ARLINGTON , Va., Feb. 8, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) will award Marillyn A. Hewson, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Lockheed Martin Corporation, its highest industry award - the prestigious James Forrestal Industry Leadership Award – in recognition of her steadfast, career-long support and advocacy for a strong, responsive and resilient defense industrial base.
NDIA's Forrestal Award is to be presented on Thursday, May 12 by NDIA Chair of the Board Sid Ashworth and CEO Craig McKinley at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner. The Forrestal Award is named in honor of James Forrestal, former Secretary of the Navy and the first U.S. Secretary of Defense. It is bestowed annually on a defense industry executive who has made unmatched contributions to the defense and aerospace industry.
"Marillyn Hewson epitomizes the spirit of NDIA's James Forrestal Industry Leadership Award through her leadership of an incredible organization of 126,000 men and women representing Lockheed Martin's commitment to a 100-year legacy of innovation and exceptional service to national security and a strong industrial base," said NDIA CEO Craig McKinley. "She has been a consistent thought and action leader for over 30 years with responsibilities reaching far and wide across the aerospace and defense community and beyond."
In her over 30 years with Lockheed Martin, Ms. Hewson has held a number of increasingly responsible executive positions, including President and Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of Lockheed Martin's Electronic Systems business area. She has held several operational leadership positions, including President of Lockheed Martin Systems Integration; Executive Vice President of Global Sustainment for Lockheed Martin Aeronautics; and President and General Manager of Kelly Aviation Center, L.P., an affiliate of Lockheed Martin. She has also served in key corporate executive roles, including Senior Vice President of Corporate Shared Services; Vice President of Global Supply Chain Management; and Vice President of Corporate Internal Audit.
Ms. Hewson is the Chairman of the Aerospace Industries Association, an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and a member of the International Institute for Strategic Studies. She also serves as a Director of the Atlantic Council's International Advisory Board and a Vice Chair of The Business Roundtable, an association of chief executive officers of leading U.S. companies. In September 2013, Ms. Hewson was appointed by President Barack Obama to the President's Export Council, the principal national advisory committee on international trade.
Ms. Hewson serves on the Board of Directors of DuPont and previously chaired the Sandia Corporation Board of Directors from 2010 to 2013. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation, the Board of Governors of the USO, the Board of the National Geographic Education Foundation, and the Board of Directors of Catalyst.
About The James Forrestal Industry Leadership Award:
The James Forrestal Industry Leadership Award is a defense industry leadership award. The award is named in honor of James Forrestal and serves to recognize his support for a strong defense industrial base. The Forrestal Award recognizes outstanding leaders of companies in the defense industrial base.
The awardees meet the following criteria:
U.S. citizen
Strong record of business accomplishments
Broad understanding of the vital role the defense industrial base plays in ensuring the nation's security
Keen political instincts
An active supporter of the defense industrial base and its programs
Recipient's company must be NDIA Corporate Member
NDIA and its predecessor organizations (ADPA and NSIA) have given annual awards since 1979.
Previous Award Recipients include:
David L. Joyce, President and Chief Executive Officer of GE Aviation (2015)
Honorable Sean O'Keefe, CEO & Chairman, Airbus Group (2014)
Wesley G. Bush, CEO & President, Northrop Grumman Corporation (2013)
Ralph D. Crosby, Jr., Frm. Chairman of BOD and CEO, EADS North America (2012)
Robert J. Stevens, Chairman and CEO, Lockheed Martin (2011)
James F. Albaugh, President and CEO, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems (2010)
Ronald D. Sugar, Chairman, CEO and President, Northrop Grumman Corporation (2009)
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About NDIA
The National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) is America's leading defense industry association promoting national security. NDIA provides a legal and ethical forum for the exchange of information between industry and government on national security issues. NDIA and its members foster the development of the most innovative and superior equipment, training and support for warfighters and first responders through its divisions, local chapters, affiliated associations and events.