Mark Fuerst is Vice President of Program Management for Columbus Technologies and Services, Inc. He is responsible for program management of several contracts Columbus supports for multiple government customers, as well as Business Development activities and pursuits.
Mr. Fuerst has extensive Program/Project Management experience; strong leadership skills, effectively leveraging technical and personnel resources with 35+ years in the aerospace industry managing small and large teams (10 to >900), with contract values >$1B, robotic satellite servicing, development/launch/operation of satellite systems, complex flight/ground system upgrades, site deployments, and operation of world-class data centers. He has been consistently recognized for high caliber performance.
In November 2024, Mark rejoined the Columbus team for the third time in the past nearly 15 years; originally serving as our Program Manager for the Software Engineering Services I contract with NASA at the Goddard Space Flight Center. On his second tour with Columbus, he managed numerous contracts that supported NASA, NOAA, NIH, JPL, and other government customers.
He maintains his PMP/PMI certification, has served on the Goddard Contractor Association Board, as well as serving as a member of the Maryland Aerospace Alliance (MAA), which is a collaboration of multiple companies conducting business in the aerospace industry with emphasis on the numerous government agencies that conduct business in the state of Maryland in the aerospace industry. On May 9, 2024, he joined several aerospace MAA industry colleagues for the Maryland State Governor’s signing event of House Bill 0685/State Bill 516, which established the Aerospace and Technology Commission in the Department of Commerce to promote innovation in the fields of space exploration and commercial aerospace opportunities.
Mr. Fuerst is a long-term resident of Maryland, graduated from the University of Maryland Summa Cum Laude with his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management. He also attended George Washington University for course study in Project Management, as well as having completed numerous courses associated with Program Management and Leadership, Management; Employment Law, and Six Sigma Expert Training. He is a Rotarian and has served as Past President for the Greenbelt Rotary Club.