Jacques Gansler Explained

Jacques Singleton "Jack" Gansler (November 21, 1934 – December 4, 2018) was an aerospace electronics engineer, defense contracting executive and public policy expert. He served as Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics from November 1997 to January 2001.^[1]

Early life and education

Gansler was born in Newark, New Jersey in 1934, the son of Doris (Eisner) and Fred H. Gansler.^[2] He earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Yale University in 1956 and an M.S. degree in electrical engineering from Northeastern University in 1959. Gansler later received an M.A. degree in political economy from The New School for Social Research in 1972 and a Ph.D. degree in economics from American University in 1978.^[3] His doctoral thesis was entitled The diminishing economic and strategic viability of the U.S. defense industrial base.^[4]

Career

Gansler's first job was as an aerospace electronics engineer for the Raytheon Corporation until 1962. He then served in management positions for the Singer Corporation until 1970 and as vice president for business development at the International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation from 1970 to 1972.^[1]

From 1972 to 1975, Gansler served as Assistant Director of Defense Research and Engineering for Electronics at the Pentagon. From 1975 to 1977, he served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Materiel Acquisition.^{[1] [5]}

In August 1977, Gansler joined The Analytical Sciences Corporation, eventually becoming an executive vice president.^{[1] [3]}

In September 1997, President Bill Clinton nominated Gansler to be Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics.^[6]

In 2001, Gansler became a professor of public policy at the University of Maryland, College Park. During his tenure at the university, he also served as interim dean of the School of Public Policy from 2003 to 2004 and as the university's vice president for research from 2004 to 2006. Gansler also founded and served as director of the Center for Public Policy and Private Enterprise at the School of Public Policy.^{[7] [8]}

In September 2007, Gansler was appointed chairman of a special commission to investigate the United States Army's acquisition and contracting processes.^[9]

Gansler retired from the University of Maryland in 2016.^[10]

Awards

Gansler was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2002.^[11] He was also a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration.^[12]

Personal

Gansler married Leah M. Calabro. They had two daughters, a son and five grandchildren.^[3] Their son Douglas is a former Attorney General of Maryland.

Diagnosed with melanoma, Gansler died at his home in McLean, Virginia in 2018.^{[13] [12] [14] [15]}

Publications

• Democracy's Arsenal: Creating a Twenty-First-Century Defense Industry, The MIT Press, June 2011, 448 pp., .
• Defense Conversion, The MIT Press, May 1995, 293 pp., .
• Affording Defense, The MIT Press, March 1989, 417 pp.,
• The Defense Industry, The MIT Press, September 1980, 346 pp., .^[16]

Notes and References

1. Book: Department of Defense Key Officials September 1947–March 2022 . 10 March 2022 . 33 . Historical Office, Office of the Secretary of Defense . 2022-03-22.
2. Book: Who's who in Government . November 1977 . Marquis Who's Who. . 9780837912035 .
3. News: Nominations Before the Senate Armed Services Committee, First Session, 105th Congress: Hearings Before the Committee on Armed Services, United States Senate . 105 . 371 . 598–599 . 1998 . U.S. Government Printing Office . Washington, D.C. . 978-0-16-056255-6.
4. The diminishing economic and strategic viability of the U.S. defense industrial base . Jacques S. . Gansler . 1978 . American University . 2022-03-22.
5. Book: https://www.nap.edu/read/18844/chapter/9 . Appendix A: Committee Biographies . Complex Operational Decision Making in Networked Systems of Humans and Machines: A Multidisciplinary Approach . 2014 . National Academies Press . 10.17226/18844 . 978-0-309-30770-3 . 2022-03-22.
6. Web site: PN554 — Jacques Gansler — Department of Defense — 105th Congress (1997-1998) . U.S. Congress . 5 November 1997 . 2022-03-22.
7. Book: The Role of Lead System Integrator . About the Authors . Jacques S. . Gansler . William . Lucyshyn . Adam . Spiers . January 2009 . 66 . Center for Public Policy and Private Enterprise, School of Public Policy, University of Maryland . 2022-03-23.
8. Web site: Dr. Jacques "Jack" Gansler: An Appreciation . Stan . Soloway . 30 January 2019 . National Academy of Public Administration . 2022-03-23.
9. Web site: Army accepts Gansler Commission report on contracting; commits to action . Paul . Boyce . 1 November 2007 . U.S. Army . 2022-03-22.
10. Web site: Jack Gansler Retirement Reception . Spring 2016 . UMD School of Public Policy . 2022-03-22.
11. Web site: The Honorable Jacques S. Gansler . National Academy of Engineering . 2022-03-22.
12. News: Community deaths: Jacques 'Jack' Gansler, defense industry expert . 30 December 2018 . The Washington Post . 2022-03-22.
13. Web site: Professor Emeritus Jack Gansler Passes Away after Long and Distinguished Career . 5 December 2018 . University of Maryland School of Public Policy . 2022-03-22.
14. News: Jacques "Jack" Gansler . 9 December 2018 . The Washington Post . 2022-03-22.
15. News: Jack Gansler remembered for passion, leadership . Nick . Wakeman . 10 December 2018 . Washington Technology . 2022-03-22.
16. Web site: Jacques S. Gansler . The MIT Press . 2022-03-22.