Industry & Services >> CEO Interviews >> July 17, 2000
Richard R. Erkeneff serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of
United Industrial Corporation (UIC) overseeing the company's three
operating subsidiaries: AAI Corporation, Symtron Systems, Inc., and the
Detroit Stoker Company. He is also President and CEO of AAI Corporation,
UIC's largest subsidiary. Throughout these businesses, Mr. Erkeneff
promotes a strong customer focus and the philosophy of total quality,
which includes the continuous improvement of all business processes.
Evidence of that commitment is the achievement of ISO 9001 Certification
by the company's subsidiary, AAI, and its division, Engineering Support
Incorporated (ESI) and ACL. In addition, AAI was honored in 1996 with
the Maryland Award for International Business Leadership and the
Regional Manufacturing Institute's Manufacturer's Cup. Mr. Erkeneff
joined AAI in 1993 following a 35-year career with McDonnell Douglas
Corporation (now Boeing, Inc.) where he held a number of senior
leadership positions including President of McDonnell Douglas Electronic
Systems Company and Senior Vice President, Defense and Electronic
Systems for McDonnell Douglas Aerospace. Mr. Erkeneff is active in a
number of professional and industry associations. He serves on the Board
of Directors and Board of Trustees of the National Defense Industrial
Association and also chairs the Committee Division Review Council. In
addition, he is an active member and serves on the Board of Governors of
the Aerospace Industries Association and is an active member of the
Association of the U.S. Army, Air Force Association, Navy League, and
American Public Transit Association. He also serves on the Maryland
Center for Quality and Productivity Board of Advisors, Baltimore County
Schools Education Foundation Board of Directors, Greater Baltimore
Committee Economic Development Council, and is Vice President of the
Towson University Foundation, Inc. Mr. Erkeneff's academic background
includes a Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the
University of Minnesota in 1958 and an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters
from Towson University, 1996. Mr. Erkeneff and his wife have three
children and seven grandchildren. His personal interests include golf
and gardening. Profile
United Industrial Corporation?
Mr. Erkeneff: First of all, I'd like to set the stage that AAI
Corporation is one of three
