Donald Walker and Dr.
Wanda Austin Named to Key
Executive Posts at The Aerospace Corporation
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (9/29/03) -- Dr. William F. Ballhaus Jr., president and CEO of The Aerospace Corporation, announced today that Donald R. Walker has been promoted to senior vice president of the Systems Planning and Engineering organization effective January 1, 2004, and Dr. Wanda M. Austin has been appointed senior vice president of the National Systems Group in Chantilly, Va., effective April 1, 2004.
Walker, now vice president of the National Space Systems Engineering organization, will replace Dr. Rodney C. Gibson who is retiring from the company on December 31. Austin, currently senior vice president of the Engineering and Technology Group, will replace Jon H. Bryson, who will retire on July 1, 2004.
"I am very pleased to announce the appointments of Don Walker and Wanda Austin to these key executive positions," said Dr. Ballhaus. "The depth and breadth of their experience and expertise make them exceptionally well suited to provide our customers with the critical skills and resources to support their mission and advance our national-security space program."
Walker joined Aerospace in September 2002 and has been providing strategic support to senior-level Department of Defense customers in the development of an integrated national-security space capability. He will direct Systems Planning and Engineering operations from the company's Rosslyn, Va., office.
Walker has more than 35 years of top-level leadership experience in the acquisition, development, integration, and operation of national-security space systems. He retired from the Air Force in 1995 at the rank of brigadier general after gaining extensive leadership experience in numerous space assignments. Between 1995 and 2002 Walker held several senior industry positions, including president and CEO of Veritect, a computer security company focused on the commercial network-security market, and chief information officer of United Services Automobile Association (USAA). He formed ITCO (Information Technology Company), a wholly owned subsidiary of USAA, and served as the company's president and CEO. He was an independent consultant to the government on intelligence and defense space systems immediately before joining Aerospace.
Austin, who has been with Aerospace since 1979, is internationally recognized for her work in systems engineering and satellite architecture, acquisition, development, and orbital operations. She has been senior VP of the Engineering and Technology Group, which comprises a staff of 1,000 engineers and scientists working in a wide range of space-related disciplines, since June 2001. Before that she was general manager of the Military Satellite Communications (MILSATCOM) Division where she was responsible for systems engineering support to the Air Force for multiple satellite communications systems and programs, including the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (EHF), Defense Satellite
Communications System (DSCS), Wideband Gapfiller, and Milstar programs.
Austin is a member of the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Advisory Committee for Commercial and Remote Sensing. She is a fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Among her awards are the National Reconnaissance Office Gold Medal and the Air Force Scroll of Achievement.
Systems Planning and Engineering, which Walker is to head, promotes efficient use of corporate and government resources through horizontal, or cross-program, integrated planning and engineering. It comprises the company's Missile Defense Division, Colorado Operations, Office of the Chief Architect/Engineer, National Space Systems Engineering, Integrated System Architecture Office, and Strategic Awareness and Policy organizations.
The National Systems Group, which Austin will direct, supports the national-security space community in the acquisition, launch and orbital operation of advanced technology space systems and their ground data stations. Divisions include Advanced Technology, Electronics Programs, Imagery Programs, and Planning and Communications.
In commending Bryson and Gibson for their work Ballhaus said, "These key members of our executive team have been central to important advances made at the company over the last decade ? Jon Bryson in increasing the value we provide to our national-security customers and Dr. Rod Gibson in enhancing the effectiveness of our systems planning and engineering capability. We wish them the best and thank them for their many significant contributions to the national-security space program." Bryson has agreed to serve as Senior VP for Special Studies until midyear. In this capacity, he will report to the CEO on issues of strategic planning.
Bryson has been with Aerospace since 1992. He joined the company after a distinguished career in the Air Force. He has headed the National Systems Group since 1995. Gibson joined Aerospace in 1971 as a member of the technical staff. He has been at the helm of Systems Planning and Engineering since 1997. His most significant accomplishments include establishing the framework for more extensive and valued engineering support to national-security space customers, particularly in Northern Virginia and
Colorado Springs; establishing a "horizontal" systems planning and engineering capability that cuts across programs and organizations; and advancing the company's leadership role in systems engineering and integration in emerging military space and missile defense programs.
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| Dr. Wanda M. Austin | Donald R. Walker | Jon H. Bryson | Dr. Rodney C. Gibson |
Contact George Torres, 310-336-3467, george.j.torres@aero.org
