Georgia Tech Alumni Magazine, Vol. 91 No. 1 2015

ON THE JOB

FROM ENGINEER

TO TOP CHEF

A L U M N I

FE AT URE

TAKING ON A MEATY

CHALLENGE

M A G A Z I N E

FE AT URE

WAFFLE HOUSE:

OPEN 24/7/365

VOLUME

91 NO.1 2015

EAT,

Drink & BE MERRY

Exploring Tech's connections to the food and beverage world

Inside: See how Second Self craft beer is made.

“Going to Georgia Tech was one of the very best decisions of my life.”

— Raymond E. “Ray” Woody, AE 1975 Raymond E. “Ray” Woody, AE 1975, grew up around airplanes and airports, and his interest in all things aeronautical began at a young age. Woody was born in New Orleans, but because of his father’s position as a U.S. Navy pilot and later an airline executive, he spent his early years in Denver, Colorado, and Miami, Florida.

When it came time to choose a college, Georgia Tech was a “no-brainer” for Woody, who was looking for an exceptional engineering school with a great aerospace engineering program.

After graduating from Tech, he began his career at Douglas Aircraft Company (now part of Boeing), where he worked as an aerodynamics design engineer and helped design and test modifications that led to supercritical wing technologies. Later, Woody returned to Georgia and began working for Lockheed, and also went back to school and earned an MBA from Georgia State University.

Ray Woody and his wife, Anita, married in 1986 and moved to Newnan, Georgia, where he joined Chromalloy Gas Turbine Corporation. He spent 25 years with Chromalloy, where he was “encouraged to make decisions, and then move quickly on them. My experience at

Georgia Tech prepared me exceptionally well for this type of environment, and gave me the confidence that enabled me to contribute to the company’s success over the years.”

Today, Anita and Ray are as busy as ever. Anita, a dog lover, works at a dog daycare and boarding kennel, and Ray currently serves as a principal with Sheffield Aerospace. He is looking forward to serving on his 40th Reunion Committee and enjoying his 28th year as a football season ticket holder.

They believe in the importance of encouraging future generations to consider careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and they made the decision to provide undergraduate scholarship and faculty support through provisions in their Wills.

The Anita K. and Raymond E. Woody Scholarship and Faculty Endowment Funds will provide valuable resources for undergraduate scholarships as well as general faculty support within the Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering. “We are both honored and very proud to have done this,” said Woody. “Going to Georgia Tech was one of the very best decisions of my life.”

Founders’ Council is the honorary society recognizing donors who have made estate or life-income gifts of $25,000 or more for the support of Georgia Tech. For more information, please contact: 404.894.4678 • founderscouncil@dev.gatech.edu • www.development.gatech.edu

Georgia Tech Global Learning Center is the official meeting facility of the Georgia Tech Alumni Association.

Next time you’re planning a meeting or conference – think the Georgia Tech Global Learning Center.

We’ve got meeting spaces, conference facilities, and connected classrooms – perfect for your company’s needs, with the Georgia Tech excellence you expect. Schedule your personal tour today.

Where Meeting and Learning Converge www.gatechcenter.com/alumni

CONTENTS

CO

VOLUME 91 NO.1 2015

A MEATY CHALLENGE

BEER CRAFT

ALWAYS OPEN

Arby’s CEO Paul Brown, Mgt 89, is beefing up the iconic brand by deploying marketing strategies that are anything but old hat.

Two Tech fraternity brothers share how they started Atlanta’s Second Self Beer Company— as well as how they make delicious, unusual craft brews.

Hurricanes, tornadoes, even a Snowpocalypse can’t keep Waffle House from serving up hot meals in times of need.

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features

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P 48

P 58

departments p 10

AROUND CAMPUS

p 16

010

p 24

p 34

ALUMNI HOUSE

070

012 Talk of Tech What and where do today’s Yellow Jackets eat around campus?

072 Sharing Tech’s Bounty Klemis Kitchen helps feed Tech’s hungry and homeless.

014 Hunger Heroes Tech engineers use

logistics to help feed the world.

074 Wrecks at Work The benefits of getting offline and getting up close and personal.

016 Fruitful Collaboration A forager and

a faculty member team up to stop waste.

076 Young and Restless Recent GT alumni

don’t wait to give back to their alma mater.

022 Student News

078 Travel

ON THE FIELD

RAMBLIN’ ROLL

024

024 A Season to Remember

083 Out & About

026 Athlete Profiles

084 Weddings

082

088 Births

IN THE WORLD

028

090 In Memoriam

028 Dollars & Sense 030 On The Job Chef Tim Ma left engineering to return to his restaurant roots.

034 Balancing Act A group of Tech alumni

pursue their passion for coffee.

036 Tech Hack A behind the scenes look at the Coca-Cola Freestyle machine.

TECH HISTORY

104

104 Tech Memories Tracing students’ 130-year love affair with food.

105 Time Machine

BACK PAGE

106

Chef Riccardo Ullio shares what Tech taught him about being a restaurateur.

On the Cover: Tech alumni Jason Santamaria (left) and Chris Doyle, co-founders of Atlanta-based Second Self Beer Company. Photo by Josh Meister.

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Georgia Tech Alumni Magazine Vol. 91, No. 1

P U B L I S H E R ’S LETTER

PL

PUBLISHER

Food (and Drink) for Thought

Joseph P. Irwin, IM 80 EDITOR Roger Slavens ASSISTANT EDITOR Melissa Weinman DESIGNER Joshua Baker | joshbkr.com

In Jared Diamond’s fascinating book Guns, Germs and Steel, an unexpected theme resonates loud and clear: The evolution of mankind was and is, in large part, built on the ability to feed ourselves.

Sounds kind of simple doesn’t it?

But in the end, the ability to cultivate nutritious foodstuffs, grow enough to sustain populations and then store what isn’t being immediately used, is the reason that modern civilizations have advanced far beyond the hunter-gatherer foraging habits of our ancient ancestors.

In this issue, we’re going to take a look at the art, science and business of food—and drink—as well as how Institute faculty, students and alumni are making a difference in this most vital of human needs.

