In the profile of Patricia Davis, AeroAstro’s executive vice president and general manager for space, [June 19, page 22] I was described as living away from the company, involved in teaching at Brown University and leaving management of the company to Patricia. In fact, I do not live in Boston, but I am an adjunct professor at Brown and Patricia does manage AeroAstro day-to-day — but as part of a team of upper managers which I actively (some might say over-actively) lead.
The confusion over my role does reflect a truth about AeroAstro. Our corporate mission is to create simpler, more reliable, quicker and lower-cost space solutions. We take on many roles to catalyze change, to improve how space technology serves its users and to expand that user base.
Teaching is an important element of effecting change in our field. Many of us are working with universities and teaching at government institutions, at companies, at the high-school level and with even younger people. Working with a broad range of users, ranging from commercial companies and universities to large U.S. government space organizations, is also a part of our corporate approach to being a leader in a changing space landscape.
That diversity is accommodated through our management, which incorporates a diverse group of individuals, including Patricia and me.
AeroAstro has played a unique role in space since its foundation in 1988, and may have been sometimes misunderstood, but has never wavered from our commitment to doing space better. We appreciate the opportunity to communicate our mission to the space community and to work cooperatively with companies, educational institutions and the U.S. government in achieving needed change to improve space technology’s service to our society.
Rick Fleeter
President and CEO, AeroAstro
Reston, Va.
