Thomas V. Jones, former chairman and chief executive of Northrop Corp

[SatNews] ..."pioneers lay the roads for those who follow to walk on"...And so he he did create a major thoroughfare with his talents from which others continue to learn.

Thomas V. Jones, former chairman and chief executive of Northrop Corp., passed away January 7, 2014, at the age of 93.

"We were saddened to learn of the passing of Tom Jones, both a visionary and pioneer in U.S. aviation," said Wes Bush, chairman, chief executive officer and president. "As has been said, 'pioneers lay the roads for those who follow to walk on.' Tom Jones paved the way for Northrop Grumman and many in our industry."

In three decades as chief executive and chairman, Jones transformed Northrop Corp. from a secondary aerospace subcontractor to a leading manufacturer of military aircraft, including the F-5 and F/A-18 fighter jets and the B-2 stealth bomber. Known as one of the giants of the aerospace industry, Jones positioned Northrop to be a leader in high-technology areas including intelligence, cyber security and unmanned aerial vehicles.

Jones was raised in Southern California and worked as an engineer at Douglas Aircraft Co. during World War II. He later worked for the Brazilian government, setting up the country's civil aviation system. In 1953, he joined Northrop and by 1960 was CEO. He led the company until his retirement in 1990.