Distinguished Engineering Alumni
The title of Distinguished Engineering Alumni was first given in the Spring of 1964 for the purpose of recognizing special accomplishments by College of Engineering alumni. Each year, the College recognizes those men and women engineers whose achievements are truly outstanding. Listed below are School of Aeronautics and Astronautics alumni recipients.
| 2022 |
Mark S. Geyer, BSAAE 1982, MSAAE 1984 Director, Johnson Space Center, NASA |
| 2022 |
David D. Thompson, MSAAE 1989 Vice Chief of Space Operations, U.S. Space Force |
| 2021 |
Ernest U. Gambaro, BSAAE '60, MSAAE '61 Business Finance and Management Consultant, Member of Board of Directors, Master of Sacred Theology Wireless, Government Systems, Inc., Networks Telephony Corp. |
| 2021 |
Tanya M. Skeen, BSAAE '90 Executive Director, F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office, U.S. Department of Defense |
| 2020 |
W. Ted Torgerson, BSAAE '83 Senior Director Program Integration Office, U.S. Air Force Advanced Pilot Training Program, Strike, Surveillance and Mobility, Boeing Defense, Space & Security, The Boeing Company |
| 2019 |
Timothy S. Cahill, BSAAE '87, MSAAE '88 Vice President, Air and Missile Defense Systems, Lockheed Martin |
| 2019 |
Kenneth B. Sanger, BSAAE '81, MSAEE '83 Vice President and General Manager, Commercial Airplane Development (Retired), The Boeing Company |
| 2018 |
Thomas J. Beutner, BSAAE '87 Deputy Director, Tactical Technology Office, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), United States Department of Defense |
| 2018 |
Michael P. Moses, MSAAE '95 President, Virgin Galactic |
| 2017 |
Amy Hess, BSAAE '89 Special Agent in Charge, Louisville Field Office, FBI |
| 2016 |
C. Douglas Ebersole, BSAAE '82 Executive Director, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base |
| 2016 |
Wayne S. Tygert, BSAAE '85 787-10 Chief Project Engineer, Boeing Commercial Airplanes |
| 2015 |
Raymond R. Cosner, BSAAE '72; MSAAE '72 Senior Technical Fellow, Director of Technology, Boeing Company |
| 2015 |
Anthony L. Thornton, Ph.D. '92 Deputy VP for Technology & Programs, Sandia National Laboratories |
| 2014 |
Andrea M. Chavez, BSAAE '88 Director, National Defense Operations and Planning, Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation |
| 2014 |
Jim Miller, BSAAE '86 Vice President of Worldwide Operations, Google Inc. |
| 2013 |
Mark A. Burgess, BSAAE '78, MSAA '79, MSIA '82 Engineering Operations and Technology, The Boeing Company |
| 2013 |
Richard Byram Rivir, BSAE '60 Senior Scientist, Aircraft Propulsion, Aerospace Systems Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory |
| 2012 |
Douglas L. Bowers, BSAAE '72, Director, Propulsion Directorate,U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory |
| 2012 |
Janice E. Voss, BS Engineering Science'75, Payloads Lead, Astronaut Office, NASA Johnson Space Center |
| 2012 |
Dennis E. Warner, BSAAE'73, President and CEO, Aero Engine Controls North America |
| 2011 |
Thomas L. Maxwell, BSAAE '69, General Manager, Military Propulsion Engineering, GE Aviation |
| 2011 |
Gary E. Payton, BSAAE '72, Former Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force and Astronaut |
| 2010 |
Darryl W. Davis, BSAAE '78, President, Phantom Works, Boeing Defense, Space and Security |
| 2009 |
Michael H. Campbell, BSAAE '83, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Fair Isaac Corporation |
| 2008 |
Michael J. Cave, BSE '82, Senior Vice President, Business Development and Strategy, The Boeing Company |
| 2008 |
Debra Haley, BSAAE '78, Special Assistant to the Commander (Ret.), Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base |
| 2007 |
William H. Gerstenmaier, BSAAE '77, Associate Administrator for Space Operations, NASA |
| 2006 |
Dr. Allen Novick, B.S.A.E '65, M.S.A.E '67, Ph.D. '72 Vice President Marketing Intelligence & Support. Rolls Royce Corp. |
| 2005 |
Dr. Paul Bevilaqua, M.S.A.A.E '68, PhD.'73 Chief Engineer, Advanced Development Projects. Lockheed Martin Skunk Works |
| 2004 |
Dr. Christopher Whipple, B.S.E.S '70 Principal with Environ International |
| 2004 |
Hank Queen, B.S.A.E. '74 Vice-President of Engineering-Product Integrity, Boeing Commercial Airplane Group |
| 2003 |
Maj. Gen. John L. Hudson, M.S.A.A. '74 JSF Program Director, USAF |
| 2002 |
Mark K. Craig, B.S.A.E. '71 Acting Director, Stennis Space Center |
| 2001 |
Kenneth G. Miller, B.S.A.E. '66 Vice President, Air Force Programs Anteon Corp. |
| 2000 |
