# Lisa Atherton

> Lisa M. Atherton became president and chief executive officer of Textron and a member of its board on January 4, 2026. A former U.S. Air Force contracting officer and Air Combat Command requirements professional, she joined Textron in 2007, led Textron Systems from 2017 to early 2023 and Bell from April 2023 through 2025. Her public accounts emphasize curiosity, accountability, teamwork and the practical lessons of a family ice cream franchise. She also serves on Southwest Airlines’ board.

- **Role:** President and Chief Executive Officer at Textron Inc.
- **Organizations:** Textron Inc., Bell Textron Inc., Textron Systems, Southwest Airlines Co., United States Air Force, Air Combat Command, Presidential Leadership Scholars
- **Education:** Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies, United States Air Force Academy, Master of Business Administration, William & Mary, Raymond A. Mason School of Business
- **Known for:** Led Textron Systems and Bell before becoming Textron’s president and CEO., Served as Bell’s V-22 program manager and executive vice president of Military Business., Selected as a Presidential Leadership Scholar in 2017.

## Career timeline

- **1996** — Graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy; subsequently served as an Air Force contracting officer.
- **1999–2007** — Worked as an embedded contractor in Air Combat Command’s Directorate of Requirements.
- **2007** — Joined Textron Defense Systems.
- **2008** — Sold the family’s Cold Stone Creamery business interests.
- **2013** — Moved into Bell responsibilities including V-22 program management; the 2023 corporate announcement dates the Bell transition to 2013.
- **2017** — Named president and CEO of Textron Systems in June, succeeding Ellen Lord.
- **2023-01** — Became Bell chief operating officer.
- **2023-04** — Became Bell president and CEO effective April 28.
- **2024** — Joined the Southwest Airlines board.
- **2026-01** — Became Textron president, CEO and director effective January 4.

## Achievements

- Led Textron Systems and Bell before becoming Textron’s president and CEO.
- Served as Bell’s V-22 program manager and executive vice president of Military Business.
- Selected as a Presidential Leadership Scholar in 2017.
- Serves as a Southwest Airlines director and chair of its compensation committee.

## Latest updates

- **2026-10** — On October 14, Bell reported completed MV-75 nacelle structures, the start of gearbox testing and progress in software integration, development milestones at the Textron business Atherton previously led.
- **2026-07** — Textron reported second-quarter revenue of $3.8 billion, up 3% year over year, and the initiation of an Industrial segment sale process.
- **2026-01** — Atherton assumed the Textron president, CEO and board roles on January 4; Scott Donnelly became executive chairman.

## Links

- Website: https://www.textron.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisaatherton/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/lisa-atherton
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-21