A restaurant customer helped launch Chris Hernandez's

Chris Hernández, 59, is vice president of research, technology and engineering at Northrop Grumman.

He is responsible for the 11,000 engineers in the aerospace systems division, located at reddondo beach, Palmdale, Rancho Bernardo, and Melbourne in Florida.

Hernandez also leads part of the NG Next division of Northrop Grumman, which focuses on basic research, application technology, advanced design and rapid prototyping.

As a teenager growing up in Norwalk, Hernández served as a waiter at a fine rib restaurant in Lakewood.

One of his regulars is Ed Smith, program manager for Rockwell Space Shuttle in North America, which is Rockwell International.

Two people are combined for their love of flying aircraft.

Hernández is learning a skill in exchange for washing the plane at Huntington Beach airport on weekends.

The project manager finally provided the Rockwell company with the opportunity to cooperate with hernanders.

Works by young engineering students, the teenager started working in aerospace as a high school graduate.

Hernández originally planned to become an American citizen. S.

Marines, like his father or police, but chatting with Rockwell's staff changed his mind.

'I don't know what an engineer is, so I started talking to them and asking them, 'What do you do, how do you do it, 'he said: 'What does it take to get to where you are? '.

'I said, 'Well, it's not bad.

I think I can do that.

Hernández later graduated from the University of Long Beach, California with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and worked on the Rockwell Space Shuttle program for 11 years.

At the beginning of 1980, Northrop

Buy Ford Motor Company

huge, vacant car factory in picoliveira.

No one knows what it's going to be used to do, but the mentor for Hernandes, including recruiting his project manager, started to leave Rockwell to work for Northrop.

The project manager spent several years convincing Hernan to join him without giving details of the work, but promised it would be worth it.

On 1987, herndez finally gave in, signed the required security form, and was escorted to a large room in the middle of the Northrop pikorivera plant with a high bay

'There is a curtain, they pull the curtain open, there is a full curtain on the right --

Wooden model-up of the B-

Memories of elnandez.

'She looks like she came from outer space.

That's what you're going to do, they say.

12 years in Area B

Two projects, including his time as chief engineer, taught him the importance of solving problems.

Earlier, Hernandez and a group led the B-2.

Introduced three. star U. S.

Air Force general and other company executives

Regarding the cause of the problem, Hernan DESS was asked when he would resolve the issue.

He tried to explain that he was only responsible for the analysis, but was told, 'Now, you have solved it.

Herndez and a group of engineers finally returned.

Wiring for B-work

Prepare for the bomber's first flight

'I talk to young people on a regular basis and I say, 'Find out how to find something chaotic, jump in the middle of them and make them better, 'he said.

From my successful experience, the more diverse the team is in solving the problem, the better the solution will be. —

Chris herndez

In the 1990 s, Northrop sent Hernández to the Sloan Fellows program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for a master's degree in management.

His classmates are from all walks of life.

An air force general, the future of the United StatesS.

Postmaster Hong Kong

From more than 10 countries.

This gives 'Norwalk's children' a broader perspective on the world.

When the group discussed the topic, herndez found that he changed his point of view based on the arguments of his classmates, rather than firmly sticking to his point of view.

Now, when there is an opinion to him, he tries to close his own thoughts on the topic and listen to their arguments.

If it is stronger than his own, he will consider changing his mind.

'If everyone does what you want to do, then there is no diversity in the ideas that the company is pursuing,' says Hernández . '.

'The more diverse the team is in solving the problem, the better the solution will be.

Four years ago, Hernández seriously considered retiring from Northrop to become a high school math teacher.

He has always believed that his mission in life is to help others.

At Northrop, he is helping those who have succeeded.

He hopes that he can stimulate students' interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics and cheer them up, just as the Rockwell Space Shuttle program manager has reached out to him.

Then he got his dream job.

Run a new organization called NG Next in Northrop, which will combine research and technical efforts with advanced design and rapid prototyping.

Organizations can take an idea and develop it all the way to an early prototype.

The group includes scaling composites, cutting

Edge Mojave aerospace company acquired by Northrop.

Hernandez is now in charge of the research and technical section of NG Next.

'Having engineering and technology in this organization and then being able to see things go from an idea to a route, I can't say no,' he said . '.

Playing music is a comfort for Hernández.

About 2008, he bought a guitar at the urging of one of his two sons, Christopher, who wanted his father to play music with his friends.

year later, Christopher died in a car accident at the age of 17.

Hernan began his guitar class.

Over the years, he has advanced enough to join Christopher's musician friends and hold concerts for friends and family.

He learned to play songs from some of Christopher's favorite bands, and also re-

Lyrics written by others, such as Radiohead's 'High & Dry', commemorate his son.

'When I play, I can feel the connection with my son,' says herndez . '.

'I will do this when I have extra time --

Pick up the guitar and play.

He said his son's death made him realize the importance of living in the present.

'Being comfortable with who you are and loving others is a very, very good way of life,' says Hernández . '.

'Focus at the moment is the best you can do now.

'Hernandez lives at reddondo beach, although he is on a frequent business trip and can also be found on a boat in San Diego.

His son James lives in New York.

Hernández also participated in the Mexican-American Opportunity Fund and the advisory board of dean of California State Long Beach Engineering College.

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