Gene Kranz

Eugene Francis "Gene" Kranz (born August 17, 1933) is an American aerospace engineer. He was a NASA Flight Director and manager. Kranz was NASA's second Chief Flight Director. He was in charge of the Gemini and Apollo programs. He was born in Toledo, Ohio.
Kranz is a recipient of a Presidential Medal of Freedom, given in 1970 by President Richard Nixon.
In 2010, Kranz was listed as the #2 most popular space hero by the Space Foundation.