“Working at PRIDE Industries and seeing firsthand the satisfaction people feel when they reach an employment goal—that motivates me every day to keep striving to create more opportunities for people with disabilities.”
Don Nelson is a seasoned leader with over eighteen years of experience at PRIDE Industries, where he is responsible for the oversight of more than 50 federal and 170 commercial projects nationwide. He has managed some of the largest projects within the AbilityOne program and currently oversees contracts valued at over $450 million annually. Don leads teams providing base-wide operating support services, commercial soft and hard services, as well as manufacturing and logistics solutions. His leadership extends to guiding federal and commercial business development efforts across the manufacturing, supply chain, and logistics sectors, all with a focus on creating meaningful employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
Don is a retired Air Force Chief Master Sergeant with 24 years of active-duty service. His military accolades include the Air Mobility Command and Society of American Military Engineers Goddard Award, which is given in recognition of excellence in civil engineering support to the mission and people of the Air Mobility Command. During his time in the Air Force, Don led operations in base maintenance activities and oversaw infrastructure support for military installations across the world.
Don holds an MBA from Walden University, a B.S. in Industrial Technology from Southern Illinois University, and two A.A. degrees from the Community College of the Air Force—one in Mechanical and Electrical Technology and another in Aviation Maintenance Technology. He is a Certified Senior Industrial Technologist, a Certified Facility Manager, and a Facility Management Professional (International Facility Management Association). He is licensed in California as a general contractor, landscaper, water operator, and pest applicator. In his spare time, Don is a vintage car enthusiast, and has repaired several 20th-century automobiles, including a 1915 Model T.
