BIOGRAPHY

     In 2006, David C. Beard retired from the Northrop Grumman Corporation to establish his ethics speaking and consulting company.  In his 25 year career with Northrop Grumman, he spent nearly half that time as the sector Ethics Program Director responsible for the design, development and implementation of a “Values-based” ethics program impacting over 15,000 employees located at multiple nationwide sites. In addition to the design and delivery of workshops on “Ethical Leadership” to several thousand managers and employees within Northrop Grumman, Mr. Beard has conducted ethics workshops, presentations and keynote addresses to numerous executive level business, government, military as well as academic audiences.

      Mr. Beard is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant, U. S. Marine Corps in 1968. In 1970 he concurrently earned his aviator wings as well as a Masters Degree in Aeronautical Systems from the University of West Florida. In 1985 he earned an Executive MBA from the Claremont Graduate School.

      During his Marine Corps career, Mr. Beard flew jet combat missions in Vietnam and later transitioned to the vertical take-off and landing Harrier “jump-jet”. He is a 1978 graduate of the U. S. Navy Test Pilot School. In 1980 while serving as an instructor at the Test Pilot School, Mr. Beard was forced to eject at high speed from a disabled aircraft. The injuries he sustained resulted in his medical retirement from the Marine Corps at the rank of Major. At the time of his accident he had been nominated by the Marine Corps to be an astronaut.

      Drawing on his experience of developing, implementing and managing an ethics program, Mr. Beard has established an ethics speaking and consulting company, “Magnolia Associates” where he integrates ethics, character, leadership and safety.

      Mr. Beard is a native of Mansfield, Ohio. He is married to the former Amy Martinez of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and has three grown children.