Southern California Businessman and private space travel pioneer Dennis Tito has been elected to the X PRIZE Foundation Board of Trustees. "I'm joining the X PRIZE Foundation Board of Trustees because I'd like to see a new generation of privately owned and operated spaceships. These are the ships that will fly thousands of people into space on an annual basis."  
 
Mr. Tito is one of two civilian space travelers who have ridden with the Russian Space Agency to the International Space Station. Tito explains "Millions of people could easily be qualified for space. Once the price of traveling to space comes down to the price of an SUV, I think we'll see thousands of people sign up."
 
Founder and Chairman of the X PRIZE Foundation and fellow California businessman Dr. Peter Diamandis stated "We are very excited to have Dennis join our Board of Trustees. His dedication to this field and position as a spokesperson for this emerging public space travel industry will help make X PRIZE a visible and global success." 
 
Mr. Tito created the Wilshire 5000 stock index, the broadest indicator of US stock market activity. By 1998, Wilshire Associates was the third-largest investment management consulting firm in the U.S. -- its 250 specialists advised clients with a total of half a trillion dollars in assets. Since the early 1990s, Mr. Tito has concentrated on philanthropic projects, such as building a medical research facility at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Mr. Tito received his B.S. from New York University College of Engineering in astronautics and aeronautics in 1962 and an M.S. in Engineering Science from Renssalaer Polytechnic Institute in 1964. He resides in Santa Monica (CA).
 
Also elected to the X PRIZE Board were Diane Murphy, Vice President, Communications at the European Aeronautical Defense & Space Company (EADS) and Barry Thompson, career entrepreneur and CTO of JBThompson, LLC.

FMI: www.xprize.org