Michael Patton is the vice president of program management at Lockheed Martin Corporation. He is set to receive the Linda Gooden Legacy Award at the BEYA STEM Conference in February 2024.

The Linda Gooden Legacy Award is named after Linda Gooden, who was the founding President of Lockheed Martin Information Technology. A well-respected business leader in aerospace and defense, Gooden had a 40-year career and was the 2006 Black Engineer of the Year.

In 2019, Gooden presented the Legacy Award named after her to Audrell K. Samuels, a Lockheed Martin employee. Gooden praised Samuels for her work with the STEM outreach program, as well as her contributions to the enterprise resource groups she belongs to and supports.

Gooden expressed her appreciation for being part of the distinguished list of nominees, especially during the 20th anniversary of the Black Engineer of the Year Awards.

She believes that the actions of the nominees today will pave the way for the next 20 years, much like those who won the award 20 years ago set the stage for them. Samuels, a senior subcontract administrator at Lockheed Martin, was thrilled to receive the Legacy Award.

Michael Patton began his career as an hourly worker at the United States Postal Service and climbed up the ranks to become a corporate leader. Before his tenure at Lockheed Martin, Patton spent 17 years at General Electric, honing his expertise in production and leadership.

Patton’s career is marked by strategic advancements, reflecting his ability to navigate complex operational landscapes. Within three years at Lockheed Martin, he was promoted to vice president, where he now oversees a $12 billion business encompassing supply chain, production operations, and more.

His initiatives have streamlined processes and generated significant savings, with a real-time asset tracking system alone saving over $7.5 million.

His extensive global experience has improved operations across facilities in the United States, Mexico, Wales, Australia, and China.

Patton is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, mentoring over 60 employees and serving as the executive sponsor of the Black Excellence Council.

The BEYA Conference provides students and professionals with information on the demands, education, training, experience, skills, and requirements for jobs in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) workforce.