LOS ANGELES, March 23, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has named Cynthia Curiel vice president for communications at its Aerospace Systems sector, and Robert T. Hastings, Jr., vice president for communications at its Information Systems sector. Curiel will report directly to Gary Ervin, corporate vice president and president of Aerospace Systems. Hastings will report directly to Linda Mills, corporate vice president and president of Information Systems.
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The assignments are an outgrowth of Northrop Grumman's structural realignment announced earlier this year, which reduced the number of company business sectors from seven to five. The streamlining is part of an ongoing effort to strengthen alignment with customers, improve program performance and growth potential, and enhance cost competitiveness.
"As experienced public relations professionals and accomplished strategic communicators, Cynthia Curiel and Robert Hastings will serve their new sectors well as they build forward-looking communications programs attuned to the needs of their diverse internal and external audiences," said Darryl Fraser, Northrop Grumman corporate vice president of communications.
Curiel is responsible for managing strategic and tactical communication programs that support the Aerospace Systems sector's new business captures and for increasing awareness of sector capabilities among employees, customers, shareholders, the media and the public. Previously, she served as deputy director of communications for the former Integrated Systems sector. Prior to that, Curiel served as director of communications for Integrated Systems Western Region. She joined the company in 2000 as manager of communications for the company's Unmanned Systems market segment in San Diego.
Before joining Northrop Grumman, Curiel led communications for Surface Navy, Missile Defense and Land Combat Programs for Raytheon Company's missile business.
Curiel earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in both political science and literature from the University of California, San Diego. She serves on the board of directors at the San Diego Air and Space Museum.
Hastings will lead the Information Systems sector's strategic communications and public affairs functions. A priority will be to establish a wide-ranging communications program and a robust public profile for the new sector. He will also address the challenges of communicating with a dispersed global workforce through a comprehensive internal communications strategy.
For the past year, Hastings was the U.S. Department of Defense's senior public affairs official where he served as the principal advisor to the Secretary of Defense, Deputy Secretary of Defense and senior Defense and Administration officials for worldwide strategic communications, including public information, internal information and community relations activities.
Prior to joining the Defense Department, Hastings served for 10 years as vice president of communications for BAE Systems, Inc., where he directed comprehensive strategic communications and public affairs programs. Before joining BAE, Hastings served as a U.S. Army officer with more than 20 years experience as a Master Army Aviator and public affairs officer.
Hastings earned a Bachelor of Science degree in government and political science from the University of Maryland and has completed executive studies at the Wharton School of Business and the University of Michigan.
The Aerospace Systems sector has approximately 24,000 employees and is a premier provider of manned and unmanned aircraft, space systems, missile systems and advanced technologies critical to national security. The Information Systems sector has about 35,000 employees and is a leading global provider of advanced solutions for defense, intelligence, civil agency and commercial customers.
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a leading global security company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide.
