Lawrence P. Farrell Jr. Becomes NDIA President.

The Board of Directors of the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) has selected Lt. Gen. Lawrence P. Farrell Jr., USAF (Ret.), as the association's new president.

Gen. Farrell brings to NDIA in-depth business experience, having worked with a variety of companies, including Raytheon, KPMG, Huber Corp, Labat-Anderson Inc., the Boeing Company, LABBLEE Corp, and Philadelphia Electric Company.

He also has served on study groups supporting the Air Force, the Rand Corporation, and The Logistics Management Institute.

In addition, he has been a member of the advisory boards of UNISPHERE Inc., BAE Systems Simulation and Training, Miltope Group Inc., Learning Byte International and the Camber Corporation.

Prior to his 1998 retirement from the Air Force, Gen. Farrell served as the deputy chief of staff for plans and programs at Air Force headquarters in Washington, D.C. He was responsible for planning, programming and manpower activities within the corporate Air Force and for integrating the Air Force's future plans and requirements to support national security objectives and military strategy.

Previous positions include vice commander of the Air Force Materiel Command, and deputy director of the Defense Logistics Agency. He was also the system program manager for the F-4 and F-16 weapons systems with the Air Force Logistics Command. A command pilot with more than 3,000 flying hours, he flew 196 missions in Southeast Asia, and commanded the 401st Tactical Fighter Wing, Torrejon Air Base, Spain.

Gen. Farrell is a graduate of the Air Force Academy, with a BS in Engineering and an MBA from Auburn University. Other education includes the National War College and the Harvard Program for Executives in National Security.

A native of Montgomery, Ala., he is married to the former Victoria Leigh Kruzel of Richmond, Va. They have a son, Air Force Capt. Sean Farrell and a daughter, Kelly Farrell Lowder.

NDIA Even More Essential

Gen. Farrell believes that NDIA is not only vital to companies serving the defense industry today, he believes it will be even more essential as the industry continues to undergo major change. Upon accepting the position of NDIA president, he said:

"NDIA will continue its unique mission of working with the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps, as well as all industry sectors. In the rapidly changing business of defense, NDIA's challenge will be twofold: first, to maintain the present excellent quality of member service, and second, to capitalize on opportunities for association growth, while increasing the scope and quality of service that the members now enjoy. I am honored and humbled by the opportunity to join such an outstanding team."