Michael Kraft is Senior Vice President & Technical Counsel for Textron Systems, as well as a member of our Executive Leadership Team. He is responsible for new and emerging programs across the business as the leader of the Applied Technologies and Advanced Programs area. In this role, he works across our business lines to oversee technology development and investment at the Textron Systems product portfolio level, ensuring that new products are ready to enter the marketplace according to our strategic plans. Michael is also responsible for leading the Engineering Business Systems area, which focuses primarily on providing the tools and continuous improvement environment needed to support product lifecycle management across Textron Systems.
Prior to assuming this role, Michael served as Senior Vice president and General Manager of Lycoming Engines. His experience strategically directing Lycoming’s product portfolio provides Kraft with unique insight that can be leveraged in his current role to support Textron Systems development and investment growth from all perspectives.
Earlier in Kraft’s career, he served as senior vice president of research, development and engineering at Lycoming, as well as various other positions in engineering and general management at Andritz, GE Power Systems and GE Aircraft Engines. He has also served as a member of the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Unleaded Avgas Transition Advanced Rulemaking Committee, and presented at the National Academy of Sciences.
Kraft earned master’s and bachelor’s degrees in aeronautics and astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He also is a Textron Six Sigma certified Black Belt, specializing in Design for Six Sigma.