NEW HOPE, AL, April 01, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Joel W. Little has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

Mr. Little's distinguished career spans more than 45 years, marked by a steadfast commitment to principled leadership, technical excellence and institutional impact. His professional journey began in 1977 when he enlisted in the U.S. Navy as a pipe welder. Over the course of 21 years, he advanced to the role of surface engineer limited duty officer, where he developed expertise in defense acquisition, earned value management, cost analysis and integrated master schedule development. His tenure in the Navy instilled in him a deep sense of responsibility and initiative, shaping his approach to leadership and service.

Following his military service, Mr. Little transitioned to the private sector in 1997 as project manager and estimator at Industrial Maintenance and Machine Inc. in Moss Point, Mississippi. The following year, he became founder and general partner of Gulf Coast Piping and Fabrication in Moss Point, where he oversaw operations and business development for the fabrication enterprise.

From 1999 to 2007, Mr. Little served as business manager at Omni Engineering Inc. in Gautier, Mississippi. There, he was responsible for financial oversight and operational management, further expanding his proficiency in business administration. In 2007, he briefly held the position of mechanical engineer at Gryphon Technologies in Gautier before joining the Supervisor of Shipbuilding (SUPSHIP), Gulf Coast division of the United States Navy in Pascagoula, Mississippi. As an earned value analyst and integrated master schedule analyst in 2008, a division chief of earned value management from 2007 to 2012, he played a pivotal role in ensuring program accountability and performance measurement for naval shipbuilding projects.

In 2012, Mr. Little joined the Defense Acquisition University (DAU) as a professor of earned value management at the Huntsville area campus. Over four years, he provided technical instruction and mentorship to acquisition professionals across the Department of Defense. His leadership abilities led to his appointment as department chair of business, cost estimating and financial management from 2016 to 2020, where he guided curriculum development and faculty oversight.

Mr. Little's influence continued to grow as he assumed the role of deputy associate dean at DAU's Huntsville campus in 2020. He also served as deputy associate dean for outreach and mission assistance that same year, coordinating support services for acquisition organizations throughout the region. The following year, he was promoted to associate dean for outreach and mission assistance at DAU's south region headquarters in Huntsville, Alabama—a position he continues to hold. In this capacity, he oversees all mission assistance and outreach activities across the region, manages a team of thirty-nine customer liaison officers and leads teams dispatched to program offices to address complex challenges. He is also responsible for organizing outreach events, such as the Acquisition Update, to inform program offices about DAU's services.

Among Mr. Little's most notable achievements is his advocacy for a groundbreaking workshop at DAU that brought together contractors and government representatives to align on policies and regulations. This initiative broke down longstanding barriers between government and industry within acquisition execution. With approval from senior Pentagon executives, Mr. Little's workshop fostered transparency and shared accountability—resulting in measurable improvements across all DAU regions and acquisition program offices nationwide.

Mr. Little's academic credentials have been instrumental throughout his career. He earned a Bachelor of Science in business administration with a major in management from Columbia College in 2007 and earned a Master of Business Administration with a focus on business administration, management and operations in 2010 from the same school. His professional qualifications include certification as an earned value professional by AACE International from 2013 to 2022 and recognition as a certified high-pressure pipe welder.

Reflecting on his career, Mr. Little attributes his success to seeking out interesting opportunities and believes that preparation is key to capitalizing on luck when it arises. Lessons learned during his Navy service reinforced his conviction that achieving meaningful outcomes requires personal initiative. His dedication has been recognized with several prestigious awards, such as the Defense Civilian of the Year from the Association of the United States Army in 2017, the Sailor of the Year honors from the U.S. Navy in 1982 and two Navy Achievement Medals awarded that same year.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Mr. Little has demonstrated civic engagement through various affiliations. He is a former member of the Economic Development Council in Gautier, Mississippi, a supporter of bird watching tours at Huntsville Botanical Gardens and an active supporter of local food banks.

In his personal life, Mr. Little values family life with his son Joshua and stepson Ashley. He also enjoys growing vegetables on his hobby farm and observing wildlife in his free time. In the upcoming years, he aims to secure a corporate board position while continuing to contribute to society through involvement with food banks and nature-based tourism initiatives. He also anticipates and looks forward to embracing new challenges and opportunities.

About Marquis Who's Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.

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