About
Why TektonDesigns exists
01 / Leadership
Who you would be working with
Casey Sumner
Founder
Casey is a U.S. Air Force veteran, engineer, and entrepreneur whose career has been built at the intersection of mission-critical operations and advanced technology. He holds a Master of Science and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering and began his career maintaining strategic missile and military airlift systems, where reliability, precision, and accountability were non-negotiable. Over the past decade and a half, he has progressed from hands-on maintenance roles to engineering and leadership positions across nuclear surety, space systems, and advanced semiconductor research and development. His expertise spans systems engineering, microelectronics qualification, quality and compliance, failure analysis, and technical program leadership, giving him a unique ability to bridge operational realities with complex technical innovation.
That journey became the foundation for the company Casey founded. Having worked across every stage of the lifecycle — from maintaining critical hardware and supporting program reviews to qualifying advanced components — he recognized that many of the most challenging problems emerge in the gaps between disciplines. Guided by a vision to close those gaps, Casey built the company around a practical, end-to-end approach that connects engineering excellence with real-world execution. By combining deep technical knowledge with firsthand operational experience, he helps organizations navigate complexity, reduce risk, and deliver reliable solutions in the most demanding environments.
TektonDesigns is 100% veteran-owned.
02 / Background
Where the experience comes from
Employers are described generically and work is described by mission area rather than by program.
Recent
Semiconductor R&D and capture, defense prime
Custom semiconductor R&D from the qualification side — MIL-PRF-38535 QML and DLA audit requirements, quality management plan structure, design controls through PDK, DRC, LVS and ERC signoff, change control, and failure analysis and corrective action. Semiconductor failure analysis and subcontractor evaluation. Proposal capture across multi-company teams.
Advanced programs
Electrical lead and space payload integration
Led electrical design integration and interfaces for a space payload team, including hardware-in-the-loop designs and prototypes. Led an electrical integrated product team on internal R&D, directing senior engineers, off-site teams and subcontractor execution.
Engineering
Nuclear surety and training systems
Served as an engineering advisor on nuclear surety, coordinating safety requirements across service, agency and contractor stakeholders, and reviewing technical documentation against surety requirements. Led engineering on a large missile training systems program and redefined how its design reviews were executed.
First nine years
Hands-on maintenance, strategic systems and airlift
Began as a maintenance technician on strategic missile systems, handling energetic materials under strict safety and security protocol, and trained other technicians on warhead safety. Later supervised electrical and environmental systems maintenance on military airlift aircraft, including work with explosive circuits.
Education
- MS, Electrical and Computer Engineering — University of Utah
- BS, Electrical and Computer Engineering — Clemson University
- AAS, Aviation Maintenance Technology
- AAS, Missile and Space Systems Maintenance
Also
- Proposal capture across multi-company teams, with responses north of three hundred million dollars and contributions to multi-billion-dollar pursuits
- An ongoing independent design-automation practice — the parametric CAD, packaging visualization and analysis toolchains behind the design studies