NDIA's Vice Chair Lord nominated as defense under secretary
NDIA Vice Chair Ellen Lord
ARLINGTON , VA – Ellen Lord, vice chair of the board for the National Defense Industrial Association and president and chief executive officer of Textron Systems, has been nominated to be the next Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics under President Donald J. Trump, the White House announced Tuesday, June 27.
Upon clearing Senate confirmation, Lord would assume the new role Feb. 1, 2018. Lord’s nomination was one of four the White House announced late Tuesday.
“NDIA fully supports the nomination of Ellen Lord for the office of Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics. Ellen has been a true strategic visionary as president and CEO of Textron Systems and vice chair of NDIA. She is prepared and exactly the right person to continue a forward-leaning philosophy toward acquisition policy,” said NDIA Chair Sid Ashworth. “With a global perspective and far-reaching knowledge of the defense community, Ellen’s leadership will drive a spirit of innovation and efficiency.”
As vice chair of NDIA’s board, Lord has helped bring the focus of NDIA to the modern-day challenges of defending the nation, from innovation needs to strengthening representation of the defense industrial base in important policy decisions.
“It’s a great testament to NDIA that Ellen has been nominated for such a critical role in the Defense Department,” said NDIA President and CEO Gen. Hawk Carlisle, USAF (Ret). “As we continue NDIA’s mission of strengthening our nation’s security and defense through collaboration among our members, having someone with Ellen’s depth of knowledge and experience in this important defense role gives us a renewed confidence that the most effective and efficient policies, practices, products, and technology will be in place for those who ensure the safety and security of our nation. We congratulate her on this fantastic honor.”
In addition to her leadership at NDIA, Lord is a member of the Center for a New American Security’s Task Force on Strategy, Technology, and the Global Defense Industry. She serves on the board of directors of the Naval Institute Foundation, the U.S. India Business Council, and the Defense Technology Initiative.
In 2012, Lord was appointed president and CEO of Textron Systems, a multibillion-dollar international producer of products and services in support of defense, homeland security, aerospace, infrastructure protection, and other industries.
Among myriad leadership roles at Textron Systems, Lord also has been senior vice president and general manager for weapon and sensor systems, senior vice president and general manager for the AAI Corp., and vice president of integration management, for intelligent battlefield systems, and for strategic planning.
Lord holds an undergraduate degree in chemistry from Connecticut College and a master’s degree in chemistry from the University of New Hampshire.
Lisa Atherton has been named to succeed Lord as the next president and CEO of Textron Systems.
For questions or information about NDIA or Lord’s role there, contact Evamarie Socha, esocha@ndia.org (703) 247-2579.
ABOUT NDIA
The National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) is the trusted leader in defense and national security associations. As a 501(c)(3) corporate and individual membership association, NDIA engages thoughtful and innovative leaders to exchange ideas, information, and capabilities that lead to the development of the best policies, practices, products, and technologies to ensure the safety and security of our nation. NDIA’s membership embodies the full spectrum of corporate, government, academic, and individual stakeholders who form a vigorous, responsive, and collaborative community in support of defense and national security. For more information, visit www.ndia.org.