Photo of Heather Wilson courtesy of Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin announced in a press release that Dr. Heather Wilson has been appointed to the company’s Board of Directors.

Wilson served as U.S. Secretary of the Air Force in the administration of former President Donald Trump before leaving that post to become the president of the University of Texas at El Paso, a position she still holds. She is also a former South Dakota School of Mines & Technology president.

According to the press release:

She is a member of the National Science Board that oversees the National Science Foundation, is inaugural chair of the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Research Universities and serves on the board of directors of Google Public Sector, a subsidiary of Google LLC.

Wilson graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy and earned her Rhodes Scholar doctorate at Oxford University in England. 

She served as a Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives from New Mexico’s 1st Congressional District from 1998 to 2009.

Wilson ran for the U.S. Senate in 2012, winning the GOP primary but losing to her Democratic opponent in the general election.

“Dr. Wilson’s deep knowledge of our industry and extensive leadership experience will be a tremendous asset to our company as we continue to drive innovation and deliver 21st Century Security solutions to our customers,” said Lockheed Martin Chairman, President and CEO Jim Taiclet. “Heather has a proven track record in government, academia and the private sector, and I look forward to her strategic insight as a member of the board.”

According to the press release:

Wilson is considered an independent director under applicable rules and regulations and will serve on the Classified Business and Security Committee.

Lockheed Martin and Cobb County

The Lockheed Martin facility in Marietta has been a major employer in Cobb County since 1951, when the Lockheed Corporation, a predecessor of Lockheed Martin, took over the former site of the WWII Bell Bomber plant.

The C-130 program is the largest program operating at the Marietta facility. The plant currently produces the C-130J Super Hercules (see the company’s Fast Facts on the C-130J or the company’s C-30J brochure for more information).

The Marietta plant also provides ongoing support for the C-5 Galaxy, which celebrated its 50^th year in operation in 2018. The C-5 Galaxy is expected to remain in service until 2045.

The Marietta location also supports the P-3 Orion, and manufactures the center wings for the F-35.