About Us

John Hendrickson is ELS’ Chief Executive Officer (CEO). He joined ELS in 2009 as a Junior Analyst and held positions such as Office Manager, Project Controller and Contracts Manager before being promoted to Chief Financial Officer in 2016 and Chief Operating Officer in 2018. His desire early in his career to understand how each aspect of the business worked and were interrelated led to him getting hands-on experience across all facets of ELS. As CEO his focus is on strategic and deliberate growth, employee engagement, and building the best environment for employees to grow while delivering trusted solutions to the Navy.

A lifetime Virginia resident, John earned his Master of Business Administration from Ohio University and his Bachelor of Arts in English from James Madison University.

Michael Hutchinson has been employed with ELS, Inc for 27 years and is the Chief Information Officer (CIO).  Mr. Hutchinson is from MD and still resides in the metropolitan area with his wife of 34 years, Teresa Hutchinson.  Mr. Hutchinson is a University of Maryland Alumni, obtaining a B.S. Aeronautical Engineering in 1993 and M.E. Systems Engineering in 2000.  With a strong background in IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, governance and compliance, systems and logistics engineering, Mr. Hutchinson drives organizational excellence through the effective use of governance and technology to ensure a defense-in-depth cybersecurity posture.  Mr. Hutchinson holds the following certifications: Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP+) and Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH).

Dean Krestos joined ELS, Inc. in 2011 as the Business Development Director after thirty-three years of Naval Service, then promoted to President in 2013, and Chief Executive Officer in 2016. Since his arrival in the fall of 2011, the company has experienced consistent growth in personnel by over 500 percent, revenues of over 400 percent, and a 250 percent increase in the ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Program) stock price.

He enlisted in the naval service in 1978 under the navy’s nuclear power program. Upon completion of training at NPTU Ballston Spa, NY, he received an NROTC scholarship and graduated from Miami University with a B.S. in Systems Analysis and Design. Commissioned in 1984, his initial assignment was CICO and MPA aboard USS Hewitt (DD 966) where he earned his Surface Warfare Qualifications. During his second assignment, he earned his M.B.A from the State University of New York at Buffalo. He laterally transferred into the Engineering Duty Officer (ED) community in 1991. In 1993, he graduated from the Naval Post Graduate School with a Masters in Mechanical Engineering (MSME). As an EDO, he completed tours as a Ship Repair Officer at the SUPERVISOR of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair (SUPSHIP), Jacksonville, Mayport, FL, followed by a tour with the Board of Inspection and Survey (PRESINSURV) New Construction Trials Board as the senior Main Propulsion inspector. He reported to NAVSEA PEO/TSC in November 1998 as the Chief Engineer for the DDG-51 Arleigh Burke program office, PMS 400D. In August of 1999 he took over as the Post Shakedown Availabilities (PSA) officer. In August of 2001 he left PMS400D to become the DDG 51 Program Manager’s Representative (PMR) in Bath, Maine. In August of 2004 he reported to PEO SHIPS as the DDG-51 Production Officer (PMS400D3).

Upon selection to Captain, he was re-assigned to PMS 501 as the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Production Director overseeing the construction of the Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics LCS variants (LCS 1 and LCS 2) in Marinette, WI and Mobile, AL. In February of 2006, he was selected for the Supervisor of SUPSHIP Bath position in Bath, Maine. As the Supervisor of SUPSHIP Bath from 2006 through 2011, he led a diverse group of over 500 civil servants, military, and support contractors in the execution of over $21B in shipbuilding contracts throughout the United States. He oversaw and provided Contract Administrative Services for the detailed design, construction, activation test and trials and delivery of six ACAT 1D/C shipbuilding programs in Bath, ME, with remote detachments in Mobile, AL, and San Diego, CA. During this timeframe his SUPSHIP team delivered seven DDGs, eleven T-AKEs, and one Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), which included two first-of-class ships in Lewis and Clark (T-AKE-1, and the Independence class LCS variant, Independence (LCS-2).

Pete Lyle is Director of Programs of ELS, Inc, leading the company’s execution oversight of Naval Sea Systems (NAVSEA) professional support services (PSS) contracts, which was hired into the role in August 2021. In addition, he is the Project Manager for the SHIPS GEM PSS Prime Contract, which he started in April 2023 in addition to the Director of Programs role. Prior to joining the company, Lyle served 25 years in the U.S. Navy. His last active duty position was Program Manager for new construction (PMS 400D) of ARLEIGH BURKE Class (DDG 51) AEGIS Guided Missile Destroyers.  He retired in 2011, with the rank of Captain. Upon retirement, he worked in civil service in NAVSEA’s Littoral Combat Ship New Construction (PMS 501) and in private industry supporting NAVSEA Ship to Shore Connector (PMS 377). In addition, he worked in a large private shipyard’s business development office and as Director of Programs for Amphibious Ships (LHD/LPD/LSD).  Most recently, he was General Manager of a private shipyard responsible for maintenance, repair and modernization of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii homeported surface combatants (DDG/CG). Lyle holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Marine Engineering from Massachusetts Maritime Academy and a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Naval Post Graduate School. He is DAWIA Level III certified in Production & Program Management.  

Alexa Risseeuw is our Human Resources Manager and was hired at ELS in September of 2020 as a Human Resources Generalist. Alexa grew up in Vienna, VA and graduated from Virginia Tech with a B.S. in Human Development and Family Science. During her tenure at ELS, she has started three programs to improve the employee experience which is something she’s passionate about. ELS provided her the opportunity to get an aPHR (associate Professional in Human Resources) certification which increased knowledge of HR laws, compliance, functions, and theories. Alexa says that “ELS has been a wonderful company to work for with plenty of great opportunities and coworkers.” Alexa is now the HR Manager and resides in Chicago, IL. Fun fact: Alexa is a dual citizen of Finland and the US!

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