AeroVironment Announces Promotion of Ken Karklin to Chief Operations Officer

AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV), a global leader in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), today announced the promotion of Ken Karklin, Senior Vice President, to the role of chief operating officer, effective immediately.

“Ken has demonstrated his ability to lead key functions within our organization and, on behalf of our Board of Directors and executive team, we congratulate him on his new role as chief Operating Officer,” said Wahid Nawabi, AeroVironment president and chief executive officer. “We look forward to his ongoing contributions to supporting our customers’ success, maintaining our market leadership and driving growth across our business. With the support of Ken and our talented team, we continue to execute our strategy effectively, with a focus on producing long-term value for our stockholders.”

Karklin has served as senior vice president of operations since December 2018 and now oversees sales and business development, emerging businesses, product line management, engineering, manufacturing operations, program management, corporate quality and related support functions. Previously, Karklin served as vice president and general manager of AeroVironment’s Efficient Energy Systems (EES) business segment, from May 2015 until its divestiture in June 2018. Karklin served in a variety of leadership roles with increasing responsibility at AeroVironment since joining the company in 2009.

Prior to joining AeroVironment, Karklin served in engineering leadership positions at Agilent Technologies, Hewlett Packard Company and Intel Corporation. Before his career in technology, Karklin served in the United States Army and Army Reserves in enlisted, noncommissioned officer and commissioned officer capacities.

Karklin earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1995 and is a graduate of Agilent/Hewlett-Packard’s year-long Accelerated Leadership Development Program (ADP/LEAD).

About AeroVironment, Inc.

AeroVironment (NASDAQ: AVAV) provides customers with more actionable intelligence so they can proceed with certainty. Based in California, AeroVironment is a global leader in unmanned aircraft systems and tactical missile systems, and serves defense, government, and commercial customers. For more information visit www.avinc.com.

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Certain statements in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are made on the basis of current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, economic, competitive, governmental and technological factors outside of our control, that may cause our business, strategy or actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, our ability to perform under existing contracts and obtain additional contracts; changes in the regulatory environment; the activities of competitors; failure of the markets in which we operate to grow; failure to expand into new markets; failure to develop new products or integrate new technology with current products; and general economic and business conditions in the United States and elsewhere in the world. For a further list and description of such risks and uncertainties, see the reports we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We do not intend, and undertake no obligation, to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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