Michael T. Kennedy, B.S.A.E. '70 Vice President, EELV/Delta IV Program, The Boeing Company |
| 1998 |
Roy D. Bridges, Jr., B.S.A.E. '66 Director, NASA Kennedy Space Center |
| 1997 |
William J. O’Neil, B.S.A.E. ’61 Manager, Project Galileo, Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
| 1996 |
Robert L. Strickler, B.S.A.E. ’60, M.S.A.E.S. ’62, Ph.D. ’68 President and General Manager of TRW Environmental Safety Systems |
| 1995 |
James P. Noblitt, B.S.A.E. ’57 Vice President and General Manager, Missiles and Space Division |
| 1994 |
Lana M. Couch, B.S.A.E. ’63 Director, National Aero-Space Plane Office, NASA Langley Research Center |
| 1993 |
David O. Swain, B.S.A.E. ’64 Senior Vice President, McDonnell Douglas Aerospace |
| 1992 |
William C. Kessler, B.S.A.E. ’64, M.S.A.E. ’65 Director, Manufacturing Technology Directorate, Wright Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base |
| 1991 |
William W. Brant, B.S.A.E. ’66, M.S.E. ’56 Vice President and General Manager, Strategic Operations, Thiokol Corporation |
| 1990 |
Hsichun Hua, M.S.A.E. ’65, Ph.D. ’68 Executive Vice President and General Manager, Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology |
| 1989 |
John B. Hayhurst, B.S.A.E. ’69 Vice President, Marketing, Boeing Commercial Airplanes |
| 1988 |
Ronald L. Kerber, B.S.E.S. ’65 Vice President of Advanced Systems and Technology for McDonnell Douglas Corporation |
| 1986 |
Garner W. Miller, B.S.A.E. ’50 Senior Vice President for Maintenance and Engineering, USAir |
| 1984 |
R.E. "Jeff" Kasler, B.S.A.E. ’46 Chairman of the Board, Kasler Corporation |
| 1983 |
Arthur B. Greenberg, B.S.M.E. ’50, B.S.A.E. ’50, M.S.A.E. ’52, Ph.D. ’55 Vice President and General Manager of Government Support Operations, Programs Group, Aerospace Corporation |
| 1982 |
Bruce A. Reese, M.S.M.E. ’48, Ph.D. ’53 Chief Scientist, Arnold Engineering Development Center |
| 1982 |
Robert D. Hostetler, B.S.E.S. ’64, M.S.I.A. ’65 President and Chief Executive Officer, CTS Corporation |
| 1981 |
Richard H. Petersen, B.S.A.E. ’56 Deputy Director, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Langley Research Center |
| 1980 |
Paul T. Homsher, B.S.A.E. ’45 Vice President, F-15 Saudi Arabian Operations, McDonell Aircraft Company |
| 1979 |
James D. Raisbeck, B.S.A.E. ’61 President, The Raisbeck Group |
| 1978 |
Martin W. Taylor, B.S.ATR. ’48 Vice President, Maintenance, Continental Airlines |
| 1978 |
Wendell S. Norman, M.S.A.E. ’58 Director, von Karman Gas Dynamic Facility, ARO Incorporated, AEDC Division |
| 1977 |
Jack D. Daugherty, M.S.E.Sc. ’62, Ph.D. ’66 Vice President of AVCO-Everett Research Laboratory, Inc. |
| 1976 |
Richard M. Patrick, B.S.A.E. ’50, M.S.A.E. ’52 Vice President, AVCO-Everett Research Laboratory, Inc. |
| 1974 |
John I. Nestel, B.S.M.E.-B.S.A.E. ’47 President, Consolidated Airborne Systems |
| 1974 |
Robert E. Bateman, B.S.A.E. ’46 Vice President - Washington Operations, The Boeing Company |
| 1973 |
Richard D. Freeman, B.S.ATR. ’50 Vice President, Business Development, Autonetics Division, North American Rockwell Corporation |
| 1973 |
William E. Cooper, Ph.D. ’51 Vice President and Technical Director, Teledyne Materials Research |
| 1971 |
Walter D. Smith, B.S.A.E. ’43 General Manager, Space Re-Entry Systems Department, Re-Entry and Environmental Systems Division, General Electric Company |
| 1970 |
Leonard M. Rose, B.S.A.E. ’43 Vice President-Research and Engineering, Columbus (Ohio) Division, North American Rockwell Corporation |
| 1970 |
Alvin L. Boyd, B.S.ATR. ’48 Divisional Vice President-Fiscal Management, McDonnell Douglas Corporation |
| 1968 |
Lester W. Smith, B.S.A.E. ’48, M.S.E. ’50, Ph.D. ’52 General Manager, Ross Engineering Division, Midland-Ross Corporation |
| 1968 |
Richard L. Duncan, B.S.E.E. ’37, M.S.A.E. ’48, Ph.D. ’50 Manager, Advanced Planning, Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Division, United Aircraft Corporation |
| 1967 |
Alfred F. Schmitt, B.S.A.E. ’48, M.S.A.E. ’49, Ph.D. ’53 Director of Aerospace Digital Computers, General Precision Corporation |
| 1967 |
Neil A. Armstrong, B.S.A.E. ’55 NASA Astronaut |
| 1966 |
Walter J. Hesse, B.S.M.E. ’44, M.S.M.E. ’48, Ph.D. ’51 Vice President and Program Director, V-STOL Program, Vought Aeronautics Division, Ling-Tempco-Vought Aerospace Corporation |
| 1965 |
Walker M. Mahurin, B.S.A.E. ’49 Colonel, USAF Retired, Assistant Division Director, Advanced Programs Development, Space and Information Division, North American Aviation Corporation |