James R. Mellor
Director Emeritus

James Mellor is the former Chairman and CEO of General Dynamics, where he continues to serve as a consultant to the company.  Mr. Mellor’s career, spanning more than 40 years, has been focused on the defense industries. As an engineer, he holds three patents relating to large screen display and digital computing technology.  He has authored more than 30 articles in national and international publications covering a wide range of management and technical subjects. 

He has served as the Chairman of the Shipbuilders Council of America, the Computer and Business Equipment Manufacturers Association and as a board member of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association, the National Security Industrial Association, and the Navy League of the United States. He presently serves on the boards of Materia, Inc., the Scripps Research Institute, and the University of California at Irvine.   

Mr. Mellor has received numerous awards and distinctions, including the “Order of the Crown” by His Majesty King Baudouin of Belgium in 1987, “Man of the Year Award” by the Boy Scouts of America in 1997, the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in 1998, and Orange County’s Philanthropist of the Year award in 2006. Mr. Mellor and his wife, Suzanne, have three children and nine grandchildren.