Dr. Jose Antonio Zaglul Slon, a distinguished educator and current president of EARTH University has been elected to the Board of Directors of Ad Astra Rocket Company. The unanimous vote was cast Friday, April 5, 2013, at the Ad Astra corporate headquarters in Houston, Texas during the board’s second meeting of 2013. Dr. Zaglul, a citizen of Costa Rica, becomes the 7th member of the Ad Astra board and the first outside “non-aerospace” director to join the top leadership of the company, highlighting its diversification . His term begins immediately and he will stand for re-election at the company’s annual shareholders meeting in November. All Ad Astra board members are elected annually.
An outstanding manager and recognized international figure in sustainable development, Dr. Zaglul has led Earth University in Costa Rica since its inception in 1989 and has been the primarily force behind the institution’s extraordinary 24-year record of academic excellence and accomplishment. Dr. Zaglul’s visionary leadership and innovative approach have been essential in the implementation of the university’s successful worldwide capital raising program.
“Dr. Zaglul brings a fresh and new perspective to our board and to our company as we continue to develop Ad Astra’s full potential, not just in space but also on Earth,” said Dr. Franklin Chang Diaz, Ad Astra’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “We look to his proven leadership and management record to help us make the important decisions that will be required to stay true to our values and achieve a measured and well-balanced growth for the company,” he added.
Born and raised in Costa Rica to parents of Lebanese descent, Dr. Zaglul received a Master’s degree in animal science from the American University of Beirut in 1973 and Master’s and PhD degrees in food science and human nutrition from the University of Florida. He is a member of major international organizations focusing on education and sustainable development. Fluent in Spanish, English and Arabic, he travels extensively around the world and has received an array of honors in his distinguished career, including Honorary Doctor of Public Service degree, Chatham University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (2010) and Honorary Doctor, National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine (2011).
ABOUT AD ASTRA
Established in 2005, Ad Astra Rocket Company is the developer of the VASIMR(R) engine, an advanced plasma space propulsion system aimed at the emerging in-space transportation market. Ad Astra also owns and operates Ad Astra Servicios Energeticos y Ambientales (AASEA) and Ad Astra Rocket Company, Costa Rica, respectively supporting research and development subsidiaries in the US and Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Through its subsidiaries, the company also develops earthbound high technology applications in renewable energy, advanced manufacturing and applied physics. Ad Astra has its main laboratory and corporate headquarters at 141 W. Bay Area Boulevard in Webster, Texas, USA, about two miles from the NASA Johnson Space Center.
Ad Astra Rocket Company 141 West Bay Area Blvd. Webster, TX 77598 Telephones: USA: 281-526-0500 (voice) 281-526-0599 (fax) Costa Rica: 506-2666-9272 (voice) European Office: 0049-6192-902591, Frankfurt, Germany. www.adastrarocket.com
