More than 150 SCAA members, guests and VIPs gathered in Los Angeles in February to celebrate the 30th presentation by the Association of its annual Howard Hughes Memorial Award.

The honoree was Dr. Ronald D. Sugar, chairman and CEO of Northrop Grumman Corp. He joined a distinguished list of honorees that, coincidentally, began three decades ago with Jack Northrop, founder of the aerospace firm that bears his name.

Addressing the banquet audience at the Jonathan Club, Sugar cited the pressing need for recruitment of qualified new people to the aerospace industry.

“It is imperative that we continue to train and attract the smartest men and women we can find,” he said.

“There is a serious shortage of young people today who are even considering careers in science, math, engineering or technology. This is a national problem,” Sugar said. “We must do everything we can to encourage teachers, even in the earliest grades, to promote interest in math and science.”