Marvin Ellison and Kathy Warden are two of the most recognized CEOs in corporate America. Ellison is the Chairman, President and CEO of Lowe’s, and Warden is the Chair, CEO and President of Northrop Grumman.
Both lead huge companies, both hold the chair and CEO roles, and both belong to the Business Roundtable. That shared status is why people search for their names together. In this guide, you will learn who they are, how they built their careers, and how old they are.
Ellison was born in 1966. Warden was born in 1970 or 1971. Their exact birth dates are not publicly confirmed, so we use birth years only. You will also see their pay, net worth estimates, key differences, and what they truly have in common.
Table of Contents
Marvin Ellison and Kathy Warden
| Detail | Marvin Ellison | Kathy Warden |
| Company | Lowe’s | Northrop Grumman |
| Industry | Home improvement retail | Aerospace and defense |
| Title | Chairman, President and CEO | Chair, CEO and President |
| CEO since | July 2018 | January 2019 |
| Birth year | 1966 | 1970 or 1971 |
| Approximate age | About 60 | About 55 |
| Education | University of Memphis, Emory MBA | James Madison University, George Washington MBA |
| Latest reported pay | About $21.6 million (fiscal 2025) | About $25.4 million (2025) |
| Shared link | Business Roundtable member | Business Roundtable member |
Who Is Marvin Ellison?
Marvin Ellison is the chairman, president and chief executive officer of Lowe’s Companies. Lowe’s is one of the two largest home improvement retailers in the United States. The company employs roughly 300,000 people.
Ellison took over as CEO on July 2, 2018. The board added the chairman title in 2021. Before Lowe’s, he ran J.C. Penney. He also sits on the board of FedEx. He is known for a rare story in big business. He started in retail at the very bottom and reached the top of two Fortune 500 companies.
Early Life and Education
Ellison was born in 1966 in Haywood County, Tennessee. He grew up in Brownsville, a small town northeast of Memphis. He was the fourth of seven children. His family was poor. He has said the house did not have indoor plumbing until he was six.
Neither of his parents finished high school. He studied business and marketing at the University of Memphis. That is also where he met his wife, Sharyn. College took him close to six years because he worked to pay for it.
His jobs included janitor, truck driver, warehouse worker, and convenience store clerk. Later he earned an Executive MBA from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. He finished it in 2005, while already working in senior retail roles.
How Did Marvin Ellison Build His Career?
Ellison’s career runs through three retail names. Each step gave him a bigger operating job.
- Target (about 1987 to 2002): He began as a part-time security guard at a Memphis store. The job paid $4.35 an hour. Over about 15 years he moved into store management and then into corporate asset protection.
- The Home Depot (2002 to 2014): He joined in 2002 and spent about twelve years there. He held senior roles in logistics and later oversaw US store operations.
- J.C. Penney (2014 to 2018): He joined as president in late 2014. He became CEO in August 2015 and left for Lowe’s in 2018.
Notice the pattern. He built skills in security, stores, supply chain, and operations. These are hands-on jobs. They train a leader to think about people, process, and cost at the same time.
Marvin Ellison’s Leadership at Lowe’s
When Ellison arrived in 2018, Lowe’s trailed its main rival on online sales and productivity. His plan focused on three ideas: serve professional customers better, improve the digital experience, and run stores more efficiently.
The company has kept pushing those themes. In early 2026, Lowe’s reported fourth quarter sales of about $20.6 billion. Comparable sales rose 1.3 percent. Ellison said uncertainty was still holding back big discretionary home projects. The company also announced a workforce reduction to stay financially flexible.
Who Is Kathy Warden?
Kathy Warden is the chair, chief executive officer and president of Northrop Grumman. The company builds aircraft, space systems, missile defense, and other national security technology. It is one of the largest US defense contractors.
She became CEO and president on January 1, 2019. She was elected chair of the board in August 2019. She succeeded Wes Bush, who led the company before her.
Warden also serves on the board of Merck. She has chaired the Catalyst board and sits on the James Madison University Board of Visitors. Her public bio also lists the chair role at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond board. Fortune has repeatedly named her to its Most Powerful Women list.
