William H. Swanson is Chairman and CEO of Raytheon Company. Raytheon is an industry leader in defense and government electronics, space, information technology, techincal services, and business and special mission aircraft with 2004 sales of $20.2 billion and 80,000 employees.

Before adding the responsibilities of chairman to his position in January 2004, he was CEO and president of the company. Prior to that he was president of the company, responsible for Raytheon's government and defense operations, including the four Strategic Business Areas of Missile Defense; Precision Engagement; Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR); and Homeland Security. Before that, he was a Raytheon executive vice president and president of Electronic Systems.

Swanson joined Raytheon in 1972 and has held a wide range of leadership positions, including manufacturing manager of the company's Equipment Division, senior vice president and general manager of the Missile Systems Division, general manager of Raytheon Electronic Systems, and chairman and chief executive officer of Raytheon Systems Company.

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Swanson is a member of the board of directors of Spring Corporate, the Medal of Honor Foundation Board, the Pepperdine University board of regents, the California Polytechnic State University President's Cabinet, and the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway Conservancy Board. Swanson is also a member of the Secretary of the Air Force Advisory Board and is a trustee of the Association of the U.S. Army. He serves as a member of the National Defense Industrial Association, the Navy League, the Air Force Association, and the Board of Governors of the Aerospace Industries Association. He is a member of the CIA Officers Memorial Foundation board of advisors, an associate fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and a member of the President's National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC).

A native of California, Swanson graduated magna cum laude from California Polytechnic State University with a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering. His graduate work was performed in business administration at Golden Gate University. In 2002, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Pepperdine University.

He was selected as the Outstanding Industrial Engineering Graduate in 1972, and in 1991 was recognized as the Honored Alumnus from California Polytechnic State University School of Engineering. In 2002, Swanson received the Aviation Week & Space Technology Laurel Award for "significant contributions" to the field of Aeronatucics/Propulsion. He was also named the "California Manufacturer of the Year" by the California Manufacturing & Technology Association and a fellow of the Royal Aeronatical Society (United Kingdom). He has received the Navy League Rear Admiral John J. Bergen Leadership Medal for Industry and a Diversity Best Practices CEO Diversity Leadership Award.