United Launch Alliance CEO Tory Bruno resigns

By Joey Roulette

Dec 22 (Reuters) - Tory Bruno has resigned as United Launch Alliance's CEO after leading the Boeing BA.N and Lockheed Martin-owned LMT.N rocket maker for nearly 12 years, the company said on Monday, adding an interim CEO will take Bruno's place.

Bruno, a longtime Lockheed executive who has led an array of U.S. weapons programs, became ULA CEO in 2014 as Elon Musk's SpaceX began to challenge the company's long-held grip on government rocket launch programs.

He departed the company "for a new opportunity," ULA said.

ULA directly competes with Musk's SpaceX in the launch business, and the two companies loft a majority of U.S. government satellites into orbit.