Russ BlauwVice President, Membership & Strategic Development
Russ Blauw is the Vice President of Membership and Strategic Development at the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA).
Blauw comes to AIA after serving 29 years on active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps, retiring as a Colonel in 2020. He then served an additional five years as a civilian with the Marine Corps as a member of the Senior Executive Service. Most recently, he has been consulting on defense acquisition and sustainment.
Blauw has an extensive background supporting Marine Aviation and the Naval Aviation Enterprise as an aviation logistician, specializing in aircraft maintenance and aviation sustainment. Following his initial five-year fleet tour at Marine Corps Air Station New River, NC, where he led helicopter squadron maintenance efforts, he served as an Assignments Monitor at Headquarters Marine Corps for the Aviation Ground Community. He then completed a tour as an Operations Officer, planning aviation support for F-18 squadrons participating in multiple combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as training deployments across the United States.
Blauw served as the Commanding Officer for both Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 31 at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, SC, and in combat for Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 40 at Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan. As a Colonel, he was the first Commanding Officer of the newly established Marine Aviation Training Support Group 23 at Naval Air Station Pensacola, FL, the sole aviation logistics colonel-level command.
His senior staff experience includes a four-year tour with the Navy Air Warfare staff responsible for F-35 maintenance and logistics requirements, as well as service with Marine Aviation as the Aircraft Maintenance Officer and lead for F-35 logistics and sustainment. His final tour as both the Deputy Branch Head and Branch Head of the Aviation Logistics Support Branch was highlighted by his role in leading Marine Aviation through a period of significant readiness recovery beginning in 2017.
As a member of the Senior Executive Service, Russ served as the Assistant Deputy Commandant for Aviation (Sustainment), where he was the principal advisor to the Deputy Commandant for Aviation on all matters related to Marine Aviation readiness and sustainment. He also served as the Executive Director at Marine Corps Systems Command, where he led 1,900 civilians performing all Marine Corps ground acquisition activities.
Blauw holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Florida State University and master’s degrees from the U.S. Naval War College and the Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy. He and his wife live in Arlington, VA and they have two adult children.
