Cheryl Whitis
Chief Information Officer and Vice President, Raytheon Missile Systems
Cheryl Whitis was a junior in high school when she discovered her passion for computer science. Even in that pre-dot-com era of compilers, punch cards and large mainframes, she recognized the opportunities in technology.
She earned a scholarship to college and studied data processing, which she believed was the wave of the future.
“It was really creating something where nothing existed before,” Whitis says. “There were no limits.”
Today, as chief information officer and vice president of Raytheon Missile Systems, Whitis is building a culture of innovation. She and her team deliver core IT services and run the infrastructure used by 15,000 employees across the globe.
“We touch every employee in one way or another,” Whitis says. “We are the glue that brings it all together.”
A bond since birth
Since her dad was in the Army, the young Whitis naturally gravitated toward the defense industry. She writes the program that U.S. Customs and Border Protection still uses for its aircraft maintenance and logistics tracking systems. “I take pride in knowing the products I work on protect men like my dad,” she says.
At Raytheon, Whitis leads strategic initiatives that have saved money, improved performance and facilitated the integration of acquisitions.
Leading the growth
The role of Whitis’ IT group has grown over the years. It now provides a wide variety of services, from high-performance simulation capabilities to new business pipeline tools, including automating the factory floor; helping engineers implement programs and agile engineering techniques; implementing advanced analytical tools; and, most recently, providing the cybersecurity infrastructure for numerous programs and products.
“By providing the necessary tooling and technology, we enable international growth — a critical component of our long-term strategy as a company,” Whitis says.
Whitis manages a growing assortment of continually evolving challenges, from global expansion to cyber threats.
New challenges
“My largest focus right now is staying ahead of the advanced persistent threat on cybersecurity,” Whitis says. “Our strongest defense is making our employees aware of our cybersecurity strategy and how to best conduct business in the safest environment possible.”
“We have to get more comfortable with people working remotely,” Whitis says. “I’m trying to push the boundaries of how we can make our environments more secure as well as conducive for collaboration and productivity.”
Another focus that is increasingly important as the company expands around the world: diversity and inclusion — two efforts that are critical to sustained success and the ability to attract new talent.
“We need to nurture the people we meet along the journey,” Whitis says. “Appreciation and respect for others help build rich networks you can count on and that can count on you.”
As someone who has helped paved the way for women in IT leadership, Whitis has a message for those who believe they must conform to a certain image to be part of upper management: “Stay true to yourself and make sure you love the work you do.”
