Innovative Solutions & Support reports that their founder, Geoff Hedrick died. “It is with great sadness that we announce that Geoffrey S. M. Hedrick, our founder, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, has passed away due to complications from a sudden illness. The entire IS&S family mourns this tragic loss. He will be sorely missed,” said a statement released by the company.
Glen R. Bressner, the vice chairman of the board of directors of IS&S, added: “On behalf of our Board of Directors, management team, and employees, we extend our deepest sympathies to Mr. Hedrick’s wife, daughter and loved ones. We will miss the creativity, keen intellect and leadership Geoff has shown over the past several decades.” IS&S said Hedrick spent his entire professional career in the avionics industry. Following his electrical engineering education at Cornell he worked briefly in the aviation instrument subsidiary of Bulova. In 1971, Hedrick founded Harowe Systems, Inc. as a joint venture with another company in aerospace hardware. By 1978, Harowe Systems had grown substantially and was spun out and acquired by Smiths Industries. He continued to run Harowe and later served as president and CEO of Smiths Industries North American Aerospace Companies. In 1988, he founded IS&S where he served as chairman and CEO. During the course of his career in avionics, Hedrick held nearly 100 patents in the electronics, optoelectric, electromagnetic, aerospace and contamination-control fields.