Jim Walters is an Industry Vertical Advisor for the Aerospace and Defense practice of Level 5 Partners. Jim is responsible for identifying, consulting, and engaging executive leaders in the aerospace industries and providing expert advice in Human Resources. Jim is also an integral part of the firm's Human Resources and Diversity practice.
With more than 30 years of leadership, Jim is an accomplished Senior Executive and HR Professional spanning manufacturing, industrial products, agricultural equipment, credit & finance, and aerospace. Leveraging Jim's extensive history, his expertise includes team leadership, labor and union relations, employee engagement, succession planning, employee benefits, talent development, performance management, organizational effectiveness, Internship program management, and cost management.
Before joining Level 5 Partners as an advisor, Jim served as the Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Communications with Textron Aviation, a role he started in 2014 following the acquisition of the Cessna Aircraft Company with the Beechcraft Aircraft Company. In this role, he managed global HR management, including labor and employee relations, talent acquisition, and employee communication and engagement. He served as an integral member of the Implementation Team responsible for the merger and integration of the $1.5 billion Beechcraft Aircraft Company, leading the merger of people and processes, which is now the largest general aircraft OEM in the world.
Before the acquisition, Jim served as the Senior Vice President of Cessna Aircraft Company from 2001 to 2014, leading all HR functions. From 1981 to 2001, Jim served John Deere as the Head of Human Resources Canada, followed by HR leadership China and finally, Global Head of Human Resources.
Jim is an experienced board member and currently Board Chairperson for Rainbows United, a not-for-profit organization that focuses on the needs of autistic children. Jim is also a Founding Member of the National Center for Aviation Training.
An industry thought leader, public speaker, private pilot, and fluent in French, we welcome Jim to Level 5 Partners.
Major Concentration
- Aerospace and Defense
- Human Resources and Diversity