KIMMEL GERKE ASSOCIATES, LTD. was an Electrical Engineering consulting and training firm that specialized in Electromagnetic Interference and Compatibility (EMI/EMC). The firm:

• Solved or prevented hundreds of EMI problems in a wide range of industries: (computers, medical devices, industrial controls, military and avionic systems, vehicles, facilities, and more.)
• Trained over 12,000 engineers and technicians through public and in-house courses on EMI/EMC design and troubleshooting
• Published three books, over 200 articles, and a 20 year newsletter on EMI/EMC

In full time practice since 1987, the mission was to help Identify, Prevent, and Fix EMI problems.

Business operations ceased March 2025, but the site remains for archives. 

THE KIMMEL GERKE ASSOCIATES STORY…

Here is how it all got started…

–The firm was founded in 1977 by Bill Kimmel and Daryl Gerke, two young engineers working for Univac Defense Systems on a TEMPEST program. Both already had several years of EMI/EMC/TEMPEST design experience, which later became the basis of their full time consulting firm.

 

–The company started out as a training firm, with Bill and Daryl moonlighting at a local technical college. In addition to teaching classes, they were called upon to develop new classes. These included a successful seminar on personal computers for the business community, followed by an educational grant grant to develop a two-year program for printed circuit board designers.

 

–The former gave them a taste of developing short courses, and the latter let them leverage their EMI/EMC experience. It also whetted their appetites to eventually start their own engineering consulting firm. This led to both obtaining Professional Engineer (PE) licenses, a useful credential for consulting engineers.

 

–The firm continued in a part-time mode for ten years. They expanded beyond teaching, and consulted for numerous clients, taking care to avoid conflicts of interest with their full time jobs. Many of these project were EMI/EMC related, but for industrial/commercial rather than the defense clients. They didn’t call in EMI — they called it “noise.” But it was still EMI.

 

–With the advent of the microprocessor and personal computers, the EMI/EMC problems were increasing at an exponential rate. In the mid-1980s, the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) mandated new tests to limit the interference to radio and television reception. The timing war right, and this became the catalyst for taking Kimmel Gerke Associates full time.

 

–So plans were made. We incorporated, loaded the bank account, and lined up some clients.

 

–The company launched full-time in October 1987 – the day the stock market crashed! Who plans for that? We often mused, “The first day in business was the worst day in business.” 

 

–Since 1987, Bill and Daryl solved or prevented hundreds of EMI problems across a wide range of industries – computers, military, medical,  industrial, vehicles, avionics, telecomm,  and more. 

 

–They also trained over 10,000 students through their public and in-house classes on EMI/EMC design. They wrote three books, and over 200 technical articles, and for 20 years published a newsletter on EMC.

 

Sadly, in 2015, Bill Kimmel was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He passed away in April, leaving Daryl to carry on.

 

Effective March 2025, operations have ceased. 

Thanks to all of you for 38 gratifying and fun-filled years! 

Daryl

P.S. Join me at my blog www.jumptoconsulting.com, a fun side project.