Thought Leader

Tom Gentile

President and CEO, Spirit Aerosystems, Inc.

Tom Gentile was named president and chief executive officer of Spirit AeroSystems in August 2016. Spirit AeroSystems is an $8 billion global leader in the manufacture of structures for commercial and military aircraft.

Prior to Spirit, he served as President and Chief Operating Officer of GE Capital. Before this role, Gentile was president and CEO of GE Healthcare Systems, a $14 billion diagnostic imaging and medical device business. He also served as president and CEO of GE Aviation Services, a $7 billion global enterprise providing maintenance, repair, and overhaul as well as spare parts to GE Aviation’s global fleet of jet engines for commercial airlines. Gentile began his career at GE in 1998, holding a succession of leadership roles across GE Capital in the U.S., France, and Australia.

He has held numerous other leadership and strategy roles with McKinsey and Company, U.S. broadcaster CBS and General Motors. In addition, Gentile was previously chairman of the board directors of InSightec, a global leader in non-invasive image guided therapy.

An active community member, Gentile serves on the governing boards of the Greater Wichita Partnership and Kansas Big Brothers and Big Sisters and on the Foundation for the YMCA of Greater Wichita. He also serves on the Executive Committee of the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), as well as serving as Chairperson of the AIA Civil Aviation Leadership Council. In addition, Gentile was elected to the Boards of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and the Wing’s Club. Gentile is a champion of Spirit’s Good Neighbor Fund employee giving program which raises $2 million annually for local charities, and also serves as a Trustee of the ALS Finding a Cure organization. He previously served on the Greater Milwaukee Committee, as well as on the boards of the United Way of Greater Milwaukee and the United Way of Coastal Fairfield County, Connecticut. Recently, the Governor of Kansas appointed Gentile to serve on the SPARK Task Force Advisory Board to help distribute CARES Fund money in Kansas.

Gentile earned his bachelor’s degree in economics magna cum laude and an MBA from Harvard University, and studied international relations at the London School of Economics.

Gentile was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. He and his wife, Julie, have three children.