Frank Raspante, a manager of process improvements in Mission Technologies Unmanned Systems business group, was also a recipient of the 2023 Unmanned Systems Spotlight award.

“I am a first generation born in the United States from an immigrant family. At a very young age I knew that the engineering world is where I was going. I grew up in a family of machinists and engineers that exposed me to the technical manufacturing environment at a very young age. In High School, I designed my own curriculum in mechanical design technology using some great machine design reference books, ASME standards and a great guidance counselor helping me with the foundation to my career.

I have been in the technical industry since 1985 and have had great mentors guide me from their experiences and re-enforce my positive skills. In 2004, I began my career with Unmanned Systems for oceanographic UUV systems supporting REMUS products with some of the world’s greatest mentors in UUV technologies guiding me again. These mentors were very instrumental to me in the development of REMUS and some of the greatest accomplishments for our customers. My career with Unmanned has been breath taking. At 20+ years of the most exciting UUV projects in our oceanographic industry, I have supported products and provided solutions for defense systems, research, and the education markets that are making a difference in our communities. The experience has given me the mission to pay it back. During my career with Unmanned, I have mentored over 35 co-op students, and I am still friends with many via LinkedIn and social media.

In parallel, my family has always been there to support me. Our adopted children come from Kazakhstan and China, and we mentor them to chase their dreams by working on the skills they have. Our children have been exposed to many of our HII events and projects from coming to the office to supporting STEM events, career days and maker fairs that Unmanned Systems has sponsored in our community.

I have found a side passion from our family history of farming, where I picked up and opened an effort to revive Cotuit Cranberry Farm on historical Cape Cod, a farm going back to approximately 1870. This experience allows me to mentor other young individuals and give them a vision of balanced agriculture, technology, environmental law, and natural resources. Cranberry farming is some of our countries oldest farming practice and my contribution to the community is to preserve it and provide knowledge to those that come by to visit Cape Cod.”