Leadership
Ms. Andi Mitchell
Executive Director
Andi Mitchell currently serves as the Executive Director of the Mercer Engineering Research Center. She was the third employee hired by Mercer during the start-up of MERC over 38 years ago. She earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and an MBA, both from Mercer University. She serves on the Executive Committee of the 21st Century Partnership and is a member of the Dixie Crow Chapter of the Association of Old Crows. Andi is a 2000 graduate of Leadership Warner Robins.
Andi served on the Executive Committee of the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce as Vice Chairman of Government and Military Affairs and served as Chairman of the Middle Georgia Military Affairs Committee (MGMAC). She also served on the Macon-Bibb County and Robins Regional Military Affairs Committees and was a member of the Aerospace Industry Committee (AIC), where she served as chairperson in 2002, and served as finance chair for over 5 years. Andi was a member of the National Contract Management Association, serving as an officer in several capacities. Andi was also part of the inaugural team that helped stand up the Central Georgia Chapter of the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) and served as treasurer.
Mr. Jim Hundley
Sr. Director of Engineering and Programs
Mr. Jim Hundley serves as Senior Director of Engineering and Programs for MERC. He joined MERC after a 33-year Air Force career. His various assignments throughout his Air Force career were either directly involved in EW or in management that delivered the infrastructure necessary for the EW mission to succeed.
Jim has served as lead engineer/unit Chief APR-38 Advanced Wild Weasel, Deputy Chief Systems Division Inter-Command EW Mgt Directorate at Wright Patterson AFB, Chief Information Systems Management and Support Division 1926th Communications Squadron Robins AFB, and multiple assignments in logistics, communications, and information resource management at USAF Headquarters. Jim retired as the Headquarters Air Force Chief Information Officer in March 2008.
Mr. Chuck Pollard
Director of Acquisition Strategy
Chuck serves as the Director of Acquisition Strategy and brings nearly 35 years of program management and analysis experience in many different areas at Robins AFB. Chuck started his career in the Directorate of Distribution, where he was the lead Management Analyst performing industrial engineering studies to implement designs for increased efficiency and effectiveness with materials, machines, and personnel to improve workflow. Chuck’s also served in the C-141 System Program Office (SPO), C-17 Partnership Office, C-17 System Support Management (SSM), and the Air Force Sustainment Center (AFSC) Contracting Office. During his career in the C-141 SPO, Chuck served as program manager for several weapon system modification programs including the Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) Terrain Awareness Warning System (TAWS). Throughout his tenure in the C-17 Partnership Office and the C-17 SSM, Chuck served as program manager for Depot Activation of C-17 workload. While in AFSC contracting, Chuck served as program manager for Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity contracts (IDIQ) which provide essential engineering support plus weapon system support. Chuck’s expertise assisted Robins AFB in acquiring critically needed engineering support at Robins AFB. In addition to assisting Robins AFB in obtaining engineering support, Chuck supported DoD gain weapon system, system and sub-system modification, and repair support. The total values of the contracts were in excess of $7 billion. Chuck has a bachelor’s degree in business management from Georgia College & State University.
Mr. Daniel Edwards
Technical Director
Daniel serves as the Technical Director for the Aircraft product areas. He supervises a diverse team of engineers and scientists who support the Department of Defense and commercial customers. He serves on the board of the Central Georgia Chapter of NDIA and volunteers with local schools advocating for STEM education.
Daniel graduated from Mercer University with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 2003 and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering in 2019. He began his engineering career at MERC in 2002 as an engineering intern before taking a full-time engineering role in 2003. Daniel has spent the majority of his career supporting aircraft structural and mechanical system development and weapon systems integrity programs, airworthiness and system safety programs, and flight instrumentation development. His experience covers a variety of aircraft, including the KC-135, C-130, F-15, H-60, UH-1, P-8A, and C-5 aircraft. Daniel has authored or co-authored several presentations and articles for the Aircraft Structural Integrity Program (ASIP) Conference and Aircraft Airworthiness and Sustainment Conference.
Mr. Gerry Ringe
Technical Director
Gerry serves as the Technical Director for both the Electronic Warfare/Avionics and Mechanical product areas. He supervises a team of engineers, scientists, and analysts in supporting the Department of Defense and commercial customers.
Gerry graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 1996 and from Clemson University with a master’s degree in mechanical engineering in 1998, after completing his thesis within the motorsports program.
