James B. Owens

James B. Owens
Born(1920-07-23)July 23, 1920
DiedNovember 2, 2009(2009-11-02) (aged 89)
Alma materRice University
Known forFormer president of the US Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
SpouseBette Craig
Children2, Craig Owens (critic) and Eric Owens [1]
AwardsIEEE Founders Medal (1987)

James Beverly Owens (July 23, 1920 – November 2, 2009) was an American engineer and company executive.[2] He was best known for being the president of the US Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) in 1983.

Early life

Owens was born in Houston, Texas in July 1920.[3][4] He attended Rice University and also studied at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Westinghouse Advanced Electrical Design School.

Career

During World War II, he worked for Westinghouse as a designer of military radar technology. He later served as president of Gould-Brown Boveri, an electrical equipment distributor.

He was the president of the IEEE in 1983 as well as on its board of directors from 1981 to 1984.[5] He received the IEEE Founders Medal in 1987 "for exemplary and inspirational leadership, distinguished service, and administrative excellence in electric power engineering and the electrical engineering profession".[6]

Death

Owens died in Lincolnshire, Illinois in November 2009 at the age of 89.[7]

References

  1. ^ ETHW: James B. Owens
  2. ^ The Thresher, October 25, 1940
  3. ^ "IEEE Membership Directory". 2001.
  4. ^ James Beverly Owens in the Texas, Birth Certificates, 1903-1932
  5. ^ ETHW: James B. Owens
  6. ^ "IEEE Founders Medal Recipients" (PDF). Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-04-01. Retrieved 2017-01-06.
  7. ^ Ancestry: James B. Owens in the U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014