Tulsa, Okla. – September 18, 2026 -- Cherokee Federal, the federal contracting division of Cherokee Nation Businesses, has named Tom Watson as president, effective Oct. 1, to lead a $1 billion-plus portfolio of tribally owned federal contracting companies employing more than 5,000 people.
Watson brings 30 years of federal contracting leadership to the role
Watson spent seven years at Serco, most recently as CEO of its $2 billion North American business, where he oversaw more than 10,000 employees serving defense and federal civilian customers. Before becoming CEO in 2022, he served as senior vice president of Serco's Defense Services business. He joined Serco in 2018 after 22 years at Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), where he rose to senior vice president and general manager of SAIC's Navy and Marine Corps Business Unit, leading roughly 4,000 employees and more than $1 billion in annual revenue.
Cherokee Nation Businesses cites alignment between Watson's leadership style and organizational values
Chuck Garrett, CEO of Cherokee Nation Businesses, said Watson combines federal market expertise with a people-first approach suited to Cherokee Federal's growth trajectory. Watson said the division's culture and mission -- supporting Cherokee Nation citizens -- drew him to the role, noting the business's financial success has purpose beyond commercial performance.
Watson will relocate to the Washington, D.C. area near key federal customers
The move positions him close to Cherokee Federal's customers, partners and employees in the capital region, while maintaining ties to teams across the country and Cherokee Nation Businesses leadership in Tulsa. Cherokee Federal operates across defense, intelligence, health, information technology and logistics missions for federal customers. Watson began his career with six years of active duty in the U.S. Navy as an electronics technician. He holds an MBA from the University of Maryland and a bachelor's degree in information technology from National University.