Obituary of Kenneth Ernest Mortenson

KENNETH ERNEST MORTENSON, PhD. Albany-Kenneth E. Mortenson died peacefully on Thursday October 29, 2020. He was born in Melrose, MA on December 14, 1926 to Ernest D. Mortenson and Gladys F. Mortenson, and grew up in Melrose until moving to Warwick, RI where he completed high school. He enlisted in the Navy in 1944 and was later commissioned as an officer in 1947. He continued his service in the Naval Reserve until 1958 when he resigned as a lieutenant. He attended Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT for two years before being transferred to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY. In both schools he majored in science and electrical engineering obtaining a B.S. in Naval Science in 1947 and a B.E.E in Electrical Engineering in 1948. He continued in graduate school completing his M.E.E in 1950 and a PhD in Physics in 1954 while serving as an instructor, research associate and assistant professor. In 1955 he joined General Electric Research Laboratory in Schenectady, NY as a research physicist engaged in the study of the high level operation of transistors, and later initiated work in high frequency, ultra-low noise parametric amplifiers which permitted distant satellite tracking and communication. While at GE, he kept his RPI relationship serving as Adjunct Professor of E.E. and as a consultant to the Radio Astronomy Observatory. In 1960 he joined Microwave Associates (now MACOM) in Burlington, MA as Director of R&D working on several semiconductor microwave devices and components, used in both military and NASA radar and communication systems. Most notable was the development of high speed, electronically steerable phased array antennas for radar systems, including the giant ballistic missile detection systems. He returned to RPI in 1963 as Chairman of the Electrical Engineering Department, where he was responsible for both graduate and undergraduate programs, staff, and the development of sponsored research. During this time, he continued his own research on semiconductors for microwave components and monitored over a dozen doctoral students. In 1967 he joined the School of Engineering as Associate Dean responsible for all advanced studies, research and faculty. In 1969, he was made President and CEO of Rensselaer Research Corporation, and its successor corporation RRC International, Inc in Latham, NY, which supplied professional services and products in technology, management, and transportation systems. In 1978, he joined American District Telegraph Co. (ADT) in the World Trade Center, NYC, as Vice President of Planning, and later as Senior Vice President for Planning and Technology, responsible for company planning, R&D, engineering and manufacturing for security and safety systems. At that time, he also served as a corporate director of ADT Energy Systems, Limited, Toronto, Canada. He left ADT in 1980 to rejoin National Micronetics, Inc as Executive Vice President having served earlier as a corporate director. The company produced a range of magnetic components for hard disc and floppy memory systems in Kingston, NY and San Diego, CA. In 1982, he initiated his own practice as an executive consultant for acquisitions and mergers serving some half dozen US companies. In 1987, he joined one of the companies, Security Tag Systems in Clearwater, FL as Senior Vice President. He stayed with that company until retiring in 1990. During his career, he served as a corporate director or consultant to dozens of companies and institutions. Locally, that included the NYS Dept of Education, the Hudson Valley Community College engineering and science advisory boards, and in later years, Applied Robotics of Glenville, NY. He was an active member of many professional and honorary organizations, particularly the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (Fellow), the American Society for Engineering Education, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Presidents Association, and the NY Academy of Sciences. He published some 30 technical papers and authored two books on microwave semiconductor components and contributed to a third. He enjoyed many interests outside of work, including rock collecting and lapidary work, gardening, travel, and volunteer work. He was a member of Calvary United Methodist Church where he served in earlier years as a trustee, on the education and finance commissions, and was involved in the building of the present church. He is predeceased by his wife of 70 years, Dorothy Mortenson, and survived by his sister, Judith Twarog of Chapel Hill, NC; two sons, David of Albany, NY and Timothy and his wife Kathleen of Dallas, TX. He was blessed with three granddaughters Lisa Mortenson, Emily (Peter) De Frank, and Laura (Tiernan) O'Malley, and three great grandchildren Sienna and Alex De Frank, and Róisín O'Malley. Burial will take place in Memory Gardens, with a private remembrance at a future time due to virus considerations. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Calvary United Methodist Church, 15 Ridge Place, Latham, NY. For directions, information, or to light a memory candle for the family please visit www.dufresneandcavanaugh.com.