Of course, these are not new subjects to this campus. Georgia Tech’s Research Institute houses the Food Processing Technology Division that focuses on the development and commercialization of “innovative technology systems to enhance the productivity and competitiveness of Georgia’s food processing industry.” In addition, Tech researchers are working on a wide range of food-related projects, including helping Atlanta-based foragers monitor the ripeness of fruit on untended trees or the World Food Programme with the logistics of feeding hungry people all over the globe.

As you’ll read in this issue—and as you’ve probably read in stories that we’ve published in the Alumni Magazine previously—many Tech alumni have built extremely successful careers in the food and beverage industry. They range from CEOs of top national consumer brands such as Arby’s and Waffle House, to super-creative chefs based in Atlanta and beyond, to budding beer makers, to innovators such as the leaders behind Coca-Cola’s revolutionary Freestyle machine.

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COPY EDITOR Rebecca Bowen STUDENT ASSISTANT Kierra Johnson EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Robert N. Stargel Jr., EE 83, Chair Steve W. Chaddick, EE 74, MS EE 82, Past Chair Benton J. Mathis Jr., IM 81 Chair-elect/ Vice Chair of Roll Call Andrea L. Laliberte, IE 82, MS IE 84, Vice Chair of Finance Paul S. Goggin, Phys 91, Member at Large Eric Pinckney Sr., ME 86, M CP 93, Member at Large James E. Trimble, Jr., Mgt 91, Member at Large Elizabeth H. Wallace, Arch 96, Member at Large Joseph P. Irwin, IM 80, President & CEO BOARD OF TRUSTEES

The art, science and business of food is undoubtedly a big topic, and as such we’ll only be able to scratch the surface of Tech’s impact on the sector. The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides a lot of interesting data about how important food production and distribution is in our economy.

Agricultural and related industries contributed almost 5 percent of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product in 2012, totaling $776 billion—but the impact is actually much greater. In 2013, U.S. households spent 13 percent of their income on food, third behind only housing (34 percent) and transportation (18 percent). More than 16 million U.S. jobs are related to agriculture and its related industries. That’s 9 percent of total employment. Of this number, 11 million jobs are related to food service and 1.5 million are in food manufacturing. And that’s not even taking into account food’s importance on a global scale.

It’s not surprising that with Tech’s science, technological and business expertise that our staff and alumni are very engaged in virtually every aspect of this critical element of our lives.

Stanley E. Anderson, IM 75; J. Paul Austin, Mgt 99; Nathan Bennett, PhD Mgt 89; Jeni S. Bogdan, Mgt 89 MS MoT 96; Arthur O. Brannen, IM 73; Sean L. Corcoran, ChE 95; C. Richard Crutchfield, IM 69; Richard DeAugustinis, IE 92; A. Ray Douglas Jr., Arch 75; W. Keith Edwards, ICS 89, MS ICS 91, PhD ICS 96; D. Shawn Fowler, Mgt 88; Jeanene Fowler, IE 84; Rick L. Garcia, CE 73; Jeffrey V. Giglio, EE 77; John T. Hammond, ChE 72, MS IE 75; Timothy A. Heilig, IE 75; Justin C. Honaman Jr., IE 96; Julie Sumerford Johnson, Mgt 84; Judy W. Liaw, ME 98; Wonya Y. Lucas, IE 83; Errika N. Mallett, IE 96; Michelle D. Mason, ChE 86; James L. Mitchell, CE 05; Whitney S. Owen, IA 03; Anu Parvatiyar, BME 08; Shantan R. Pesaru CmpE 05; Vicky S. Polashock, ChE 90, Phd ChE 95; Michael John Rafferty Jr., EE 02; John L. Reese III, BC 80; Valerie Montgomery Rice, Chem 83; Michael J. Rooney, Chem 73; Kary E. Saleeby, NE 77, MS ME 78; Ricardo Salgado, IE 98; Leslie R. Sibert, EE 85; Tyler A. Townsend, IE 98; Elizabeth Bulat Turner, IAML 04 ADVERTISING Holly Green (404) 894-0765 holly.green@alumni.gatech.edu GEORGIA TECH ALUMNI MAGAZINE (ISSN: 1061-9747) is published quarterly by the Georgia Tech Alumni Association, 190 North Ave. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30313. Periodical postage paid in Atlanta and additional mailing offices. © 2015 Georgia Tech Alumni Association POSTMASTER Send address changes to: Georgia Tech Alumni Magazine, 190 North Ave. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30313.

JOSEPH P. IRWIN, IM 80 PRESIDENT & CEO GEORGIA TECH ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

TELEPHONE Georgia Tech Alumni Association (404) 894-2391

Josh Meister

“My team and I are working smarter and saving money

after earning our project management certificates.

We immediately applied information from the first class and are seeing major changes even to this day. As a business owner, I have the satisfaction of knowing we were trained by the best.�

Matt Rawlins

President, Rawlins Mechanical 2013 Project Management Certificate

Courses, Certificates and Degree Programs Online, Classroom and Blended Formats

www.gtpe.gatech.edu /gtalum

“ FEEDBACK

FB

The latest issue of the Georgia Tech Alumni Magazine, dubbed “Power Surge” (Vol. 90, No. 4), is the BEST issue ever.

And that’s coming from a guy who got a “C” in EE 325: Circuits and Fields.

Congrats to everyone involved!

Andy Kohl, CE 67, Argyle, Texas

Energized About Tech’s Research—and Students

I very much enjoyed the entire Alumni Magazine this past volume (Vol. 90, No. 4), especially the focus on energy innovation at Tech. I was surprised to catch a glimpse of me speaking to the student Energy Club last spring about solar power in the top balcony of the “pizza place” on page 16.

Indeed, clean tech and sustainable energy are growing fields both for R&D and the region’s economic development.

Georgia has gone from a laggard in the U.S. to a top 10 solar state over the last three years. Keep up the great work and thanks for spreading the good word.

Anthony Coker, ChE 84 VP Market Development, Hannah Solar LLC Atlanta

Climate Change Debate

I find myself firmly in the skeptics camp.

Elitist arguments are galling, especially in the government war on weather. The failure to release uncompensated temperature data, restricting access to tax-payer paid research to a priesthood, smells like rat.

