Kathy Warden
Chairman, CEO, President
Northrop Grumman
Executive Mosaic Names Northrop CEO Kathy Warden to 2021 Wash100 for Securing Major Federal, Military Contracts to Drive Company Growth
Executive Mosaic is pleased to announce Kathy Warden, chairman, president and CEO of Northrop Grumman, as a 2021 Wash100 awardee for leading the company in efforts to create value through portfolio management, as well as her continued focus on growth through executive hires and contract pursuits in the federal sector.
“Kathy has delivered an unprecedented ascendancy in one of our nation’s most critically important defense contractors,” said Jim Garrettson, CEO of Executive Mosaic and founder of the Wash100 Award. “When she has been called upon, Warden has repeatedly risen to the occasion, whether it be acquisition integration, overhauling corporate strategy, spinning out re-prioritized sectors or winning enormous re-competes. Kathy continues to solidify her reputation as a ‘go to’ chairman, CEO and an essential name on the list of ‘GovCon‘s Executives of Consequence,” Garrettson continued.
This marks Warden’s sixth Wash100 Award. She received her 2020 Wash100 Award for driving the company’s growth by securing major contracts with notable agencies and helping to advance technology across the federal marketplace.
In early February, Northrop moved to strengthen focus on core businesses through the $3.4 billion sale of its federal information technology and mission support services business to Veritas Capital, which intends to combine the acquired unit with Peraton, a Veritas portfolio company.
Northrop also made notable appointments in its executive leadership roster to support growth initiatives. The company named David Keffer as chief financial officer; Tom Jones as corporate vice president and president of the company’s aeronautics systems business; and Scott Stapp as chief technology officer. These executives will also oversee Northrop’s work with several agencies and military service branches.
Under Warden’s leadership, the company secured major contract awards during 2020. In September, the company won $13.3 billion for the engineering and manufacturing development phase of the U.S. Air Force’s Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent program. The award is part of the estimated $85 billion GBSD contract to build a new intercontinental ballistic missile system that will replace the Minuteman III ICBM.
During a livestream of the Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference, Warden underscored the importance of modernizing the ICBM system. “In order to do that, we need to get through the engineering, manufacturing and development phase of this contract,” she added.
In separate company earnings calls, she noted that Northrop was investing in people and facilities and implementing digital manufacturing technologies in support of the Air Force’s GBSD. Northrop added to its support of the Air Force with its 10-year, $4.8 billion contract for the modernization, refurbishment and sustainment of RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aerial systems.
Northrop secured other multibillion-dollar contracts that have contributed to its growth in the government contracting community in the past year. Under a $1.2 billion contract from the U.S. Navy, Northrop will deliver AN/SLQ-32(V)7 Block 3, a modernized electronic warfare system designed to provide surface combatant vessels with the capability to defend against anti-ship missile threats.
The company continued its growth within the federal defense market through its position on the $10.27 billion Advanced Technology Support Program IV contract covering engineering and technology insertion services meant to provide assistance in modernizing Department of Defense electronic assets.
In addition to its support of national defense initiatives, Northrop has made several advancements internationally, including a potential $2 billion foreign military sale of E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft, engines, radar assemblies and related equipment to France through a government-to-government deal the U.S. State Department approved in July.
Contract wins across business segments contributed to Northrop’s 2020 sales hitting $36.8 billion, up 9 percent from the year-ago period. “Our continued growth, strong performance and portfolio-shaping decisions position us for value-creating capital deployment,” commented Warden.
Executive Mosaic commends Northrop Grumman and Kathy Warden for winning her sixth Wash100 Award. Warden’s expertise and strong leadership position her as a significant executive in the GovCon sector throughout the year.
About the Wash100 Award
This year represents the eighth annual Wash100 award selection. The Wash100 is the premier group of private and public sector leaders selected by Executive Mosaic’s organizational and editorial leadership as the most influential leaders in the GovCon sector.
These leaders demonstrate skills in leadership, innovation, reliability, achievement, and vision. Visitors to wash100.com can sign in and vote for the executives they believe will have the greatest impact on government contracting in the coming year.
The media team at Executive Mosaic writes individualized articles for each recipient of the Wash100 award, providing a write up on the executive centered around their career history and highlights.