Nathaniel Zelazo (Kachorek)
Executive, engineer
Born Sept. 28, 1918, Lomza, Poland; came to U.S., 1928; son of Morris and Ida (Kachorek); married Helene (Fishbein-Ret); children: Ronald, Annette.
Education: Bachelor of Science (B.S.), City College of New York (CCNY), 1940, Columbia University, 1940-42, 1952-55, New York City; Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (M.S.M.E.), 1957, Ph.D. (honorary), 1959, University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Career: aero inspector, United States Army Air Force (USAAF), Waterbury (CT), 1940-41; designer, Evans Radar Laboratories, U.S. Army, Ft. Monmouth (NJ), 1941-42; design engineer, BuShips, BuAir, Exos, United States Navy (USN), Washington (DC), 1942-52; vice president, Ketay Division, United Technologies, New York City, 1952-55; research & development director, Avionics Division, J. Oster Corporation, Racine (WI), 1955-59; president, 1959-84, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), 1984 -, Astronautics Corporation of America, Milwaukee (WI); board chairman, Kearfott Guidance & Navigation, Wayne (NJ), 1988 -.
Author: designer, Radar and Aircraft Fire Control Systems, Department of Defense, 1942-50; designer, cruise control and space applications, meteorological satellites, inertial systems for X-15, preorbital astronomical observatory, flight control systems, 1959 -.
Member of: director, Navy League of the U.S., Metro Milwaukee Association of Commerce, and American Friends of Hebrew University; associate fellow, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics; senior member, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE); National Society of Professional Engineers; American Society of Naval Engineers; American Helicopter Society; Air Force Association; Engineers & Scientists of Milwaukee; Wisconsin Society of Professional Engineers; Physics Club of Milwaukee; University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Foundation; president's executive senate, and engineering advisory board, Michigan University; Medical College of Wisconsin Advisory Board for Health Policy Institute; Greater Milwaukee Committee; Milwaukee Yacht Club; Wisconsin Club.
Honors: Tau Beta Pi; Small Businessman of the Year, Small Business Administration, 1966; Billy Mitchell Memorial Award, Air Force Association, 1977; Employer of the Year, Department of Defense, and A. Einstein Award, American Technicon Society, 1982; Engineer of the Year, Engineers & Scientists of Milwaukee, and Centennial Medal, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), 1984; Distinguished Service award, University of Wisconsin, 1985; High Technical Exporter of the Year, Wisconsin Department of Development, and Entrepreneur of the Year, Arthur Young, Inc. Magazine, 1989; honoree, National Conference of Christians and Jews, 1990; Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year, Redlin Browne & Company, 1990; Governor's New Product award, State of Wisconsin Society of Professional Engineers, 1993.
Affiliation: Independent. Jewish.
Languages: English, German, French.
Hobbies: sailing, skiing, music.
From: "Who's Who in Polish America" 1st Edition 1996-1997, Boleslaw Wierzbianski editor; Bicentennial Publishing Corporation, New York, NY, 1996.