I’m old enough to remember when global cooling was on the cover of Time magazine. I’ve read enough of the modeling problems with clouds and read enough about mathematical chaos to suggest that there are real limits to human knowledge and system predictability in the face of chaos.

Using a few nonlinear differential equations in a simulation as a predictive tool is a dicey affair. Attempting to model life itself planet-wide should define hubris.

A quick peek at Wikipedia gives scale to the problem of modeling the atmosphere 0 0 8

GTALUMNIMAG.COM VOLUME 91 NO.1 2015

that is so many orders of magnitude less massive than the water, land and life that it interacts with.

No one asks if you believe in gravity. Anthropogenic global warming (AGW) is politics first, science a distant second.

Tom Luther, ESM 85, MS ME 88 Raleigh, N.C.

Being an industrial engineer, I have a different take on the issue. Resources are limited. A much larger risk to the health of our children, that is more certain, is the astronomical debt the U.S. continues to pile up.

I am conservative but see both parties at fault. We cannot afford to spend resources to fix greenhouse emissions if we do not deal with getting our spending in balance.

The severe depression the world sees from inaction there will fix the problem with

greenhouse gasses as consumption will dry up.

The rise in oil prices has done more to cut emission and promote alternatives than any government regulations. A simple way to deal with immediate issues and help this is by increasing the tax on fuel as the cost of oil falls.

I do not like taxes but we should not worry about greenhouse potential disaster while certain disaster is staring all of us—Democrats and Republicans alike—in the face. The recent drop in oil price threatens cleaner alternatives like natural gas, but it can provide a tax source that can help both issues without GDP threats.

Bottom line on the two opinions from Dr. Judith Curry and Dr. Kim Cobb is we do not know who is right with certainty, but we cannot afford to fix this potential issue when a more dire one is not dealt with.

Herb Forrister, IE 85 Atlanta

An Unexpected Reunion

Just had to let you know how grateful I am for the Georgia Tech Alumni Magazine. I came across my husband’s March 1976 issue yesterday and it brought back so many wonderful memories. My husband, Donald Fletcher, Bio 73, was a Tech graduate and we met in the biology department where I worked.

Thanks to George C. Griffin, I worked at GT as a secretary moving from mechanical engineering to biology to English, and finally to working as secretary to Vice President Vernon Crawford. I was there when he left Tech and moved on to become the president of the University System of Georgia. You also published an awesome

CONTRIBUTORS

Thank You, Professor Schaffer!

Congratulations on your 50 years teaching at Georgia Tech from your “student with less than stellar test scores.”

Robert S Strickland, IM 66 Lawrenceville, Ga.

I took an Economics course from Professor Bill Schaffer in the mid1960s. I was one of those weaker students mentioned here. I also went on to be an aviator in the U.S. Marine Corps—I did not at the time realize that he also had been a Marine pilot.

I also was privileged to have an excellent relationship with James Dull, the Dean of Students at the time.

Both of these gentlemen made an impression on me and provided great service to the Institute.

Ken Best, IM 67 Baton Rouge, La.

Bill Schaffer is one of the few Tech professors in the School of Industrial Management that I fondly

remember. He was my student adviser from 1962-68.

As I am sure many would say, if it had not been for Dr. Schaffer’s keen personal interest, understanding and advice, I would not be the proud Tech grad I am today! God bless and keep you, sir.

Osayi Endolyn has written for Atlanta Magazine, The Bitter Southerner, BURNAWAY, Creative Loafing and others. She enjoys a good burger after yoga and has never (ever) forgotten a song lyric.

Terry Doherty, IM 68 Jacksonville, Fla.

Thanks for the excellent story about one of Tech’s finest professors. I was fortunate to have Dr. Schaffer at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. You could sense his concern for helping students master his course of instruction. Many years later I learned that I followed his footsteps, to a degree, in Marine Corps aviation.

Semper Fidelis, Dr. Schaffer!

Josh Meister, an Atlanta native, loves capturing moments of the city by playing with light, shooting unexpected angles and creating crisp details.

Lt. Col. Robert Luke Snelson (USMC-ret.), Text 67, MS IM 77 Marietta, Ga.

Editor’s Note: A student scholarship endowment in the School of Economics has been created in honor of Dr. Schaffer. If you’re interested in making a contribution, please contact David Laband at david.laband@ econ.gatech.edu.

article on Dr. David Comer, chairman of English department that issue. I was his secretary while he was there.

What an awesome, unexpected reunion this old magazine was for me!

Georgia Tech holds such a special place in my heart as well as in my husband’s. Thank you for the priceless work you’ve done for so many years!

Elaine Fletcher

90, No. 4), we incorrectly reported that the Georgia Tech football team lost to Clemson in 2009. Thanks to Mitch Mudano, CE 94, for pointing out our error. In fact, the Yellow Jackets came back and Scott Blair kicked the winning field goal with 57 seconds remaining. Not only did Blair kick his first game-winning field goal, he also threw his first touchdown pass earlier in the game off a fake field-goal attempt.

Austin L. Ray has written for Rolling Stone, Creative Loafing, BeerAdvocate and Oxford American. He loves Twitter, weird beer and pit bulls. Zach Galifianakis once screamed in his face.

Atlanta-based photographer

Gregory Miller likes to work with real people to tell real stories. His clients include Esquire, Wired, Dwell, Verizon, USAA and his home-town Atlanta Hawks.

Greenville, N.C.

Want to get in touch? Send letters to: Editor, Georgia Tech Alumni Magazine, 190

Correction

North Ave. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30313, or editor@alumni.gatech.edu. Comment at

In the 2009 entry for our “Time Machine” story in the last issue of the magazine (Vol.

gtalumnimag.com or at facebook.com/georgiatechalumni. View our letters to the editor policy at gtalumnimag.com/letters-policy.

GTALUMNIMAG.COM VOLUME 91 NO.1 2015

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Around

CAMPUS

u

The Trucks Stop Here

Georgia Tech students have a more robust ledger of lunch options than ever, in part thanks to a fleet of food trucks that rotate through campus every week. These mobile kitchens offer alternatives to the typical fast food and dining hall fare, serving up Korean-inspired tacos, Vietnamese Banh-mi sandwiches, gussied-up macaroni and cheese and more.

