JOE RICE

Joe Rice is Director of State and Local Government Relations for Lockheed Martin Space. Joe works primarily at the state and local level in areas where Lockheed Martin Space has business interests to facilitate relations with federal, state, and local government officials as well as business, education, and community organizations.

Prior to joining Lockheed Martin in August 2011, Mr. Rice served two terms in the Colorado State Legislature from 2007-2010 as State Representative for House District 38. While in the legislature, he focused primarily on transportation and economic development, passing legislation resulting in significant transportation improvements and job creation. He also previously served two terms as the Mayor of Glendale, Colorado, from 1996-2003. His professional business experience includes more than 10 years of customer service management experience with MCI Telecommunications, JDEdwards, and Wells Fargo Bank.

Mr. Rice has over 32 years of military service, primarily in the United States Army Reserve. He currently holds the rank of Colonel and entered the Retired Reserve in June 2017 where he is subject to recall in the event of a large scale mobilization of the reserve components. Military service includes UN peacekeeping operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina and five combat tours of duty in Iraq including serving as the Senior Military Officer facilitating establishment of the first democratically selected Baghdad City Council and subsequently as an advisor to both Coalition and Iraqi Security Forces on the streets of Baghdad. He is Airborne and Ranger qualified.

Mr. Rice is on the Board of the Colorado Space Business Roundtable and is active with the Colorado Space Coalition and Citizens for Space Exploration. He served on the Colorado Aeronautical Board, from 2015 to 2020, appointed by then-Governor John Hickenlooper. He previously was an adjunct professor of history, government, and public administration at the University of Phoenix, Colorado Campus. He served on the Board of Directors of Sister Cities International and helps coordinate the Baghdad-Denver Region Partnership (BDRP).

Mr. Rice holds an associate’s degree from the New Mexico Military Institute, a bachelor's degree from Metropolitan State University of Denver, a master’s of public administration degree from the University of Colorado at Denver, and a master’s of strategic studies degree from the U.S. Army War College. Military awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, two Bronze Stars, the Combat Action Badge for actions under enemy fire, and the Expert Infantryman Badge. Mr. Rice has been recognized for leadership in global diplomacy by the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition. He was recognized for collaborative problem solving by Club 20, a coalition representing western Colorado, by receiving the Johnson-Theos Bridge Builder Award. Along with Astronaut “Buzz” Aldrin, Joe Rice is one of seven recipients of the Thomas R. Hobson Aerospace Distinguished Service Award by the Aerospace States Association.