Mr. Wendell D. Banks, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is Director, Sensors Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The directorate specializes in developing science and technology for superior Air Force systems in the areas of intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, precision engagement and electronic warfare. The directorate's primary areas of technology investment include radio frequency sensing; net-centric spectrum warfare; electro-optical sensors and countermeasures; automatic target recognition; performance based sensing; and electronic devices. Mr. Banks oversees an annual budget of more than $850 million, and directs the activities of approximately 1,300 scientists, engineers and support personnel at three different geographic locations.
Mr. Banks was born in Verona, Ohio. He began his federal service in the Air Force Flight Dynamics Laboratory in 1982 as a researcher and program manager. He has held numerous management and technical positions within the Air Force laboratory and acquisition communities. He most recently served as Director, Plans and Programs Directorate, AFRL, responsible for developing and managing the processes that define the laboratory's $2 billion annual technology investment
EDUCATION
1981 Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, University of Dayton, Ohio
1985 Master of Science degree in mechanical engineering, University of Dayton, Ohio
1991 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1997 Leadership for a Democratic Society, Federal Executive Institute, Charlottesville, Va.
1999 Senior Executive Fellow, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. January 1982 - September 1986, mechanical engineer, Air Force Flight Dynamics Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
2. September 1986 - August 1987, corporate representative, General Dynamics Corporation, Dayton, Ohio
3. August 1987 - November 1989, systems integration engineer, Aeronautical Systems Division, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
4. November 1989 - December 1991, senior engineer, Technology Integration Division, Headquarters Armstrong Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
5. December 1991 - January 1993, Chief, Plans and Programs Branch, Armstrong Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
6. January 1993 - October 1997, Chief, Programs and Operations Division, Armstrong Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
7. October 1997 - May 1999, Chief, Integration and Operations Division, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
8. May 1999 - May 2000, Chief, Modernization Planning Integration Division, Plans and Programs Directorate, Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
9. May 2000 - June 2003, Chief Technology Officer, Human Effectiveness Directorate, AFRL, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
10. June 2003 - June 2004, Command Transformation Program Manager, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
11. June 2004 - October 2004, Chief, Command Transformation Branch, Headquarters AFMC, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
12. October 2004 - May 2005, Chief Transformation Officer, Human Effectiveness Directorate, AFRL, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
13. May 2005 - November 2005, Deputy Director, Base Realignment and Closure, Headquarters AFMC, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
14. November 2005 - January 2006, Chief, Base Realignment and Closure Office, AFRL, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
15. January 2006 - July 2006, Deputy Chief, Warfighter Training Research Division, AFRL, Mesa, Ariz.
16. July 2006 - January 2008, Chief, Airbase Technologies Division, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
17. January 2008 - June 2008, Director, Human Effectiveness Directorate, AFRL, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
18. June 2008 - January 2011, Director, Plans and Programs, AFRL, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
19. January 2011 - present, Director, Sensors Directorate, AFRL, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
AWARDS AND HONORS
1999 and 2004 Meritorious Civilian Service Award
2005 Exemplary Civilian Service Award
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
Sigma Xi International Society for Scientific and Engineering Research
PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS
Science and Technology Manager, Level III
Program Management, Level II
Hammer Process Master Certification Course
(Current as of March 2011)