Gale Ramon Aguilar

1932 - 2021

June 6, 1932 - March 16, 2021 Computer industry pioneer Gale Aguilar died March 16 of multiple organ failure after a long illness and brief hospitalization. He died on his own terms, surrounded by his family, alert and in charge to the end, able to read and hear the many messages of love and support from friends and colleagues. Born in 1932 to Henry Ramon Aguilar and Jessie Pahel, he grew up in greater Los Angeles, attended San Fernando High where he met and eloped with Alice Jackan at age 19, beginning their 66-year adventure together. He joined the Army during the Korean War, served in the Artillery Center at Fort Sill, and fired the first and only atomic artillery projectile ""Atomic Red Legs"" in 1953. He graduated from California State University, LA and joined IBM in 1955 as a field engineer and IBM customer engineer to the LA Times. He loved the new computer industry and rose through IBM ranks to become a senior leader and corporate strategist lauded for being on the ""cutting edge of the interface between the technical community, product developers and the customer."" As IBM's representative to Aerospace he helped bring power computing into the space program. He was credited with not only being ""instrumental in building the company but in changing the direction of large systems development for the industry."" He was a key contributor to the introduction of the IBM 360 in 1964, considered a watershed moment for both the company and the industry. By his retirement, IBM had moved him and his family from San Fernando to Phoenix, Tucson, Sierra Vista, the San Fernando Valley, Stamford, Los Angeles, Westport and San Jose. After leaving IBM in 1982 he joined Prime Computers in Massachusetts as Vice President.
After serving as senior executive to two Fortune 500 companies, the second phase of his career began with his transition to Silicon Valley in 1992 where he, often along with other former ""IBMers,"" was a pioneer in the rapid transformation of the industry and the shifting interface between hardware and software development as firms rose and merged and morphed over the next two decades. He joined the newly formed Stardent as Vice President; Sf2 as CEO; Mitem as President and COO, and 2Phase as CEO. He was particularly proud to have been President and CEO of Force Protection at a time when it contributed to the safety of our forces in Iraq. He served on the Boards of multiple companies listed on NYSE, American and NASDAQ exchanges. He was Advisory Principal in Gramercy Ventures and also became a mentor to both individuals and companies. Most recently he became advisor to Fusion Energy in Arizona; he said the computer industry had changed the world, but the fusion energy industry might save it.
He was also an inventor, particularly proud of his 1999 patent for improving storing of data in a redundant array of mass storage devices.
Gale shared his father's passion for aviation, earned his pilot's license in his teens, and was an avid flyer for life. He loved the water and everything from scuba diving to Grand Banks fascinated him. He cherished his Californian heritage, his family having arrived in the 18th century from the Baja, and was deeply connected to the land, planting a vineyard in Gilroy surrounding the Old California Style house he and Alice built in 1992. He was a fierce patriot and defender of both the First and Second Amendments. He was also a loyal member of the Palo Alto Club, among whose membership he found good fellowship and intellectual stimulation.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Alice. He is survived by his sister Barbara Menard; his daughter Karen (John G. Fox,) retired Foreign Service Officer; his daughter Barbara, Principal Scientist with Bristol Myers Squib; his son Robert Ramon (Ellen), Senior VP of SolarMax Financial; and grandchildren Alyssa, law student at Santa Clara, and Jason, motorcycle racing champion.
The family plans a memorial service when it is deemed safe to hold one.
Those who wish to make a memorial donation might consider either the Institute for Justice, ij.org; or War Birds, warbirds.eea.org.