Jacobsen appoints vice president of engineering

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Jacobsen, a Textron Inc. company, has appointed Vasant Gondhalekar as vice president of engineering. He will report directly to Dan Wilkinson, president of Jacobsen.

Gondhalekar joined Cessna, also a Textron Inc. company, in 1991 as an engineer in their R & D area and held positions of increasing responsibility throughout his career, including both technical and leadership roles. Most recently he served as director of engineering. His many accomplishments include pioneering Cessna’s use of the Global Technology Center in India, boosting domestic and international flight certifications and improving the speed of product deliveries. He built a team to teach government employees and who have also been recruited into key roles within the enterprise. He brings with him strong technical expertise along with strategic vision, a collaborative work style and the ability to build a strong team.

He has a Bachelor of Science in Physics and Statistis, Masters of Science in Solid State Physics from the University of Bombay, India, and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Wichita State University. He will be relocating to the Charlotte area with his wife Archana and their son Anish.