Spotlight on Jeff Fitch
Our teamwork sets SEOPS apart from other companies in the industry. We have unmatched experience and a work ethic that keeps our customers coming back. This might be best exemplified by Jeff Fitch, our VP of Integration and Operations.
Jeff joined our team in 2018, with decades of experience in the space industry. He began his career doing trajectory work on the Space Shuttle Program. He then trained Astronauts for 14 different Space Shuttle missions on Spacecrafts like INTELSAT, Hubble Space Telescope, and Tethered Satellite. He had experience as an operations planner for the International Space Station, including planning what the crew did during their time in space. Jeff was a Space Station Payload Integration Manager where he managed various pieces of hardware designed to the Earth and space. The consummate problem solver, Jeff has been faced with critical challenges, such as how to keep the Space Station manned during the Columbia accident, when rations and consumables could not be delivered for the standard on-orbit operations.
“Space is about proving you can do cool stuff. For me, the exciting part happens after the rocket launches, when you’re on-orbit. That’s what excites me,” says Jeff.
From there, Jeff moved on to being a professional project manager, utilizing his problem-solving experience to improve processes. As a safety engineer, he reconnected with Mike Johnson, co-founder of SEOPS, who brought him on board. In the early days, it was just Mike, CEO Chad Brinkley and Jeff. They put their collective experience together to become a powerhouse team that built SEOPS into what it is today. Jeff continued to solve problems and break down barriers that other companies could not, working with NASA, SpaceX and other customers and communicating with everyone from administrators to engineers.
“Jeff brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to SEOPS like no one else. He has personally lived the space program from his Shuttle days through the explosion of the commercial space business,” says Mike Johnson, SEOPS co-founder and CTO. “It has been through his navigation and keen insight that SEOPS has made so many wins and avoided some great pitfalls.”
His skills at communication and passion for space also went outside work – he is a natural educator, whether it is industry professionals or children. He is passionate about passing his love of space and STEM to kids, and brought hands-on science to children through National Science Foundation grants and the Girl Scouts. Jeff loved volunteering at Challenger Learning Center in his home town of Normal, Illinois where he could show students how to work together as a team, while learning about what it takes to go to space. This passion is something he hopes to continue in the future as he looks towards a well-deserved retirement.
“Jeff has been a backbone of SEOPS since the beginning,” says Chad Brinkley. “It’s been a pleasure to work with him as we’ve built SEOPS into what it is today. He has left quite a legacy here.”
Jeff credits the rest of the team for creating an environment that has kept him doing what he loves for so long. “The people are what make your career what it is,” he says. “It’s great to have good teammates because when you can pull together and function better as a unit than you can as an individual, that’s incredible.”
Mike Johnson has some final thoughts for Jeff: “Couldn’t you just retire at SEOPS? We would include golf rounds! Seriously, please enjoy your future to the fullest my friend.”
We are grateful for all of Jeff’s hard work during his career, and wish him the best in retirement!