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GTALUMNIMAG.COM VOLUME 91 NO.1 2015

Justen Clay

GTALUMNIMAG.COM VOLUME 91 NO.1 2015

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A glimpse at the biggest—and, sometimes, the strangest—news from campus.

TALK of TECH

Nom Nom Nom

Roger Slavens

The Alumni Magazine investigates the curious eating habits of today’s Yellow Jackets.

This could come as a shock to some alumni, but The Varsity no longer ranks as a mainstay of dining and campus life at Tech. And Junior’s Grill is only a fond memory. The buildup of businesses around the Institute over the past few decades, including the rise of Tech Square and the foodie-centric West Midtown neighborhood, has given students a steadily increasing number of eating alternatives to choose from.

Even the on-campus options have changed drastically—a rotating daily selection of food trucks is just one example—and multiplied. To learn what Yellow Jackets like to nosh these days, the Alumni Magazine polled students about their eating habits. The results may surprise you. ...

12.1%

of students polled identified themselves as vegetarian or vegan. In comparison, a recent “Vegetarianism in America” study, published by Vegetarian Times, shows that 3.2 percent of U.S. adults, or 7.2 million individuals, follow a vegetarian diet. Of those, 1 million, or approximately 0.5 percent, are vegans. However, 10 percent of U.S. adults, or 22 million people, say they follow a vegetarian-inclined diet. Tech student responses, while not scientifically representative, speak to their health-minded nature and the Institute’s cultural diversity.

TOP 3 FAVORITE CUISINES 25% Italian

33.6% Mexican

25.7% Chinese

Favorite Food Items Donuts at Sublime Donuts Waffles at Waffle House (where else?)

French Toast at Highland Bakery Surritos at the Bento Bus Food Truck •

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Fried Chicken at Essential Eats in the Student Center Food Court Burritos and Burrito Bowls at Moe’s Southwest Grill (pictured above)

Green Tomatoes at the Ibiza Food Truck Sushi from Umma at Tech Square Coffee at Starbucks

the BASELINE

professors named National Academy 2 Tech of Inventors Fellows in 2014.

GTALUMNIMAG.COM VOLUME 91 NO.1 2015

service hours performed by members of Tech’s 56,589 Community Greek organizations in 2013.

“The best place off campus used to be The Vortex until they started to kick out people under 21 years old. Their burgers are spectacular and not too expensive, and the vibe there is really cool.”

– Michelle Garcia, IE 18

Rocky Mountain Pizza The Spence Tin Drum (founded by Tech alumnus Steven Chan, BC 92!)

10.3% Food Trucks

2.5% Dining Halls

36.9% Student Center

21.9% Highland Bakery

FAVORITE PLACES TO EAT OFF CAMPUS (INCLUDING TECH SQUARE) Antico Pizza Chipotle Figo Pasta Fresh to Order Moe’s Southwest Grill

Favorite Areas to Eat on Campus

28.4% Tech Square

Takorea The Vortex Yeah Burger Zaxby’s

Average $ Spent on Dinner Out $11.86

Best Pizza

Commitment to Healthy Eating

43.6% Antico Pizza 14.3% Rocky Mountain 12.1% Mellow Mushroom

22% choose healthy options almost all the time 43.2% try to eat

OF COURSE: YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT

healthy, though it can be difficult with their busy schedules 28.4% don’t eat as

LMC 3508: Food and Eating in Early America

Instructor: L. F. Klein Objective: “To explore the significance of food and eating in early America through a range of primary texts from the time of ‘first contact’ to the Civil War” Prerequisites: ENGL 1102 Problem Question: Can today’s increasingly sophisticated food culture allow us to better understand how American

ranking among public universities with #9 Tech’s full-time MBA programs.

healthy as they’d like to 6.4% eat whatever they can grab

colonists—and later US citizens—imbued the foods that they ate with social, cultural, and political significance?

Course Project: “Much has changed about cooking and eating from the first Thanksgiving to the Food Network. Working with the University of Pennsylvania Rare Books and Manuscripts Library, we will research, design and implement a website of archival recipe books, informed by historical and contemporary approaches to food.”

donated to Tech by the Class of 1964, $32.7 million Amount the largest ever reunion gift.

GTALUMNIMAG.COM VOLUME 91 NO.1 2015

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A glimpse at the biggest—and, sometimes, the strangest— news from campus.

TALK of TECH

Hunger Heroes

Melissa Weinman

Faculty, staff and students use logistics to help save lives across the globe through Tech’s Center for Health and Humanitarian Systems.

There’s enough food in the world to feed every-

one—all 7-plus billion of us. So why are so many people going hungry?

“The core problem is food distribution, not supply,” says Ozlem Ergun, Georgia Tech professor of industrial and systems engineering. “It’s quite expensive and challenging to deliver food that is abundant in one region of the world to another.”

As co-founder and codirector of Georgia Tech’s Center for Health and Humanitarian Systems, Ergun and her team of faculty, staff and students work with groups such as the United Nations’ World Food Programme to create more efficient food distribution systems.

When thinking about who can solve the world’s hunger crisis, industrial and systems engineers may not exactly be the heroes that jump to mind. But Ergun says the engineers who make these sorts of logistical and supply chain improvements not only save time, effort and money, but also human lives.

Mallory Soldner, PhD IE 14, is one of these unsung hero engineers. As a graduate student, Soldner spent more than a year in Rome helping the World Food Programme create a supply chain dashboard designed to help humanitarian •

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workers track problem areas using key performance indicators. For example, one aspect the dashboard measures is the reliability of food commodity orders placed by a country office. The dashboard uses graphs to show what percentage of orders have arrived on time, in good quality and in the right amount to their destination. If orders are arriving early or late, the dashboard will help pinpoint what’s causing the problems.

“It promotes a better dialogue around what’s happening, why it’s happening and what you have to do to tweak things to get where you want,” Soldner says. “It’s

a really digestable way to focus on the most important pieces.”

Soldner, who now works at UPS’ corporate headquarters in the advanced analytics group, says engineers indeed have an important role to play in the humanitarian arena. “Engineers help translate solutions to areas where tradeoffs are difficult,” she says.

