# Thomas Gentile

> Thomas C. Gentile III is chairman, chief executive officer and president of Hexcel Corporation. A Detroit native educated at Harvard and the London School of Economics, he previously led Spirit AeroSystems and held leadership roles at GE. His career connects engine services, aircraft structures, advanced materials and business education through Wichita State University.

- **Role:** Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President at Hexcel Corporation
- **Organizations:** Hexcel Corporation, Spirit AeroSystems, General Electric, McKinsey & Company, CBS, General Motors, Wichita State University, W. Frank Barton School of Business, Aerospace Industries Association, RPM International, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Wings Club Foundation, Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
- **From:** Detroit, United States
- **Education:** Bachelor’s degree in economics, magna cum laude, Harvard University, MBA, Harvard Business School, Studied international relations, London School of Economics
- **Known for:** Appointed chairman, CEO and president of Hexcel after leading businesses in aircraft services and aerostructures., Chaired the Aerospace Industries Association in 2023., Served as the inaugural Executive-in-Residence at Wichita State’s Barton School in 2021.

## Career timeline

- **1998** — Joined GE; subsequently held leadership positions in the United States, France and Australia.
- **2008–2011** — President and CEO of GE Aviation Services.
- **2014–2016** — President and COO of GE Capital.
- **2016** — Joined Spirit AeroSystems as EVP and COO in April; became president and CEO later that year.
- **2021** — Inaugural Executive-in-Residence at Wichita State’s Barton School of Business.
- **2022** — Joined the Barton School dean’s advisory board.
- **2023** — Chaired the Aerospace Industries Association; resigned from Spirit, with the leadership change announced October 2; became executive advisor to the Barton School dean in December.
- **2024** — Became CEO and president of Hexcel May 1; became chairman in December.
- **2026** — Appointed to RPM International’s board and compensation committee on April 20.

## Achievements

- Appointed chairman, CEO and president of Hexcel after leading businesses in aircraft services and aerostructures.
- Chaired the Aerospace Industries Association in 2023.
- Served as the inaugural Executive-in-Residence at Wichita State’s Barton School in 2021.
- Earned an economics degree magna cum laude from Harvard.

## Latest updates

- **2026-10** — Hexcel reported Q3 sales of $496.4 million, commercial aerospace growth of 20.5%, and unchanged 2026 guidance; Gentile discussed accelerated hiring and training costs.
- **2026-04** — Appointed a director of RPM International on April 20, also joining its compensation committee.
- **2026-04** — Featured on The Factory Doctor podcast on organizational alignment and industrial performance.
- **2026-03** — Discussed next-generation composite technology in a JEC TV interview at JEC World.

## Links

- Website: https://www.hexcel.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasgentile3

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/thomas-gentile
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-24