The Aerospace Industries Association has appointed Dr. Thomas A. Kennedy, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Raytheon Company as Chairman of AIA’s Board of Governors for 2018. William M. Brown, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Harris Corporation will serve as Vice Chairman for 2018. Eric K. Fanning has been appointed as President and CEO and Ginette C. Colot has been reappointed as CFO-Secretary‑Treasurer.
“AIA and our member companies are the heartbeat of the American economy,” said Kennedy. “We are engines of research and development, innovation and manufacturing. And we are one of our nation’s great sources of rewarding, good paying, noble jobs that help millions live the American Dream. So it is an honor to serve as AIA Chairman and join with Eric Fanning in advancing our industry’s cause and helping member companies be more competitive in the global marketplace.”
Additional members of the Executive Committee for 2018 are:
Edward L. Auslander, President and Chief Executive Officer, LORD Corporation
Charles “Chip” Blankenship, Chief Executive Officer, Arconic Defense
Wes Bush, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of Northrop Grumman Corporation
Gerard J. DeMuro, President and Chief Executive Officer, BAE Systems, Inc.
Scott C. Donnelly, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Textron Inc.
Bradley H. Feldmann, President and Chief Executive Officer, Cubic Corporation
Tom Gentile, President and Chief Executive Officer, Spirit AeroSystems
Marillyn A. Hewson, Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer, Lockheed Martin Corporation
Karl Hutter, President and Chief Executive Officer, Click Bond, Inc.
David L. Joyce, Vice Chair, General Electric Company and President and Chief Executive Officer, GE Aviation
Roger A. Krone, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Leidos Corporation
Christopher Kubasik, President and Chief Operating Officer, L3 Technologies, Inc.
Robert Leduc, President, Pratt & Whitney, United Technologies Corporation
Tim O. Mahoney, President and Chief Executive Officer, Honeywell Aerospace
Dennis A. Muilenburg, Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Boeing Company
Phebe Novakovic, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, General Dynamics Corporation
Kelly Ortberg, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Rockwell Collins
Mike Petters, President and Chief Executive Officer, Huntington Ingalls Industries
Robert D. Strain, President, Ball Aerospace
Gregory Bloom, President, Seal Science, Inc., Associate Member Representative
As the voice of American aerospace and defense, AIA advocates for policies and responsible budgets that keep our country strong, bolster our capacity to innovate, and spur our economic growth. Our top unifying efforts for 2018 will be:
Repeal or revise the budget caps that are harming national security
Develop smart regulations that increase industry’s ability to compete in the global marketplace
Expand trade and job opportunities by making the Export Import Bank whole and enhancing security cooperation with allied and partner nations
Advocate for tax reform that includes a more competitive corporate tax rate, creation of a territorial tax system and repatriation of accrued overseas income
Reinvest in America’s aerospace and defense manufacturing industrial base to ensure its resiliency and capacity meet national objectives
“We welcome the appointment of Tom Kennedy of the Raytheon Company to serve as AIA’s chair in 2018,” said AIA President and CEO David F. Melcher. “Tom has served in a variety of positions on our Executive Committee, including as Vice Chair in 2017. Under his leadership, Raytheon has championed broad efforts to recruit the next generation of America’s best and brightest into the aerospace and defense workforce. We welcome his perspective and look forward to working with him in 2018 to achieve our industry’s priorities.”
