Raytheon Chairman and CEO Swanson to Address BHCC Commencement and Receive Top Honor
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Raytheon Chairman and CEO William H. Swanson will be the keynote speaker at Bunker Hill Community College’s 39th Commencement exercises on June 1, 2013. Swanson has also been named 2013 recipient of the BHCC President’s Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes extraordinary commitment and service to the College. It is the highest honor the College bestows on a community or civic leader.
A business leader widely recognized for his leadership, Swanson has overseen strong growth at Raytheon, a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, security and civil markets throughout the world. In 2012, the Waltham-based company had revenues of $24 billion; it does business in more than 80 countries and is among Massachusetts’ largest employers.
As an active member of the Massachusetts Competitive Partnership (MACP), a coalition of 15 influential Massachusetts CEOs, Swanson helps spearhead a new initiative called “Learn and Earn” in which community college students, including many from BHCC, gain hands-on experience in the corporate world with placement at some of the state’s biggest companies.
Swanson attended Cuesta College, a community college in San Luis Obispo, before graduating magna cum laude from California Polytechnic State University with a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering. He has received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Pepperdine University and an honorary Doctor of Science degree from California Polytechnic State University.
Outside of Raytheon, Swanson has been honored with numerous business and civic awards, and he is active in many professional and civic organizations. He is a member of the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation board, the NextEra Energy board of directors, and is vice chair of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation board of directors. He is a member of the California Polytechnic State University President’s Cabinet, the Cal Poly Foundation board of directors, the California STEM Learning Network board of directors, and the University of Massachusetts President’s Advisory Council. Swanson also serves as the honorary chair of MATHCOUNTS® and is chair emeritus of the Business-Higher Education Forum and a member of its executive committee.
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About Bunker Hill Community College
With more than 50 years of academic excellence, Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) is Massachusetts' largest community college, annually welcoming a diverse community of around 16,000 students. With campuses in Charlestown and Chelsea, BHCC extends its reach across several locations in Greater Boston. The College offers associate degrees and certificates, early college and dual enrollment, community education, corporate training, and industry-specific training programs. BHCC is celebrated for its diversity, boasting a student body where 65% identify as people of color and more than half are women. The College also embraces a global perspective, with over 600 international students representing 90 countries and conversing in more than 65 languages. Our commitment to diversity is further reflected in BHCC's designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI).