Spotlight On: Mary Anne Cannon, Vice President, West Palm Beach Site and Development Operations, Pratt & Whitney
July 2025 — In an interview with Invest:, Mary Anne Cannon, vice president of West Palm Beach Site and Development Operations for Pratt & Whitney, an RTX business, said that workforce development and innovation are key to sustaining growth in South Florida’s aerospace and manufacturing sectors. “One of the major trends is the competition for skilled labor; there’s high demand across companies in the region,” Cannon said.
What are some of the emerging trends in the aerospace, engineering, and manufacturing industries in Palm Beach County and South Florida?
Most people are familiar with RTX’s Pratt & Whitney business, a global leader in the design, manufacture, and service of aircraft engines for both commercial and military markets. We’re seeing growth in both of those segments. One significant trend we’re noticing locally is the increasing retirement rate among baby boomers, particularly in skilled trades. Palm Beach County has long been known for its aerospace presence, with major players like Pratt & Whitney, Lockheed Martin, and L3Harris operating here.
So, a key focus right now is skilled labor — recruiting and developing the right talent. We’re actively working with institutions like Palm Beach State College, Florida Atlantic University, and local aviation maintenance technician schools, given the competition for skilled labor and the high demand across companies in the region. Internally, we support workforce development through our robust RTX Employee Scholar Program, which allows employees to pursue two-year and four-year degrees while working here. For example, Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) mechanics can come in with an 18-month certification and later move into other career paths within the company. I’ve participated in many discussions focused on developing the next generation of aerospace engineers and mechanics. It’s a critical issue not just in South Florida, but across the state.
Can you elaborate on any specific initiatives Pratt & Whitney has in place to support workforce development?
We’re involved with several local initiatives, including programs at the high school level. For instance, we’ve partnered with Forest Hill High School to offer summer internships for juniors and seniors. In fact, some students just started their internships this summer, giving them early exposure to the industry before deciding whether to pursue college or trade school.
Beyond high school, we collaborate with Palm Beach State College to develop specialized programs focused on electronics and data recording — key areas since we collect and analyze significant amounts of data from jet engines. We also work with Florida Atlantic University, the University of Florida, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. One of our recent collaborations with Embry-Riddle was the development of a new bachelor’s program in safety management systems.
Hiring locally is also a priority. People who grow up here tend to want to stay, which makes them highly committed to the community. While we also recruit from outside of Florida, there’s real value in cultivating local talent.
What makes Palm Beach County such a strong hub for the aerospace industry?
Pratt & Whitney was founded in 1925 in Hartford, Connecticut, and we expanded to South Florida in 1958. The reasons for the move were strategic: Florida offered attractive costs, and we secured 7,000 acres along the Beeline Highway for engine testing and development.
Even back then, the area had strong educational institutions. We’ve long drawn talent from Florida as well as nearby states like Georgia and Alabama. The late 1950s also marked the beginning of the space race, with Cape Canaveral ramping up. So, the region, stretching from the Space Coast to Palm Beach, became a hub for both aerospace and space-related development. We were involved in both sectors. Our space division eventually was sold and became part of Aerojet Rocketdyne, but our roots in Palm Beach County go deep.
The availability of land, proximity to major airports like Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach International, and access to a skilled workforce all contribute to making this an ideal location for our operations.
What products or services are driving growth, demand, and profitability for Pratt & Whitney?
Our two biggest product lines are the GTF and F135 engines. The GTF powers the A320neo aircraft and has seen strong demand from airlines thanks to its industry-leading noise reduction and fuel efficiency. Here in West Palm Beach, we handle the overhaul of these engines. For example, Spirit Airlines’ GTF engines are regularly serviced here and then returned to Fort Lauderdale.
The F135 engine, which powers the F-35 Lightning II fighter jet operated by the United States and 19 allied nations, is another key product. We manufacture some of those engines here in Florida as well as at our facility in Middletown, Connecticut. In addition, our West Palm Beach site is engaged in extensive R&D for future military engine applications.
How do you see alternative fuels and hydrogen-powered aircraft shaping the industry?
We’ve done a lot of local testing on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and alternative fuels, and the engines perform well with them. The main barriers right now are cost and availability. If an airline wanted to fly with a higher percentage of SAF, the cost would currently be prohibitive, and supply is limited. But the technology itself is sound.
Hydrogen is another area of interest. It’s worth noting that when this facility was established in 1958, one of the first engines we worked on was hydrogen-powered. It worked successfully, but the world wasn’t quite ready for it. That early hydrogen technology eventually led to the development of rocket engines, which today are produced by Aerojet Rocketdyne as part of NASA’s Artemis program. So, while we can demonstrate these technologies, getting them into widespread commercial use requires overcoming significant hurdles.
How is Pratt & Whitney leveraging technology to streamline operations and improve turnaround times?
We use a proprietary operating system called CORE, which drives continuous improvement across all processes, from engine assembly to testing and disassembly. We’re heavily focused on making these processes faster, more repeatable, and of higher quality.
This includes incorporating automation and robotics, as well as extensive data monitoring. Compared to 30 or 40 years ago, the time required to build a jet engine has been significantly reduced. We scrutinize every step, from how many bolts we use to how we ensure the engine performs consistently, always aiming for more efficient and reliable methods.
What specific steps is Pratt & Whitney taking to reduce emissions and improve sustainability?
Environmental responsibility is embedded in our DNA. Beyond engine emissions, we track and aim to reduce our facilities’ greenhouse gas emissions, water usage, and waste streams. What’s notable is that we don’t normalize the data based on growth, we set absolute targets. For example, even if production increases, we still aim to reduce facility emissions by 20% over five years.
Locally, we’ve partnered with FPL to integrate solar power into our operations, which has significantly reduced greenhouse gas emissions. We’re also implementing water conservation initiatives and working to eliminate waste streams. We share a border with the JW Corbett Wildlife Refuge, so being strong environmental stewards is non-negotiable.
What are the primary challenges facing the aerospace engineering and manufacturing industry, and how is Pratt & Whitney addressing them?
Beyond the common issues — supply chain disruptions, inflation, tariffs — we’re really focused on recruiting and retaining top talent. Despite advances in automation and AI, it still takes skilled people to design and build jet engines. It’s a competitive market, and everyone is vying for top talent.
This is a long-term industry — designing a new aircraft engine can take a decade. That’s why we’re investing in automation, infrastructure, and, most importantly, our people. Pratt & Whitney is celebrating its centennial this year and, after a century in business, we’ve learned that success comes from listening to our customers and delivering what they need: greater fuel efficiency, range, lower noise, and reduced emissions. That approach has served us well on both the commercial and military sides of the business.
What are the company’s key priorities in the region going forward?
On the commercial side, we’re in the middle of ramping up production for the GTF engine and preparing to launch the next version, the GTF Advantage, which we anticipate will enter service next year. On the military side, we continue to work on the F135 Engine Core Upgrade, focusing on design maturation, aircraft integration and mobilizing the supply base to prepare for production.
These are evolutionary upgrades. For more revolutionary changes, like an engine for a new single-aisle aircraft platform from Boeing or Airbus, you’re looking at a five-to-15-year timeline. But behind the scenes, a lot of groundwork is already being laid to prepare for those long-term shifts.
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