Lieutenant General (Ret.) Karsten S. Heckl Joins Xiphos Partners Senior Advisory Board

New Bedford, MA. – January 23, 2025 – Xiphos Partners, a leader in advanced technology and services for the aerospace, defense, and energy industries, today announced that Lieutenant General Karsten S. Heckl, USMC, (ret.) has joined its Senior Advisory Board, effective immediately.

“LtGen Heckl is a distinguished military leader who guided the Marine Corps through periods of significant transformation,” said Dan Cardiello, co-founder and COO at Xiphos Partners. “He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience that will enable us to help government and commercial programs achieve more effective outcomes through our advanced sustainment and specialized training solutions.”

Lieutenant General Heckl joins the Senior Advisory Board at Xiphos Partners with existing members Vice Admiral Mark Harnitchek, USN (Ret.), Lieutenant General Tom Owen, USAF (Ret.), and David Adler, an aerospace industry founder and executive. In his role as an advisor, LtGen Heckl will help guide the strategic direction of the company as it transitions its JTAC Virtual Trainer (JVT) platform to support the Joint Fires community, including the United States Marine Corps (USMC) Project Tripoli, as well as with other domestic and international partners. He will also serve as a main source of expertise to guide Xiphos’s continued advancements in contested logistics and complex sustainment systems, reinforcing Xiphos Partners' leadership in these critical domains.

LtGen Heckl served nearly 40 years with distinction in the U.S. Marine Corps. Throughout his career, he’s held several key command positions, including Commanding Officer of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 162 (VMM-162), Commanding Officer of Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1), Commanding General of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, Commander of I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF), Deputy Commandant for Combat Development and Integration, and Commanding General of Marine Corps Combat Development Command (MCCDC).

“I am excited to join the Senior Advisory Board at Xiphos Partners and look forward to helping bring their effective solutions in advanced training and sustainment to the fleet – two areas that our that our nation can definitely benefit from innovation.” said LtGen Heckl.

About Xiphos Partners

Xiphos Partners is an advanced technology and services company that brings highly specialized, performance-based solutions and deep expertise to complex marketplaces such as aerospace, defense, and energy. Founded in 2018, the company’s mission is to help government programs and commercial businesses achieve improved performance, while eliminating waste and inefficiencies, through its advanced sustainment and specialty training applications, including METIS and the JTAC Virtual Trainer (JVT). Learn more at https://xiphos.partners/.