The James Ashton Professorship in Engineering honors alumnus James E. Ashton, who received a BS in Civil Engineering from the UI in 1964 and went on to pursue advanced degrees from Harvard and MIT, earning a reputation as an expert in composite materials.
He joined General Dynamics Corporation in 1967 as a Senior Engineer in technical and operations management. From 1975 to 1980, Dr. Ashton directed the General Dynamics team of 8,000 personnel and several international manufacturing subcontractors that produced the F-16 fighter plane. After 15 years with the company, he had earned a reputation as a hands-on manager who could mobilize a complex work force to get things done. In 1982, however, Dr. Ashton was dismissed from his position as Vice President of Engineering for the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics when he refused to allow the waste and mismanagement he discovered in the production of the Trident submarine and 688-Class attack submarine to continue.
Dr. Ashton went on to serve as President of Space Services, Inc., of America, which introduced the first private launch vehicle; Vice President and General Manager of Rockwell International's Tulsa facility; President of Healthdyne, Inc.; Chairman of Lanson Industries; and Vice President and General Manager of the Downhole Sensors Division of Schlumberger Well Services, where he did pioneering work in the management of job system shops; Vice President and General Manager of the Naval Systems Division of FMC Corporation; CEO of Fiberite, Inc.; and Chairman and CEO of Precision Partners.
College of Engineering recipient: Jun Wang