Draft:Harold L. Finch

• Comment: 'Motion picture producer" sourced to IMDb is laughable. IMDb is not a reliable source for anything. Theroadislong (talk) 19:56, 21 June 2025 (UTC)

• Comment: There are NPOV issues (besides reading like an essay) that make me reluctant to accept this article. Please review the guidelines on how to write in a neutral tone, remove any promotional language, and ensure information only relevant to the subject is included in the article with appropriate sources. WeWake (talk) 17:29, 18 June 2025 (UTC)

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Harold L. Finch
Born	(1933-03-18)March 18, 1933 Kansas City, Kansas, U.S.
Died	January 8, 2023(2023-01-08) (aged 89)
Nationality	American
Occupation(s)	Engineer, educator, entrepreneur, author, motivational speaker, motion-picture producer.
Spouse	Peggy Thompson (m. 1955)
Children	3

Harold L. Finch (March 18, 1933 – January 8, 2023) was an American space engineer, educator, entrepreneur, philanthropist, motivational speaker, author, and motion picture producer. He is best known for his thermodynamic contributions to NASA’s Apollo program as the project director who invented and developed the passive thermal control system commonly referred to as the barbecue roll. He also helped found Johnson County Community College in Kansas, co-founded two distinct companies that three times achieved Inc. 500 status, and produced the theatrically released motion picture Unlimited. Throughout his life, Finch was active in public service, motivational speaking, Christian ministry, and global humanitarian work.

Early life and education

Finch was born and raised in Kansas City, Kansas. He graduated from Wyandotte High School in 1951. He earned a B.S. in science (mechanical engineering) from the University of Kansas in 1956, receiving his Air Force ROTC officer's commission simultaneously. He earned an M.S. in science with emphasis on thermodynamics from Ohio State University in 1961, and an Ed.D. in higher education from the University of Kansas in 1971.

Personal life

Finch married Peggy Thompson in 1955; they were married for 67 years until his death. Both were lifelong Christians active in church ministry and community service. They had three children, six grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. Finch died on January 8, 2023, at the age of 89.

Military and NASA career

Finch served as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Air Force from 1957 to 1959, assigned to the classified Air Technical Intelligence Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. He gathered data on Soviet bomber and rocket capabilities and contributed to Project Blue Book, the military investigation of UFOs. From 1959 to 1961, Finch worked at Wright-Patterson’s Advanced Systems Design laboratory, performing analytical research on military air and aerospace vehicles.

In 1961, Finch joined Midwest Research Institute (now MRIGlobal). His 1962 NASA proposal on satellite thermodynamics earned the lab its first aerospace contract. At 29, he was named NASA’s Project Director to analyze and predict temperature factors affecting spacecraft, ending temperature-related failures of instruments, rockets, and communications. NASA Assistant Director for Engineering and Development Maxime A. Faget praised Finch's results in a personal letter. Finch accepted an invitation from Edmund Brun, French president of the International Astronautical Federation, to address the 15th International Astronautical Congress in Warsaw in 1964.

In 1965, Finch became Project Director for NASA’s Apollo Heating Program. He developed the "barbecue roll," a computerized rolling maneuver controlling spacecraft thermal conditions by slowly rotating the craft along its longest axis to evenly distribute solar heating. The method was crucial in managing Apollo 13’s thermal control during its emergency. The barbecue roll system became standard for the Space Shuttle and is still used by NASA and SpaceX. Finch presented further on spacecraft self-shadowing at the 17th International Astronautical Congress in Madrid, 1966.

Education career

In 1966, Finch shifted careers to become Vocational-Technical Director at Kansas City's Metropolitan Junior College (now Metropolitan Community College), developing pioneering certification programs including drafting, police science, and aviation industry courses. In 1968, he organized America's first national aviation conference, involving college presidents, FAA officials, airlines, and Congress. Later that year, Finch became charter dean at Johnson County Community College (JCCC) in Overland Park, Kansas. He was charged with planning and coordinating faculty, staff, and curriculum development responsive to local needs. He led the establishment of JCCC’s inaugural fourteen vo-tech programs including the Midwest's first hearing-impaired program. Finch served as JCCC’s first academic dean, executive dean, vice president, executive vice president, and, in 1975, Acting President.

Entrepreneurial career

In 1977, Finch co-founded Padgett-Thompson, a management training firm specializing in one-day seminars. It ranked 144th in 1983 and 263rd in 1984 among the fastest-growing U.S. companies. Padgett-Thompson was sold to H&R Block in 1985. In 1989, Finch co-founded CottageCare, a national house-cleaning franchise that ranked 167th among the fastest-growing U.S. companies.

Philanthropist, motivational speaker, and author

In 1985, Finch and his wife Peggy founded Wellspring Mission Volunteers Foundation to support international missionary work, sending roughly 1,200 volunteers worldwide. From 1999 to 2009, Finch delivered over 750 motivational seminars on success, leadership, and faith across five continents. He authored The Three Keys to Extraordinary Success in 2021 and co-authored the autobiographical Space Age Renaissance Man, in 2025, published posthumously.

Motion picture producer

In 2013, Finch was the executive producer of the theatrical film Unlimited, which starred Fred Thompson and Robert Amaya. The film, loosely inspired by aspects of his life, was released internationally and has been made available on various streaming platforms.