The Center for Health and Humanitarian Systems was what initially attracted Soldner to Georgia Tech. She attended the Center’s annual logistics conference before she decided to pursue her doctorate at Tech.

the BASELINE

of graduates at Tech’s 248th 1,800 Number commencement in December.

GTALUMNIMAG.COM VOLUME 91 NO.1 2015

of Tech’s online Master of Science in $6,600 Cost Computer Science degree.

WFP/Rein Skullerud

Guthman Musical Instrument Competition

“It’s quite expensive and challenging to deliver food that is abundant in one region of the world to another,” says Ergun.

The center was established in 2007 as a way for students and faculty to share their skills to improve logistics in the public sector. And that’s important because resources in the nonprofit world are often limited.

“Every dollar that can be saved in operational costs can be used to help another person,” Ergun says.

But humanitarian organizations present some very unique challenges. Unlike at a typical private-sector company, it’s very difficult to predict what demand will be like from one day to the next. A typical corporation can predict demand for its products in the future based on sales from past years. But predicting a tsunami or political revolution isn’t quite as straightforward.

Humanitarian organizations often struggle with consistent funding as well.

“Even if you can estimate demand, without a confirmed donation you cannot start your supply chain action,” Ergun says. “The money starts to trickle in when there’s an emergency. But when there’s an emergency or humanitarian event—such as a storm that wipes out food supplies—it’s already too late to start buying.”

Simply put, Ergun says one of the goals of the center and its partnerships with humanitarian organizations is to help ensure that they get the right amount of food, at the right price, to the right place at the right time.

“That really fits into our expertise at Tech,” Ergun says.

“We have one of the best departments in the world in this area and we have a lot of experience.”

In fact, Ergun believes the Institute deserves some credit for the growing prominence of engineering in the humanitarian sector. “We were one of the pioneer groups, but it has become quite a big field for academia,” Ergun says. “And I think part of it is due to our leadership.”

A CELEBRATION EXPLORING CREATIVITY AND THE ARTS AT GEORGIA TECH

FEBRUARY 18–MARCH 7, 2015

Great things are happening in the arts at Georgia Tech, from the internationally renowned Guthman Musical Instrument Competition to a host of performances, events, and exhibitions by Georgia Tech students and faculty.

Preliminary 2015 Festival events include: 18-Feb

Sounds of Atlanta Gallery Installation Opening

19-Feb

Cartoon by DramaTech

20-Feb

Margaret Guthman Musical Instrument Competition Finals

21-Feb

Jonah Bokaer dance performance

24-Feb

Georgia Tech Jazz Ensemble

26-Feb

Clough Art Crawl opening Georgia Tech Symphonic & Percussion Ensembles Poetry@Tech hosts McEver Poetry Reading

27-Feb

Let’s Try This improv by DramaTech

1-Mar

Georgia Tech Orchestra and Chorale

5-Mar

Jad Abumrad,creator and host of NPR’s Radiolab

7-Mar

Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy Celtic music performance Festival details at www.arts.gatech.edu

404-894-2787

5,273

Number of students accepted to Tech for the Early Action admission period.

The Tech Arts Festival is sponsored by the Georgia Tech Arts Advisory Board, the Office of the Arts and the Office of the Provost.

TALK of TECH

A glimpse at the biggest—and, sometimes, the strangest— news from campus.

A Fruitful Collaboration Roger Slavens

Foraging activist and Tech alumnus Craig Durkin, MSE 06, MS MSE 07, has teamed up with Associate Professor Carl DiSalvo to make sure the bounty of Atlanta’s neglected fruit trees doesn’t wind up wasted.

Craig Durkin wouldn’t call himself a professional forager—it’s a vocation rather than an occupation. However, he has been an instrumental force in building a foraging movement in Atlanta. Through Concrete Jungle, a nonprofit he co-founded in 2009, Durkin and hundreds of volunteers have picked and donated more than 21,000 pounds of unwanted apples, berries and other fruits to food banks and homeless shelters across the city.

His interest in foraging started five years earlier, beginning shortly after he stepped onto the Georgia Tech campus in 2004. “I couldn’t help but notice there were tons of apple trees across Atlanta, and many of them on public land were going unpicked,” Durkin says. “So a few of us [students] starting picking apples. We bought some chest freezers off Craigslist and stored them up and threw a big party at the end of the semester.

We even made cider.”

Every year, the foraging haul got bigger.

And Durkin got more and more swept up by the underlying importance of his effort.

“My generation is keenly concerned about food waste, as well as the need to produce food locally,” he says. “And we have a certain skepticism about processed, industrial food.”

Durkin kept picking apples with his Tech friends even after completing his master’s degree in materials science and engineering and embarking on a career in nanotechnology. “In 2008, a bumper

•

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crop of apples produced way more than we could store or needed,” he says. “That’s when I knew it was time to do something more—to donate the apples to the hungry and homeless.”

With the help of fellow forager Aubrey Daniels, he founded Concrete Jungle the next year. “Our scope immediately grew larger, and we started ranging farther into the city and picking other fruits, too,” Durkin says. In addition to apples, the duo and an intrepid team of volunteers—now numbering about 300 to 400 total—found that pears, muscadines, figs, pomegranates, plums, service berries and other fruits were wasting on the branch and vine.

“We found a lot of fruit not only being wasted on public land around Atlanta, but also in private yards and lots,” he says. “So we started going up and asking permission to forage there, too. In 99 percent of the cases, people didn’t want anything to do with this fruit. They were more than happy for us to come and haul it away.”

Since Concrete Jungle was founded, the group has identified and mapped more than 1,600 fruit trees from which to forage. That’s a lot of trees—and a lot of work.

Unfortunately, as with any kind of volunteer work, life often gets in the way. It became more challenging for Durkin and his core volunteers to keep track of all these trees, monitor when their fruit would ripen and organize outings to pick them.

That’s when Tech Associate Professor Carl DiSalvo got involved. A student of his volunteered with Concrete Jungle and told him about the issues the group was facing.

