Mathematics Paves the Path to Success for Ken Jeanos ’90

Today, Ken Jeanos ’90 is chief information officer of General Dynamics Electric Boat, the leader in the design, construction, delivery and maintenance of nuclear-powered submarines for the U.S. Navy, including the new Columbia-class ballistic missile vessels. In this role, he is responsible for enterprise information technology (IT), cyber security and the data analytics initiative to support the company’s 23,000 employees.

In the 1980s, however, Jeanos was a high school student in a blue-collar New Jersey community. He happened to really like math, and he was prepared to work his way through college. “My story isn’t that much different from many Montclair students,” he points out. “I commuted to class and worked two jobs to support my financial needs.”

Initially, Jeanos anticipated pursuing a career in actuarial science, but once involved in the program he knew he wanted to be on the applied mathematics track. He also leaned into getting as much real-world career experience as possible. “I was able to work with the University to create a co-op program out of a part-time summer opportunity at Panasonic,” he says. “It was a fantastic real-world learning experience.”

During his senior year at Montclair, Jeanos experienced another life-changing turning point. “While working on a project, I asked a fellow student for help who was working at the computer lab. Her response was to ask someone else since she was busy. At that moment, there was no doubt in my mind that I needed to ask her to go out with me. Luckily, she said yes, and we have been together ever since.”

Jeanos and his wife, Kimberly ’91, a computer science major, have been happily married for 30 years.

Jeanos’ co-op at Panasonic led to a full-time job after graduation, setting the stage for a highly successful career. “It was a foundational experience,” he says. “I moved through a lot of different roles, learning along the way.”

Over the course of nearly 29 years, Jeanos served Panasonic as project manager for enterprise resource planning; group manager for IT and e-business; director of operations and inside sales, director of corporate planning for strategic initiatives; vice president of business operations; senior vice president for corporate information systems for the Americas; and president, chief information officer and chief information security officer. He left Panasonic in 2019 and quickly joined General Dynamics Electric Boat. “It is exciting to be part of a company that is integral to protecting our country and the freedoms we enjoy,” he notes. “Working here is part of a greater cause, and it gets me fired-up every day to go to work.”

In addition, Jeanos is an advisor to The-Data-Pros, a NJ-based IT services firm that helps small- and medium-sized businesses migrate to the Cloud, and Channel Portal, a health technology start-up. He recently earned an MBA in strategic management and marketing from Villanova University and continues his involvement as a mentor to business students there.

“I learned a lot about the value of dedication and effort at Montclair,” he says, when asked about the University’s impact on his life and career. “I also had great mentors, at Montclair and at Panasonic.”

Jeanos returns the favor whenever possible. While at Panasonic, he worked with the University to build a pipeline for Montclair students to intern at the company. Several have since become Panasonic employees.

“It is important for alumni to reach out, to help the next generation get a strong start to their careers,” he says. “This is our opportunity to help students understand what it will take to succeed.”

In his conversations with students, Jeanos encourages them to get involved in internships and co-ops as early as possible. “Do your homework about the companies you want to work for,” he advises. “Reach out to the University’s career services advisors. Build your LinkedIn profile and research your market. And don’t be afraid of not knowing exactly what you want to do. I started out as a product specialist, a role typically reserved for business majors.”

Although now working in Connecticut where General Dynamics Electric Boat is headquartered, he remains engaged and has been a speaker at both the Feliciano School of Business and the College of Science and Mathematics. “It is so nice to see how Montclair has grown since I graduated, both in terms of the campus and in terms of its stature as a university,” Jeanos says. “I am very proud of my Montclair degree.”