"Mr. Holmes has been responsible for developing the computer aided design capability at LAAD. This task required the evaluation of equipment and software as well as developing computer codes fro their use. His excellent performance in this task warrants this merit increase and promotion... - 4/25/76
"He has made a major contributions in the IAID 5-year planning, principally in system hardware development and application software development philosophy. ... he has pioneered applications software development on the minicomputer system..." - 5/8/77
Richard Child, Aerodynamics Supervisor, Los Angeles Aircraft Division, Rockwell International

The direction and coordination of the total CAD cycle from design to the N/C group interface is excellent. Very methodical in the planning and implementation of defined procedures to actual tasks... "Did an outstanding job representing Convair interests in the corporate meetings. - 6/26/78
"Excellent job of demonstrating technical leadership and ability to coordinate difficult multi-related task assignments... - 7/9/79
Personnel ingenuity and creative thinking has been exercised on several occasions that demonstrated a well rounded knowledge of the design/analysis process... Completes assigned tasks even when hampered by unrealistic constraints. - 7/7/80
Does an excellent job of directing CAD system integration development tasks. Requires minimum guidance and stays on top of multi-located activities. Leadership communications have improved and is obtaining high level of efficiency from personnel. Produced excellent documentation on methodology for "product data flow and control. [His] general interactive graphics system integration plan gained both WDSC and corporate DSD approval. Planned implementations are technically sound and well executed considering budget constraints. Maintains good coordination with corporate data base management team, and evaluates all planning as to corporate-wide implementation merits. Good perception of conceptual long-term division planning. Proficient in identifying technical problems within planned objectives and implements solution on his own initiative.... Extremely dependable, technically competent and a definite asset to the division CAD project." - 2/19/81
Buddy Oman, CAD Development Manager, Convair Division, General Dynamics

"Bill has provided an excellent road-map for CAD/CAM integration. He has made a strong technical contribution in the development and implementation of various integration projects. Excellent contribution to the Convair Division CAD/CAM planning effort. Good performance to budget, schedule and administrative assignments. … Strengths: technical knowledge & skills, dedication and loyalty, highly productive and proactive, vision and "big-picture" perspective, creativity and originality."
"You have the most dedicated and self-motivated staff I've ever seen."
Ken Wang, Manager, CAD/CAM Department, Data Systems Division

"Bill Holmes was assigned to the Convair Integrated Manufacturing Systems team, and has in fact been the unofficial chief architect of Convair's CIM Plan. His responsibilities include identifying faults and weakness in the traditional ways of performing aerospace product development, devising an improved process that will overcome the existing problems, and identifying opportunities to apply computer technology to the new streamlined process. Bill Holmes has been a leader and one of the most articulate spokesmen for the IMS team's efforts to devise plans and strategies for establishing the "new Convair". … He has conceptualized ways of organizing product and program information that hold the promise of enabling a responsive, efficient, and accurate product development life cycle at Convair." - Robert J. Foley, Manager, CAD/CAM Department, Data Systems Division

"DEC and GD went through a prolonged period where we could not agree on an architectural approach. Bill essentially rescued the situation with his insights and ability to communicate difficult technical concepts. He made numerous presentations to various levels of people in both companies, and kept elaborating on the backplane concept until he had sold it throughout the Program.
"Bill … has an extraordinarily insightful understanding of the engineering end of the defense business. He is an excellent communicator of difficult concepts. He readily adapts to new technologies in the workplace (emos, Macintosh, etc.). He is zealous in his pursuit of knowledge and in his efforts to save Convair. … We need his brain to be applied to the problems on the manufacturing side of the business.
"DEC and GD wen through a prolonged period where we could not agree on an architectural approach. Bill essentially rescued the situation with his insights and ability to communicate difficult technical concepts. ... He is a visionary and decided that GD would be missing a major opportunity if we passed up the chance to obtain the services of the principals of Dev Tech. He found few sympathetic ears in GD. He had the courage and energy to keep at it when everyone else had given up or been scared off. Bill annoyed several people with his persistence, including some DSD management, but his persistence finally paid off when Electronics Division and part of Convair decided at the eleventh hour (and 59th minute) to act. What the payoff will be will take two or three years to determine; what is absolutely certain in my mind is that without Bill Holmes this corporation would not have done anything." - 1/16/90
Robert J. Foley, Manager, CAD/CAM Department, Data Systems Division

"I was reviewing the original reports assessing the technology which Dev Tech had developed and the applicability to the Corporation. In retrospect and with my existing time investment in this activity, I am impressed with your essentially correct reporting of the technology and its potential. I realize that you have personally taken some big-time hits during the course of this activity. Regardless, I have to tell you that I think you did an exceptional job in evaluating the technology and its potential. I don't think I could have done a more complete technical evaluation in the same time frame." - 2/7/90
Michael R. Pouliot, Electronics Division, General Dynamics

"Your memo was just excellent! Your frankness and honesty in packing those ideas and thoughts are to be admired. I had no idea that such a deeply philosophical and thoughtful person was lurking behind that friendly mask!" - 11/17/88
Prem C. Maragani, Convair Division, General Dynamics

"Well said, timely I might add, too!!! May your wonderful mind continue to chart a course within the nether world of CIM processes which no organization has ever gone before!!!" - 11/18/88
John C. Matson, Convair Division, General Dynamics

"Support for the CAE/CIM team was excellent, especially by Sergio Lopez and Bill Holmes." - 2/4/88
John E. McSweeny, President, Convair Division, General Dynamics

"We especially want to recognize ... Bill Holmes ... because of their exceptional contributions to our Computing Architecture Plan." - 11/8/88
Steve Ziner, IMS Manager, Convair Division, General Dynamics

Extraordinary Achievement Award for demonstrating exemplary team work and technical skills to produce an extensive computerized tools system from Convair Division, General Dynamics

"Bill's strengths include his grasp of current and emerging computer technologies and their applicability to the problems of streamlining the aerospace product development cycle; his ability to process and transform ideas from specific example to generalization to concept to process to action plan; and his ability to communicate ideas and their derivatives to other. Bill is an excellent communicator and prolific writer." - 3/29/89
Robert J. Foley, Manager, CAD/CAM, Data System Division, General Dynamics

"As you know we would like to publish the IMS architecture document that we consider to be an outstanding document - written by Bill Holmes..." - 8/20/91
Bruno Legrand, Doit, Corporation.