Rocky & Mary Blackwell
Mary and Rocky Blackwell are the heart and foundation of Advanced Concepts Enterprises, Inc. (ACEs). Rocky founded the company in 2002, and together with Mary, who joined as President in 2008, they built ACEs from the ground up into the respected Women-Owned Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business it is today. Their vision, leadership, and unwavering principles continue to guide every aspect of our company.
Why Their Legacy Matters
The Blackwells built ACEs on a simple but powerful belief: People come before profit. They have always prioritized integrity, full transparency, and genuine care for their employees and their families. What started as a small business has grown, but the core remains the same — treating every team member like family, doing business the right way, and never losing sight of the human element behind the mission.
Their legacy reminds us that a company’s true success is measured not just by contracts won, but by the lives impacted and the trust earned.
How ACEs Honors Their Legacy Moving Forward
At ACEs, we are deeply committed to upholding the Blackwell’s core values of family, transparency, and people-first leadership. We honor their vision by:
- Continuing to foster a family-oriented culture where employees are supported, valued, and given opportunities to grow.
- Maintaining full transparency in all our operations and communications.
- Putting people before profits in every decision we make — from how we take care of our team to how we serve our government customers.
- Carrying forward the same dedication to excellence, integrity, and service that Mary and Rocky established over two decades ago.
Because of the Blackwells, ACEs isn’t just a company — it’s a legacy of caring, commitment, and doing what’s right.
Rocky L. Blackwell
Founder, Former President and Chief Executive Officer
Rocky L. Blackwell founded Advanced Concepts Enterprises, Inc. on December 11, 2002, and served as President and CEO from that time until September 30, 2008. On October 1, 2008, Mary Blackwell, his wife, took over duties as President, and he continued as Chief Executive Officer.
Rocky brought ACEs from start-up to its current revenue size and infrastructure in just five years. Under his leadership, ACEs established a reputation for integrity, technical excellence, and exceeding all customers’ expectations. As a seasoned senior executive with extensive military and commercial experience, Rocky managed multiple million-dollar, highly specialized, and technical programs. He is a dynamic leader who quickly identifies problems, formulates solutions, and directs appropriate action to ensure success.
Prior to establishing ACEs, Rocky was a Division Chief at Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) Command and Control (C2) Operations Support Division, Shalimar, Florida. He led a team of 44 engineers, analysts and consultants in the C2 and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (IRS) arena to satisfy a time-sensitive tasking from the USAF Chief of Staff, Commander of the Air Combat Command, Commander of the Aerospace C2 Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Center, and the Commanders of the C2 Technology and Innovation Group, C2 Battlelab and UAV Battlelab.
As a highly-revered U.S. Air Force officer, Rocky served as Flight Commander, Branch/Division Chief in USAF, Joint, and Combined Headquarters. He was responsible for doctrine development, modeling and simulation, and future Theater Battle Management C2 requirements to support campaign planning for air operations center operations. He supervised standardization/evaluation and certification functions for NATO Combined Air Operations Center and was the mission-ready Combat Plans Director in charge of wartime operational assessment. Rocky was responsible for formulating and managing the details of building Air Tasking Orders for Operations DESERT SHIELD, DESERT STORM, and SOUTHERN WATCH, and has over 1000 hours in tactical fighters and 150 combat hours as an ACE Director during Operation DESERT STORM.
Mary W. Blackwell
Former President
Mary W. Blackwell joined Advanced Concepts Enterprises, Inc. as President on October 1, 2008. She is a seasoned senior executive, financial planner and programmer, retired Air Force Intel officer who possesses a wealth of leadership experience and knowledge.
Mrs. Blackwell led the company to a position at the forefront of the industry. She strategically advanced the company’s mission and objectives to promote revenue, profitability, and growth, and oversaw company operations to ensure efficiency, quality, service, and cost-effective management of resources.
Before taking on the role of ACEs’ President, Mrs. Blackwell was a highly respected U.S. Air Force Intelligence Officer responsible for intelligence support to air operations at the squadron, wing, group, Numbered Air Force and Joint/Combined Air Component Command levels in European, Pacific and Southwest Asian theaters. She is a Distinguished Graduate of USAF Air Intelligence Training Center; seasoned manager and supervisor; and a veteran of DESERT SHIELD, DESERT STORM, SOUTHERN WATCH and DESERT FOX.
Mrs. Blackwell received a bachelor of arts degree in history from the University of Maryland College Park. She also served as President and Board Member to the League of Women Voters of Okaloosa County and Secretary, Okaloosa County Commission on the Status of Women.