Walter (Walt) Woltosz

Walt earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in aerospace engineering and an honorary doctor of science from Auburn University, as well as a master’s degree in administrative science from the University of Alabama in Huntsville. Walt’s work in the aerospace industry in the 1970s and early 1980s pioneered software for the automatic design of solid propellant rocket motors and missile systems. In 1981, as a result of a family need, Walt and his wife Virginia (“Ginger”) founded Words+, Inc., a California company that offered the first PC-based augmentative communication systems for people with severe disabilities, including world-famous Professor Stephen Hawking. Walt left the aerospace industry in 1983 to run Words+ until the company was sold after thirty years in 2011. In 1996, the passion he had developed in aerospace for computer simulation and modeling drove Walt to apply these technologies in healthcare, founding Simulations Plus, Inc. (Nasdaq: SLP) to develop software for pharmaceutical research and development, including the development of the first commercially successful artificial intelligence capability for the design of new medical molecules.

Walt retired as the CEO of Simulations Plus on September 1, 2018, but continues as chairman of the board. Walt has a passion for flying and holds an Airline Transport Pilot certificate as well as a helicopter rating and has flown over 4,300 hours as a pilot. He is also a filmmaker, having co-written, co-directed, and co-produced one full-length feature film and written other scripts with his son Daniel. He recently was on-stage in a play called Alabama Boys with well-known actors Thomas Gossom, Jr. and Michael O’Neill. His other activities and interests include golf, exercise, performing arts, and reading, as well as his five children and eight grandchildren. Walt and Ginger have been generous donors across the campus of Auburn University, including Engineering (~50 Ph.D. fellowships, three endowed professorships, student Formula SAE car team, Autonomous Indy Car team), Athletics (football, basketball, baseball, equestrian, gymnastics, golf, wheelchair basketball), the College of Architecture, Design and Construction (Biggin-Woltosz house, Rural Studio), the College of Veterinary Medicine (Canine Performance Sciences, Southeastern Raptor Center), the College of Liberal Arts (Aviation Management), College of Pharmacy, Student Services (Student Veterans, Auburn University Band), the Auburn University at Montgomery student food fund, the Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center, and the Tony and Libba Rane Culinary Science Center. In the community, Walt and Ginger have provided support for the East Alabama Food Bank, Lee County Humane Society, Beauregard tornado victims, Flags for Vets, American Red Cross and Salvation Army (various disasters in the U.S. and elsewhere), Norma Livingston Ovarian Cancer Association, Boys and Girls Ranches of Alabama, Tunnels to Towers, and others.