January 22, 2026 (WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Cornerstone Government Affairs, an employee-owned, bipartisan government affairs firm, announced today the addition of Bill “BP” Pennington to its federal government relations team. A retired United States Navy Captain and former Director of the Navy and Marine Corps Congressional Appropriations Matters Office, Pennington brings over 30 years of defense policy and appropriations expertise to his role as Principal.
Pennington, who starts January 26, most recently served as a Senior Director of Washington Operations at AeroVironment, where he led the Legislative Affairs team responsible for congressional relations. In this role, he secured increased funding for 10 business units during the FY25-FY26 appropriations cycle, in addition to the CY25 Budget Reconciliation Bill.
Pennington is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and served in the U.S. Navy for nearly three decades, retiring as Captain in 2024. In his most recent military assignment, he served as the Director of the Navy and Marine Corps Congressional Appropriations Matters Office, overseeing congressional relations for both services. He was the Secretary of the Navy’s direct representative to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, where he educated members and staff on program cost and performance and facilitated hundreds of testimonies, briefings and whitepapers. Notably, Pennington developed and executed the Navy’s legislative strategy across four presidential budget cycles, resulting in a $44 billion increase in funding for key priorities.
Pennington’s previous military assignments include Deputy Director for the Unmanned Task Force in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations; Commander of Task Force 67 and Commodore of the Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing with U.S. Naval Forces Europe/Africa and U.S. Sixth Fleet; Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Branch Head for the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations; and Operations Analyst and Strategy Advisor for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
“During my career in both government and the private sector, Cornerstone always stood out as an organization comprised of top-notch professionals who employed their team approach with impeccable integrity and delivered positive results for national security and their clients,” Pennington said. “I am truly honored to have the opportunity to join the Cornerstone team.”
Cornerstone’s Chief Executive Officer, Geoff Gonella, emphasized the key role Pennington will hold in supporting the firm’s national security and appropriations clients, offering both lived experience as a U.S. Navy Veteran and firsthand insights into the intersection of defense policy and resource allocation.
“I’m pleased to welcome BP to the Cornerstone team, particularly as we continue to expand our federal service offerings,” Gonella said. “His understanding of both the U.S. Navy and the appropriations process will be a great benefit to clients operating in these spaces.”
Learn more about Cornerstone’s National Security, Cyber Security, Defense Health, Homeland Security and Defense & Intelligence practice groups here. Learn more about Cornerstone’s Appropriations practice group here.
About Cornerstone
Cornerstone Government Affairs, Inc. is a bipartisan, employee-owned, public affairs firm with more than 200 professionals in offices across the country. Through its federal and state government relations; strategic communications; political action committees; grant consulting and advisory services, Cornerstone represents a diverse group of clients from myriad industries and sectors and maintains expertise in a wide range of issue areas, including agriculture, cyber security, defense, education, energy, health, homeland security, international affairs, tax policy, telecommunications and transportation and infrastructure.
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