Rick Hoffman

EAC President since 2014, Captain Rick served nearly 28 years in the U.S. Navy before he retired and founded Orion Solutions, LLC, a Service Disabled Veteran Owned small business based in Jacksonville, Florida. He started Orion Solutions in 2003 primarily to bring veterans back into the work force. Orion Solutions began as a defense consulting company and has grown to have a presence in both defense and commercial enterprises sectors, including environmental products. Orion Solutions excels at business process engineering, developing curriculum and training programs using proven and technology and methodologies to provide effective and reliable contract procurement, program management and technology to meet customer requirements. While in the Navy, he was a Surface Warfare Officer and had attained the rank of Captain prior to retiring. His career included a variety of sea and shore positions, including the command of the surface ships USS De Wert and USS Hue City. His assignments included serving on the Navy Staff in the Pentagon as the program sponsor for the Tomahawk Cruise Missile Program, and at sea as the Operations Officer for the Enterprise Battle Group, Destroyer Squadron 24, and Cruiser Destroyer Group 12. His naval expertise has been utilized as a technical advisor in several recent motion pictures, including Battleship and Captain Phillips. His professional reputation in Naval Operational matters was the foundation of Orion Solutions initial consulting portfolio. Captain Rick attended The Citadel, where he was awarded a BS in Biology, the Naval Postgraduate School (MS in Oceanography), and the National War College.