June 05, 2014 09:30 ET
World Surveillance Group Appoints (US-RET) Lt. Colonel Drew West Chairman of the Board
Military Chairman Provides New Leadership
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL--(Marketwired - Jun 5, 2014) - World Surveillance Group Inc. (PINKSHEETS: WSGI), a developer of lighter-than-air unmanned aerial systems ("UAS"), has appointed (US-RET) Lt. Colonel Drew West as Chairman of the Board of Directors effective immediately. Mr. West is an experienced business owner and entrepreneur who also served as a Marine infantry officer for over 24 years, serving 6 years on active duty and the remainder in the reserves. Mr. West was mobilized for Operation Desert Storm in 1990 and then again for Operation Enduring Freedom where he served his final tour of active duty in Afghanistan in 2007.
Mr. West has held senior positions in Fortune 500 companies in the areas of marketing, business development, sales and product quality assurance and has 17 years of experience as a business owner and entrepreneur. Mr. West is the founder and President of The Trident Group, Ltd, one of the founding members along with WSGI of the Ohio Lighter Than Air UAS Consortium (the "Consortium"), the group currently responsible for the continued development and commercialization of the Argus One airship. He is also a member of the National Military Intelligence Association, the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association and the Ohio Aerospace Institute. Mr. West has received several accreditations from various Department of Defense institutions: The National Defense University, the U.S. Marine Corps' Amphibious Warfare School and Command and Staff College.
Glenn D. Estrella, President and CEO of World Surveillance Group, stated "On behalf of the Board and my management team, we are all extremely excited to welcome Drew to the WSGI team and are eager to work together to advance the goals of the Company. His experience in the military and as a successful businessman will provide WSGI with the experience and skills required to move our business forward. As a member of the Consortium, Drew will be integral in our renewed focus on the continued development and commercialization of our Argus One airship."
Drew West, Chairman of the Board of Directors of World Surveillance Group, stated "I look forward to rolling up my sleeves right away to lead WSGI in its new strategy focused on expanding Global Telesat's satellite tracking business and advancing the Argus One UAS program in Ohio. I also plan on working with the team to evaluate options to improve the Company's fiscal condition and addressing the remaining legacy issues that still impact the Company. I commend the management team for their commitment to the Company and look forward to leading the Company to a more prosperous future."
