Dr. Jerry M. Wohletz’s journey from an urban city kid to an aerospace and defense industry leader has been marked by resilience and determination. Early life challenges strengthened his resolve to make a difference. Amid challenging circumstances, Dr. Wohletz persevered and achieved the possible. “I’m reminded of getting a 4.0 in my first semester at college when it was expected that I was a ‘one and done’ given my background,” says Dr. Wohletz. “At that point, I smiled and began to understand the bright future that lies ahead if I simply act through continuous learning, respect, and understanding the importance of sustaining one’s North Star as a mission in life.”
With over 30 years in the aerospace and defense industry, Dr. Wohletz has learned that innovation, talent, teamwork, and business discipline are crucial. In leading Draper’s team, he focuses on advancing the national security mission alongside a talented and proven team. His time at other aerospace and defense companies also underscored the importance of aligning groundbreaking, never-been-done-before ideas with business discipline and respect for the people he worked with. Dr. Wohletz and his team’s work at Draper is vitally important. Their most essential stakeholders operate at the intersection of government, academia, and industry. “Standing on the shoulders of the many accomplished people who came before me, it’s a privilege to lead an extraordinary, brilliant, passionate, and focused team at Draper. There is so much work to be done in defense of America and our way of life,” elucidates Dr. Wohletz. “Draper’s business advantage and achievements are driven by innovation. We are a talented, accomplished, and proven team in the highly competitive defense sector. While competition fuels our approach to business, we view ourselves as part of a collective mission to protect our nation. This mission inspires my personal and professional passion every day.”
The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc. (Draper), is a nonprofit engineering innovation company. Draper serves the nation’s interests and security needs, advances technologies at the intersection of government, academia, and industry, cultivates the next generation of innovators, and solves the most complex challenges. With annual operating revenues of $754M (2023) and over a thousand engineers and scientists, the company brings a multidisciplinary advantage to system design for U.S. government and commercial customers. Draper technical staff provide unbiased assessments of technology or systems designed or recommended by other organizations — whether custom designed or commercial-off-the-shelf. Draper delivers innovative solutions to complex national security challenges through cutting edge technology and strategic partnerships with government, academia, and industry. They generate groundbreaking ideas and deliver them with precision and discipline, ensuring they provide solutions others cannot achieve.
Leadership & Dedication
America’s 40th President, Ronald Reagan, significantly influenced Dr. Wohletz’s leadership. His philosophy toward America’s national defense emphasized a solid and proactive military posture to deter adversaries and protect national interests. He believed in peace through strength and advocated for prudent defense spending to ensure the United States maintained a superior technological and strategic edge.
President Reagan’s dedication to solid defense and visionary leadership inspired Dr. Wohletz to prioritize national security in his career and lead Draper with integrity and purpose. “President Reagan’s focus on collective purpose resonates deeply with me, and I consistently strive to instill the same sense of duty and excellence within Draper,” explains Dr. Wohletz. “Draper’s mission extends beyond not only generating good ideas, but we ensure those ideas are effectively delivered and make a real world difference in national security. Our focus is simple: At Draper, we turn theoretical innovations into practical national security solutions.”
Under Dr. Wohletz's tenure, Draper is modernizing the laboratory to address the new challenges in national security while supporting the customers’ pull for rapid growth. This requires the company to double their workforce within the next five years, modernize their facilities to include building new buildings, expand their campuses, and replace all of their business tools and processes, all while not missing a beat in delivering on customer commitments.
Dr. Wohletz’s absolute dedication to national security is his guiding principle. Over the years, he has focused on creating technology-driven solutions rather than flying fighter jets, which was his earliest dream job. “I’d like people to see me as an inspiring and passionate thought leader, strategist, and change agent who gets things done. What we say is inspiring and achievement-oriented; what we do is even more powerful and successful,” he adds.
Building A Great Organization
Innovation at Draper is people-driven. A good example is their vital work to revitalize the microelectronics ecosystem, which is critical to the nation’s economic and national security. Their partners include government, industry, and academia, who are all committed to strengthening the nation’s ability to design and manufacture microchips for critical infrastructure and national security systems. The organization’s partnership with the University of Massachusetts at Lowell on R&D for microelectronics is an excellent example of how they harness the talent and innovations needed to solve critical national problems.
Draper has several initiatives aimed at enhancing national security and community safety. Through the Draper Scholars Program, they collaborate with universities and partner with the next generation of engineers and scientists. Their DraperSPARX™ program, for instance, operates as a partnership platform that provides a bridge for startups and small businesses who want to work with the Department of Defense. These engagements are designed to have a lasting positive impact on the defense industry and the broader community. Draper is also a space company, in fact one of the originals, with a heritage that includes the development of the Apollo Guidance Computer. Today, Draper is writing the next chapter in space with their partners in the commercial, civil and military space sector. In space exploration, they lead a team under NASA’s Artemis program that will deliver science payloads to the far side of the lunar surface. For Draper, it will add a chapter to a storied history that may one day see colonization of the Moon.
Every day, Draper works as one team to innovate and improve. Their commitment to sustainability and ethical practices is integral to their operations. One notable achievement in the defense of America is the development and successful testing of advanced hypersonic missile systems. These systems can travel at speeds greater than Mach 5. This technological advancement enhances the United States’ strategic deterrence capabilities by providing a rapid and precise response option to emerging threats, thereby maintaining a competitive edge in global defense.
The organization also supports the next generation through programs like Draper Scholars and STEM initiatives. With 2,200 employees across 12 campuses, they host 200 interns each summer, including 86 graduate-level students in the Draper Scholars Program. Their participation in programs like MIT Beaver Works underscores a dedication to solving the hardest problems in national security and a commitment to developing the workforce of tomorrow.
workforce of tomorrow. Draper is deeply committed to supporting and advancing women in engineering. The organization actively fosters an inclusive environment where women engineers can thrive, contribute, and lead. They invest in various programs and initiatives to encourage young women to pursue careers in STEM fields, such as mentorship programs, scholarships, and partnerships with educational institutions. Draper also broadly emphasizes the importance of diversity in its workforce, recognizing that a diverse team drives innovation and excellence. Draper is dedicated to empowering their teams to achieve their full potential and make significant contributions to the mission by promoting a culture of inclusion and providing resources and support.
The pioneering organization aims to deliver groundbreaking technologies and strategic advancements that address critical defense challenges, ensuring their solutions are implemented with precision and discipline to maintain and enhance the United States’ strategic advantages. They do this by emphasizing the importance of collaboration with government, academia, and industry to support national defense initiatives effectively.
Draper’s 90-year legacy is unmatched, and Dr. Wohletz’s job is to ensure that this legacy continues for decades to come. “My vision is that Draper is the destination for top talent to come and solve our nation’s toughest national security problems in defense of democracy around the world and eventually in the universe,” says Dr. Wohletz. “Draper is to become more than just an innovation factory; it will also be a talent factor for national security”.
