Dr. Bob Krone (1930-2021), Founding President of the Kepler Space Institute, is a global educator, author, and consultant in Advanced Management theory and practice. He was an Emeritus Professor of the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles, U.S.A. (1975-1993); was a Distinguished Visiting Professor in the School of Business at La Sierra University in Riverside, California, U.S.A.(1992-2007); and an Adjunct Professor for Doctoral Programs in the International Graduate School of Business at the University of South Australia (1995-2021). He authored or co-authored six books and 70 professional journal articles.

Bob graduated from the Naval War College Command and Staff College in 1962. He was a Fellow Member of the American Society for Quality(www.ASQ711.org) with an academic specialty in the Quality Sciences; Secretary of the National Board of the Distinguised Flying Cross Society (www.dfcsociety.org); Member Board of Directors of the Veterans Museum and Memorial Center, San Diego, California (www.veteranmuseum.org); and Emeritus Member Board of Directors of Idyllwild Arts (www.idyllwildarts.org).

Bob’s first career was as a Fighter Pilot, Commander, Personnel Director and NATO International Staff Officer in the United States Air Force (1952-1975). He flew the T-33, F-84G, F-84F, C-47, F-100D/F, T-39, F-86, F-105D/F in America, Europe and Asia. As Operations Officer and Commander of the 469th Tactical Fighter Squadron (F-105D) he became the first USAF commander in the Vietnam War to reach 100 combat missions over North Vietnam (3 June 1966). He flew a total of 125 combat missions in SEA and earned the Silver Star, four Distinguished Flying Crosses, Bronze Star and eleven Air Medals. He was the action officer for the creation of USAF Museum web site pages on the history of the F-105D flying combat over North Vietnam, 1965 – 1968.

Bob was Chief of the Nuclear Policy Section for SHAPE, NATO Belgium (1971-1974) and created the first unclassified briefing for “NATO Nuclear Policymaking,” which was the subject of his Ph.D. Dissertation at UCLA (1972).

Bob has stayed in touch with Aerospace by his co-founding of the Kepler Space Institute, being a member of the NASA sponsored Aerospace Technology Working Group (ATWG), where his major activity was editing BEYOND EARTH: THE FUTURE OF HUMANS IN SPACE (Apogee Space Press, 2006), Amazon.com, www.BeyondEarth.org). That book was on the Universe Today list of “Best Space Books in 2006” and was inspiration for founding the Kepler Space Institute.

Bob’s wife is Salena Gregory-Krone, GM-13 (Ret), whose professional career was as the designer of the first Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) plans for the U.S Department of Defense and The United Sates Air Force in the 1970s. Her career is recognized in the US Congressional Record.