The James Forrestal Industry Leadership Award is named for James Forrestal, the last cabinet-level Secretary of the Navy and our nation’s first Secretary of Defense. It honors Forrestal for his leadership and outspoken advocacy for a robust and responsive defense industrial base during the early years of post-WWII demobilization. The award is bestowed annually on a senior, highly accomplished industry executive who best reflects Forrestal’s vision, leadership, and staunch support of a strong industrial base.
Award nominees must:
- Be a U.S. citizen,
- Have had strategic impact and leadership at the national level,
- Be a leader in support of the military services, other security-related agencies, and warfighters,
- Be an active supporter of the defense industrial base and its programs, and
- Be a leader in defining and addressing issues of the industrial base and national security.
2022 James Forrestal Industry Leadership Award Recipient:
Mr. Frederick W. Smith
Founder and Executive Chairman
FedEx Corporation
Previous Award Recipients:
2021
Eren Ozmen, Chairwoman, President & Owner, Sierra Nevada Corporation
2019
Mitch Daniels, President, Purdue University
2018
Arnold L. Punaro, CEO, The Punaro Group, LLC
2017
Dr. Wanda M. Austin, Former President & CEO, The Aerospace Corporation
2016
Marillyn Hewson, Chairman, CEO & President, Lockheed Martin Corporation
2015
David L. Joyce, President & CEO, GE Aviation; and Senior VP, General Electric Company
2014
Sean O’Keefe, Chairman & CEO, Airbus Group, Inc.
2013
Wesley G. Bush, CEO & President, Northrop Grumman Corporation
2012
Ralph D. Crosby, Jr., Former Chairman & CEO, EADS North America
2011
Robert J. Stevens, Chairman & CEO, Lockheed Martin
2010
James F. Albaugh, President & CEO, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems
2009
Ronald D. Sugar, Chairman, CEO & President, Northrop Grumman Corporation
2007
Clayton M. Jones, Chairman, President & CEO, Rockwell Collins
2006
William H. Swanson, Chairman & CEO, Raytheon Company
2005
George J. Pedersen, Chairman, CEO & President, ManTech International Corporation
2004
J. Robert Beyster, Founder, Chairman & President, Science Applications Int’l Corporation *
2003
Thomas W. Rabaut, President & CEO, United Defense LP *
2002
Dr. Vance D. Coffman, Chairman & CEO, Lockheed Martin Corporation *
2001
Harry C. Stonecipher, President & CEO, The Boeing Company *
2000
Philip A. Odeen, Executive Vice President, Washington Operations, TRW Inc. *
1999
Kent Kresa, Chairman, President & CEO, Northrop Grumman Corporation *
1998
Dennis J. Picard, Chairman, & CEO, Raytheon Company *
1997
Jerry R. Junkins, Chairman, President & CEO, Texas Instruments (Posthumously) *
1996
John McLuckey, President, Space Systems, Information, Space & Defense Systems, Boeing *
1995
Norman R. Augustine, President & CEO, Lockheed Martin Corporation *
1994
Daniel Tellep, Chairman of the Board & CEO, Lockheed Martin Corporation *
1993
Bernard L. Schwartz, Chairman & CEO, Loral Corporation *
1992
William A. Anders, Chairman & CEO, General Dynamics Corporation *
* In 2005, the Defense Industry Leadership Award was renamed the James Forrestal Leadership Award.
