Gene Kranz to "Launch" AARC Congress

The American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) will kick off its 47th International Respiratory Congress with keynote speaker Gene Kranz, former NASA flight director. The AARC Congress will be held Dec. 1-4, 2001 in San Antonio, Texas.

Kranz will deliver the keynote address Saturday, Dec. 1, in the Lila Cockrell Theatre of the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. Thousands of respiratory therapists will be inspired by his message, "Failure is Not an Option," named for the motto that carried Kranz through the Apollo 13 crisis in 1970. His message is a call to action for professional excellence -- something well understood by respiratory therapists who often face life and death situations in their chosen field.

Don't miss this opportunity to experience the presence and wisdom of a modern-day hero who has served our country incredibly for more than three decades. Come hear Kranz explain what inspires him to maintain professional excellence and how you can translate that inspiration into your own life and career.

Kranz's background has all the makings of a hit Hollywood film -- in fact, one particular segment of his career as NASA flight director did just that. As the leader of the "Tiger Team" of flight directors who brought the Apollo 13 spaceship safely back to earth on April 17, 1970, Gene Kranz demonstrated extraordinary courage and heroism. The hit film, Apollo 13, chronicles Kranz's struggle to devise the plan that would safely bring the ship and its crew of three astronauts home after its oxygen system failed. Actor Ed Harris portrays Kranz in the film, directed by Ron Howard. Kranz retired from NASA in 1994 after 37 years of federal service, and is currently a consultant and speaker.

After receiving his B.S. degree in aeronautical engineering from Parks College of St. Louis University in 1954, Kranz was commissioned in the U.S. Air Force, and flew high performance jet fighter aircraft, including the F-80, F-86, and F-100. In 1958, he worked as a flight test engineer for McDonnell Aircraft, developing the Quail Decoy Missile for B-52 and B-47 aircraft.

Kranz joined the NASA Space Task Group at Langley, Virginia, in 1960, and was assigned the position of assistant flight director for Project Mercury. He assumed flight director duties for all Project Gemini Missions, and was branch chief for Flight Control Operations. He was selected as division chief for Flight Control in 1968, and continued his duties as a flight director for the Apollo 11 Lunar Landing before taking over the leadership of the Apollo 13 "Tiger Team." He was discharged from the Air Force Reserve as a Captain in 1972.

He contributed his expertise to a number of other NASA missions during his career, including the Skylab Program. After the Skylab Program concluded, he was named deputy director of Flight Operations for NASA, which gave him the responsibility for space flight planning, training and mission operations, aircraft operations, and flight crew operations. In 1983, he was assigned the post of director of Mission Operations, and given the responsibility for all aspects of mission design, development, maintenance, and operations of all related mission facilities, as well as the preparation of the Space Shuttle flight software.

Kranz has received many awards and honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which he received from President Nixon for the Apollo 13 mission, and his designation as a Distinguished Member of the Senior Executive Service by President Reagan.

In addition to his consulting and speaking activities, Kranz is currently a flight engineer on a B-17 "Flying Fortress," and performs at air shows throughout the U.S. Since his retirement, he has also built an aerobatic biplane. In April 2000, he published a memoir about his experiences in the space program, Failure is Not an Option: Mission Control from Mercury to Apollo 13 and Beyond. He and his wife are the parents of six children, and reside in Texas.