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Leadership changes · AVAV · SEC Form 8-K, Item 5.02

Leadership changes at AeroVironment Inc (2026)

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MentionFox check on AeroVironment Inc: no red flags found in 11 sources; 5 items to note (checked 6 November 2026). mentionfox.com/c/executive-changes/aerovironment

  • Note: Shareholder or securities suit filed Jul 2026 (court record)
  • Note: Shareholder or securities suit filed Jul 2026 (court record)
  • Note: Shareholder or securities suit filed May 2026 (court record)

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Who joined and who left AeroVironment Inc (AVAV)? 2 appointments and 2 departures reported from 2026-04-09 to 2026-08-07, each cited to the company's own filing.

Charles Thomas Burbage left the role of Director at AeroVironment Inc. As of November 6, 2026, AeroVironment Inc has reported 6 leadership change filings to the SEC under Item 5.02 of Form 8-K, from April 9, 2026 to August 7, 2026, naming 2 appointments and 2 departures (Form 8-K, August 7, 2026).

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Key facts

  • · In / out: Out · Person: Charles Thomas Burbage · Role: Director · 8-K, 2026-08-07
  • · In / out: Out · Person: Stephen Page · Role: Director · 8-K, 2026-07-29
  • · In / out: In · Person: William J. Lynn · Role: Director · 8-K, 2026-06-25
  • · In / out: Reported · Person: not named in the filing · 8-K, 2026-06-22
  • · In / out: Reported · Person: not named in the filing · 8-K, 2026-04-13
Changes7
In (appointed)2
Out (departing)2
Latest filing2026-08-07

AeroVironment Inc reported changes in 6 filings among its directors and officers to the SEC on Form 8-K, Item 5.02, from 2026-04-09 to 2026-08-07. They name 4 people, with 2 appointments and 2 departures. Every row below is cited to the filing it comes from, and this page adds each new change as AeroVironment Inc files it.

Also on the record for AeroVironment Inc

DateRecordFigureOur pageSource
July 30, 2026Court case: Jackson v. Nawabi, District Court, E.D. Virginia—Court recordsSource
July 27, 2026Stake report, Schedule 13G/A, by BlackRock, Inc.6.7% of the class5%+ stakesSource
July 17, 2026Court case: City Pension Fund for Firefighters and Police Officers in the City of Miami Beach v. AeroVironment, Inc., District Court, D. Delaware—Court recordsSource
June 24, 2026Stake report, Schedule 13D/A, by Altitude V Holdings, LLC13.5% of the class5%+ stakesSource
May 26, 2026Court case: Norrell v. AeroVironment, Inc., District Court, E.D. Virginia—Court recordsSource
March 26, 2026Stake report, Schedule 13G/A, by The Vanguard Group—5%+ stakesSource
March 24, 2026Form D, private offering$157.43M soldForm D pageSource
October 17, 2025Stake report, Schedule 13G/A, by BlackRock, Inc.8.2% of the class5%+ stakesSource
August 11, 2025Stake report, Schedule 13G, by STATE STREET CORPORATION3.8% of the class5%+ stakesSource
August 8, 2025Stake report, Schedule 13G, by BAILLIE GIFFORD & CO4.2% of the class5%+ stakesSource
July 29, 2025Stake report, Schedule 13G/A, by The Vanguard Group7.61% of the class5%+ stakesSource
March 21, 2025Court case: Vortical Systems LLC v. AeroVironment, Inc., District Court, E.D. Virginia—Court recordsSource

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Timeline

FiledIn / outPersonRoleEffectiveSource
2026-08-07OutDirector8-K, 2026-08-07
2026-08-07InDirector8-K, 2026-08-07
2026-07-29OutDirector8-K, 2026-07-29
2026-06-25InDirector8-K, 2026-06-25
2026-06-22Reportednot named in the filing8-K, 2026-06-22
2026-04-13Reportednot named in the filing8-K, 2026-04-13
2026-04-09Reportednot named in the filing8-K, 2026-04-09

Who leads AeroVironment Inc, as last reported?

For each role that changed in the filings below, the most recent change reported. A role that did not change in these filings is not listed.

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Every change, in the filing's words

Filed 2026-08-07 · 8-K

Departing: Charles Thomas Burbage, Director

On August 3, 2026, Charles Thomas Burbage, a member of the AeroVironment, Inc. (the "Company") Board of Directors (the "Board"), notified the Board of his decision to retire from the Board effective upon the expiration of his current term and not stand for re-election as a director of the Company.

Appointed: Michael Ruppert, Director

On August 5, 2026, upon the recommendation of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, the Board (i) increased the size of the board from nine (9) to ten (10) directors and (ii) appointed Michael Ruppert to the Board as a Class II director, effective immediately.

Also stated in this filing

  • Mr. Burbage will continue to serve as a director and as a member of the Board's Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, Compensation Committee and Executive Committee until the completion of his term, which will end at the start of the Company's 2026 annual meeting of stockholders, anticipated to be held on September 24, 2026 (the "Annual Meeting").
  • Mr. Burbage's decision not to stand for re-election was not due to any disagreement with the Company, its auditors or advisors on any matter relating to the Company or its operations, policies or practices.
  • The terms of the Company's Class II directors, including Mr. Ruppert, expire at the Company's 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders or upon the election and qualification of successor directors.
Filed 2026-07-29 · 8-K

Departing: Stephen Page, Director

On July 23, 2026, Stephen Page, a member of the AeroVironment, Inc. (the "Company") Board of Directors (the "Board"), notified the Board of his decision to retire from the Board effective upon the expiration of his current term and not stand for re-election as a director of the Company.

