$1 Million and Counting: Contester and Engineer Dr James Galm Makes Historic Gift to ARRL

Every so often a story comes along that shows just how far a lifetime in this hobby can carry someone — and how they choose to give back at the end of it.

ARRL, The National Association for Amateur Radio®, has announced a historic $1 million gift from Dr James M. Galm, W8WTS — an entrepreneur and lifelong amateur radio operator who spent his career solving complex energy and engineering problems, and is now turning his attention to the next generation of problem solvers coming up through the hobby.

Where the Money's Going

The gift will directly support several ARRL programmes, including the ARRL STEM education initiative within the Education and Technology Program, and the Spectrum Defence Fund, which underpins ARRL's work protecting amateur radio's access to spectrum. Beyond that, Dr Galm designated a substantial portion of the gift as unrestricted support — split between the ARRL Diamond Club, which feeds the general fund, and the Second Century Fund, ARRL's unrestricted endowment, which will be invested to support ARRL's operations in perpetuity.

Who Is Dr James Galm?

Based in Chardon, Ohio, Dr Galm has been an ARRL member for 50 years, belongs to the ARRL Legacy Circle, and is a well-known amateur radio contester. He's a regular operator from PJ2T, and has served as both President and Secretary/Treasurer of the Caribbean Contesting Consortium. He also runs a well-regarded DX Cluster at dxc.w8wts.net, supporting both ARC 6 and CC Cluster nodes.

First licensed as WN8WTS back in 1975, Dr Galm has spent more than 40 years in engineering, research, manufacturing, and product development. He holds nine patents and has published widely in peer-reviewed journals. In 2001, he co-founded LayerZero Power Systems, Inc., which grew into the world leader in ultra-reliable AC power management for mission-critical applications — everything from AI and machine learning infrastructure to hyperscale data centres, semiconductor manufacturing, and financial transaction processing. The two owners sold a majority stake in LayerZero to a global private equity firm in 2025.

He holds a PhD and M.S. in Electrical Engineering and Applied Physics, along with a B.S. in the same field, all from Case Western Reserve University, and is a licensed Professional Engineer in Ohio. Now retired, he continues to serve on the boards of LayerZero and Type One Energy.

A Place in the Maxim Society

In recognition of the gift, Dr Galm will be inducted into the ARRL Maxim Society at the Millennium Class, joining Margaret Valentine, who — together with her late husband Michael Valentine, W8MM (SK) — made the first $1 million pledge to ARRL during the Second Century Campaign.

It's a gift that touches almost every corner of what keeps amateur radio moving forward: developing the next wave of young innovators, defending the spectrum we all rely on, and giving ARRL the financial footing to keep doing both for generations to come.