John A. Smith is Executive Vice President and President of Services for MISTRAS Group. Previously, he served as Senior Vice President of Operations, managing the strategic plan and financial performance for operations primarily in the East and Midwest regions. He played a crucial part in broadening MISTRAS Group’s footprint in the aerospace and defense sectors, notably through the successful acquisition and integration of aerospace inspection provider West Penn Testing Group and in expanding service lines at MISTRAS aerospace hubs in Heath, Ohio, and Ellabell, Georgia. Mr. Smith began his career as a non-destructive testing (NDT) technician with CONAM Inspection and Engineering Services before launching and operating his own business, Elite Inspection Service Company, for 16 years until MISTRAS acquired the company in 2008. During his NDT career, Mr. Smith held multiple certifications from the American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT).