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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:

KENNETH W. RANDLE RETIRED AS AN ENGINEERING MANAGER FROM SPERRY CORP., NOW UNISYS CORP., ON DECEMBER 1, 1986, AFTER OVER 30 YEARS OF SERVICE. HE PREVIOUSLY WORKED FOR DOUGLAS AIRCRAFT CO. FOR 7 1/2 YEARS AS A STRUCTURES DESIGN ENGINEER ON SEVERAL U.S. NAVY AIRCRAFT. HE SERVED IN THE U.S. NAVY FROM DECEMBER 1942 TO FEBRUARY 1946.

HE RECEIVED A B.S. DEGREE IN AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN IN 1949, AND A MASTERS IN ENGINEERING ADMINISTRATION 20 YEARS LATER FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH IN 1969.

HIS FIRST ASSIGNMENT WITH SPERRY IN JULY 1956 WAS TO WORK AT THE JET PROPULSION LABORATORY ON THE AIRFRAME DESIGN OF THE SERGEANT MISSILE. AFTER MOVING TO SALT LAKE CITY THE NEXT YEAR, HE WAS IN CHARGE OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION OF THE SERGEANT MISSILE AIRFRAME AND LATER ALL OF THE SERGEANT MISSILE GROUND EQUIPMENT. IN JULY 1966, HE RETURNED TO JPL TO BOTH MANAGE A SUBCONTRACT OF 23 ENGINEERS AND PERFORM A TECHNICAL ASSIGNMENT ON THE FUTURE PROJECTS STUDY TEAM. THE TEAM PERFORMED SIX MONTHS FEASIBILITY STUDIES FOR NASA ON THE VENUS-MERCURY MISSION, A VENUS LANDER, A JUPITER SOLAR ELECTRIC SPACECRAFT MISSION AND A GRAND TOUR MISSION (LATER CALLED VOYAGER). AFTER THE TWO YEAR ASSIGNMENT AT JPL, KEN RETURNED TO SALT LAKE CITY TO BE ENGINEERING MANAGER OF THE SHRIKE MISSILE SYSTEM. UPON COMPLETION OF THE SHRIKE CONTRACT, HE PERFORMED VARIOUS MANAGERIAL ASSIGNMENTS.

KEN IS AN ASSOCIATE FELLOW OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF AERONAUTICS AND ASTRONAUTICS (AIAA). HE WAS CHAIRMAN OF THE UTAH SECTION OF AIAA (1972-73), CHAIRMAN OF UTAH SECTION SPACE WEEK ACTIVITIES (1972-76), UTAH ENGINEERS COUNCIL (UEC) CHAIRMAN (1974-75). HE RECEIVED OUTSTANDIN6 SERVICE AWARDS FROM BOTH THE UTAH SECTION OF AIAA AND THE UTAH ENGINEERS COUNCIL.

SINCE 1972, HE HAS WORKED WITH THE GOVERNORS AND CONGRESS TO HAVE THE PERIOD, JULY 16-24, THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE APOLLO 11 MISSION TO THE MOON, DECLARED AS UNITED STATES SPACE OBSERVANCE. ALSO INCLUDED IS JULY 20TH, SPACE EXPLORATION DAY, THE DATE THAT APOLLO 11 LANDED ON THE MOON IN 1969, AND THE DATE THAT THE FIRST VIKING LANDED ON MARS IN 1976. FROM 1981 THROUGH 1989, AN UNPRECEDENTED MILESTONE WAS REACHED BY OBTAINING THE UNANIMOUS SUPPORT OF ALL 50 STATE GOVERNORS PLUS THE GOVERNOR OF PUERTO RICO FOR EIGHT OUT OF NINE YEARS IN THE FORM OF PROCLAMATIONS, DECLARATIONS, OR STATEMENTS OF SUPPORT. EIGHT PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATIONS HAVE BEEN ISSUED SINCE 1974, BY THE LAST SIX PRESIDENTS. IN 1984, THE FIFTEENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE APOLLO 11 LANDING ON THE MOON, KEN WA S INVITED TO THE WHITE HOUSE TO A RECEPTION FOR ALL APOLLO ASTRONAUTS, LISTENED TO PRESIDENT REAGAN SPEAK ON THE FUTURE OF THE SPACE PROGRAM, AND THEN WATCHED AS HE SIGNED THE SPACE EXPLORATION DAY PROCLAMATION WHICH KEN HAD HELPED GET THROUGH CONGRESS WITH THE SUPPORT OF SENATOR JAKE GARN AND REPRESENTATIVE DANIEL AKAKA. HE ALSO OBTAINED AN INVITATION FOR JOHN McLUCAS, AIAA PRESIDENT TO ATTEND.

KEN WAS APPOINTED TO THE AIAA NATIONAL MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE IN MARCH 1973 FOR TWO YEARS. HE WAS THEN APPOINTED TO THE NEW CAREER ENHANCEMENT COMMITTEE FOR WHICH HE SERVED FROM 1975-1987. THE LAST THREE YEARS, HE SERVED AS CHAIRMAN OF THE PROFESSIONAL ETHICS SUBCOMMITTEE. KEN WAS A CORPORATE REPRESENTATIVE TO AIAA FOR SPERRY FROM 1975 UNTIL HE RETIRED. IN JANUARY 1977, KEN RECEIVED THE 1976 NATIONAL AIAA DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD, WHICH IS GRANTED TO ONE PERSON OUT OF THE 35,000 MEMBERS EACH YEAR.