24 Facts About Marillyn Hewson

1. Marillyn Hewson graduated from the University of Alabama with a BS in business administration and an MA in Economics.

2. Marillyn Hewson never set out to become CEO, but having the job is "quite an honor", she told CBS News.

3. Marillyn Hewson highlighted the challenges Lockheed Martin faces as the nation's largest defense contractor, including winning government contracts and defense spending.

4. Marillyn Hewson discussed Lockheed Martin's innovation in emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence.

5. Marillyn Hewson said the honor is ultimately a tribute to the men and women of Lockheed Martin whose ingenuity, teamwork and commitment to excellence have propelled the corporation forward.

6. Marillyn Hewson likes to talk about Lockheed as a global security enterprise.

7. Marillyn Hewson kept up with economics, teaching at a local college at night.

8. Marillyn Hewson worked at a Dairy Queen in high school and put herself through the University of Alabama, working as a nighttime switchboard operator.

9. Marillyn Hewson credits her work ethic for much of her success.

10. Marillyn Hewson will surely draw on her broad set of experiences as she leads Lockheed through a period of uncertainty and potential volatility.

11. Marillyn Hewson said she didn't see it coming Friday when the Bethesda-based defense contractor made her the company's first female chief.

12. Marillyn Hewson earned her Bachelor of Science degree in business administration and her Master of Arts degree in economics from the University of Alabama.

13. Marillyn Hewson serves on the Board of Trustees of both the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Khalifa University for Science and Technology in the United Arab Emirates.

14. Marillyn Hewson is former Chairman and a current Member of the Executive Committee of the Aerospace Industries Association, a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, and an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

15. Marillyn Hewson has served on numerous boards and currently sits on the Board of Directors of DowDuPont, the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation, the Board of Governors of the USO, and the Board of Directors of Catalyst.

16. Marillyn Hewson joined Lockheed Martin more than 35 years ago as an industrial engineer.

17. Marillyn Hewson was elected as a board of directors of Lockheed Martin on November 9, 2012.

18. Marillyn Hewson is married to James Hewson with whom she shares two children.

19. Marillyn Hewson is an American businesswoman best known as the Chief Executive Officer of the world's largest defense contractor, Lockheed Martin.

20. Marillyn Hewson is bullish on Congress being bullish on hypersonic weapons.

21. Marillyn Hewson has shifted more company efforts towards building military hardware.

22. In 2018, Marillyn Hewson was awarded the Edison Achievement Award for her leadership and achievements in making a lasting contribution to the world of innovation.

23. Marillyn Hewson was inducted into the 2017 edition of the Wash100 for international market focus and F-35 leadership.

24. In 2015, Marillyn Hewson was named the 20th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes.