Christian Business Association of the Palm Beaches May Breakfast Event

Larry Lawson is an Operating Partner for Advent International and Irenic Capital. He retired from

Spirit AeroSystems, Inc as President and Chief Executive Officer in August 2016.

Prior to joining Spirit, Mr. Lawson served as President, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company. In this role, Mr. Lawson was responsible for leading Lockheed Martin’s military aircraft business which includes the Skunk Works as well as the F-35, F22, F16, C-130, C-5 and the U-2 aircraft. He has been credited with recovering the F-22 & F-35 programs. The F-22 was awarded the Collier Trophy as the most significant accomplishment in aerospace in 2006. He also led the development of the JASSM cruise missile and several classified programs.

Mr. Lawson is an M.I.T Fellow, and an alumnus of the Harvard Advanced Management Program and he holds engineering degrees from the University of Missouri and Lawrence Technological University. He holds patents in advanced signal processing. He was named Lockheed Martin Inventor of the Year, Manager of the Year, and awarded the Silver Knight Leadership award by the National Management Association. The Father’s Day Council honored him as Atlanta Father of the Year and the American Diabetes Association recognized him with the National Volunteer Leadership Award.

In 2016, the Spirit turnaround was recognized by the State of Kansas with the Ad Astra Award and Ernst and Young recognized him with the Entrepreneur of the Year Award for the Southwest.

Larry has served on the Aerospace Industries Association Board of Governors, the Wichita State University President’s Council, the Board of Trustees for Lawrence Technological University, and the Air Force Association Board of Governors.

He lives in Jupiter Florida with his wife Debra and enjoys flying, boating, cycling, diving and spending time with his children and grandchildren.