“The core problem was logistics,” says DiSalvo, who is an assistant professor of digital media in the School of Literature, Media and Communication and has a particular interest in researching community-based food production. “The fruit trees were spread singularly or in small clusters over a wide area of the city—not in a large orchard—and it’s almost impossible to monitor them.”

DiSalvo soon connected with Durkin, and they discussed how Concrete Jungle’s challenges could potentially be solved with technology—and make a great research project. As director of Tech’s Intel Science and Technology Center for Social Computing, DiSalvo is always on the lookout for interesting end-user problems to solve. “Intel is particularly interested in understanding unique consumer user group needs,” he says.

He dedicated his time, students and lab resources to the cause. “And since Craig was a Tech alumnus and familiar with research projects of this scope, it was a perfect fit,” DiSalvo says. “He understood that we were eager to collaborate and help out, but also to research and learn.”

At first, DiSalvo and his team—Catherine Meschia, ID 15; Caroline Foster, CM 15; Tasmia Alam, CM 15; Karl Kim,

the BASELINE

of Tech’s undergraduate program #7 Ranking in industrial design.

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number of applications received so far to be 26,900 Total part of Tech’s 2015 Freshman class.

CM 16; and Tom Jenkins, PhD DM 16—investigated if hobby-sized drones equipped with cameras could make monitoring easier and less time-intensive. But with the growing public concern about drones and the Federal Aviation Administration cracking down on their commercial use, they discontinued that path.

They’ve since shifted their attention to instrumenting the trees themselves, programming sensors to track the bend

of the branches as they get heavier while the fruit ripens. “When the sensor deems the fruit ready, it will send a text message to Concrete Jungle letting them know it’s time to go pick that tree,” DiSalvo says.

DiSalvo and Durkin hope to conduct in-field testing of this approach this summer. “Automating the fruit-tree monitoring would save us a tremendous amount of time,” Durkin says.

“And it would make our foraging far more efficient.”

of Tech students registered to participate in the 70 Number Margaret Guthman Musical Instrument Competition.

Gregory Miller

In the meantime, Concrete Jungle created an entirely new source of food by starting its own farm—via donated use of land—that can be planted with fruits and vegetables and harvested year round.

Foraging from fruit trees is typically limited to a May-to-October window.

“We hope we can continue to provide fresh food to our partners such as the Atlanta Community Food Bank, Crossroads, Hosea Feed the Hungry and more for many years to come,” Durkin says.

awarded to Tech by the Georgia Environmental $40,000 Grant Finance Authority for new electric vehicle chargers.

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TALK of TECH

A glimpse at the biggest—and, sometimes, the strangest— news from campus.

The Real Cross Fit

TECH STUDENTS EXCEL IN BOTH MIND AND BODY Georgia Tech has received many recent accolades for academics, including ranking as one of the top public universities in the nation with programs among the top-rated in the world. However, students don’t spend all their time hunched over computers and books in the library despite the Institute’s academic rigor. In fact, Tech’s students are also recognized as some of the most physically fit in the nation.

The Active Times recently named Tech No. 33 on its annual list of the “50 Fittest Colleges in America.”

The Campus Recreation Center, in particular, was cited as a major benefit to students. At the CRC, they have access to tons of cardio fitness machines with built-in LCD television screens, an indoor track with spectacular city views and a swimming pool that’s not only Olympic-sized, but also actually was used in the 1996 Olympics.

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out, playing basketball or taking fitness classes at the state-of-the-art

facility is a great way to relieve stress after a long day of hitting the books.

Just another reason Georgia Tech is amazing: Our students are not only smart, but healthy.

ONLINE COMPUTER SCIENCE PROGRAM EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS After just one year, Georgia Tech’s Online Master of Science in Computer Science program ranks as an unqualified success. Offered in collaboration with AT&T and the educational organization Udacity, the web-based program offers students the opportunity to earn a master’s degree from Georgia Tech’s No. 9-ranked computer science program for just $6,600. Now in its second year, the online program enrolls about four times as many students—some 2,000—as the Institute’s in-person, on-campus program. David White, executive director of the online master’s program, says the lower cost of the online degree doesn’t take away from demand for traditional classes at Tech because they appeal to different types of students.

DUPUIS WINS PRESTIGIOUS DRAPER PRIZE FOR ENGINEERING Georgia Tech Professor Russell Dupuis has been awarded a $500,000 Draper Prize in recognition of his contributions to the development of LED technology.

The Draper Prize for Engineering—considered the Nobel Prize of the engineering world—recognizes engineers whose accomplishments have significantly benefited society.

Dupuis is a pioneer of light emitting diode, or LED, technology. He invented the process that is the basis for producing nearly all high-brightness LEDs, laser diodes, solar cells and high-speed optoelectronic (light controlling) devices back in 1977.

Now ubiquitous, LED lighting is more efficient and longer-lasting than traditional bulbs. It’s now a $17.7 billion global industry according to analysts.

LEDs are also better for the environment: In 2013, the use of LEDs reduced U.S. carbon dioxide emissions by an estimated 12 million tons. In addition, LEDs produce the greatest amount of light for the energy used and are the longest-lasting light source available.

Dupuis is the Steve W. Chaddick Chair in Electro-Optics at Georgia Tech’s School of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

QUIZNOS NEW CEO IS A YELLOW JACKET Doug Pendergast, ChE 91, has been named president and chief operating officer of Quiznos. Pendergast takes the helm of the toasted sandwich chain after serving in the same capacity for The Krystal Company (owner of Krystal restaurants). He’s held a variety of other leadership roles in the restaurant industry, including stints with CraftWorks and Church’s Chicken.

MACHELLE JOSEPH SETS GEORGIA TECH RECORD Women’s Basketball Head Coach MaChelle Joseph is now the winningest coach in the program’s history. Joseph, who is in her 12th season as head coach, won her record-setting 224th game on Jan. 4 against Clemson.

Joseph has led the women’s basketball team to become a national powerhouse.

She has coached the Yellow Jackets to a spot in the NCAA Tournament six years in a row, from 2006-2012, and again in 2014.

