Torch Technologies has promoted Brady Porter to executive vice president, the Huntsville-based defense contractor announced Thursday.

In the new role, Porter will serve on the company’s executive leadership team and advise company President Brad Walker on strategy, operations and long-term organizational planning.

“The future doesn’t happen by chance—it is built by leaders we choose to develop today,” Walker said. “By investing in people, challenging them to grow, and trusting them to lead, we create a legacy of leadership that will carry our company forward with strength, vision, and purpose. Brady is a proven leader. This position will enable him to positively impact the company at the highest level and help us as we prepare for the future.”

Porter joined Torch in 2004 and most recently served as senior vice president and group lead for the company’s Advanced Concept Engineering Group. In that role, he oversaw more than 650 employee-owners across 11 locations in the United States and internationally.

According to the company, Porter has more than 28 years of experience in the defense industry and specializes in enterprise applications used to assess the performance of the nation’s missile defense systems. Torch said many of the systems Porter helped design have supported every Missile Defense exercise conducted over the last two decades.

Porter earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Tennessee.

Based in Huntsville, Torch Technologies is a 100% employee-owned company that provides research, development and engineering services supporting the Department of Defense and the defense industry.