Thomas Horan's career is not like many in the business or military worlds. On the military side, he is a U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel who has logged 2,900+ flying hours in multiple aircraft and served as an instructor pilot flying the KC-135 and KC-10. He flew 120+ combat missions, totaling more than 900 combat hours. His current assignment is not a traditional military position, however. Tom is the AI/ML (artificial intelligence/machine learning) portfolio director for the DoD's Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), reporting directly to the Secretary of Defense. Tom oversees a multi-million dollar budget that finances more than 20 active prototyping efforts.

He leads a team of over 20 technologists, program managers, engineers, and data experts with the mission of accelerating the adoption of commercial technology at speed and scale to deter major conflict or to win, if forced to fight. Sitting at the intersection of national security and technology, Tom leads efforts to drive innovation and outpace adversaries by developing cutting-edge AI/ML and data-driven solutions.

His performance has been recognized with several awards, including both Company Grade and Field Grade Officer of the Year. He is a graduate of the Air Force Weapons School and Air Command & Staff College, where he was named a distinguished graduate and awarded the Lt. Gen. John Nowak Award for Logistics Excellence. Additionally, he earned graduate certificates in Nuclear Weapons Effects, Policy, and Proliferation and in data analysis at the Air Force Institute of Technology.