She is an American businesswoman and strategic advisor to the CEO of the aerospace and defense manufacturing company Lockheed Martin. Previously, she served as Chairman, President, and CEO from January 2013 until June 2020. She retired as Executive Chairman and member of the board effective March 1, 2021.
Biography
Hewson was born in Junction City, Kansas, to Warren Adam and Mary Adams. Her father died when she was nine years old, and her mother, a former WAC, raised five children, from ages five to fifteen. Hewson credits her mother’s resilience, hard work, and determination for teaching her leadership skills. In her 2013 Politico essay, “A Mother’s Resilience,” she wrote: “My mother did what all great leaders do: she nurtured the growth of future leaders.”
She earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s in economics from the University of Alabama. She also attended executive development programs at Columbia Business School and Harvard Business School.
Career
Hewson joined Lockheed Corporation in 1983 after four years as an economist at the Bureau of Labor Statistics. She has held various executive roles within the company, including President and Chief Operating Officer; Executive Vice President of Lockheed Martin’s Electronic Systems business area; President of Lockheed Martin Systems Integration; Executive Vice President of Global Sustainment for Lockheed Martin Aeronautics; President and General Manager of Kelly Aviation Center, LP; and President of Lockheed Martin Logistics Services. On November 9, 2012, she was elected to Lockheed Martin’s Board of Directors. She later served as CEO from January 2013 to June 2020. Hewson has also been a board member of Sandia National Laboratories since 2010 and DuPont since 2007. During her tenure as CEO, Lockheed’s stock value increased by more than 300%.
In July 2015, Hewson announced Lockheed’s acquisition of Sikorsky Aircraft, makers of the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, giving Lockheed its own helicopter manufacturing capability. Hewson also steered the company further into military equipment development. She joined the board of Johnson & Johnson in 2019.
On March 16, 2020, Lockheed announced that Hewson would become Executive Chairman of the Board and would be succeeded as CEO on June 15.