Linda Hudson – Chair
UF Distinguished Alumna and National Academy of Engineering Member
A graduate of the University of Florida, Linda Hudson received her bachelor’s degree in systems engineering with honors. She founded the Linda Parker Hudson Engineering Leader in Residence Program in 2015 to bring in leaders from industry, government, and academia for the purpose of nurturing UF engineering students to become world-class leaders.
Linda previously retired as president and CEO of BAE Systems, Inc. in 2014, where she led a global defense, aerospace, and security company with $13 billion in annual revenue. Linda retired as the Chairman and CEO of The Cardea Group in 2020.
An elected member of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), she was one of Fortune Magazine’s 50 Most Powerful Women in Business, one of Washingtonian Magazine’s 100 Most Powerful Women in Washington, and one of the Washington Business Journal’s Power 100 and one of the Most Admired CEOs.
Linda was UF’s Gator of the Year in 2017 in recognition of her extraordinary career and long-time service to her alma mater. Linda also serves on the Dean’s Advisory Board of the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering.
Gene Fraser
E.J. “Gene” Fraser has a long history of engineering leadership. He retired in 2019 as Vice-President of Programs, Quality and Engineering for Northrop Grumman, Inc., where he spent 17 years in a variety of leadership and engineering roles. These also included overseeing three divisions in their aerospace systems sector, serving as Vice-President of Aerospace Engineering, and program manager for the B-2 Spirit bomber. He remains active as a private consultant in the aerospace, defense and security industry.
Before his service at Northrop Grumman, as a graduate of the Naval Test Pilot School, he served more than 27 years in key leadership positions on government programs in the U.S. Marine Corps, including command of an F/A-18 Fighter Strike Squadron. His final duty assignment was focused on developmental test and evaluation of air systems as the commanding officer of the U.S. Navy’s Test Wing Atlantic, Patuxent River, MD.
Gene earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Florida and is a graduate of the California Institute of Technology Program for Strategic Marketing of Technology. He is also a graduate of the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School and has more than 6,000 flight hours in 82 models of fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. He is a member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, the Defense Acquisition Board of Visitors, and the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, where he has served on the board of directors and is the Association’s current treasurer. He is a recipient of the Society of Women Engineers’ Rodney D. Chipp national award, recognizing men who have made significant contributions to the acceptance and advancement of women in engineering.
Gene also serves on the Dean’s Advisory Board of the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering.
Thomas O. Hunter
Dr. Thomas O. (“Tom”) Hunter is a distinguished engineer, scientist, and executive best known for his leadership of Sandia National Laboratories, one of the United States’ premier national security laboratories. After a 43-year career at Sandia, he retired in 2010 as President and Laboratory Director, having risen through technical, programmatic, and executive leadership positions involved with issues such as nuclear security, energy policy, and national defense. At retirement, the organization he oversaw had an annual budget of approximately $2.3 billion and a workforce of about 8,400 employees.
Before assuming leadership of the organization, Tom held several technical engineering leadership roles in the organization. He served as Senior Vice President for Defense Programs, leading the Defense Program Strategic Management Unit, which was responsible for about 60 percent of the organization’s annual budget with responsibilities that included nuclear weapons R&D, advanced manufacturing technology, information systems, environmental technology, and energy research. He also served as Vice President of Sandia’s laboratory in California, overseeing programs in nuclear weapons R&D, advanced manufacturing technology, information systems, environmental technology, and energy research. He led Sandia and U.S. DOE laboratory programs to establish cooperative R&D programs in the former Soviet Union to support nuclear nonproliferation. He was also Sandia’s Director of Nuclear Waste Management and Transportation, Manager of the Yucca Mountain Project, and leader of the R&D Program for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant.
Following his retirement from Sandia, Dr. Hunter was appointed as the lead of the federal government’s scientific team that worked with BP officials to develop and analyze solutions to the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill. This included serving as the government’s lead technical representative in subsequent court proceedings to resolve the matter.
Dr. Hunter is a member of the Dean’s Advisory Board for Herbert Wertheim Laboratory for Engineering Excellence and the University of CA at Davis and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the American Nuclear Society, the New Mexico Technology Commercialization Council, the MIND Research Network, and the U.S. Strategic Command’s Strategic Advisory Group. He has served as an adjunct professor and guest lecturer and is the author of numerous technical papers and presentations. He is a recipient of the 2007 New Mexico Distinguished Public Service Award.
