of the Air Force SAP and Classified Contracting portfolio at Headquarters Air Force level valued at greater than $40 billion and senior level advocacy and training for 1,100 military and civilian acquisition professionals. He is the senior adviser to the Service Acquisition Executive on acquisition strategy, execution and policy and procedures for classified and SAP contracting.

Previously, Mr. Keller served as Associate Executive Director for Procurement Policy, Systems and Oversight at the Department of Veterans Affairs, Director of Contracting at the Air Force District of Washington, and as Chief, Contracting Operations Division for the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Acquisition (Contracting), the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia.

Mr. Keller graduated from East Carolina University in 1989 and was commissioned into the U.S. Air Force the same year. He served in a variety of roles, leading contracting operations in support of space and aircraft systems acquisition, installation and specialized support, and contingency operations in three different theaters. He also served on multiple headquarters staffs, including Headquarters Air Force. Mr. Keller retired from active duty as a colonel in 2017.

EDUCATION
1989 Bachelor of Science, Business Administration, East Carolina University, Greenville, N.C.
1992 Master of Business Administration, Georgia College and State University, Milledgeville
1994 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2001 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2006 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2007 Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.

CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. May 1989–October 1990, Contract Negotiator, Operational Contracting Division, Robins Air Force Base, Ga.
2. October 1990–June 1993, Contracting Officer, F-15 System Program Office, Robins AFB, Ga.
3. June 1993–January 1995, Assistant Chief, Program and Technical Support Division, Defense Contract Management Command, Orlando, Fla.
4. January 1995–June 1996, Assistant Chief, Operations Group, Defense Contract Management Command, Orlando, Fla.
5. July 1996–July 1997, Assistant Chief, Spacecraft Contracts Branch, Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles, Calif.
6. July 1997–June 1998, Chief, Spacecraft Contracts Branch, Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles, Calif.
7. June 1998–May 2000, Chief, National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System Contracting Branch, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles, Calif.
8. June 2000–June 2001, Commander, Technology/Advisory Services Acquisition Flight, Air Combat Command Contracting Squadron, Langley AFB, Va.
9. June 2001–May 2003, Acquisition Staff Officer, Contracting Division, Directorate of Logistics and Maintenance, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va.
10. May 2002–September 2002, Theater Head of Contracting, NATO Stabilization Forces, NATO Headquarters, Camp Butmir, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
11. June 2003–June 2006, Commander, 7th Contracting Squadron, 7th Mission Support Group, 7th Bomb Wing, Dyess AFB, Texas
12. September 2005–January 2006, Chief, Theater Contracts Division, Principal Assistant Responsible for Contracting–Forces, Joint Contracting Command - Iraq/Afghanistan, Camp Victory, Baghdad, Iraq
13. June 2006–June 2008, Operational Manager, Theater Effects Based Operations Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (TEBO–ACTD), U.S. Joint Forces Command, Suffolk, Va.
14. July 2008–July 2009, Commander, Kabul Regional Contracting Center, Joint Contracting Command - Iraq/Afghanistan, Camp Eggers, Kabul, Afghanistan
15. July 2009–July 2010, Project Lead, Integrated Financial Operations, Joint Concept Development and Experimentation Directorate, U.S. Joint Forces Command, Suffolk Va.
16. July 2010–June 2012, Director, Mission Support Team 1, Joint Contingency Acquisition Support Office, Defense Logistics Agency, Fort Belvoir, Va.
17. June 2012–June 2014, Chief, Contracting Operations Division, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition (Contracting), the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
18. June 2014–May 2017, Director of Contracting, Air Force District of Washington, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
19. July 2017–September 2018, Senior Acquisition Consultant, WBB Inc., Reston, Va.
20. September 2018–June 2019, Associate Executive Director, Procurement Policy, Systems and Oversight, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, D.C.
21. June 2019–present, Director of Contracting, Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office / Special Access Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.

AWARDS AND HONORS
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal

PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS
Certified Acquisition Professional, Level III, Contracting
Certified Professional Contracts Manager (CPCM)

(Current as of March 2023)