TUCSON, Ariz.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–World View, a global leader in stratospheric exploration and flight, today announced Stephen Wideman as Chief Financial Officer and former World View Exploration and Tourism Advisory Board member Lori Garver to its Board of Directors.
“We are excited to welcome Stephen to our executive team, and Lori’s continued counsel in her new role as Independent Director,” said Ryan M. Hartman, President and CEO of World View. “Their extensive industry experience and shared value of space exploration–in all forms–as well as its inherent role in the preservation of our planet will provide crucial insights and guidance as we continue to expand our global remote sensing business and create a radically improved future for our planet.”
As CFO, Wideman will oversee all of World View’s financial activities including accounting and controllership, planning and analysis, investor relations, internal audits and reporting. Wideman brings three decades of expertise in the financial industry that will help ensure fiscal responsibility to support World View’s enterprise growth initiatives. His background includes a broad array of experiences in corporate financial management; financial planning, analysis, and risk management; investor relations; and corporate treasury for consumer products to government contracts. More recently, Wideman served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Erickson Incorporated, a leading provider of aviation services. He holds a B.S. in Finance and Economics from Tuskegee University and an MBA from the University of Georgia.
“I am thrilled to be joining the World View family,” said Wideman. “There is clear opportunity for value creation in the company’s differentiated mission set, addressable markets, strategic partnerships and talented workforce.”
Garver is the former Deputy Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and a renowned aerospace executive, policy analyst and thought leader. In joining the Board of Directors, Garver relinquished her ExTAB seat effective May 3, 2023.
Garver began her career at NASA in 1996 and was nominated and confirmed by President Barack Obama as Deputy Administrator in 2009, serving in this role until 2013 when she became General Manager of the Air Line Pilots Association. For her outstanding service at NASA, she was awarded the NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal and the NASA Distinguished Service Medal. A career champion for space exploration and its benefit to humanity, Garver has also held roles as a member of the NASA Advisory Council, a guest lecturer at the International Space University, president and board member of Women in Aerospace and president of the American Astronautical Society.
“I look forward to joining the Board of Directors and working with the wider World View team to utilize the unique perspective of the stratosphere to provide new insights about our home planet in pursuit of a better future,” said Garver.
Following Garver’s appointment, World View’s Board of Directors will comprise five members including Sameer Gandhi, General Partner at Accel; Deepak Kamra, Managing Partner at Canaan Partners; Charlie Precourt, Former NASA Astronaut; Ryan M. Hartman, President and CEO at World View; and Garver.
World View continues to bring its remote sensing capabilities to new industries and markets around the world. Its unique approach to remote sensing via stratospheric balloons offers significant advantages compared to traditional satellite and fixed-wing aircraft imaging, enabling governments, organizations and commercial entities to gather data and analytics for a diverse array of current and potential use cases: national security and defense, methane detection, non-invasive energy exploration, wildfire and storm tracking, climate change research, agriculture, maritime monitoring and others.
To learn more about World View’s expertise pioneering stratospheric exploration, visit worldview.space.
About World View
World View is a leading global stratospheric exploration company, founded in 2012 and headquartered in Tucson, Arizona. World View has a demonstrated record of accomplishments in the stratospheric ballooning industry and is leading a new era of stratospheric exploration to take humanity’s understanding and appreciation of Earth to inspired new heights. With a sharper vision for a brighter future, World View exists to inspire, create and explore new perspectives for a radically improved future. Through its legacy remote sensing business, Stratollite® imaging and exciting future capabilities with research and engineering missions and space tourism and exploration, World View is working to ensure its ultimate objective: honor the planet so that future generations will feel blessed to call it home. For more information, visit worldview.space.
About Leo Holdings Corp. II and Leo Holdings
Leo Holdings Corp. II (“Leo”), currently listed on the NYSE under the ticker LHC, is a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) that seeks to invest in entrepreneurially driven growth companies that aim to disrupt existing industries or business models, as well businesses positioned to thrive in the evolving digital information age where changing consumer behavior creates the opportunity for outsized returns. Leo Holdings Corp. II is part of a special purpose acquisition company initiative, Leo Holdings. Leo Holdings was formed by the principals of Lion Capital, which is led by Founder and Managing Partner, Lyndon Lea. Leo Holdings’ management team has extensive experience owning and operating businesses on a global scale and has collaboratively worked together for over 20 years. For more information, visit https://leoholdings.com/.
