Date posted: 02/25/2010*

John D. Harris, vice president of Contracts and Supply Chain, has been honored with the prestigious 2010 Black Engineer of the Year Award (BEYA), while five other Raytheon employees were also recognized at the same conference.

Harris Is First Raytheon Winner of BEYA

Harris was chosen from 150 other government and business applicants for the coveted top award; he is the first Raytheon employee to receive this honor. He began his career at Raytheon 26 years ago in its Leadership Development Program. Throughout his distinguished career, he has held several key positions within the company. Currently, Harris is responsible for the leadership, direction and performance of the company’s Contracts and Supply Chain organizations and for the development and implementation of global supply chain solutions. He has also served the company in various diversity leadership roles and has continued to encourage the values of inclusion and respect at Raytheon.

Raytheon has long had ties to BEYA and has taken an active role at the annual conference. Throughout the two-day event, senior company leaders attended and presented at panel discussions and conference events focusing on career development, diversity and science, technology and engineering and math (STEM) education. Raytheon Chairman and CEO William H. Swanson, a regular conference attendee for the past 19 years, spoke at the Stars and Stripes gala dinner bringing greetings to servicemen and women — and he presented BEYA’s top award to Harris.

“It is a privilege to present BEYA’s highest honor to a wonderful colleague, a respected business leader, and a close friend, and to do so at a conference celebrating STEM competitiveness, something that is very important for our country and our company and to me personally,” said Swanson.

In his acceptance speech, Harris discussed the positive impact of his parents’ teachings to find mentors and to take a chance on others as well as themselves. “I am here because I was inspired early in my life with the potential that technology, diversity, and dedication bring. That inspiration began at home with my father and mother, and their lessons have stayed with me to this day.”

He went on to thank Swanson for taking a chance on him. “It is Bill Swanson who sets the tone at Raytheon: passion, integrity, diversity of thought, and a focus on customer success are hallmarks of our company because of him,” said Harris. “I want to thank Bill for demonstrating confidence in my success and for being such a wonderful mentor and friend throughout my career.”

(To learn more, read Harris' Q&A.)

Additional Raytheon Recognition

Five other exceptional Raytheon employees were named Modern Day Technology Leaders at a separate conference event, where they were recognized for their dedication and contributions to Raytheon and to the industry. Winners were Patrick Cook, Jennifer Crosby, Vince Ellerby, David Harrington and Tannus Joubert. The category recognizes up-and-comers, who are shaping the future of engineering, science and technology.

About BEYA

For more than 20 years, the BEYA National Conference has brought together top black professionals in the science, technology, engineering and math-related fields, and honored their achievements. The conference also serves as a forum highlighting issues surrounding black professionals including career advancement, diversity programs and specialized industry updates while providing a venue for increased networking and mentoring. This year’s conference and gala events took place in Baltimore, Md., Feb. 18-20.