Dr. Richard Kranze is the President and Chief Scientist at Kranze Technology Solutions, Inc.

In 2008, Rick founded Kranze Technology Solutions, Inc. whose primary function was test support for PMA-272 for their DoN LAIRCM programs. This effort included the design, development, and integration of unique data collection systems capable of recording all pertinent information from multiple ASE systems on a variety of fixed and rotary wing platforms. This effort has continued to grow and expand over the years leading KTS, Inc. to be one of the industry leaders in rapid prototyping and system integration on multiple aircraft throughout DoD. KTS, Inc. has grown significantly over time and is considered to be at the fore front of airborne networking and communications integration.

Before founding KTS in November of 2008, Rick was the Engineering Program Manager for the Two-Color IR missile warning programs for Northrop Grumman Corporation. Rick was employed at Northrop Grumman for 13 years and held various positions in the Engineering group. He started his career at Northrop working in the Advanced Systems Engineering group designing, developing and field testing Ground Based Instrumentation systems specifically for testing and measuring jamming response from the Northrop Grumman Directional Infrared Countermeasures program. After several years of DIRCM development work Rick moved to managing the Systems Effectiveness group and was responsible for modeling and simulation of DIRCM effectiveness and responsibility for the develop of new jam codes and missile exploitation. Rick then accepted a position of Engineering Program Manager for the JSF DAS program in Baltimore, Maryland. After successfully spearheading the DAS program through PDR and CDR he returned to Rolling Meadows and took over the Next Generation (NexGen) missile warning program. Rick led the Northrop Grumman team to a successful competition against Lockheed Martin with the Two-Color IR Missile warner. Shortly after this Rick led the same engineering team to successfully integrate the missile warner onto the CH-53E and CH-46 Marine rotary wing platforms.

Rick earned a Ph.D. in Chemical Physics from Texas Christian University and a Bachelor of Science in Physics also from Texas Christian University. Rick has published over 10 papers in peer reviewed journals covering topics ranging from Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopic Studies of Carbon Molecules to Absorption Characteristics of Artillery Propellants.