Former Insitu CEO picked to lead Arizona-based World View

By Patrick C. Miller | February 28, 2019

Ryan Hartman, former Insitu president and CEO, today was named CEO of World View Enterprises Inc., a company in Tucson, Arizona, specializing in advanced stratospheric balloons controlled by unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) technology.

World view co-founder Jane Poynter stepped down from her role as CEO and will remain a strategic advisor and member of the company’s board of directors. Poynter called Hartman “the right person to build on our momentum and carry the vision forward." Hartman is expected lead the World View’s transformation from technology development to scaled operations and commercial products.

“As World View prepares for scale and growth, we believe Ryan brings the perfect mix of vision, strategy, and execution for the next chapter of our company’s history,” said Tom Ingersoll, executive chairman of World View’s board of directors.

At Insitu—a subsidiary of the Boeing Co.—Hartman headed a company considered a pioneer in the design, development and manufacturing of UAS for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance in military and commercial applications. He has more than 20 years of experience in unmanned flight systems and aerial remote sensing.

Hartman has also led the Unmanned Systems Directorate of Raytheon’s Advanced Programs Division. He’s a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy, as well as an Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University graduate. Hartman serves on the board of directors of the Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research Alliance (NUAIR).

“I’m fortunate to have inherited a very healthy business,” Hartman said. “I’m honored to assume this new role and excited for what the future holds. We have an exceptionally talented team, a committed and world-class investor base, and a clear roadmap for growth and success.”

World View’s principal balloon, the Stratollite, is designed to provide low-cost, long-duration, persistent high-altitude flight for commercial and government customers. It uses advanced stratospheric balloon technology for applications that include persistent remote sensing, communications, weather and research.