Co-Founder of tech company Kord Technologies, Allen Beard Young, and retired Senior Boeing Executive, Peri Widener, have been named to the Board of Directors of the HudsonAlpha Foundation.

Allen Young

Allen Beard Young was the cofounder and CEO of Kord Technologies, Inc., a defense and aerospace company specializing in laser and missile technologies, from 2008 until her retirement in 2019. Allen’s previous experience includes her roles as an Executive Editor with Phillips Publishing International, Managing Editor at Marine Technology Society, positions at internationally recognized magazines, and broker with Price Forbes, Ltd., at Lloyds of London. Allen earned her BA at Vanderbilt University where she was named a Walter C. Wattles Fellow. In pursuit of being a life-long learner, she has earned multiple professional certificates, most recently through Georgetown and UCLA Anderson School.

“HudsonAlpha’s pioneering work plays a vital role in our community and our world,” said Young. “These revolutionary advancements and efforts in biotechnology will impact our children’s generation even more than developments in technology shaped ours. My husband, Tom, and I have cheered on HudsonAlpha and the amazing people who are part of it since its formation in 2004. It’s a privilege to be able to support the future efforts of HudsonAlpha in a more direct way.”

In addition to her professional contributions, Ms. Young has strived to contribute to the Huntsville community through the National Children’s Advocacy Center board, Village of Promise advisory council, Huntsville Hospital foundation board, Randolph School board, Church of the Nativity, Huntsville Symphony Orchestra board, Huntsville Madison County Library foundation board, and Leadership Huntsville Class of 2016. She enjoys spending time with her husband, Tom, and their two sons, Alexander and David.

Peri Widener

Peri Widener is a respected and deeply experienced global leader. As Vice President and General Manager of Boeing Global Services, she ran a multibillion dollar, 5000-person business located in 28 countries. In her prior roles at The Boeing Company, Peri had executive leadership responsibilities in program management, government relations, business development, communications and at corporate offices in WDC. She led Boeing businesses in Australia, Europe, North America, Asia, and the Middle East including Saudi Arabia. She was CEO of The Rotorcraft Support Center in Riyadh, a joint venture between Boeing and Saudi Arabia. Peri is also an accomplished musician, a devoted mentor to young people of diverse backgrounds and a supporter of numerous charitable organizations via her Harris Widener Family Fund.

“We established the Wayne, Luanne and Peri Widener Fund for the Study of Neurodegenerative Diseases at HudsonAlpha in 2013 to honor my father and to focus resources on early detection, leading to treatment and hopefully a cure for these rare diseases,” said Widener. “HudsonAlpha’s unique campus that provides collaboration between science, research, therapeutics, entrepreneurs and educators is just the kind of place such a breakthrough can happen. I look forward to sharing my passion and expertise by serving on the Foundation board.”

Ms. Widener is a graduate of Wichita State University and received her MBA from Seattle University. She also graduated from the Global Business Program at the Harvard Business School and has completed numerous advanced educational programs at Notre Dame, The Kellogg School, and the Defense Acquisition University. Beyond neurodegenerative research, her family focuses its philanthropy on supporting educational programs aimed at creating the next generation of women leaders. They have recently established the Widener Global Leaders Program at Wichita State University. She currently holds key roles on numerous boards for leadership organizations, nonprofits and charities including the Wichita State University Barton School of Business, the Ulrich Museum of Art, the Nashville Symphony Orchestra, and the Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee. She is Founder of the International Women’s Forum in Alabama, holds a key to the City of Huntsville and previously served on the Business Council of Alabama Board and the Huntsville Chamber of Commerce executive committee.