SMALL AND MINORITY BUSINESSES : McDonnell Douglas Senior Manager Quan Honored for Service

While Clarence Quan was building his career as an aerospace engineer and program manager over the past 37 years, he also found time for numerous civic and charitable efforts.

The senior manager at McDonnell Douglas Aerospace in Huntington Beach was honored recently by the Organization of Chinese Americans Inc. in Washington for both his long career and the help he has given others.

The group gave Quan its annual Asian American Corporate Achievement Award, recognizing service to his community. He has helped such organizations as the Boy Scouts of America, community center youth groups, his church and the USC Alumni Assn.

He is a member of McDonnell Douglas’ senior management diversity subcommittee, which tries to bring more minorities into the company’s management. He oversees McDonnell Douglas’ $650-million Titan IV program, which builds the shroud that protects the Titan satellite during the launch process.

Quan began his career with the company in 1957 as a mechanical engineer on the Thor missile program, helping to make some of the first missiles built in the United States. He holds a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from USC.