Education and Professional Background
Warden grew up in Smithsburg, Maryland. She earned a bachelor’s degree from James Madison University in 1992. She added an MBA from George Washington University in 1999. Her early career was not all in defense.
She worked for nearly ten years at General Electric in commercial industries. She was also a principal at a venture-backed internet firm. Later she held leadership roles at Veridian and General Dynamics. She joined Northrop Grumman in 2008. That mix of commercial and government experience is a big part of her profile.
How Did Kathy Warden Become CEO?
Warden did not jump straight into the top job. She moved up through business units over about ten years.
- 2011 to 2012: Vice president of the Cyber Intelligence Division.
- 2013 to 2015: President of the Information Systems Sector.
- 2016 to 2017: President of the Mission Systems Sector.
- 2018: President and Chief Operating Officer. She joined the board in July.
- 2019: CEO and President. Chair followed in August.
The board announced her as successor in July 2018. She spent the rest of that year as president and COO before taking over. This gave her a smooth handoff and time to learn the full company.
Kathy Warden’s Role at Northrop Grumman
Today Warden sets strategy for a company with four main business segments. She also works closely with the Pentagon, which is her largest customer. Recent results show why her role matters. In the second quarter of 2026, Northrop reported about $20 billion in new awards.
Backlog reached a record $105 billion. The company raised its full-year earnings outlook. Two programs stand out. The first is the B-21 stealth bomber, where Northrop agreed with the Air Force to raise annual production by 25 percent.
The second is the Sentinel missile program, which is being restructured and sped up. Warden has also talked openly about cost pressure on some programs. That kind of direct talk helps build trust with investors.
Marvin Ellison and Kathy Warden: Key Differences
The two leaders share a title level, but their jobs look very different day to day. The table below shows the main contrasts.
| Area | Marvin Ellison | Kathy Warden |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Lowe’s Companies | Northrop Grumman |
| Industry | Home improvement retail | Aerospace and defense |
| Main customers | Homeowners and professional contractors | US government and allied nations |
| Revenue driver | Consumer spending and housing activity | Government budgets and long contracts |
| Early path | Target, Home Depot, J.C. Penney | GE, General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman |
| Education | University of Memphis, Emory MBA | James Madison University, George Washington MBA |
Different Industries and Responsibilities
Retail moves fast. Ellison deals with thousands of stores, daily foot traffic, weather, and interest rates. A cold spring or a slow housing market can change a quarter.
Defense moves slowly. Warden manages programs that last decades. Her company depends on government budgets, strict security rules, and complex engineering. A single contract can shape growth for years.
The risks also differ. Ellison faces shoppers who can switch stores in minutes. Warden faces political decisions, program delays, and supply chain limits.
Comparing Their Leadership Experience
Both leaders hold the CEO and chair roles at once. That gives them strong influence over strategy. Both companies also name a lead independent director to balance that power.
Ellison has spent more than 35 years in retail. He has led two public companies. Warden has been with Northrop for about 18 years and has led it since 2019. She spent her earlier years in several industries.
In short, Ellison is a deep specialist in one sector. Warden is a leader who blended commercial and defense experience.
Marvin Ellison and Kathy Warden at a Glance
This table gives a quick snapshot. Ages are approximate because Warden’s exact birth date is not widely published.
| Detail | Marvin Ellison | Kathy Warden |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Lowe’s | Northrop Grumman |
| Title | Chairman, President and CEO | Chair, CEO and President |
| CEO since | July 2018 | January 2019 |
| Chair since | 2021 | August 2019 |
| Approximate age | About 60 | About 55 |
| Latest reported pay | About $21.6 million (fiscal 2025) | About $25.4 million (2025) |
| Notable board seat | FedEx | Merck |
| Business group | Business Roundtable | Business Roundtable |
How Are Marvin Ellison and Kathy Warden Connected?
They are connected through the business community, not through a shared employer. Three links are well documented.
- Business Roundtable: Both are members. In June 2025 the group held a CEO Workforce Forum in Washington. Ellison co-chaired the group’s skilled labor initiative. Warden spoke on a separate panel at the same event.