Prior to joining MERC in 2003, Gerry spent 5 years as an automotive test engineer working for Delphi Automotive Systems and then INA USA. From 2003 to 2018, Gerry supported a variety of MERC efforts including ground support, fixed and rotary wing aircraft maintenance, nondestructive inspection development, corrosion studies, mechanical and aerospace design, industrial engineering, structural testing, reliability engineering, and ergonomics. His experience includes working with the C-130, HH-60, UH-1N, TH-1H, E-8 Joint STARS (JSTARS), F-15, ground support equipment, WR-ALC maintenance operations, and various commercial aerospace companies.
In 2018, Gerry accepted an automotive engineering opportunity with the Blue Bird Corporation as the Director of Government Specifications and Testing. He supported a team of engineers and technical specialists responsible for state and federal regulation compliance, recall administration, litigation investigations, prototype fabrication, and certification testing. He rejoined MERC in 2021 as a Technical Director.
Mr. Jonathan Strunk
Chief Engineer - Mechanical
Jonathan serves as MERC’s Chief Engineer for Mechanical Programs, providing technical leadership and strategic direction across a diverse portfolio of engineering, prototyping, and testing. Since joining MERC in 2003, he has advanced through senior engineering and program management roles, bringing nearly two decades of experience in mechanical systems, reverse engineering, tooling development, and technical data generation. He holds both a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a master’s degree in engineering and technical management from Mercer University.
In his current role, Jonathan leads the Mechanical product area with a focus on delivering high‑value, standards‑compliant engineering solutions that enhance fleet readiness, reduce sustainment risk, and improve aircraft availability for government and industry partners. His oversight spans reverse‑engineering efforts, tooling and equipment development, technical orders and data packages, prototyping, and structural and maneuverability testing. His team has supported a broad range of ALC, FMS, SPO, and Depot customers with direct experience on U.S. Air Force platforms including E‑8 Joint STARS, C‑130 variants, F‑15, A‑10, H‑60, H‑1, KC‑135, C‑5, B-52, RQ-4, and U-2 as well as ground support equipment, the LRU-36A life raft, and robotic work cells.
Jonathan is committed to advancing STEM education in the community. He has served as judge for LEGO First Robotics competitions and has delivered opening and welcome remarks at Mercer University robotics events, encouraging high‑school students to pursue careers in engineering and technology.
Mr. Steve Fairfield
Chief Engineer - Cybersecurity
Steve serves as the Technical Director for the Software and Cybersecurity product areas, leading a multidisciplinary team of engineers and scientists specializing in advanced software engineering and cybersecurity for complex systems.
He holds a master’s degree in Cybersecurity (Information Security) from Georgia Tech, a master’s degree in Information Technology (Information Assurance & Digital Forensics) from Middle Georgia State University, an MBA with a concentration in Information Assurance & Digital Forensics from DeVry University, and a bachelor’s degree in Information Technology from Middle Georgia State University.
A U.S. Navy veteran with more than 40 years of technical, logistics, program management, and foreign military sales experience, Steve previously served as Flight Chief, Section Chief, Branch Chief, and Sustainment System Manager across multiple U.S. Air Force program offices. As the Information System Owner for the F‑15C/D/E/EX fleet, he directed the platform‑level Authority to Operate (ATO) effort, ensuring cybersecurity compliance across one of the Air Force’s most mission‑critical aircraft systems.
Mr. Joe Hopf
Chief Engineer – Electronic Warfare/Avionics
As Chief Engineer of the Electronic Warfare and Avionics (EW&A) product area, Joe leads a team of engineers and technicians who support sustainment and capability upgrades to the B-1 and B-52 EW countermeasures systems, and design and fabricate diagnostic system hardware and software test program sets. The EW&A team also operates and maintains a Defense Avionics System (DAS) laboratory and accomplishes DAS operational flight program sustainment, as well as designing and building threat models and simulations and operating threat emulators and simulators that enable our DoD customers to conduct closed loop operational testing with complex EW engagement scenarios.
Joe has over 30 years of experience in the design, development, and testing of electronic warfare systems. He served as electronic attack pod lead engineer and then Engineering Section Chief for the 542 Combat Sustainment Wing Electronic Attack Pods for the Air Force Material Command, Robins AFB. Immediately prior to joining MERC in 2019, Joe was the electronic pod subject matter expert for the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Robins. Joe received the Electronic Warfare Technology Hall of Fame Award from the Association of Old Crows in 2011. He has a degree in electrical engineering from Auburn University.