Acting Director Ramon "Ray" Lugo Gets Permanent Post Next Sunday

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden has named Ramon "Ray" Lugo III (pictured) as director of the agency's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, effective July 18. Lugo has been Glenn's acting director since March.

As Glenn's director, Lugo is responsible for planning, organizing and leading the activities needed to accomplish the missions assigned to the center. Glenn has research, technology and systems development programs in space propulsion, space power, space communications, aeronautical propulsion and microgravity sciences.

"Ray is a tremendous leader who brings decades of experience and important skills to this job," Bolden said. "I'm confident with him at the helm Glenn will continue to excel in all of the activities that take place there."

Lugo was named Glenn's deputy director in November 2007. Before that, he served as deputy manager of the Launch Services Program at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Lugo began his NASA career at Kennedy as a cooperative education student in 1975.

Lugo's other past leadership positions include executive director of the Cape Canaveral Spaceport Management Office, director of Expendable Launch Vehicle Services, manager of the Facilities and Support Equipment Division in the Space Station Project Office, and chief of the business office in the Joint Performance Management Office.

Lugo's work has earned numerous honors, including two NASA Exceptional Achievement Medals for contributions to the Galileo mission and International Space Station redesign, and three NASA Outstanding Leadership Medals for his service in the Expendable Launch Vehicle Program. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering from the University of Central Florida in 1979 and a master's degree in engineering management from the Florida Institute of Technology in 1982.

FMI: www.nasa.gov/glenn