- A 2020 White House advisory effort: Both were named to industry groups for the Great American Economic Revival. Warden was listed under defense. Ellison was listed under retail.
- A shared workforce message: Both leaders have spoken about the need for more skilled workers in the American economy.
None of this suggests a close personal tie. These are professional overlaps that happen when large company leaders join the same national groups.
How Old Are Marvin Ellison and Kathy Warden?
Marvin Ellison was born in 1966, so he is about 60 years old in late 2026. He became a CEO at age 49, when he took over J.C. Penney in 2015. Kathy Warden was born in 1970 or 1971, so she is about 55.
Northrop Grumman’s 2025 proxy statement listed her age as 53 at that time. She became CEO in her late 40s. The gap between them is only about five years. Both reached the CEO seat in their late 40s, which is a useful detail for anyone planning a long career climb.
How Much Do Marvin Ellison and Kathy Warden Make?
Both earn most of their pay in stock and performance bonuses. Salary is a small slice.
| Executive | Period | Reported total pay |
|---|---|---|
| Marvin Ellison | Fiscal 2024 | $20,164,912 |
| Marvin Ellison | Fiscal 2025 | About $21.6 million |
| Kathy Warden | 2024 | $24,359,199 |
| Kathy Warden | 2025 | About $25.4 million |
Ellison’s 2024 salary was about $1.49 million. The rest came from stock awards, options, and an annual bonus. Lowe’s also reported that his pay was 659 times the pay of its median employee that year.
Warden’s base salary is also only about 7 percent of her total. Northrop Grumman ties much of her pay to goals such as shareholder return, return on invested capital, and free cash flow. Pay figures change each year. Always check the latest proxy statement filed with the SEC for exact numbers.
What Is Marvin Ellison’s Net Worth? And Kathy Warden’s?
No one has a single verified net worth for either leader. Net worth includes private assets, taxes, and debts that the public cannot see. What exists are estimates based on stock holdings.
| Executive | What is known | Estimate range |
|---|---|---|
| Marvin Ellison | Holds about 813,822 Lowe’s shares, under 1 percent of the company | Roughly $50 million to $177 million, depending on the method and share price |
| Kathy Warden | Holds a small fraction of Northrop shares, about 0.13 to 0.15 percent by some trackers | Not verified, and likely in the range of $100 million or more based on share value |
Treat these numbers as rough. Different websites use different dates and stock prices. A tracker that counts only vested shares will show a lower number than one that counts every award.
Here is what we can say with confidence. Both leaders are highly paid, both own meaningful company stock, and both have strong incentives tied to share performance. What the two have in common goes beyond money. The next two sections cover how they think and manage.
Strategic Planning and Decision-Making
Both leaders plan in long cycles. Ellison talks about a multi-year push for professional customers and online growth. He has also said that the housing market will stay uncertain for a while, so he plans for caution.
Warden plans around production ramps. Her team is investing billions in new facilities for the B-21 bomber over several years. She also gives clear guidance to investors each quarter. Both leaders share a habit. They name risks openly, then explain the plan.
Managing Large Organizations
Ellison oversees about 300,000 associates across stores, distribution centers, and offices. Warden leads a workforce of about 100,000 spread across many sites and security levels.
Managing that scale needs clear priorities. Both leaders work through layers of senior executives. Both also reorganize when conditions change. Lowe’s cut jobs in early 2026 to protect flexibility. Northrop continues to adjust program teams as production grows.
Are Marvin Ellison and Kathy Warden Connected?
In a business sense, yes, but only loosely. They belong to the same national CEO network and have appeared at the same events. They do not work for the same company, and no public source describes a joint project.
Is There a Professional Relationship Between Them?
There is a professional overlap, not a partnership. They operate in the same CEO circles and have taken part in the same policy discussions. That is common among leaders of large US employers.
No report shows a personal friendship, a shared investment, or a board seat at the same firm. If you see a claim like that online, check the source.
Why Are People Comparing Them?
There are a few reasons.
- Both lead Fortune 500 companies at a high level.
- Both hold the chair and CEO titles together.
- Both appear on lists of powerful business leaders.
- Searches often pair leaders who appear in the same news cycle or at the same events.
