Remembering Devoted IEEE Volunteer Gus Gaynor

Gerard “Gus” Gaynor, longtime IEEE volunteer and former director of engineering at 3M, died on March 9. The IEEE Life Fellow was 104 years old.

Readers of The Institute You may remember Gus from his 2022 profile: “From Repairing Farm Equipment to Becoming a Manager at 3M.” Last year, he and I co-authored two articles. One of them explains how to leverage relationships to drive your career growth. The other weighs the pros and cons of pursuing a technical or managerial career. He was then 103 years old. How many IEEE members can claim a 100-year co-authorship?

I first met Gus in 2009 at the IEEE Technical Activities Board (TAB) meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico. We sat together on the plane returning to Minneapolis, our hometown. At home, I told many of my friends about the remarkable person – then 87 years old – who I chatted with during our six-hour flight.

A decade later, he and I met for lunch in Minneapolis. He drove to the restaurant, just asking for a hand navigating the snowy sidewalk.

A dedicated IEEE volunteer

Gus’ involvement in IEEE predates the organization. He joined the Institute of Radio Engineers, a predecessor society, as a student member in 1942. Twenty years later, he became an active IEEE volunteer.

He has served on the TAB Finance Committee and the Publications Services and Products Council. He served as president of the IEEE Engineering Management Society (now the Technology and Engineering Management Society) and was the first president of the Technology Management Council. He was the founding editor of the IEEE-USA online magazine Today’s engineerwhich reported on government legislation and issues affecting the careers of American members. The magazine is now available as an electronic newsletter IEEE-USA InSight.

He is the author of several books on technology management, published by IEEE-USA.

IEEE Life Member Gerard “Gus” Gaynor passed away on March 9.The Gaynor family

More recently, after the creation of TEMS in 2015, he became an active member of its executive committee. He served two terms as vice president of publications.

At 100, he led the launch of a new publication, TEMS Leadership Notesa new open access publication in short format aimed at technology leaders.

Gus, who is a former member of The Institute‘s Editorial Advisory Board also worked with Kathy Pretz, The Institute editor-in-chief, to launch an ongoing series of articles of professional interest sponsored by TEMS. He is co-author of several.

Throughout his 64 years as an IEEE volunteer, he received several honors. These include the IEEE EMS Engineering Manager of the Year Award, the IEEE TEMS Career Achievement Award, and the IEEE-USA McClure Honorable Citation. In 2014, he was inducted into the IEEE Technical Activities Council Hall of Honor.

A 25-year career at 3M

Gus earned a degree in electrical engineering in 1950 from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He worked for several companies, including Automatic Electric (now part of Nokia) and Johnson Farebox (now part of Genfare), before joining 3M in 1962.

During his distinguished 25-year career at 3M, he served as chief engineer for a division in Italy, established the innovation department, and led the design and installation of the company’s first computerized manufacturing facilities. He retired from the position of Director of Engineering in 1987.

Last year, IEEE Life Fellow Michael Condry, former president of TEMS, hosted a Zoom call with Gus and other company executives to celebrate Gus’ 104th birthday. Gus looked good and was his usual upbeat self, telling everyone, “I’m fine. Everything’s fine. I can’t complain.”

Gus was married to Shirley Margaret Karrels Gaynor, who died in 2018. He lives on in the hearts and minds of his seven children, seven grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and countless friends and colleagues at IEEE.