R. Steven Justice is the Executive Director of the Georgia Centers of Innovation responsible for a wide ranging program to provide the technical industry expertise, collaborative research and partnerships to help Georgia’s key industries connect, compete and grow. Exclusive to Georgia, the Centers of Innovation provide over 700 businesses each year the technical industry expertise, collaborative research, and partnerships to help the State’s strategic industries connect, compete and grow globally. The program consists of Centers of Innovation in five key industries - Aerospace, Energy, Information Technology, Logistics, and Manufacturing.
Mr. Justice brings to this role over 30 years diverse experience in industry with Lockheed-Martin, Gulfstream Aerospace, Northrop, Delta Air Lines, and The Ginn Group in addition to founding two Georgia based companies. He previously served for six years as the Director of the Center of Innovation for Aerospace.
His experience spans engineering, information technology, and management of major programs and organizations including teams consisting of major North American, European, and Asian companies. In his aerospace career Mr. Justice participated in the development, certification, and support of several notable aircraft including Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor and C-130J Hercules as well as the Northrop B-2 “Stealth Bomber” and the Gulfstream G-IV business jet. He also led various Research & Development programs for a wide range of advanced aircraft and systems for both military and civil applications. He is a former FAA Designated Engineering Representative (DER) and is currently a Licensed Professional Engineer in Georgia.
Steve is a member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Board of Trustees, the Executive Board of the Georgia Intellectual Property Alliance, the Georgia Institute of Technology School of Aerospace Engineering Advisory Council, Georgia Southern University College of Engineering and Information Technology Advisory Council, the Georgia Manufacturing Extension Program Advisory Board, and a former Secretary of the Aerospace States Association.
Mr. Justice has been listed as one of the “100 Most Influential Georgians” by Georgia Trend Magazine and by Atlanta Magazine as one of the “Top 500 Leaders in Atlanta”. In addition, he has received numerous other honors including the prestigious Red Dot Design Award by the Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen; induction into the Georgia Institute of Technology “Council of Outstanding Young Engineering Alumni”; the AIAA Distinguished Service Award, and is an AIAA Associate Fellow.