Engineering Distinguished Alum:  Rebecca R. Rhoads

Rebecca R. Rhoads is vice president and chief information officer of Raytheon Company. She was elected to her current position in April 2001. Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN), with 2006 sales of $20.3 billion, is an industry leader in defense and government electronics, space, information technology, technical services, and business and special mission aircraft.  With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs more than 80,000 people worldwide.

As chief information officer, Rhoads is responsible for developing and implementing companywide information systems and policies, as well as overseeing the technical direction the company is pursuing in the area of information technologies and systems.

Previously, Rhoads was vice president of Information Technology for Raytheon’s Electronics Systems business unit. In this role, she was responsible for all aspects of information technology in support of business requirements, including development, direction and implementation of segment wide information systems. Prior to that position, she directed engineering organizations in test systems design, systems reliability, safety and product effectiveness engineering, and manufacturing engineering.

Rhoads has more than 27 years of experience within the defense industry. She began her career with General Dynamics in 1979 as an electrical engineer, designing automated test systems for RAM and Stinger missile programs. She worked in the Engineering and Operations directorates, holding various assignments in engineering and management at General Dynamics, Hughes and Raytheon. In addition, Rhoads taught electrical engineering classes at California Polytechnic University in Pomona, Calif.

Rhoads currently serves on the Aerospace Industries Association e-Business Executive Steering Group, the CIO editorial advisory board and the IBM board of advisors.  Rhoads has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in electrical engineering from California Polytechnic University. She also holds a master’s degree in the executive management program from the University of California at Los Angeles Anderson Graduate School of Business Management.