Jerry S. Rawls
Encyclopedia
Finisar
Finisar Corporation is a global technology leader in optical communication components and subsystems. These products enable high-speed voice, video and data communications for networking, storage, wireless, and cable TV applications....
Corporation's President & Chief Executive Officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
and a member of the Board of Directors since March 1989. Finisar was started by Jerry Rawls and Frank H. Levinson in the year 1988. The Rawls College of Business
Rawls College of Business
The Jerry S. Rawls College of Business Administration, also referred to as the Rawls College of Business or simply Rawls College, is the business school of Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas...
and The Rawls Course
The Rawls Course
The Rawls Course, located in Lubbock, Texas, USA, is the home of the Texas Tech Red Raiders golf teams. It is an NCAA championship course constructed through a major gift from Jerry S. Rawls and supported by revenue from students, faculty, staff, donors, and the general public.-Design:The Rawls...
at Texas Tech University are named for him. On October 2, 2003, Rawls Hall
Rawls Hall
Jerry S. Rawls Hall is a building on the Purdue University campus, Krannert School of Management. The building is named after Jerry S. Rawls, a Krannert alumnus, who donated $10 million toward its construction. Rawls is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Finisar Corp...
in the Krannert School of Management
Krannert School of Management
The Krannert School of Management is Purdue University's school of management. The school was established in 1962 as the Krannert School of Industrial Administration with a $2.7 million endowment from Herman & Ellnora Krannert....
at Purdue University was also named in honor of Rawls.
Rawls was born in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. He spent his early years growing up in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. An enterprising kid, he took up jobs to earn pocket money, and even became a part of a Junior achievement organization where they made soap and sold it to supermarkets.
From 1968 to 1989, he was employed by Raychem Corporation, a materials science and engineering company. At Raychem he held various management positions including Manager of Product Marketing, National Sales Manager, General Manager of the Aerospace Products Division, and General Manager of the Interconnection Systems Division.
Rawls holds a B.S.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
from Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University, often referred to as Texas Tech or TTU, is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and originally known as Texas Technological College, it is the leading institution of the Texas Tech University System and has the...
and an M.S.in Industrial Administration
Master of Science in Industrial Administration
The Master of Science in Industrial Administration historically has been a professional Master's degree that provides training in management and business administration....
from the Krannert Graduate School of Management at Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
. He is a member of Tau Beta Pi
Tau Beta Pi
The Tau Beta Pi Association is the oldest engineering honor society in the United States and the second oldest collegiate honor society in America. It honors engineering students who have shown a history of academic achievement as well as a commitment to personal and professional integrity...
and Pi Tau Sigma
Pi Tau Sigma
Pi Tau Sigma is an International Mechanical Engineering Honor Society. Pi Tau Sigma's core values are:*Integrity ,*Service , and...
engineering honorary societies as well as Phi Gamma Delta
Phi Gamma Delta
The international fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta is a collegiate social fraternity with 120 chapters and 18 colonies across the United States and Canada. It was founded at Jefferson College, Pennsylvania, in 1848, and its headquarters are located in Lexington, Kentucky, USA...
collegiate social fraternity
Fraternity
A fraternity is a brotherhood, though the term usually connotes a distinct or formal organization. An organization referred to as a fraternity may be a:*Secret society*Chivalric order*Benefit society*Friendly society*Social club*Trade union...
.