Amentum CEO Receives 2026 Mike Daniels Tech Award
Scouting America honored John Heller at a Tysons Corner luncheon for his support of Scouting and technology innovation.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Awards
Scouting America presented Amentum CEO John Heller with the 2026 Mike Daniels Technology Good Scout Award at a luncheon held Thursday at Capital One Hall in Tysons Corner, Virginia. The award has been presented for nearly three decades and was renamed after Mike Daniels, who passed in 2025.
Why it matters
The honor recognizes leaders who embody Scouting values of duty to God and country, duty to others, and duty to self. For Virginia's large government contracting community, it spotlights a corporate leader whose career spans Army service and multi-billion dollar business combinations.
The award has been presented for nearly three decades and was renamed after Mike Daniels, who passed in 2025. Heller is a 10-time winner of the Wash100 Award, and recipients display the 12 points of the Scout Law.
The players
John Heller
Heller is the CEO of Amentum and a U.S. Army veteran who has overseen multi-billion dollar business combinations, including the merger with Jacobs' critical mission solutions arm.
Scouting America
Scouting America is the youth development organization that presents the Mike Daniels Technology Good Scout Award to leaders who embody its values.
Charles Anderson
Anderson is a retired Army Maj. General and West Point graduate who introduced Heller at the award luncheon.
The details
Past recipients include John Mengucci, Mac Curtis, Toni Townes-Whitley, Doug Wagoner, and Kevin Phillips. Charles Anderson, a retired Army Maj. General and West Point graduate, introduced Heller at the luncheon attended by a room of government contractors.
Timeline
Thursday: Scouting America presented the 2026 award at the luncheon in Tysons Corner.
2025: Mike Daniels passed away, prompting the award's renaming.
Nov. 10, 2026: POC Homeland Security Summit is scheduled.
Dec. 3, 2026: POC Healthcare Summit is scheduled.
Industry Recognition
Heller's 10 Wash100 Award wins place this Scouting honor within a sustained pattern of recognition from Virginia's government contracting community. The Mike Daniels award adds a youth-development dimension to a career that has been marked by repeated industry acknowledgment.
For Virginia readers, the award highlights a major corporate leader based in the Tysons Corner area. The recognition may draw attention to Scouting programs and technology-focused youth initiatives in the region.
The takeaway
The honor shows how youth-development organizations recognize corporate leaders whose careers combine public service and large-scale business leadership. It is a reminder that community values can be recognized alongside professional achievement.
Further reading
Explore more Awards coverage for Virginia readers.
Source note: This article includes information reported by GovCon Wire.