TECH ALUMNI FEATURED IN FORBES 30 UNDER 30 In Forbes’ list of the year’s brightest young leaders, it’s no surprise that Georgia Tech alumni are well-represented. Known as “30 Under 30” the list highlights individuals younger than 30 who are making waves in industries ranging from music to manufacturing and enterprise technology. Take a look at the Yellow Jackets who were included in this impressive list: Aman Advani, IE 07—Advani is the co-founder of Ministry of Supply, a company that offers high-performance business clothes for men.

Rafael Corrales, IAML 06— Corrales is a newly promoted partner in Charles River Vent u r e s . T h e Ve n e z u e l a n native, who has invested in companies such as Instacart and Luxe, looks for opportunities with forward-thinking startups.

Rob Parrish, ME 10—Parrish is an engineer and PhD candidate in chemistry at Tech who is researching ways for chemists to design pharmaceuticals on a computer rather than in a lab.

Rob Rhinehart, CS 12— Inspired by a busy schedule that left him with little time to prepare meals, Rhinehart developed Soylent, a drink that contains everything you need in a balanced diet.

Partha Unnava, Cls 14— Unnava is CEO of Better Walk, a startup created by Tech undergraduates who redesigned the traditional walking crutch to make it easier and less painful to use. He showed off his invention to President Barack Obama at the White House Maker Faire last June.

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TALK of TECH

A glimpse at the biggest—and, sometimes, the strangest— news from campus.

Swarms (of Robots) That Actually Help Farms Roger Slavens

By now, autonomous robots were supposed to be part of our everyday lives, helping us perform a myriad of tasks at home, work and school, says Magnus Egerstedt, one of Georgia Tech’s top robotics experts and the Schlumberger Professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. “The truth is, we’re just not there yet,” Egerstedt says. “This level of autonomy has been challenging.”

However, one industry continues to make strides in this area: agriculture. “For instance, today’s farm tractors don’t really 0 2 0

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need drivers; they use programs and GPS to navigate fields,” he says. “But there’s more that can be done.”

Egerstedt and his student researchers are exploring how teams of smaller, more agile robots could work in swarms to perform a host of farming functions—without the downsides of large tractors that compact the soil and devour gas. “Swarm robots could be programmed to tend crops on a micro level, inspecting individual plants for moisture and insects, and then make decisions based on what they find, such as watering or administering pesticides,” Egerstedt says.

“And farmers could control and communicate with them using nothing more than iPad app.”

Egerstedt and his team have already developed the fundamental algorithms to carry out some basic farming tasks. “We’ve started by deploying teams of swarm robots in lab-based artificial environments,” he says. “Our goal is to test them in real fields with real crops as early as this summer. Eventually, I hope we can develop robots that operate autonomously and continuously over a full crop-growing cycle.”

Gregory Miller

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STUDENT NEWS

Accomplishments, both stunning and silly, by the alumni of tomorrow.

Showing Off Real-World Solutions

Erin Peterson

Student teams pitch their prototypes at Tech’s Fall 2014 Capstone Design Expo.

Every semester, hundreds of students

participate in Georgia Tech’s Capstone Design Expo, and they have dozens of reasons for participating. They’re excited to build a product with a team. They want show off their work to potential employers. They’re eager to use the experience to launch a successful startup.

The teams spend countless hours doing customer research, developing product prototypes and testing their results. And the biggest payoff often comes at the expo, in which teams showcase their best work to earn prize money—and sometimes even job offers.

But for Brian Leach, a senior biomedical engineering major who worked on the Stroke of Genius team to build an adaptive golf cart to help paraplegic kids play the sport, the joy of the project—and the desire to make the product great—was even more personal. “I grew up loving the game of golf, and I took every opportunity to play with my dad,” he says. “I was extremely excited about giving a child that same opportunity.”

Stroke of Genius, a six-member interdisciplinary group of biomedical, mechanical and electrical engineering students, was just one of 105 teams participating in the fall expo this past December. McCamish Pavilion was packed with company sponsors, local investors and industry employers, all eager to find top young talent.

In addition to the golf cart project, expo visitors got to see an enormous array of projects, ranging from a tool that forecasts demand for Chick-fil-A’s seasonal shakes to a device that corrects an upper eyelid condition called ptosis.

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from team sponsors, paraplegic children and experts in adaptive sports. The cart includes a sophisticated mechanism that swings a seat out 90 degrees, and puts the golfer in the perfect position to hit the ball.

While the end result was impressive, the team had to overcome many challenges to get ∏ The Stroke of Genius team won “Best Interdisciplinary Project” at the fall expo for its golf cart adapted for use by paraplegic children. there. For one, the students were all ambitious and motivated, so they had to of students will continue to make advanccarefully balance their roles and find the es on the cart, and Stroke of Genius team pieces of the projects for which they were members have filed a provisional patent best suited. They also had to work quickly on the work that’s already been completed. when critical parts for their design arrived Other successes abounded. The sealater than anticipated. Such experiences sonal shake tool had the potential to save gave them the kind of knowledge that no Chik-fil-A nearly $300,000 annually, paper-based test ever could. while students on other teams accepted And that’s exactly the point, says Amit job offers at the companies who sponsored Jariwala, Georgia Tech’s director of design their projects. In addition, the Capstone and innovation. “The experience encourDesign course strengthened relationships ages students to develop skills to solve between the academic departments, proopen-ended problems, learn efficient fessors and sponsoring companies. project management and use effective But the biggest impact of all may be on communication skills,” he says. “Being those who benefit from the work, says Tre able to articulate the impact of their work Garrett, a mechanical engineering major through their presentation skills is also inwho will serve as an adviser for the next itcredibly important.” eration of Stroke of Genius. “We helped In the end, the Stroke of Genius team’s level the playing field and give paraplehard work paid off, winning the expo’s gic children a chance to compete with “Best Interdisciplinary Project” award. their able-bodied counterparts,” he says.

Not only that, but their success has led to “It could really enrich the lives of disabled future plans for the project: A new group children.”

The Leadership Circle is the cornerstone of Roll Call, Georgia Tech’s annual fund. By becoming a member of the Leadership Circle, you help ensure Tech’s prominence and adaptability in an ever-changing world.

Join one of our leadership giving clubs and enjoy benefits such as a limited edition tie or scarf and an invitation to the annual President’s Dinner, Celebrating Roll Call.

