Bill Ginkel was born in Rochester, New York on August 14th, 1920.
After graduating from Madison High School, Ginkel spent five years studying Chemical Engineering and Business at the University of Rochester, where he graduated in 1943. He worked at Oak Ridge during the Manhattan Project.
After joining the Atomic Energy Commission in 1947, Ginkel was transferred from Oak Ridge to the Idaho Operations Office in 1950. Serving in both engineering and management roles throughout the 1950s, he eventually became the Manager of the Idaho Operations Office from 1964 to 1974. He received the Commission’s Distinguished Service Award as well as the State of Idaho’s Economic “I” Award in 1967.
Ginkel died in Idaho Falls, Idaho in 2015.