William H Swanson

William H. Swanson is Chairman and CEO of Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN). Raytheon Company, with 2012 sales of $24 billion and 68,000 employees worldwide, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, security and civil markets throughout the world. Raytheon’s global headquarters is in Waltham, Mass. Before adding the responsibilities of chairman to his position in January 2004, Swanson was CEO and president of the company. Prior to that, he was president of the company, responsible for Raytheon’s government and defense operations. Swanson joined Raytheon in 1972 and has held a wide range of leadership positions, including manufacturing manager of the company’s largest operation, senior vice president and general manager of the Missile Systems Division, general manager of Raytheon Electronic Systems, president of Electronic Systems, and chairman and chief executive officer of Raytheon Systems Company. In addition to his professional accomplishments, Swanson is a member of the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation board, the NextEra Energy, Inc. board of directors and is vice chairperson of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation board of directors. He is active in the field of education as vice chairman of the California Polytechnic State University Foundation board of directors, and as a member of the Cal Poly President’s Cabinet and the University of Massachusetts President’s Advisory Council. Swanson also serves as the honorary chair of MATHCOUNTS®, is chairman emeritus of the Business-Higher Education Forum and a member of its executive committee. He is a member of the board of governors’ executive committee of the Aerospace Industries Association and is a fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics He serves as a member of the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA), the Air Force Association, the Association of the United States Army and the Navy League. He is a member of the CIA Officers Memorial Foundation board of advisors and of the President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee. A native of California, Swanson graduated magna cum laude from California Polytechnic State University with a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering. His graduate work was performed in business administration at Golden Gate University. He has been awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Pepperdine University and an honorary Doctor of Science degree from California Polytechnic State University. He was selected as the Outstanding Industrial Engineering Graduate in 1972, and in 1991 was recognized as the Honored Alumnus from California Polytechnic State University School of Engineering. Swanson received the Outstanding Alumni Award from the American Association of Community Colleges in 2013. Additionally, he has received the Semper Fidelis Award from the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation and the Aviation Week & Space Technology Laurel Award for “significant contributions” to the field of aeronautics/propulsion. He was also named the “California Manufacturer of the Year” by the California Manufacturing & Technology Association and a fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society (United Kingdom). He has received the Navy League Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz Award, the NDIA James Forrestal Industry Leadership Award, the John W. Dixon Award from the Association of the United States Army, a Diversity Best Practices CEO Diversity Leadership Award, the Institute of Industrial Engineers’ Captains of Industry Award, the Six Sigma Premier Leader Award from the International Society of Six Sigma Professionals, a Woodrow Wilson Award for Corporate Citizenship, and the Kennedy Greenway Vision Award.