AFTERNOON SPEAKER

Alek Mikolajczak has a life story of which novels are made. Born in Poland in 1935,
Alek and his family were displaced by the Second World War. In 1940, he and his mother
found themselves in a Soviet forced labor camp, separated from his father, who was separately
imprisoned by the Russians.

Alek's migration took him from Poland to Siberia, Iran, Pakistan, East Africa, England and finally USA.
It was a journey from poverty and hunger to affluence, a journey from obscurity to international recognition.

Alek graduated from Cambridge University (Trinity College) in 1957.

After working at Rolls-Royce in rocket and jet engine propulsion for four years, he returned to Cambridge 
and earned his PhD in aerospace engineering.

He was appointed professor at MIT to teach rocket and jet engine propulsion to graduate students.
Finding academic pace to be too slow, he decided to ,return to industry He did his best technical work at
Pratt & Whitney Aircraft in East Hartford. Conn. He authored a number  of landmark publications, received a 
number of awards and patents. He has served on various technical and national committees and has been 
elected Fellow of American Society of Mechanical Engineers and also Fellow of American Institute of
Aeronautics and Astronautics

In 1982 he came to Rohr in Chula Vista as Vice President of Engineering and subsequently became one of 
six executives running the corporation.

In 1993, at age of 58, he retired to pursue investments of his modest resources and has been very successful
He founded Mikolajczak Family Foundation and is involved in charitable activities

Alek has been married to Danuta for 63 years. They have three children and three grandsons. 

In his spare time he has been a rugby player, a private pilot, hiker, sailor and skier,. He still enjoys trout fishing.