Rockwell Collins acquires ITAC, a Virginia-based engineering firm
Rockwell Collins Inc., a Cedar Rapids-based communication and aviation electronics manufacturer, acquired a privately held engineering and products company, Information Technology and Applications Corp. (ITAC), for $38 million. ITAC provides intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and communications products to the federal government. With the deal Rockwell will also acquire all ITAC’s outstanding shares. Post acquisition will find almost 80 ITAC employees joining Rockwell’s 20,000 employees spread across 27 countries. James Scrivener, ITAC's founder and CEO, remarked that ITAC will be able to provide “actionable intelligence information to warfighters — when they need it, anywhere in the world” after merging operations with Rockwell Collins. ITAC mainly develops near real-time intelligence and other mission-critical information, while Rockwell develops communication and aviation electronics equipment for government and commercial applications.
Equipment maker Agilent acquires NetworkFab, a defense contractor
Santa Clara-based scientific-testing equipment maker, Agilent Technologies, has purchased a private defense contractor from the same area, NetworkFab, for an undisclosed sum. NetworkFab is an expert in radio frequency communications, including direction finding, jamming, networking, antenna and software design, and custom systems engineering. Rick Lu, NetworkFab's chief executive, said that the company would benefit from Agilent's desire to expand the R&D for large defense contractors as well as for the government. Agilent hopes to utilize this "technology developed for defense purposes for commercial applications." Tom Burrell, vice president and general manager of Agilent's Signal Networks Division, stated that Agilent will leverage on NetworkFab's modern technologies which will help fortify Agilent's "presence in the aerospace-defense market."
Kilpatrick, new Engineering dean at University of Notre Dame
Peter Kilpatrick, presently serving as chair of chemical and biomolecular engineering at North Carolina State University, will succeed Frank Incropera as the new dean of the College of Engineering at the University Of Notre Dame, effective in January. Incropera, who had served the College of Engineering as dean since 1998, will remain as Brosey Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Notre Dame. Thomas G. Burish, the University's provost welcoming the new appointment, said that the College would benefit from Kilpatrick, a proficient teacher and researcher, who is committed to advancing the distinguishing Catholic nature of Notre Dame.
