Col John T. Gutierrez, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.) currently serves as the Executive Director for the Michigan Office of Defense & Aerospace Innovation. In this capacity, he is focused on bolstering the state’s defense and aerospace sectors, which encompass a network of almost 5,000 businesses that contribute to the defense, aerospace, and homeland security markets. John holds a B.S. in Biology from Arizona State University, a M.S. in Management from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, a Master of Military Studies from the U.S. Marine Corps Command & Staff College, and a M.A. in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College. He has completed post-graduate studies in Project Management at the George Washington University and in Advanced Project Management at Stanford University. He is also a graduate of the Joint Forces Staff College and the Federal Executive Institute. 

John has over 30 years of acquisition, operational and joint military experience. He honorably served from 1990 to 2024. His operational experience includes Hospital Corpsman in the U.S. Naval Reserve; Supply Officer, Platoon Commander, and Battery Executive Officer for 2d Battalion, 10 th Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division; Operations Officer for 2d Supply Battalion, 2d Force Service Support Group (2d FSSG); and Contingency Contracting Officer for the 2d FSSG. He has participated in numerous named operations, to include Operation Iraqi Freedom (Kuwait), Operation Secure Tomorrow (Haiti), Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan), and Operation New Dawn (Afghanistan). His acquisition and joint experience includes Acquisition Team Leader for Body Armor, U.S. Marine Corps Systems Command; Joint & NATO Program Officer, U.S. Joint Intermediate Force Capabilities Office; Product Manager for Small Power Sources at the Project Manager for Expeditionary Energy & Sustainment Systems, Program Executive Officer for Combat Support & Combat Service Support (PEO CS&CSS); Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellow to Dynamic Aviation; Joint Product Manager for Vehicle Systems at the Joint Program Office for Joint Light Tactical Vehicles, PEO CS&CSS; Chief of Staff and Acting Deputy Secretary of the Navy (Expeditionary Programs & Logistics Management); and Portfolio Manager for Logistics Combat Element Systems, U.S. Marine Corps Systems Command. John holds multiple personal, unit, campaign, and foreign awards. 

He is a member of the Defense Acquisition Corps and holds the highest-level certifications in Program Management and Contracting.