Marshall Larsen ’70 is one of two Purdue University alumni who will receive honorary doctorates during the spring commencement ceremonies at Elliott Hall of Music, taking place May 15–18.
Marshall Larsen first learned leadership skills as a student at the U.S. Military Academy. He later honed those skills as a longtime executive with Goodrich Corp. Larsen began his 35-year career at Goodrich as an operations analyst in 1977 and quickly advanced through various leadership roles. In 1995, he was named executive vice president of Goodrich as well as president and chief operating officer of Goodrich Aerospace. In 2003, Larsen was tapped for the top leadership position as chair, president and CEO — a role that he held until 2012, when United Technologies Corp., now Raytheon, acquired Goodrich.
Larsen is regarded for his ability to create long-term value for companies in a global and corporately responsible marketplace. In 2013, Harvard Business Review named Larsen one of the top 100 best-performing CEOs in the world.
He currently serves on the board of directors for Air Lease Corp. and has held prominent board member positions throughout his career, serving as chair of the U.S. Aerospace Industries Association and on the board of directors for the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, Becton Dickinson and Co., Lowe’s Cos. Inc. and Raytheon, among many others.
Larsen earned a Bachelor of Science in engineering from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, in 1970 and served six years in the military, graduating from both the Army Airborne and Army Ranger schools. He earned a Master of Science in industrial administration from Purdue University in 1977.
Larsen and his wife, Susan, established the Marshall and Susan Larsen Leaders Academy in the Mitch Daniels School of Business in 2018. The academy helps undergraduate students develop leadership skills through cocurricular experiences, coaching, and mentoring.
