Distinguished Engineer
Hometown: Bridgewater
Electrical Engineering ,
Jerome J. (Jerry) Gaspar joined Rockwell Collins, a communication and aircraft electronics company headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in 1967 following his graduation from South Dakota State University. He later earned an MBA from the University of Iowa in 1972. He held positions of increasing responsibility at Rockwell Collings, including Rockwell Avionics director of business development, vice president of commercial programs for Collins Air Transport Systems Division of Rockwell International and vice president to develop the Enterprise Center of Excellence for aircraft flat panel display products. In 1999, he was appointed as vice president of engineering and technology.
In 2001, Gaspar was appointed as senior vice president, engineering and technology and a corporate officer where he was responsible for Rockwell Collins’ Engineering and Technology organization, including the Advanced Technology Center, the Displays Center and Engineering Services Center. He retired from Rockwell Collins in 2004 after over 37 years of service. Gaspar was a member of the Industrial Advisory Board of Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico and was a member of the Industrial Advisory Board of Iowa State University. He served on the board of directors of Tenzing Communications, Inc. in Seattle and Flight Dynamics Corp. in Portland. He was appointed to the National Academies for Aerospace Technologies Board of Science, Technology and Economic Policy (STEP). He was a member of IEEE, the product development institute and the Product Development Management Association, and international organization which awarded Rockwell Collins its prestigious “Outstanding Corporate Innovator” award in 2002 under Gaspar’s leadership. He was also active with several local charities and volunteer organizations.