Richard L. Holt
Dick was born January 1935 in Panama City, Panama of an American dad and a Panamanian mom. At birth he became a citizen of both the U.S. and Panama. He is fluent in both English and Spanish. His father was discharged from the U.S. Navy in Panama and went to work for the Panama Canal in 1923 as a tugboat captain, first on the smaller harbor tugs and later on the large sea-going tugs. He ultimately was promoted to be a pilot on the Panama Canal.
Dick's father's family was of English origin and were early settlers of the New World in Jamestown, Virginia in 1620. They resided in South Carolina and Florida for at least two generations, and prior to that in Virginia.
His maternal side was from Spain and Germany– Spanish descendents settled Panama in 1535; German grandfather came to Panama in 1906, met and married Dick's grandmother who was from a prominent founding Spanish family - he was employed with a German engineering company that set up the electrical systems for the locks on the Panama Canal.
Dick graduated from Wheaton College, Illinois in 1956 with a major in Physics. He played varsity football, named an All-American in his senior year. Selected as the Brigade Commander (Cadet Colonel) of the 600 man ROTC brigade at Wheaton College in his senior year - also designated a Distinguished Military Graduate upon graduation. Served a little more than three years on active duty; commanded a guided missile air defense battery (Nike Ajax) prior to his separation from active duty.
Employed as a physicist by U.S. Navy upon discharge at the Point Mugu Naval Missile Center, California. Assigned as project manager for the electronic warfare evaluation of Eagle air-to-air missile; then was transferred by the Navy to the Navy Dolphin Program, both programs located at Mugu. Graduate of the U.S. Navy Special Warfare UDT/SEAL school at Coronado, California in order to be able to participate in the dolphin effort.
Chosen by the Navy to continue his education for a PhD in oceanography at Texas A&M but instead, on his way to school, joined a budding NASA program of manned space flight at the Manned Space Center, Houston, TX. Appointed the network ground systems controller under the Flight Director in the mission control room for all missions through Apollo moon effort.
Transferred by NASA near the end of the Apollo program to Cal Tech/NASA Jet Propulsion Labs as the Systems Division assistant manager in Pasadena, California with the assignment to rebuild their mission control center to better support unmanned missions to outer planets. Was also the director of the deep space tracking network and the extensive JPL communications network.
Left government employment to take on a task of developing a new type satellite tracking system (TDRSS - Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System) at TRW Space Systems Group, Redondo Beach, California to support all missions of NASA and the Defense Department. This new satellite system largely removed the dependence on land-based radar, telemetry and command systems and stations. He was recruited from TRW by EG&G Corp to be the chief of operations for a subsidiary, Wolf Research which was heavily involved in earth resources management. One division of Wolf was also involved in supporting the National Institutes of Health in cancer research being conducted at the National Cancer Institute.
The cancer contact led to his being asked by the White House to help with the organizing of a national effort in the war on cancer. He reentered civil service as the assistant to the Director of the National Cancer Institute to assist in writing of National Cancer Program Plan. Achieved the GS-16 Pay Grade in this position.
Left government service after four years to pursue private interests. Purchased a ranch in Idaho and became involved in cattle raising, horse breeding and land development. Kept his hand in the business world through consulting arrangements with Science Applications (SAIC) in La Jolla, California.
Prompted by TRW to return to the aerospace business again by rejoining their Space Systems Group to lead a major federal government effort in the development of the World Wide Military Command and Control System (WWMCCS), a massive command and control system linking all the military worldwide as well as other Federal agencies involved in national defense.
Health failed after a few years (Prinzmetal's angina) and was forced to go into semi-retirement under the TRW Executive Leave policy. Retired from TRW in January 2000.
When his health improved some, he began lecturing on cruise ships for the next seven years until health problems (major abdominal abscess) again halted that activity in 2009. Major surgery to remove the abscess resulted in suspension of all activities for more than two years.
Has been in retirement in California since that date.
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