Dr. Ashok G. Kaveeshwar is Vice President of Science Systems & Applications, Inc., located in Lanham, MD. Previously, he served as an Administrator for the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA). Dr. Kaveeshwar was nominated to the position on May 24, 2005 by President George W. Bush. Shortly afterward, his appointment was approved by the United States Senate. RITA was created under the Norman Y. Mineta Research and Special Programs Improvement Act to more effectively coordinate and manage the Department’s research portfolio and to expedite the implementation of cross-modal, innovative technologies. Dr. Kaveeshwar comes to RITA with 35 years of experience in high-technology companies, providing research and technology development to a wide range of federal agencies. He most recently served as president of Orange Technologies, Inc., a small business that provides information technology to government and commercial customers. From 1998 to 2002, Dr. Kaveeshwar served as Senior Vice President of Raytheon Technical Services Company, where he was responsible for leading the Scientific and Technical Services Division with more than 4,000 employees worldwide. Previously, Dr. Kaveeshwar served as President and CEO of Hughes STX Corporation, a subsidiary of Hughes Electronics Corporation, where he led the successful integration of an independent company into a large aerospace and defense corporation. Dr. Kaveeshwar moved to the United States from his hometown of Indore, India in 1961. He received his bachelor's degree from Holkar College in Indore, and his Ph.D. in physics from the University at Buffalo, NY. Dr. Kaveeshwar lives in Bethesda, MD with his wife, Tuti, and their son, Jaya.