Search trends also play a role. When two well-known names appear together in one story, many readers look up both.
Personal Life and Public Information
Both executives keep their private lives fairly quiet. Most of what is public comes from company filings, speeches, and interviews.
What Is Publicly Known?
Here is what has been shared in reliable sources.
- Marvin Ellison: He met his wife, Sharyn, at the University of Memphis. They have two children and live in Mooresville, North Carolina, where Lowe’s is based. He often talks about his parents’ influence on his work ethic.
- Kathy Warden: She and her husband, Eric, are both James Madison University alumni. They created a $1.5 million scholarship match program for Pell Grant-eligible students there.
Beyond that, little else is documented. Respect the line between public career facts and private family matters. Avoid sites that claim to know more than this.
Net Worth and Compensation
Pay and net worth are different things. Pay is what a company reports each year in its proxy statement. Net worth is an outside estimate of everything a person owns minus what they owe.
Compensation is reported and audited. Net worth is guessed. That is why pay numbers in this article are firm, while net worth numbers are ranges.
Use this simple rule when you read a net worth claim:
- Look for the date. Stock prices change daily.
- Look for the method. Does it count only shares, or other assets too?
- Look for the source. A government filing beats a guess from a blog.
Are Their Net Worth Figures Verified?
No. Neither Lowe’s nor Northrop Grumman publishes a net worth for its CEO. Public filings show share counts and awards. They do not show real estate, cash, private investments, or debts.
That means every net worth figure online is an estimate. Some sites show low numbers because they count only a small set of shares. Others show high numbers because they price the full stake at today’s stock value. Both approaches can be defended, and neither is complete.
Leadership Lessons From Their Careers
Their stories offer practical lessons. You do not need to run a Fortune 500 company to use them.
The main lessons are these.
- Stay curious and learn new parts of the business.
- Take hard jobs that others avoid.
- Plan for the long term, but communicate clearly each quarter.
- Invest in people and skills.
The Value of Professional Experience
Ellison spent decades in retail before becoming a CEO. Warden spent years in business units before taking the top job. Neither skipped steps.
Experience gave them credibility with employees. Ellison can talk about store work because he has done it. Warden can discuss program details because she led the units that built them.
If you want to grow in your own career, take a similar path. Ask for broader assignments. Learn how money, customers, and operations connect.
Adapting to Industry Challenges
Both leaders face real pressure. Lowe’s deals with soft housing demand, higher costs, and cautious shoppers. Northrop deals with program cost risks, supply chain limits, and changing government budgets. Their responses share a theme. They invest where demand is strong and cut or adjust where it is weak.
Ellison has put money into skilled trades and digital tools. Warden is putting money into production capacity for key programs. Adapting does not mean reacting to every headline. It means keeping a clear plan and updating it with facts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the CEO of Lowe’s?
Marvin Ellison is the Chairman, President and CEO of Lowe’s. He has led the company since July 2018.
Who is the CEO of Northrop Grumman?
Kathy Warden is the Chair, CEO and President of Northrop Grumman. She has been CEO since January 2019.
How old is Marvin Ellison?
Marvin Ellison was born in 1966, which makes him about 60 years old in 2026.
How old is Kathy Warden?
Kathy Warden was born in 1970 or 1971, so she is about 55 years old. Her exact birth date is not widely published.
How much does Marvin Ellison make?
Marvin Ellison’s reported total pay was about $20.2 million for fiscal 2024 and about $21.6 million for fiscal 2025.
How much does Kathy Warden make?
Kathy Warden’s reported total pay was about $24.4 million in 2024 and about $25.4 million in 2025.
Are Marvin Ellison and Kathy Warden connected?
They are loosely connected through groups like the Business Roundtable. No public source shows a personal or business partnership.
Final Thoughts
Marvin Ellison and Kathy Warden lead very different companies, yet their stories rhyme. Both rose through operations, both hold the chair and CEO roles, and both are paid mostly in stock tied to company results.
Their shared membership in national business groups explains why their names often appear side by side. The most useful takeaway is the career pattern. Ellison started as a part-time security guard and Warden built her résumé across several industries.
