REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. (February 14, 2025) – The U.S. Army Redstone Test Center is pleased to announce the selection of Blake Hargrove as its new Chief Data Officer. Hargrove previously served in the Information Technology division at RTC for 16 years.
In his new position, Hargrove will be responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of RTC’s data management policies, procedures, and standards. He will work closely with RTC’s headquarters, the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command’s Chief Data and Analytics Officer, fellow ATEC Test Center’s Chief Data and Analytics Officers, and stakeholders across the organization to identify opportunities for data-driven innovation and will lead efforts to leverage data analytics and ATEC Data Mesh to improve test and evaluation processes, enhance decision-making, and optimize operations leading to data-driven decisions to leadership.
"Blake has truly proven himself over the years here at RTC as a highly respected and accomplished professional in the field of data management, and we are thrilled to have him move into this role as our new Chief Data Officer," said RTC Commander Col. Joseph Alexander. "His expertise and vision will be invaluable as we continue to evolve and modernize our data capabilities, and we look forward to seeing the impact he will make in this critical role."
Hargrove says his goal is to bridge the data management gap, through culture change and technology, ensuring RTC remains at the forefront of data-driven innovation. To achieve this, he plans to spend his first 100 days as CDO "boots on the ground" with test engineers, observing their challenges and working to affect a cultural shift.
"I'm excited to take on this new role and continue contributing to RTC’s mission," Hargrove said. "I believe that by bridging the gap, we can unlock new possibilities for innovation and improvement, and I look forward to working with our team to make that happen."
Hargrove arrived at RTC in 2009 armed with a Bachelor’s Degree in Software Engineering from Mississippi State University and two associate’s degrees in Computer Networking Technology and Computer Programming Technology.
“I cut my teeth in various aspects of technology while earning my associate degrees, and wanted to be well-versed in coding, but also have that customer interface by studying software engineering,” explained Hargrove. “I’m currently taking courses in artificial intelligence to better understand how it will play a part in innovating RTC’s digital landscape for the future.”
Hargrove started with the help desk in the Information Technology Division at RTC for six months after arriving before moving on to other positions to include Information Assurance Systems Architect and Engineer, Computer Network Defense Lead, Development Operations Lead, and for the last few years, serving as the Associate Chief Information Officer at RTC.
“Chief Data Officer is a relatively new role here at RTC,” said Kenny Chenoweth, Technical Director at RTC, “Blake will play a key role in continuing to shape RTC’s data strategy and ensuring that data is properly managed, protected, and utilized to support the organization's mission and goals. With his experience, expertise, and commitment to innovation, he is well-positioned to make a positive impact at RTC and drive success in the years to come.”
"I want to understand the challenges that our test engineers face every day and see how we can use technology to make their jobs easier and more efficient," Hargrove said. "I also want to bring together our recently graduated engineers who are equipped with new methods for gathering and analyzing test data with our more seasoned engineers who have a plethora of institutional knowledge that provide invaluable insight, while leveraging new technologies to unify expertise to accomplish the mission."
The U.S. Army Redstone Test Center is located on Redstone Arsenal and is a subordinate command of the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command. RTC provides technical expertise, state-of-the-art facilities, and capabilities to plan, conduct, analyze, and report the results of tests on missile and aviation systems, sensors, subsystems and components.
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