2008 Master of Ceremonies
Raytheon Space & Airborne Systems Vice President, Communications and Public Affairs
Patrick C.G. Coulter leads the development and implementation of integrated strategic plans for internal and external communications for Raytheon's largest business which is headquartered in El Segundo, California.
Before joining SAS, Mr. Coulter held a series of senior corporate communications positions in the defense, aerospace and telecommunications industries. He was vice president of Raytheon's Government & Defense Communications team, vice president of Raytheon's Electronic Systems business, senior vice president, corporate communications, for Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation; vice president of communications for Boeing's Commercial Airplane Group; vice president, corporate communications, for Bell Atlantic, where he was responsible for public relations and corporate advertising.
In the course of his career, he planned and directed all internal and external communications related activities for two of the largest mergers in corporate American history: Boeing/McDonnell Douglas and Bell Atlantic/NYNEX (now VERIZON).
Mr. Coulter is actively involved in government and civic organizations and activities. He was recently presented the "Key to the City" of Torrance along with a number of other honors for his work on behalf of the military and civic communities throughout the Los Angeles area. He created and trained the first and only global communications crisis response team which reacts to virtually every major commercial airplane accident in the world. As the head of communications for the Rocketdyne Division of Rockwell International, he directed and executed all crisis communications and media relations activities for the Challenger accident (1986) and the return of the Space Shuttle to flight (1988).
Mr. Coulter began his career in the United States Marine Corps, where he rose from private to the rank of major. His assignments included press aide to the Commandant of the Marine Corps and director of the West Coast public affairs office, where he served as project officer and technical advisor for about 30 feature motion pictures, television films and programs including "The Great Santini," "An Officer and a Gentleman," "Top Gun," "Rocky III," "The Killing Fields," "Quincy," and "ChiPs."
Mr. Coulter is a Fellow of the Institute for the Advancement of Engineering and is an accredited member of the Public Relations Society of America. He is a member of Sigma Delta Chi/Society of Professional Journalists and the Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association. He is also a Member of the Board of Advisors of Marine Corps Devil Pups Inc.
Mr. Coulter earned a bachelor's degree in management and business from California State University, Northridge, and a master's degree with honors in public affairs and political journalism from the University of Southern California.
Mr. Coulter and his wife, Jerie, reside in Moorpark, California.
