New Mexico State University

William J. Howard

William Jack Howard graduated from Las Cruces High School and earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from New Mexico State University. He served with distinction in the infantry during World War II, participating in both the European and Pacific theaters, where he rose to the rank of captain and received several honors, including the Combat Infantry Badge, Bronze Star, and Purple Heart.

After the war, Howard became a charter employee at Sandia National Laboratories, where he initially worked in weapons testing and nuclear safety. He later advanced to an administrative role and became the first director of Sandia's laboratory in Livermore, California. Howard also took leaves of absence from Sandia to serve as Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Atomic Energy and as a delegate to the US/USSR strategic arms limitation talks.

He was promoted to executive vice president of Sandia, a position he held from 1973 until his retirement in 1982. In recognition of his contributions, Howard received an honorary doctorate from New Mexico State University and the Distinguished Public Service Medal from the Defense Department. He was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1979, and in August 2010, he became the third member inducted into the Sandia Laboratories Hall of Fame.