Also stated in this filing

  • Mr. Page will continue to serve as a director and as a member of the Board's Audit Committee and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee until the completion of his term, which will end at the start of the Company's 2026 annual meeting of stockholders, anticipated to be held on September 24, 2026 (the "Annual Meeting").
  • Mr. Page's decision not to stand for re-election was not due to any disagreement with the Company, its auditors or advisors on any matter relating to the Company or its operations, policies or practices.
Filed 2026-06-25 · 8-K

Appointed: William J. Lynn, Director

On June 24, 2026, upon the recommendation of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board of Directors (the "Board") of AeroVironment, Inc. (the "Company"), the Board (i) appointed William J. Lynn, III to the Board as a Class I director, effective immediately and (ii) decreased the size of the board from ten (10) to nine (9) directors.

Also stated in this filing

  • Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors.
  • The terms of the Company's Class I directors, including Mr. Lynn, expire at the Company's 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders or upon the election and qualification of successor directors.
Filed 2026-06-22 · 8-K

Reported

On June 16, 2026, the Company received separate notices from each of Director David Wodlinger and Director Henry Albers informing the Company of their resignation from the Company's Board effective June 17, 2026.

Also stated in this filing

  • Both Mr. Wodlinger and Mr. Albers noted in their separate letters that their decision to resign from the Board is not the result of any disagreement with management on any matter relating to the Company's operations, policies, or practices.
  • On May 1, 2025, Mr. Wodlinger and Mr. Albers were appointed to the Board after being named designees of Arlington Capital Partners V, L.P. and Arlington Capital Partners VI, L.P. (collectively, the "Shareholder"), in accordance with the terms of the Shareholder's Agreement, dated November 18, 2024 (the "Shareholder's Agreement"), by and among the Company and the Shareholder.
  • Following the resignations of Messrs. Wodlinger and Albers, the Shareholder retains the right to designate two successor directors to fill the vacancies created by the resignations.
  • As of the date of this report, the Shareholder has not designated any successor directors.
Filed 2026-04-13 · 8-K

Reported

Chief Financial Officer Appointment On April 13, 2026, AeroVironment Inc. (the "Company") announced the appointment of Sean Woodward as the Company's Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, effective May 1, 2026.

Also stated in this filing

  • Mr. Woodward succeeds Kevin McDonnell, who previously announced his intent to retire from employment with the Company on July 31, 2026.
  • Mr. McDonnell will continue his role as Chief Financial Officer with the Company through April 30, 2026, before transitioning to employment with the Company in a non-officer capacity starting May 1, 2026, to assist Mr. Woodward and the Company in a smooth and orderly transition.
  • Mr. Woodward, age 44, has served as the Chief Financial Officer of the Company's Autonomous Systems segment from May 2025 to the present.
  • He has held several positions of increasing responsibility since joining the Company in 2010, including as Senior Vice President of Finance from September 2024 to May 2025, Vice President of Global Operations Finance from February 2021 to September 2024, and as Vice President of Finance from June 2019 through February 2021.
  • Mr. Woodward holds a bachelor's of science in business management from the University of South Florida and an M.B.A. with a concentration in finance from the University of Tampa.
  • Compensation Arrangements As part of his promotion to Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Woodward will receive an annual base salary of $515,000 and is eligible to participate in the Company's fiscal year 2027 annual bonus plan with a target bonus opportunity of 70% of his annual base salary.
Filed 2026-04-09 · 8-K

Reported

Chief Operating Officer Appointment On April 9, 2026, AeroVironment Inc. (the "Company") announced the appointment of Robert Smith as the Company's Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, effective April 13, 2026.

Also stated in this filing

  • Dr. Smith succeeds Brad Truesdell, who previously announced his intent to retire from employment with the Company upon the appointment of his successor.
  • Mr. Truesdell will continue employment with the Company in an advisory role through April 30, 2026, before transitioning to a consulting role starting May 1, 2026, to assist Dr. Smith and the Company in a smooth and orderly transition.
  • Dr. Smith, age 53, served as the Vice President, Radio Frequency Solutions of Raytheon Company, an RTX Corp. company, from February 2024 to March 2026.
  • He also served as Vice President, Mission Suites of Raytheon from September 2023 to February 2024.
  • He served as Senior Vice President and General Manager, Integrated Defense Solutions of Cobham Advanced Electronic Solutions from March 2022 to September 2023 and as President, Government Operations of BWX Technologies, Inc. from January 2021 to January 2022.
  • Prior to joining BWX Technologies, Dr. Smith had multiple executive roles at Lockheed Martin Corp., including Vice President and General Manager of Radar and Sensor Systems, Vice President of C4ISR, and Vice President of Space and Cyber, among other positions.
  • Dr. Smith holds a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the University of Maryland Baltimore County, a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from Auburn University and a master's degree in business administration from Johns Hopkins University.

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Where this comes from

A public company must file a current report on Form 8-K with the SEC within four business days when a director leaves or is elected, or when its chief executive, chief financial, chief accounting or chief operating officer, or another named executive, departs or is appointed. That disclosure goes under Item 5.02 of the report.

Every change on this page is taken from one of those filings and quoted in the company's own words, with a link to the filing, so it can be checked at the source. Where a filing names the person, the role and the date a change takes effect, they are shown beside the quote. Where it does not, the quote stands on its own. A filing states what changed; it rarely states why, and neither does this page.

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Cite this page

Permanent URL: https://mentionfox.com/executive-changes/aerovironment
Last updated 2026-11-06
Primary record: SEC filing 1 · SEC filing 2 · SEC filing 3 · SEC filing 4
Who joined and who left AeroVironment Inc? (2026). MentionFox, 2026-11-06. https://mentionfox.com/executive-changes/aerovironment