Mr. George Gafka has been named as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of A-P-T Research, Inc.
Mr. Gafka formerly served as Executive Vice President, Chief Innovation and Development Officer, and the SEAC and Aerospace Sector General Manager. Prior to joining APT Research, he had a distinguished 30-year career at NASA supporting several human spaceflight programs from a number of diverse leadership positions (Chief Engineer, Chief Safety Officer, and S&MA Director) during life-cycle phases spanning from early development to real-time operations.
Over the span of his career, Mr. Gafka received numerous prestigious awards for his leadership and, as an avid believer in continuous learning, he has earned a diverse set of academic degrees:
- Master of Business Administration, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California, 2014
- Professional Certificate Aircraft Accident Investigation, Southern California Safety Institute, 2007
- Master of Space Systems Engineering, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands, 2006
- Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering, University of Houston, 1995
- Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, 1991
Mr. Gafka brings a wealth of broad technical and business management knowledge, seasoned experience across many roles and programs, proven critical decision-making judgment, and expert leadership to develop and implement innovative, tailored solutions that thoughtfully balance complex competing considerations such as cost, schedule, and safety.