# David Phelps

> David Phelps is the founder, chairman and CEO of Merlin Group. A U.S. Navy veteran with an aerospace and computing background, he built a federal technology business that now combines cybersecurity investing, government-cloud compliance support and market-access services through Merlin Ventures, Constellation GovCloud and Merlin Cyber.

- **Role:** Founder, Chairman and CEO at Merlin Group
- **Organizations:** Merlin Group, Merlin Ventures, Merlin Cyber, Constellation GovCloud, U.S. Navy, Ford Aerospace, Martin Marietta, Loral Aerospace, The Aerospace Corporation
- **Nationality:** American
- **Known for:** Founded and continues to lead Merlin., Led the business during its first-place Fast 50 rankings in 2005 and 2006., Participates in management of the Merlin Ventures fund announced above its $75 million target in June 2025.

## Career timeline

- **1980s** — Visited Haifa, Israel, several times while serving in the U.S. Navy.
- **Before 1997** — Built a 25-year career including Navy service and aerospace industry positions; individual employment dates are not documented in the official biography.
- **1997** — Founded Merlin.
- **2005-2006** — Merlin ranked first on Washington Technology’s Fast 50 in both years.
- **2006** — Merlin Technical Solutions changed its name to Merlin International.
- **2021** — Merlin launched Constellation GovCloud.
- **2025** — Named to manage Merlin Ventures’ dedicated fund with Seth Spergel and Shay Michel.

## Achievements

- Founded and continues to lead Merlin.
- Led the business during its first-place Fast 50 rankings in 2005 and 2006.
- Participates in management of the Merlin Ventures fund announced above its $75 million target in June 2025.

## Latest updates

- **2026-03** — Merlin announced Bob Costello as chief digital and information officer; Phelps emphasized his federal IT modernization experience.
- **2025-10** — Phelps published an article welcoming Matt Hartman as Merlin Group’s chief strategy officer.
- **2025-06** — Merlin Ventures announced a dedicated inaugural fund exceeding its $75 million target, managed by Phelps, Seth Spergel and Shay Michel.

## Links

- Website: https://themerlingroup.com/team/david/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/david-phelps
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-24