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A D V A N C E D M A T E R I A L S & P R O C E S S E S | J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 7
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married his high school sweetheart and
the love of his life, Janet, and started
working a variety of jobs that sparked
his interest in materials—their proper-
ties, characteristics, and how to man-
ufacture them. It was then that he de-
cided to pursue an engineering degree
at Philadelphia Community College and
later transferred to Drexel University
as a materials engineering major. Bill’s
life took on a new purpose as he had
found his profession, his passion, and
his community—which included ASM
International.
Upon graduation in 1981, Bill went
to work for the Naval Air Development
Center (NADC) in Warminster, Pa. NADC
is responsible for all the research and
development activities that support
naval aviation aircraft and systems.
While there, he established a rapid so-
lidification laboratory, powder process-
ing facility, and transmission electron
microscopy/x-ray diffraction capability.
As he worked during the day to develop
advanced materials for naval aviation,
he continued his studies at Drexel to
earn his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in ma-
terials engineering in 1984 and 1987. He
was then selected for the prestigious
NAVAIR Senior Executive Leadership
Development Program (SEMDP), which
included a four-month residential ad-
vanced program management cur-
riculum at the Defense Systems Man-
agement College. This move helped
transform his adept technical and man-
agement skills into formidable, execu-
tive-level leadership skills.
Bill was then selected to be
NAVAIR’s first national competency
leader for metals, ceramics, and nonde-
structive inspection. In this role, he was
responsible for the end-to-end success
of materials research, engineering, and
support including over 60 scientists, en-
gineers, and technicians located across
six national sites. He also transitioned
and established new advanced labora-
tory capabilities in the Becker Materials
Laboratory at Patuxent River, Md., as
part of the 1995 base realignment and
closure transition of NADC to Southern
Md. In this role, Bill led the aerospace
materials division’s quest to obtain dual
certification in ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC
Guide 25—a first in the federal govern-
ment, setting a new bar of excellence
for naval aviation and the Department
of Defense.
In his capacity as national compe-
tency leader, Bill adeptly balanced and
synergized a wide range of activities
across the lifecycle and was responsible
and accountable for safety and certifi-
cation in these domains for all legacy,
current, and future naval aviation plat-
forms and systems. Bill led a number of
“first time” efforts including AerMet 100
steel, which transformed naval aviation
with high strength, corrosion-resistant
landing gear and arrestment systems.
Bill was promoted in 2005 into the
Navy’s executive band as the Navy se-
nior scientist for materials engineering
where he serves as the chief scientist
for NAVAIR’s air vehicle engineering de-
partment. Based on his long record of
achievements, accomplishments, and
respect across the technical communi-
ty, he was subsequently selected to be
a NAVAIR Esteemed Fellow—an honor
limited to 0.3% of NAVAIR’s scientists
and engineers. Bill has become a key
strategic thought leader with significant
influence on future naval aviation plans,
and he has been the technical architect
and driving force behind a number of
critical strategic thrusts including: ad-
ditive manufacturing; nanomaterials
and metamaterials technology; dura-
ble aircraft materials and structures;
corrosion-resistant alloy development;
erosion-resistant rotor blade materi-
als; and integrated structural health
management.
Bill has authored over 90 publica-
tions, edited six books, and holds two
U.S. patents. He was inducted as an
ASM Fellow in 1996, and served as an
ASM trustee from 2003-2007. He has
also served on numerous committees
including the AeroMat Committee and
the Emerging Technologies Awareness
Committee. Today, he continues to
serve as associate editor for the
Jour-
nal of Materials Engineering and Perfor-
mance
and is a key reader for
Metallur-
gical and Materials Transactions A.
HIS PROMISE
Bill promises to do everything in
his power to help lead ASM in pursu-
ing these possibilities, reaching new
heights of excellence, and achieving
what has never been achieved to ad-
dress both our most formidable chal-
lenges as well as our most enabling
opportunities. His vision and promise
include two major goals: ASM will be
the number one provider of materials
information in the form and manner
that customers can most effectively and
efficiently use no matter what field they
work in or where they work; ASM will
grow in membership, technical excel-
lence, education, and strategic collabo-
ration and partnerships.
Bill is passionate about leading
ASM and is determined to see it thrive
and contribute to our society in mean-
ingful and profound ways. He thanks
ASM for this humbling opportunity and
will do all he can tomake our 104th year
the most productive and effective it can
possibly be .
~AM&P
From left, Janet and Bill Frazier with their
children, Laura King and Bill and Daniel
Frazier.
Bill received the NAVAIR Esteemed Fellow
Award from Vice Adm. David Dunaway
in 2013.