Jack Roeser

Who is Jack Roeser?

Jack Roeser is an engineer, inventor, entrepreneur, businessman and more recently a civic leader and candidate for elected office.

Roeser is Chairman and founder of Otto Engineering Inc. in Carpentersville, Illinois, which manufactures electronic control and communication switches for aerospace, medical and industrial uses since 1961. In 2006, Otto had over 500 employees and annual sales of over $79 million. He has received over 50 patents in Electrical, Mechanical, Machinery and Marine products.

Roeser enlisted in the Army in 1942 and served during World War II as a Corporal in the 1689th Engineer Battalion Combat Engineers in the Pacific Theater. He served in combat with distinction fighting the Japanese in the Philippines, most notably in the Battle of Leyte. He was one of the first U.S. Soldiers to set foot on Japan after their surrender to the Allies in 1945.

In 1948 he received his Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois graduating with Pi Tau Sigma honors. In 1996 Roeser was chosen as an Outstanding Alumnus of the University of Illinois.

After graduating from the University of Illinois and before founding Otto Engineering he worked at the Hawthorne Works and started a three other successful businesses which are now owned by other corporations.