Sean O’Keefe

Former Chairman and CEO @ Airbus Group, Inc.

Mr. O’Keefe is the former Chairman and CEO of Airbus Group, Inc. (formerly EADS North America) a global leader in the aerospace and defense industry. He directed Airbus Group activities in the United States, developed strategic partnerships with U.S. companies, and enhanced the participation of Airbus Group in the U.S. marketplace. Prior to joining Airbus Group, Mr. O'Keefe served as a corporate officer of the General Electric Company and Vice President of GE Aviation’s Washington Operations.

Mr. O'Keefe has served on four occasions as a presidential appointee. He is the former Secretary of the Navy, Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Comptroller and Chief Financial Officer of the Department of Defense, and Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget.

In addition to his public service, Mr. O’Keefe has a long history in academia. From 2005 to 2008, he served as Chancellor of the Louisiana State University. From 1996-2001 Mr. O’Keefe was the Louis A. Bantle professor of Business and Government Policy at the Syracuse University Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. Concurrently he served as the Director of National Security Studies, a partnership of Syracuse University and Johns Hopkins University for delivery of executive education programs. From 1993-1996 he was Professor of Business Administration at the Pennsylvania State University.

Mr. O’Keefe is past Chairman of the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA), a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration, and a Fellow of the International Academy of Astronautics. He serves on a number of corporate and non-profit boards, including the Board of Trustees of Loyola University. Mr. O’Keefe earned his B.A. from Loyola University in New Orleans and his M.P.A. from the Maxwell School of Syracuse University. He is married to Laura McCarthy O'Keefe, and they have three children: Lindsey, Jonathan, and Kevin.