Melnick’s organization, a part of the Boeing Integrated Defense Systems group, provides a variety of support services to Boeing programs in the state. Headquartered in Titusville, the organization has approximately 2,400 employees.

Services provided by Boeing in Florida include engineering, facilities and maintenance support to NASA and the Department of Defense for Space Shuttle, International Space Station and Delta rocket programs. Melnick is also responsible for the pursuit of new business for the company in Florida.

Melnick was formerly the Boeing Company Vice President at KSC for the Payload Ground Operations Contract with NASA, with 1,600 employees. The contract included all the engineering and facilities support and maintenance activities related to preparing spacecraft and payloads for the Space Shuttle missions prior to launch and after landing. The division also provided support to NASA and its contractors for the International Space Station hardware and NASA expendable launch vehicle payloads.

Prior to joining Boeing (McDonnell Douglas at the time), Melnick was Vice President of Shuttle Engineering at United Space Alliance, formerly Lockheed Martin Space Operations, from 1994 to 1996. From 1992 to 1994, he was Director of Process Improvement Technology at Lockheed Space Operations Company.

During 1987-1992, he served in NASA’s astronaut corps and flew as a mission specialist on the Shuttle Discovery STS-41 in 1990 when the Ulysses spacecraft was deployed. He served as a flight engineer on STS-49 in 1992, which was the first flight of the Shuttle Endeavour. During that mission, astronauts retrieved and reboosted the Intelsat VI satellite into its originally intended orbit. He has logged more than 300 hours in space.

During his 20-year career with the U.S. Coast Guard, Melnick’s assignments included serving as operations officer and chief test pilot at the Coast Guard Aircraft Program Office in Grand Prairie, Texas. In that capacity, he conducted most of the developmental and all of the acceptance test flights for the HH-65 helicopter, including sea trials, and wrote the HH-65 flight manual. During his Coast Guard service, Melnick received numerous awards, including two Department of Defense Distinguished Service Medals, two Distinguished Flying Crosses and the Secretary of Transportation Heroism Award. In 1992, he received the U.S. Coast Guard Academy Distinguished Alumni Award, and in August 2000 was inducted into the United Coast Guard Aviation Hall of Fame.

Melnick received a master’s degree in aeronautical systems from the University of West Florida and a bachelor’s degree in engineering with honors from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. He was awarded an honorary doctorate of science degree from the University of West Florida on 28 April 2001.

Melnick is an avid fisherman and also enjoys golf, hunting and running.

Organizations:

Member:
USCG Academy Alumni Association
USCG Ancient Order of the Pterodactyl
USCG Aviation Hall of Fame
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Association of Space Explorers
Florida Sport Fishing Association
Missile, Space & Range Pioneers
National Management Association
Naval Aviation Museum Foundation
North American Hunters Club
United States Space Foundation
Civilian Military Council

Board of Directors:
Crosswinds Youth Services, Inc.
National Space Club
Florida Space Research Institute
Economic Development Commission
Space Coast Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

Board of Governors:
Brevard Community College Foundation

Board of Advisors:
University of Central Florida, College of Engineering
Florida Institute of Technology, College of Business

February 2004