Woodward Appoints Karrie Bem as General Counsel, Corporate Secretary, and Chief Compliance Officer

FORT COLLINS, Colo., Aug. 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Woodward (NASDAQ: WWD), a leader in aerospace and industrial energy control solutions, today announced the appointment of Karrie Bem as Executive Vice President, General Counsel, Corporate Secretary, and Chief Compliance Officer, effective September 16. In this role, she will be responsible for leading the company’s overall legal and compliance function. This includes developing and maintaining comprehensive programs, processes and procedures for legal, ethics and compliance matters, contracts and negotiations, labor and employment, trade compliance and intellectual property, among other areas. As an Executive Vice President and member of the Woodward Executive Leadership Team, Bem will report directly to the company’s Chair and CEO, Chip Blankenship.

Bem brings deep expertise across a range of legal, business and technology areas, with an extensive portfolio of work in policy, legal and regulatory matters, as well as intellectual property law and management, government and business contracts, corporate governance, import/export, and litigation. Most recently, Bem worked for Lockheed Martin Space, as General Counsel, National Security Space. In her 3 years at Lockheed Martin, she also served in roles as General Counsel for the Space sector’s Operations, and Supply Chain Operations functions, and Astrotech Space Operations, LLC. Prior to Lockheed Martin, Bem was the Deputy General Counsel for United Launch Alliance, LLC., a joint venture of the Lockheed Martin Corporate and The Boeing Company.

She is also an active member of the U.S. Air Force Reserve, serving as a Colonel. Between active duty and reserve assignments, Bem has over 24 years of service as an Air Force Contracting Officer. Bem also served as a Warranted Contracting Officer for the U.S. Department of Interior and Defense Contract Management Agency.

“Karrie’s extensive expertise and background in legal and compliance matters in the defense industry, her commitment to ensuring organizational integrity and experience building highly effective legal and compliance teams will add tremendous value to our company, and I look forward to having her as part of our leadership team,” said Woodward Chair and CEO, Chip Blankenship.

Bem holds a bachelor’s degree in social science from the U.S. Air Force Academy, an MBA from Webster University, a J.D. from the University of Denver, and is currently enrolled in an L.L.M. government contracts program at George Washington University. She will be relocating to Fort Collins with her husband and two children.

About Woodward, Inc.

Woodward is the global leader in the design, manufacture, and service of energy conversion and control solutions for the aerospace and industrial equipment markets. Together with our customers, we are enabling the path to a cleaner, decarbonized world. Our innovative fluid, combustion, electrical, propulsion and motion control systems perform in some of the world’s harshest environments.

Woodward is a global company headquartered in Fort Collins, Colorado, USA. Visit our website at

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Jennifer Regina

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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at