HUNTSVILLE, Ala., March 13, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- For superb performance as a mentor-protege team, Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] and IERUS Technologies Inc. received the prestigious Nunn-Perry Award from the Department of Defense March 12.

Lockheed Martin and IERUS received the award for participation in the department's Mentor-Protege Program, which encourages prime contractors to help small businesses develop technical and business capabilities, just as seasoned workers help new staff learn the ropes. The award is named in honor of former Senator Sam Nunn and former Secretary of Defense William Perry.

Donna Longmire, a program manager for Lockheed Martin Space Systems, and Jason Keen, president of IERUS Technologies, accepted the award on behalf of their companies at a ceremony in Alexandria, Virginia.

"One of the great things about being a partner with Lockheed Martin is being involved in providing a product solution in ways you wouldn't have the capability to support alone," says Keen. "On the other hand, we give Lockheed Martin and the government valuable insights by challenging the status quo." 

Based in Huntsville, Alabama, IERUS is a certified Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) business. Since beginning the mentor-protege relationship with Lockheed Martin in 2012, IERUS has expanded its business-practices knowledge base, while also earning AS9100 quality management system certification. The 30-person company specializes in systems engineering and program management support, electromagnetic spectrum technologies and software acceleration. IERUS is a Lockheed Martin subcontractor on the Targets and Countermeasures Program, which is based in Huntsville and supports testing for the Missile Defense Agency.

"Diversity is a strength that Lockheed Martin highly values in the suppliers with whom we do business, and our participation in this program opens doors for small businesses," says Longmire. "Through the DOD Mentor-Protege Program, we are able to help a small business expand, and that, in turn, strengthens our supplier base." 

Lockheed Martin has nearly 16,000 active suppliers, half of which are small businesses.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 112,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation's net sales for 2014 were $45.6 billion.

Media Contact:
Lynn Fisher, 1-408-742-7606; lynn.m.fisher@lmco.com  

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SOURCE Lockheed Martin