Early Life and Education
H. Lawrence "Larry" Culp Jr. was born in March 1963, in the Washington, D.C. area. His father owned a small welding business, which instilled in Culp an early appreciation for operational efficiency. He graduated from Washington College with a Bachelor of Arts degree, where his interest in business and management began to take shape. Determined to broaden his expertise, Culp pursued an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Rise to Success
Culp's career began in 1990 at Danaher Corporation, where he became President of Veeder-Root in 1993. He advanced to Group Executive and Corporate Officer in 1995. He was named Executive Vice President in 1999, Chief Operating Officer in 2001, and then President and CEO of Danaher Corporation the same year. During his tenure, Danaher increased its revenues and market capitalization five-fold.
Taking the Helm at General Electric
He joined the GE board of directors in April 2018 and became CEO of General Electric in October 2018. He was the first outsider to lead the company in its 126-year history. Under his leadership, GE underwent significant transformation, including reducing over $100 billion in debt, improving profit, and restructuring the company into three separate public companies: GE HealthCare, GE Vernova, and GE Aerospace.
Key Business Strategies
Culp is known for his focus on lean management, customer value, and operational excellence. He has emphasized improvements in safety, quality, delivery, and cost.
Philanthropy
In 2023, the Culp Family Foundation, led by Larry Culp, supported various initiatives across Maryland, Massachusetts, and Virginia. In May 2024, under Culp's leadership, GE Aerospace launched the GE Aerospace Foundation with over $24 million in commitments, focusing on expanding the Next Engineers program to increase diversity in engineering fields.