Six Northrop Grumman Employees Receive Honors During 2007 National Black Engineer of the Year Conference
Feb. 19, 2007 – Six Northrop Grumman employees received awards for their outstanding contributions to engineering, managerial and community service excellence at the 2007 Black Engineer of the Year Awards (BEYA) conference in Baltimore, held on Feb. 15-17.
“Northrop Grumman is very proud of the talents and accomplishments of these six employees. Their achievements are valued greatly within the company and these awards are well-deserved,” said Ian Ziskin, corporate vice president and chief human resources and administrative officer for Northrop Grumman.
Below are profiles on each of those recognized. For additional information, read the news release.
Most Promising in Industry award
Edward Daniel is a senior member of the technical staff for the company’s Space Technology sector, Redondo Beach, Calif.
Daniel currently is the Payload Systems Engineering lead for the next generation processor/router subsystem for the future Internet protocol-based Transformational Satellite Communications system, a U.S. Air Force program designed to greatly expand and improve communications capabilities for military services. Previously, he was a system engineer for the space-based IP router, and led efforts for processor subsystem integration and testing during the program’s risk reduction phase. Daniel earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree as well as doctorate in electrical engineering from Oklahoma State University.
Hugh Taylor is president of the Commercial, State and Local group at the company’s Information Technology sector, McLean, Va. Taylor was recognized for technical expertise and marketing skills in a high-level position. His efforts have helped lead Northrop Grumman to a $2-billion IT infrastructure transformation contract with the commonwealth of Virginia and win $650-million contract for IT and telecommunications services for San Diego County, Calif. Taylor earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Marist College, Poughkeepsie, N.Y. He also has completed a number of executive management, project management and leadership development courses during his more than 20-year career with Northrop Grumman.
Latesha Young is a sub-project manager for Northrop Grumman’s Space Technology sector, Redondo Beach, Calif. Young joined the company in 1999 to work in data systems operations. She is active in a number of local, state and national organizations and initiatives, including National Society of Black Engineers, Society of Women Engineers, Junior Engineers Tomorrow’s Scientists, Girls and Boys Clubs of San Pedro, Calif., and she tutors in the Bootstrap program, designed to help inner-city youth prepare for the California high school exit exam. Within Northrop Grumman, Young is a leader in the African-American Task Group and Space Technology’s Diversity Outreach Strategy Team. She earned a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from North Carolina State University.
Robert Auten is deputy manager of Avionics and Guidance, Navigation and Control at the company’s Space Technology sector, Redondo Beach, Calif. Auten has more than 29 years’ experience at Northrop Grumman’s Space Technology sector in spacecraft bus, payload and avionics system and subsystem design, analysis and development. He has held positions as design engineer and functional manager as well as deputy and program manager for some of the nation’s most critical programs, providing technical direction, management and leadership to multi-disciplinary design and development teams. Auten led conceptual design and development efforts for the avionics, flight software and guidance, navigation and control for space exploration systems and worked on the company’s proposal efforts. Previously, he was bus segment manager on a deep-space spacecraft, responsible for a work package that exceeded $1 billion. He earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Santa Clara University and a master’s degree with emphasis on digital signal processing and digital controls systems from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.
The BEYA conference recognizes women and men who are shaping the future of engineering, science and technology with its Modern-Day Technology Leaders awards. Two Northrop Grumman employees were honored with this award.
Kerron R. Duncan is an electronics engineer in the RF/Power Systems group at the company’s Electronic Systems sector, Baltimore. He is currently serving as a power systems architect for several next-generation military radar programs with emphasis on helping to develop new designs that are on the cutting edge of transmit/receive module and radar technology. He previously served as power systems integrated process team lead for a phased array radar system being developed for unmanned aerial vehicle applications. He also worked in the company’s power technology and magnetics group, focusing on power distribution analysis and modeling. Duncan joined Northrop Grumman in 2001 upon graduation from Morgan State University with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. He subsequently earned a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Morgan State University in 2003.
Grayson J. Bush is a program engineer for the company’s Information Technology sector, McLean, Va. Bush’s extensive technical background has helped Northrop Grumman make significant contributions in the areas of aeronautical, aerospace and marine platforms for the intelligence community. Bush earned bachelor’s degrees in physics and mechanical engineering from Portland State University; and a master’s degree and doctorate in mechanical engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Technical Sales and Marketing award winner Hugh Taylor (center) stands with Jim Pitts (left), Corporate Vice President and President of Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems, and James O'Neill (right), Corporate Vice President and President of Northrop Grumman Information Technology.
Northrop Grumman Black Engineer of the Year Award Archives:
Edward Daniel is a senior member of the technical staff for the company’s Space Technology sector, Redondo Beach, Calif.
Daniel currently is the Payload Systems Engineering lead for the next generation processor/router subsystem for the future Internet protocol-based Transformational Satellite Communications system, a U.S. Air Force program designed to greatly expand and improve communications capabilities for military services. Previously, he was a system engineer for the space-based IP router, and led efforts for processor subsystem integration and testing during the program’s risk reduction phase. Daniel earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree as well as doctorate in electrical engineering from Oklahoma State University.
Hugh Taylor is president of the Commercial, State and Local group at the company’s Information Technology sector, McLean, Va. Taylor was recognized for technical expertise and marketing skills in a high-level position. His efforts have helped lead Northrop Grumman to a $2-billion IT infrastructure transformation contract with the commonwealth of Virginia and win $650-million contract for IT and telecommunications services for San Diego County, Calif. Taylor earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Marist College, Poughkeepsie, N.Y. He also has completed a number of executive management, project management and leadership development courses during his more than 20-year career with Northrop Grumman.
Latesha Young is a sub-project manager for Northrop Grumman’s Space Technology sector, Redondo Beach, Calif. Young joined the company in 1999 to work in data systems operations. She is active in a number of local, state and national organizations and initiatives, including National Society of Black Engineers, Society of Women Engineers, Junior Engineers Tomorrow’s Scientists, Girls and Boys Clubs of San Pedro, Calif., and she tutors in the Bootstrap program, designed to help inner-city youth prepare for the California high school exit exam. Within Northrop Grumman, Young is a leader in the African-American Task Group and Space Technology’s Diversity Outreach Strategy Team. She earned a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from North Carolina State University.
Robert Auten is deputy manager of Avionics and Guidance, Navigation and Control at the company’s Space Technology sector, Redondo Beach, Calif. Auten has more than 29 years’ experience at Northrop Grumman’s Space Technology sector in spacecraft bus, payload and avionics system and subsystem design, analysis and development. He has held positions as design engineer and functional manager as well as deputy and program manager for some of the nation’s most critical programs, providing technical direction, management and leadership to multi-disciplinary design and development teams. Auten led conceptual design and development efforts for the avionics, flight software and guidance, navigation and control for space exploration systems and worked on the company’s proposal efforts. Previously, he was bus segment manager on a deep-space spacecraft, responsible for a work package that exceeded $1 billion. He earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Santa Clara University and a master’s degree with emphasis on digital signal processing and digital controls systems from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.
