The University of Alabama in Huntsville PTAC Welcomes Two New Advisors

The UAH Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) recently announced the addition of two new Senior PTAC Advisors, Kris McBride and Marc Jacobson.

Ms. McBride brings over 30 years of management and technical experience in system development, software development, delivery of engineering services, and training product development supporting the US Army and US Allies to her new role as a Senior PTAC advisor.

McBride began her career at Intergraph Corporation (now Hexagon PPM) and retired from SAIC in 2019, where she served as Vice President, Programs and Deputy Program Manager for a $1 billion IDIQ contract. She also brings expertise in small business leadership from her previous role as President of Federal Systems at Sigmatech Corporation and her work as SAIC’s AMCOM EXPRESS Deputy for Teammate Management. 

McBride currently serves as Board Chair for the Huntsville/Madison County Convention and Visitors Bureau and as President of the Madison Rotary Club. She is an active member of the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) and recently completed her term as AUSA’s Third Region President. McBride also leads the U.S. Army’s 2nd Recruiting Brigade Regional Partnership Council. 

In addition to these qualifications, McBride is a graduate of Leadership Greater Huntsville Class 18 and is a member of the Huntsville Committee of 100. She earned concurrent degrees in Computer Science and Mathematics from the University of Tennessee and a Master of Science in Computer Science from the University of Alabama in Huntsville.

Mr. Jacobson also brings decades of leadership and project management experience to the PTAC. At the end of 2020, he retired as the City Administrator for the City of Madison, where he supported the mayor with project management, strategic planning, and implementing efficiencies in city government. 

In 2017, Jacobson retired as a Vice President with Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) in Huntsville after 25 years of service. During his time there he managed up to 900 employees and subcontractors, providing engineering support for Army systems at Redstone Arsenal, with a portfolio valued at $165 million in revenue.

Jacobson, a retired Lieutenant Colonel with 25 years of service in the U.S. Army and the Army Reserve, is a graduate of both Leadership Greater Huntsville and Leadership Alabama, and was presented the Distinguished Leadership Award in 2007.

In 2016, Jacobson was inducted into the Bob Jones High School Hall of Fame for his efforts in founding Madison City Schools. He currently serves in numerous leadership roles, including Chapter Executive Vice President of the AUSA, member and Past President of the Rotary Club of Madison, board member and Past President of the Better Business Bureau (BBB) of North Alabama, member of the Leadership Alabama Regional Council, and a member of the Huntsville Botanical Garden Advisory Board.

Jacobson holds a Civil Engineering degree from West Point and a Masters of Administration Science from John Hopkins University. 

McBride and Jacobson look forward to working with the PTAC team and its clients.