Alison Seward

Vice President and General Manager, Turbine and Fluid Systems, Industrial Systems and Services, Woodward, Inc.

Alison Seward is Vice President and General Manager of Engine & Turbine Fluid Systems for Woodward’s Industrial segment. In this role, she leads the strategic direction and operational execution for the business, driving innovation, customer satisfaction, and performance across global markets.

Prior to her current role, Alison served as Vice President of Quality for Woodward’s Industrial segment, where she was responsible for developing and executing a global strategy aligned with customer expectations and business objectives.

Before joining Woodward, Alison spent 23 years at GE Appliances, a Haier company, where she held a variety of leadership roles. Most recently, she served as Executive Director of Manufacturing Quality, overseeing quality costs across all manufacturing sites and leading the strategy and implementation of quality programs. Her career at GE also included roles in Product Cost & Design Quality, Cost-Out Execution, New Product Execution, Design Management, as well as Program Senior Director for an $80M investment in Dishwasher that launched during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Alison began her career as a co-op in Supply Chain and is a graduate of GE’s Operations Management Leadership Program. Her experience spans Material Control, Plant Operations, Supplier Quality, and Manufacturing Quality.

Known for her collaborative leadership style, technical rigor, and customer-centric mindset, Alison has consistently delivered impactful results. She was honored with GE’s 2015 Edison Pioneer Award, recognizing mid-career technologists, and donated the accompanying $10,000 grant to her alma mater – the J.B. Speed School of Engineering at the University of Louisville – to create the Women in Engineering Leadership Conference. In 2023, she was named a Women MAKE Awards Honoree by the Manufacturing Institute, a national recognition for excellence and leadership in manufacturing.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Louisville. Outside of work, Alison enjoys traveling with her husband Jamie and their two daughters, as well as ballet, yoga, reading, and exploring Northern Colorado.