Benita Fortner is the recently retired director of supplier diversity for Raytheon Company where she concluded her forty-seven-year career in the aerospace and defense industry. During her career, Fortner served on many government and industry councils, boards and chaired the National MED Week Planning Committee from 2002–2004. She was named Chair Emeritus in 2005. She is a past chair of the National Minority Supplier Development Council’s Chairperson’s Committee and WBENC - Women's Business Enterprise National Council’s Board of Directors. Fortner has received a myriad of awards and recognition including the Clarion Award from the National Minority Supplier Development Council, induction into the WBE Hall of Fame and the Bill Alcorn Award from WBENC.