Karman Space & Defense Appoints Proven Aerospace Executive as Chief Growth Officer

Doug Laurendeau joins the company's senior leadership team, while Stephanie Sawhill transitions to Chief Technologist role.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 2:06pm

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A minimalist, photorealistic studio still life featuring polished metal, titanium, and carbon fiber components, symbolizing Karman Space & Defense's expertise in critical space and defense systems.Karman Space & Defense's new leadership team brings decades of aerospace and defense industry experience to drive the company's continued growth and innovation.Huntington Beach Today

Karman Space & Defense, a leader in the design, development and production of critical space and defense systems, has announced that Doug Laurendeau, a former Lockheed Martin executive, will join the company as its new Chief Growth Officer. Laurendeau brings over four decades of experience in the aerospace and defense industry, having previously led the growth strategy for Lockheed Martin's $70 billion business portfolio. Stephanie Sawhill, Karman's current Chief Growth Officer, will transition to the role of Chief Technologist, focusing on expanding the company's technical depth and integrated system designs.

Why it matters

This executive transition comes at a critical time for Karman as the company positions itself for continued, profitable growth in the rapidly evolving space and defense markets. Laurendeau's strategic expertise and customer-centric approach are expected to drive Karman's expansion, while Sawhill's new role as Chief Technologist will strengthen the company's portfolio of cutting-edge solutions for its customers.

The details

As the new Chief Growth Officer, Laurendeau will be responsible for developing and executing Karman's growth strategy, leveraging his extensive experience in market assessment, competitive intelligence, and business capture activities. During his tenure at Lockheed Martin, Laurendeau led the growth strategy for the company's $16 billion Rotary and Mission Systems business segment, delivering significant domestic and international growth in critical markets such as joint all-domain command and control, air and missile defense, undersea, and aviation.

  • Doug Laurendeau will assume the role of Chief Growth Officer, effective May 6, 2026.
  • Stephanie Sawhill will transition to the role of Chief Technologist, effective May 6, 2026.

The players

Doug Laurendeau

Former Vice President of Enterprise Strategy Integration at Lockheed Martin Corporation, who will join Karman Space & Defense as the new Chief Growth Officer.

Stephanie Sawhill

Karman Space & Defense's current Chief Growth Officer, who will transition to the role of Chief Technologist.

Jon Rambeau

Chief Executive Officer of Karman Space & Defense.

Karman Space & Defense

A leader in the rapid design, development and production of critical, next-generation system solutions for the space and defense industries.

Lockheed Martin Corporation

A global aerospace, defense, security and advanced technologies company, where Doug Laurendeau previously held senior leadership roles.

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What they’re saying

“As our new chief growth officer, Doug brings valuable experience to Karman at a time when market dynamics and customer demand position us for continued, profitable growth. Karman will benefit from Doug's strategic orientation, his decades of experience, and his relentless focus on rapid innovation and strong customer partnerships.”

— Jon Rambeau, Chief Executive Officer, Karman Space & Defense

“Karman has established itself as a valuable partner that helps space and defense primes solve complex challenges and enables their mission success. I look forward to building on the strong growth platform that the Karman team has developed as we continue to serve both incumbents and new entrants with solutions that address their needs.”

— Doug Laurendeau, Chief Growth Officer, Karman Space & Defense

“Serving Karman as chief technologist will enable me to continue supporting the company's growth while strengthening its portfolio of cutting-edge solutions. I look forward to working with Doug and the entire Karman team to develop innovative new solutions for complex customer challenges that we will then transition smoothly into production.”

— Stephanie Sawhill, Chief Technologist, Karman Space & Defense

What’s next

Laurendeau and Sawhill will assume their new roles at Karman Space & Defense on May 6, 2026, as the company continues to position itself for growth in the rapidly evolving space and defense markets.

The takeaway

Karman Space & Defense's executive transitions demonstrate the company's commitment to strengthening its technical capabilities and growth strategy, positioning it as a valuable partner for both established players and new entrants in the space and defense industries.