Dennis J. Picard
- Birthdate
- 1932
- Birthplace
- RI, USA
- Death date
- 2019/10/21
Biography
Dennis J. Picard, whom the IEEE Dennis J. Picard Medal for Radar Technologies and Applications was established after in 1999, performed a lifetime of work at Raytheon Company, helping to make them a leader in tactical missile systems. Former Raytheon Chairman and CEO, Dennis J. Picard passed away on October 21, 2019, at 87 years old.
Dennis Picard was born in Rhode Island in 1932, and graduated from LaSalle Academy in Providence in 1950. He then served in the U.S. Air Force during Korean war and afterwards studied at the RCA Institute in New York City. In 1955 he join Raytheon, where he would work for the rest of his life. During his first several years working there, he attended Northeastern University and graduated cum laude in 1962 with degrees in electrical engineering and management. Over the years the also gained honorary doctorates from Northeaster University, Merrimack College and Bentley College.
Picard then rose through the ranks in several engineering and management assignments, eventually being elected company vice president in 1976 and then deputy general manager of Raytheon's Equipment Division in 1982. This was responsible for military production such as large phased array radars and ballistic missile guidance electronics. In 1983 he was named general manager of the Missile Systems Division. Soon after, in 1985 he was elected as a senior vice president of Raytheon. In 1989 he was elected a member of the board of directors and in 1991 he became chairman and CEO of the company. He retired as CEO in 1998 and as chairman of the board in 1999. When he retired, he was honored by the board of directors with the title of Chairman Emeritus.
Organizations:
- Director of State Street Boston Corporation
- Member of the National Academy of Engineering
- President and an Honorary Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
- Life Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers
Honors and Awards:
- 1997, Navy League of the United States honored with the Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz Award “for outstanding contributions to the United States’ Maritime Strength”
- Honored by the Intrepid Museum Foundation with the Intrepid Salute Award for his “support of the men and women of America’s armed forces.”
- Awarded the John R. Alison Award from the U.S. Air Force Association
- Awarded the John W. Dixon medal by the Association of the U.S. Army
- Named “New Englander of the Year” by the New England Council
- Received the Ralph Lowell Distinguished Citizen Award from the Boston Minuteman Council, Boy Scouts of America
- 1998, received the Industrial Leadership Award from the National Defense Industrial Association
- Recipient of the Semper Fidelis Award of the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation
- Awarded the Rear Admiral John J. Bergen Leadership Medal for Industry from the Navy League-New York Council
Further Reading
