Chester Kennedy is Vice President, Engineering, Simulation, Training and Support at the Lockheed Martin Corporation.
In December 2003, Chester Kennedy was selected Vice President, Engineering, for Lockheed Martin Simulation, Training and Support (LM STS), headquartered in Orlando, Florida. He is responsible for leading the technical excellence of the company’s programs through the maintenance and development of engineering practices and procedures, the staffing of all program efforts, and the independent audits and risk analysis of critical programs. LM STS is a global operating element of the corporation, with engineering effort spanning over 50 operating locations worldwide. The 1,400-plus engineers that Chester leads are responsible for the development and fielding of a wide variety of products, including support equipment, state-of-the-art flight and ground simulators, training curriculums, automated test equipment, and some of the most sophisticated integrated logistics solutions in the world. Chester completed a three-plus year assignment on the corporate staff at Lockheed Martin in Bethesda, MD, prior to joining STS. Under his leadership, he provided strategic guidance on all matters relative to the corporation’s broad interests in Electronic Technology and identifying and driving initiatives that add shareholder value.
Chester worked at Lockheed Martin’s Missiles & Fire Control (MFC) for 15 years prior to his corporate assignment. He directed MFC’s extensive Research and Technology efforts; led the concept development, capture, and execution of cutting edge new business programs; directed the division’s 250+ person Electrical Engineering department; and held numerous assignments with increasing levels of technical and management responsibility on high technology based DoD programs.
Kennedy has over twenty years of experience in the aerospace and commercial electronics industries. Prior to joining Lockheed Martin in 1985, he was employed by North American Philips Consumer Electronics Corporation. His responsibilities included support for design, development, and high volume production of the company’s color television and video game products. These products were marketed under the company’s brand names of Magnavox, Philco, Odyssey and Sylvania.
Chester holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration. He owned and operated a successful consumer electronics sales and service business, while attending the University of Tennessee.
Chester is the Martin Federal Credit Union’s (MFCU) Board of Directors Vice Chairman. He serves on Industry Advisory Boards (IABs) for both the University of Central Florida (UCF) and the University of Florida (UF).