Robert Allnutt
National Space Society Board of Governors
Robert F. Allnutt has a distinguished record of achievement in both the public and private sectors. At NASA from 1960 to 1970 and 1978-1983, he was Associate Deputy Administrator (the 3rd-ranking position in the agency), Associate Administrator for External Relations, and Assistant Administrator for Legislative Affairs (during the Apollo program). In the mid-60’s, he was the agency’s chief patent attorney.
In the 1970’s, he was an Assistant Administrator of the Energy Research and Development Administration; Staff Director of the U.S. Senate Committee on Aeronautics and Space; and Associate General Counsel of the U.S. Commission on Government Procurement. He began his federal career as an examiner in the U.S. Patent Office.
He received numerous medals and other forms of recognition while in Government, including being chosen a “Meritorious Federal Executive” by the President in 1981. He has been listed in Who’s Who in America since 1980.
After leaving the government sector Allnut became Vice President for Government Relations at the Communications Satellite Corporation (“Comsat”), and Vice President and Legal Counsel of a trade association sponsored by electric utilities and others interested in nuclear energy. From 1985 to 1995 he was the Executive Vice President of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (now “PhRMA”), where he supervised all aspects of the trade association’s work, with emphasis on policy formulation, public and media relations, image advertising and federal and state advocacy. After leaving PhRMA, he became Senior Counselor at APCO Associates, Inc., a global communication consultancy.
Allnutt has an engineering degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and both Juris Doctorate (with distinction) and Master of Laws degrees from George Washington University.
He has chaired the Board of Cortex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Irvine, CA), and has been a director of Questcor Pharmaceuticals (Union City, CA), Cypros Pharmaceutical Corporation (Carlsbad, CA), and the F. Dohmen Company (Germantown, WI). He has been on the Boards of the the American Hospice Foundation; the National Health Council; the National Council on the Aging; the National Science and Technology Medals Foundation; the Partnership for Caring; the NASA Alumni League; the Air and Space Heritage Council; and on the Program Council of the International Center for the Advancement of Scientific Literacy.
