|
![]() National Aeronautics and Space Administration |
Lyndon
B. Johnson Space Center Houston, Texas 77058 |
NAME:
William A. Anders (Major General, USAF Reserve, Ret.)
NASA Astronaut (former)
PERSONAL DATA: Born October 17, 1933, in Hong Kong. Married to the former Valerie E. Hoard of Lemon Grove, California. Four sons, two daughters. Recreational interests include fishing, flying, and cross-country skiing. He also serves on several corporate boards.
EDUCATION: Received a bachelor of science degree from the United States Naval Academy in 1955 and a master of science degree in Nuclear Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, in 1962. Completed the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program in 1979.
ORGANIZATIONS: Member of the Tau Beta Pi National Engineering Honor Society, American Nuclear Society, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Society of Experimental Test Pilots, and the National Academy of Engineering.
AWARDS AND DECORATIONS: Distinguished Service Medals from the Air Force, NASA and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission; Air Force Commendation Medal; National Geographic Society's Hubbard Medal for Exploration; Collier, Harmon, Goddard and White Trophies; and the American Astronautical Society's Flight Achievement Award. He has been awarded several honorary doctoral degrees. He holds several world flight records, and received the American Defense Preparedness Association's first Industry Leadership Award in May 1993.
EXPERIENCE: Anders was commissioned in the air Force
after graduation from the Naval Academy and served as a fighter pilot in all-weather
interception squadrons of the Air Defense Command and later was responsible
for technical management of nuclear power reactor shielding and radiation effects
programs while at the Air Force Weapons Laboratory in New Mexico.
In 1964, Anders was selected by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
as an astronaut with responsibilities for dosimetry, radiation effects and environmental
controls. He was backup pilot for the Gemini XI, Apollo 11 flights, and was
lunar module pilot for Apollo 8 -- the first lunar orbit mission in December
1968. He has logged more than 6,000 hours flying time.
From June 1969 to 1973 he served as Executive Secretary for the National Aeronautics
and Space Council, which was responsible to the President, Vice President and
Cabinet-level members of the Council for developing policy options concerning
research, development, operations and planning of aeronautical and space systems.
On August 6, 1973, Anders was appointed to the five-member Atomic Energy Commission
where he was lead commissioner for all nuclear and non-nuclear power R&D.
He was also named as U. S. Chairman of the joint US/USSR technology exchange
program for nuclear fission and fusion power.
Following the reorganization of national nuclear regulatory and developmental
activities on January 19, 1975, Anders was named by President Ford to become
the first Chairman of the newly established Nuclear Regulatory Commission responsible
for nuclear safety and environmental compatibility. At the completion of his
term as NRC Chairman, Anders was appointed United States Ambassador to Norway
and held that position until 1977.
Anders left the federal government after 26 years of service and after briefly
serving as a Fellow of the American Enterprise Institute he joined the General
Electric Company in September 1977 as Vice President and General Manager of
the Nuclear Products Division in San Jose, California. In this position he was
responsible for the manufacture of nuclear fuel, reactor internal equipment,
and control and instrumentation for GE boiling water reactors at facilities
located in San Jose and Wilmington, North Carolina. In addition, he had responsibility
for the GE partnership arrangement with Chicago Bridge and Iron for the manufacture
of large steel pressure vessels in Memphis, Tennessee. In August 1979, Anders
was placed on special assignment to attend the Harvard Business School's Advanced
Management Program.
On January 1, 1980, Anders was appointed General Manager of the General Electric
Aircraft Equipment Division with headquarters in Utica, New York. With more
than 8500 employees in five plant locations in the Northeastern U.S., the Aircraft
Equipment Division products include aircraft flight and weapon control systems,
cockpit instruments, aircraft electrical generating systems, airborne radars
and data processing systems, electronic countermeasures, space command systems,
and aircraft/surface multi-barrel armament systems. In 1984, he left GE to join
Textron as Executive Vice President-Aerospace, moving to Senior Executive Vice
President-Operations in 1986. He was also a consultant to the Office of Science
and Technology Policy and was a member of the Defense Science Board & the
NASA Advisory Council, and is a retired Major General in the USAF Reserve.
Mr. Anders was made Vice Chairman of the General Dynamic Corporation for 1990
and was made Chairman & Chief Executive Office January 1, 1991. In 1993
he retired as an employee of the corporation but remained Chairman of the Board
until May of 1994 when he fully retired from company service.
DECEMBER 1994
This is the only version available from NASA. Updates must be sought from the above named individual.