In Remembrance of William J. McNutt
William J. McNutt, IEEE Life Fellow, died November 14, 2014 at the age of 87.
Bill was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He served in the US Navy in World War II, and on his return earned a BSEE degree from Tufts College and an MSEE from Illinois Institute of Technology. He joined General Electric Company’s Large Power Transformer Department from 1952 until its closure in 1986. After that, he continued his career as Berkshire Transformer Consultants and provided worldwide transformer consulting services.
Bill was an active participant in IEEE and CIGRE. He was recognized as an IEEE Fellow in 1976 “for contributions to the design of power transformers and standardization of test procedures”, and was awarded the IEEE Charles Proteus Steinmetz award for sustained contributions and leadership in the development of standards for power transformers. He was chair of the PES Transformers Committee from 1981 to 1982, and was recognized twice with the Transformers Committee’s Distinguished Individual Service Award. The recognition of his key role to the industry went beyond the Committee when he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering for his contributions to the design and development of large power transformers.
Bill was predeceased by his wife Eleanor who passed away earlier this year. He is survived by their four children and five grandchildren.