Fran Pierce
Fran Pierce began her information technology career with Ford Aerospace where she worked on the design and implementation of a backbone data communications network. She was later employed by the RCA Corporation in the area of communications product development.
Fran joined DSA as a System Design Analyst for a large-scale data switching system. She was promoted to chief engineer and overall technical manager, and then became the Program Manager.
She advanced to Vice President and Technical Director, then appointed Executive Vice President and General Manager of the New Jersey Operation. She was Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Washington, D.C. Operation, and became President and Chief Executive Officer in 1991. Fran began serving on the DSA Board of Directors in 1980 and elected Chairman of the Board in 1991.
Fran is serving her fourth term as a member of the Board of Directors of Chestnut Hill College. She is a member of the Development and Finance Committees and chairs the Audit Committee. Fran received the EY Entrepreneur of the Year® 2018 Award in the Services category in the Greater Philadelphia Region. In the years 2016, 2013, 2006 and 1998, Ms. Pierce was a finalist for the Ernst & Young Greater Philadelphia Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Technology Services. She received the 2018 Vistage Lifetime Achievement Award for the Philadelphia Region.
DSA, the company led by Fran, is a nine-time winner of the Inc. 500│5000. In 2016, DSA was inducted into the Philadelphia 100 Hall of Fame as a five-time winner of The Philadelphia 100 award, which recognizes the fastest-growing privately held companies in the Philadelphia region.
In 2018, Fran was recognized in the Women Presidents’ Organization ranking of the 50 Fastest Growing Women-Owned/Led Companies. Fran was a 2017 honoree in Philadelphia Business Journal's Most Admired CEO ranking. In 2014, Fran received the Iris Newman Award from the Alliance of Women Entrepreneurs, as recognition of a woman who exhibits a trailblazing spirit in her respective field and who provides strong leadership and support in the entrepreneurial community. Fran was also awarded New Jersey Tech Council’s 2014 CEO of the Year – Private Company Award which recognizes a CEO who demonstrated vision and leadership over several years and has shown an ability to lead and inspire the organization to a new level of growth.
SmartCEO Magazine honored Fran with a Brava! Women in Business Achievement Award, recognizing her as one of Greater Philadelphia’s most influential female leaders in 2010. Philadelphia SmartCEO100 selected Fran as a leader in the 2012 Best-Run Companies program. She was a winner in the Philadelphia SmartCEO 2013 Circle of Excellence and a 2018 CEOReport Mid-Atlantic Women’s Leadership awardee. DSA was a SmartCEO GovStar finalist in 2017, a GovStar Star Performer - Large Category, and a Philadelphia CEOReport Velocity 50 awardee in 2018. The company is a five-time winner of SmartCEO's Future 50 Award, which recognizes companies for their fast growth.
Fran was selected as a 2006 Pennsylvania Best 50 Women in Business award winner based on her dedication to business growth, professional and personal accomplishments, community involvement, and advocacy for women in business.
Fran is serving her sixth term on the Board of Directors of The International Eye Foundation, an organization dedicated to the promotion of peace through the prevention of blindness. She currently serves on the Development and Finance Committees.
Fran serves on the Rowan University Dean of Engineering's Advisory Council since 2007. She currently serves as Member on the Center for Community Leadership and Entrepreneurship Advisory Board at Neumann University. In 2013, Fran received the Women’s S&T Leadership award from Strengthening the Mid-Atlantic Region for Tomorrow (SMART).
Fran was a finalist for the Technology Council of Maryland’s 2004 Executive of the Year Award, a unique recognition by the high technology community. In 2003, Fran was selected as a Woman of Distinction by the Philadelphia Business Journal and the National Association of Women Business Owners. This award is based on commitment to professional excellence and community involvement.
A past Associate Director of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA), Fran served as president for its Philadelphia Chapter and headed the chapter’s efforts to award scholarships to deserving young candidates pursuing a career in communications and security. For her efforts, she received the AFCEA Educational Foundation Award
She served on the Advisory Board of The Secretary of the Army's National Science Center.
Professional memberships include: Alliance of Women Entrepreneurs, Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA), Army Alliance, Association of the United States Army (AUSA), Association for Corporate Growth (ACG), Entrepreneurs Forum of Greater Philadelphia, (EFGP), ESOP Association, Forum of Executive Women, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Mid-Tier Alliance, National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD), National Defense Industry Association (NDIA), New Jersey Technology Council, Northern Virginia Technology Council, Philadelphia Alliance for Capital and Technologies (PACT), Potomac Officers’ Club, Board Member of Strengthening the Mid-Atlantic Region for Tomorrow (SMART), CEOReport, Sunday Breakfast Club, Union League of Philadelphia, Vistage International, and Women in Defense (WID).
Fran received a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from Chestnut Hill College and attended graduate school at Temple University.