“I feel fortunate that I had such inspirational role models as I grew up and was able to witness the monumental advances made in aerospace over those years, especially July 20, 1969. The combination of these things led to my dream of being a part of the aerospace Industry. I also feel fortunate that I was led to Purdue University where that dream was solidified into action and gave me the technical foundation I needed to add to skills I received from my parents and brothers.”
William "Ted" Torgerson is director/program manager of Special Programs in the Boeing Company's Phantom Works division. In this role, his assignments include Portfolio and Program Management. He is a strong leader with demonstrated performance in the integration of large, complex military aircraft systems. He has built and led diverse teams from multiple Boeing sites and across many organizations and companies.
Prior to that assignment, Torgerson was the Director of Air Vehicle Development on the Navy UCAS X-45N and on the Joint Unmanned Combat Air System X-45C, now Phantom Ray. He has more than 29 years of management, supplier management and engineering experience in propulsion and signature reduction technology development and integration, system engineering, and in developing prototype vehicles including the X-45A and X-45C. During his assignment on the X-45A program, leading the air vehicle system engineering, integration and test Integrated Product Team, the air vehicle development team was awarded the AIAA 2003 Aircraft Design Award. He was involved in Boeing's tactical unmanned vehicle efforts from 1995 through 2007. He lead the early NASA Langley Unmanned Combat Air vehicle study that assessed key missions for UCAV's and the technologies needed to realize them.
He started his career in 1983 working propulsion Internal and Contracted Research and Development projects, moving on to several proprietary programs. He then worked the ASTOVL/CTOL program in the areas of signature integration and propulsion integration.
Torgerson holds a bachelor's degree from Purdue's School of Aeronautics and Astronautics (1983). He also holds a master's degree in engineering management from The Washington University in St. Louis (1991). He is on the Industrial Advisory Board for AAE.