Roger G. Ackerman was the former COO, CEO and Chairman of the Board for Corning Incorporated from 1990 to 2001. He joined Corning in 1962, the year he received a Master’s Degree in Ceramic Engineering from Rutgers University. In 1996, he became Chairman of the Board and CEO of Corning Incorporated.
Roger’s visionary leadership helped propel Corning Inc. to the forefront of the Information Age as one of the world’s leading producers of fiber-optic cable and other optical technologies used to create the backbone of the internet. Under his guidance, Corning began to invest more heavily in the booming telecommunications markets, which drove unprecedented growth and stock prices for Corning. After 39 years with the company, Ackerman retired from Corning in June 2001.
During his tenure, he transformed a company best known for glass-ceramic cookware into one that is enjoying market-leading positions in some of the hottest areas of technology. Roger Ackerman was an active volunteer at his beloved Rutgers as well as many other organizations, sharing both his time and expertise. Mr. Ackerman was involved in numerous company boards and civic and industry associations such as President of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Foundation, Chairman of the Business Council of New York State, Director of the Corning YMCA, Board of Directors Northeast Regional YMCA, member of the Rutgers University Foundation of Overseers, Trustee of Alfred University, and lead Director of Mass. Mutual.
Roger Ackerman loved most of all spending time with his wife of +65 years, Maureen and exploring the world with her. He loved being engaged with all of his family’s varied activities, his country, all types of music, reading, athletics, traveling and boating. He was an avid golfer, who collected every new golf gadget or club brought to market. He was a self-taught mariner who had no concerns piloting the notoriously dangerous coastal waters of Maine no matter the conditions. Mr. Ackerman’s values of education, hard work, altruism and the love of the Finger Lakes and State of Maine live on in all he inspired.