Group honors Valley native

The honoree holds a degree in computer technology from YSU.
YOUNGSTOWN -- Linda Gooden, president of Lockheed Martin Information Technology in Seabrook, Md., and a Youngstown native, has been chosen as the Black Engineer of the Year for 2006 by the Black Engineer of the Year Award Conference, a national group.
Gooden, who earned a degree in computer technology from Youngstown State University and completed post-baccalaureate studies at San Diego State University, will receive her award at a ceremony in Baltimore in February.
Gooden's company has grown from a small information group of 140 people into a multibillion-dollar business unit employing 14,000 in just seven years, providing information technology and professional services for federal agencies across the United States in more than 50 major locations and in 18 foreign countries.
She is also an officer of Lockheed Martin Corp.
She served as vice president of Lockheed Martin's Software Support Services unit from 1994, and earlier held other positions of increasing responsibility within the corporation's Data Systems and Information Systems companies.
Gooden was appointed to her current position in 1997.
Other honors
She was winner of the 2002 Federal 100 "Eagle" Award by Federal Computer Week and received the 2002 Corporate Leadership Award by Women in Technology. She was voted one of Washington Business Journal's "Women Who Mean Business" in 2004, was selected as one of the "50 Most Important Blacks in Technology" for 2005 by U.S. Black Engineer and IT Magazine and holds numerous other honors.
She was awarded an honorary doctor of public service degree in 2005 from the University of Maryland.
She is actively involved in professional, academic and civic organizations, serving on numerous executive boards.