“Oh Yes….TOGA!”

When Brother Ron Felix ’85 arrived at Penn State, he was admittedly a very shy and introverted kid. The Skull Brotherhood at 234 E. Beaver welcomed him with open arms and provided young Felix the perfect place to grow up.

Why did you join Psi Chapter in the first place? 

I was a very shy, introverted kid when I started PSU. The brotherhood at the house at the time made me feel very welcomed and comfortable. It was the perfect place to grow up and have a group of people push me beyond my comfort zone socially.

What’s your favorite memory from your time in the chapter?

The lasting relationship with many of the membership.  Additionally, I just loved the house.  …..and oh yes, TOGA!!   

Do you still keep in touch with any of your fellow alums?

Yes – I regularly see Rick and Jim Kerrigan ’78, as well as Ed Celentano ’86. Over the  last few years  I’ve re-engaged with John Goodhart ’84, Mike Paul ’85 and Kirk Pyscher ’82.   

Tell us about your job title and what you do. 

“Never stop learning, never stop changing, and never be afraid of a challenge or something new. Push yourself into those uncomfortable situations and embrace & learn from what grows out of them.”

Brother Felix With Helicopter

Today, I’m the Vice President of In Space Propulsion for Aerojet Rocketdyne.  I have the privilege to lead a division of 400+ people focused on design, manufacture, assembly, test and certification of in-space propulsion systems for satellites, space capsules, deep space probes, and other strategic assets.  My “little” division is the only business in the world that has in totality produced propulsion systems for spacecraft that have visited every planet in our sola system, inter-stellar space, the sun, an asteroid or two and the moon.  Prior to joining AR, I served as President of SPX Precision Components for eight years, whose primary focus was the manufacture, assembly and overhaul of rotor heads for the Chinook and Apache helicopters. Overall, I have spent 31 years in Aerospace. and it has been a wonderful ride..  

How did your time in Psi Chapter help to prepare you for that role?

It allowed me to grow socially with a group of very special people, in particular from a communicative aspect, but even more importantly, from a human diversity aspect. Psi Chapter taught me to appreciate people of all backgrounds, and it developed and sharpened my appreciation of people for who they are, what they are, and what they can do.

Tell us about your family/hobbies.

Big baseball fan, love my Phillies, as well as our Nittany Lion football team!! I am an avid skier and golfer. I Love to travel. To date, I’ve had the privilege to conduct business on five continents throughout the world. I have a great wife and two sons in college (Cal Poly and Purdue). After living most of my life on the east coast, particularly the Northeast, two years ago we took on the adventure of moving West. Today, I regularly shuffle between Sacramento and Seattle, and in between, my wife and I spend time exploring the West. Our favorite Western place to decompress is Lake Tahoe. 

What would you say is your biggest accomplishment?

Felix and Family

Easy, finding a special person who can put up with all my shortcomings to be my wife, as well as the two great sons we have raised. After that, I have had the special privilege personally to lead two great aerospace companies who do tremendous technological feats every day. That said, it’s the ability to get those teams to rise above their challenges and outperform their expectations that gives me the greatest amount of satisfaction. 

What advice would you give to future generations of Psi Chapter members?

Easy, never stop learning, never stop changing, and never be afraid of a challenge or something new. Push yourself into those uncomfortable situations and embrace & learn from what grows out of them. Finally, embrace the diversity of the people around you, you will be amazed what you can accomplishment as a team vs. as an individual.