Dr. Hunter earned a B.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of Florida, an M.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of New Mexico, an M.S. in nuclear engineering from the University of Wisconsin, and a Ph.D. in nuclear engineering from the University of Wisconsin. He was recognized as a distinguished alumnus by both the University of Florida and the University of Wisconsin.
Gary Miller
Dr. Gary Miller is a former Executive Vice President of Research & Development (Emeritus) for Exactech, Inc., a developer and producer of innovative implants, instrumentation, and smart technologies for joint replacement technology. He co-founded the company in 1985 and has served as its innovation leader since its inception.
Dr. Miller is a “double Gator,” receiving his BSME from UF (1970), BSME (Biomechanics) from MIT (1972), and his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering (Biomechanics and Biomaterials) from UF (1977). Following graduation, he joined the UF faculty in the Department of Orthopaedics, where he served as a post-doctorate fellow, assistant and associate professor, and Director of Orthopaedic Research & Development until 1997, when he left to focus on the development of Exactech. He retains a Courtesy Professorship in the MAE at UF and has instructed courses in departments of the HWCOE.
Dr. Miller received the UF Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2021. He remains active on the HWCOE’s Dean’s Advisory Board and the Advisory Board for the Engineering Leadership Institute, as well as on the industrial advisory boards for the HWCOE’s MAE and BME departments. He is a founding member of the Society of Biomaterials with memberships in the Orthopaedic Research Society, ASTM, and ASME. He holds over 20 patents in the US and abroad and has over 65 published articles and abstracts in the areas of biomechanics and biomaterials.
Bill Troner
William “Bill” Troner is a retired, renowned patent licensing executive and intellectual property attorney. He built a distinguished career helping organizations maximize the value of their research and development. He co-founded André-Troner Ltd. Co. and advised clients, including Fortune 500 companies on complex intellectual property licensing strategies.
Bill began his career as a Gator electrical engineer (BSEE, 1980) working with General Electric until he returned to UF to attend law school in 1982. After graduation (JD, 1984), he joined the law firm of Barnes & Thornburg in Washington, D.C., where he worked until 1986, when he joined the legal staff of Harris Corporation in Melbourne, FL. There, he served as Sector Intellectual Property and Licensing Counsel for both the Semiconductor and Communications Sectors of the company, helping initiate the patent licensing program at Harris Semiconductor. Bill left Harris Corporation in 1995 to form his own patent licensing company, Andre’‐Troner LLC.
Throughout his career, Bill has demonstrated a strong commitment to service, supporting philanthropic efforts and contributing to the University of Florida through advisory boards and mentorship, including the Dean’s Advisory Board and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Advisory Board. He is an avid supporter of both the Engineering Leadership Institute and the Engineering Innovation Institute. In 2026, Bill received the ECE’s Distinguished Alumni for Career Achievement award.
Bill Wadsworth
Mr. Bill Wadsworth’s engineering leadership career spans over 50 years. He currently serves as an organizational and business consultant and advisor to the UF Foundation, UF Wertheim College of Engineering, the UF Engineering Leadership Institute advisory board, and Boston University, as well as several private clients. Bill has been a Florida-licensed professional engineer (civil) since 1980.
Mr. Wadsworth is the retired Executive Vice-President (VP) of HDR Engineering, Inc., a global employee-owned professional services firm specializing in architecture, engineering, environmental and construction, where he served as Deputy Director of Operations. During his 28-year tenure with the firm, he also served in other strategic leadership roles, including Executive VP of Business Development, Executive VP and East Region Director, Senior VP and Southeast Operations Manager, Senior VP and Florida Operations Manager, and VP as Florida Marketing Manager.
Before his HDR career, Bill served two years as Engineer of Professional Services and Senior Project Manager for the Florida Department of Transportation and, before that, spent 8 years as Program Manager for the Wayne H. Colony Co. Inc. involved with US government defense contracts, both in Tallahassee, FL.
Bill grew up in Tallahassee, FL. He is a Gator engineer (civil), where he graduated with honors, with memberships in Florida Blue Key, Tau Beta Pi, Benton Engineering Council, and Omicron Delta Kappa, a national leadership honor society. He also holds an MBA from FSU, where he graduated with honors. He has actively supported several professional, civic and educational organizations throughout his career, including the William H. Wadsworth Engineering Leadership Institute Directorship.