A tradition of leadership has evolved at the Georgia Institute of Technology over many generations … we hope you’ll join us.

THE CORNERSTONE OF ROLL CALL IS

LEADERSHIP

“We believe Georgia Tech is a great place to capture a high return. Roll Call giving at the Leadership Circle level enables your gift to grow exponentially as it benefits so many on campus.”

– ANGELA G. MITCHELL PTCH ’04 AND JAMES L. MITCHELL CE ’05 (GEORGIA TECH ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF TRUSTEES) 15 CONSECUTIVE YEARS OF ROLL CALL GIVING AND LEADERSHIP CIRCLE SINCE 2006

THE GIVING CLUBS OF THE LEADERSHIP CIRCLE BURDELL SOCIETY a gift of $25,000 in support of Roll Call PHOENIX CLUB gifts between $10,000 and $24,999 TRADITIONS CLUB gifts between $5,000 and $9,999 TOWER CLUB gifts between $2,500 and $4,999 CORNERSTONE CLUB gifts between $1,000 and $2,499

Please send your gift or pledge to: Roll Call, Georgia Tech Alumni Association 190 North Ave., Atlanta, GA, 30313-9806 Donate online at www.gtalumni.org/giving or call (800) GT –ALUMS

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On The

FIELD

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A Season to Remember

2014 GEORGIA TECH FOOTBALL BY THE NUMBERS Record: 11-3, 6-2 in the ACC ACC Coastal Division Champion

• Final FBS Ranking No. 7 Coaches Poll, No. 8 Associated Press Poll First time ranked in top 10 of either poll since 1990

• Capital One Orange Bowl Champions 18th consecutive bowl appearance, the second-longest active streak in FBS

• All About the Offense New single-season Yellow Jacket records Most Points: 530 Most Rushing Yards: 4,789 (ranked No. 1 in FBS) Most Rushing Yards Per Game: 342.1 Most Rushing Yards Per Attempt: 6.06 Most Rushing Yards by QB: 1,086 by Justin Thomas Most Yards Per Pass Completion: 17.75 Most Total Offense Yards: 6,671 Most First Downs: 350 3rd Down Conversion Pct.: 57.9% (ranked No.1 in FBS)

• Way to Go, Coach!

Paul Johnson named ACC Coach of the Year (by both media and coaches) Signed to four-year contract extension (through 2020 season)

• To Hell With Georgia Nov. 29, 2014, final score: Yellow Jackets 30, Bulldogs 24 in OT

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On the

FIELD

The latest buzz from all of Tech’s teams.

High Flyer HOLDING COURT Bailey Weiland may just be a freshman, but she’s joined the Yellow Jackets women’s track team with an incredible pedigree. She won the Georgia state 4A high jump titles her junior and senior years at Marist, and then topped that off with a USATF Junior National crown last summer.

You’ve literally set the bar high with your past athletic successes. What do you hope to accomplish at Tech? I would really like to make it to as many NCAA National Championships as I possibly can, but first I’m focusing on establishing myself as the top jumper in the ACC. I’m working on making my way over the 6-foot barrier. Hopefully at some point I’ll be a real contender for an NCAA high jump title. It took four years for me to win a national championship, so I do not expect it to be a fast or easy process, but I do intend on getting there. For this year, my goal is to be an All-American at least for the outdoor season.

What’s been your favorite accomplishment as a Yellow Jacket so far?

At the Auburn Invitational—our second meet of the year—the competition was great. Last year’s NCAA champion in the high jump competed, as well as the NCAA champion in the heptathlon. I was able to hang with them in the competition until the last height. It gave me a lot of confidence.

Why did you choose Georgia Tech?

While looking at schools I was hoping to find a place that would challenge me in athletics without having to sacrifice a great education. Tech was the perfect fit.

What do you do for fun, outside of athletics and academics? If I’m not studying or competing, I usually spend most of my time resting. I try to spend a lot of time with my family.

And I also play the guitar.

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What’s the most surprising thing you discovered about college life?

I have a lot more work now. I came from a high school that prepared me well for college, but Tech is no ordinary college.

Half of one of the nation’s top-ranked doubles pairs, senior and Spaniard Eduardo Segura has emerged as one of Tech’s tennis solo stars.

You’re having a great year in both single and doubles play. What’s your secret?

I think the main thing for me has been recognizing my weaknesses, accepting them and using my strengths the best I can.

Focusing on myself—and not on the opponent—has also been key. I know that I can compete against any player in the nation.

What’s the biggest difference between life in Madrid and in Atlanta?

Of course, not having your family and closest friends with you changes things a bit, but I am grateful for the amazing people I have gotten to know throughout my years at Tech. I consider them my second family. I also have to say that everything in the U.S. is on a larger scale compared to Europe: Food, distances, cars and living spaces.

Your grandparents were both pro tennis players. What has it been like to follow in their footsteps?

It’s been a blessing to have grandparents that share the same passion as me. They have helped me a lot since the very beginning. They understand what it takes to be successful on the court and have instilled that in me. My whole family has always been extremely supportive; they’ve had my back in the tough moments. I would not be where I am today without them.

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of recyclables collected at 2014 home football games 25 Tons via the Game Day Recycling Program.

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signed to play football for Tech in 2015, 27 Recruits the largest class in the Paul Johnson era.

In the

WORLD

Ramblin’ Wrecks generating buzz beyond the Atlanta campus.

Dollars & Sense: Leslie Zinn Rebecca Bowen

For Leslie Zinn, Mgt 91, top banana of Atlanta-based juice company Arden’s Garden, smoothies were virtually her birthright. Business savvy, however, was something her mom and company founder, Arden, didn’t pass down to her. While Arden’s idea to make and sell super-healthy, organic juice was genius back in 1994, she didn’t have a viable plan to take advantage of it. Backed by her top-notch management education at Tech, Leslie stepped in to help run the business side, and she’s served as CEO of the company since 1999. Under her green thumb, things are looking pretty peachy for Arden’s Garden.

“When we were growing up, we nev-

er would come into the kitchen and find breakfast,” says Zinn, whose mother Arden Zinn founded the company in 1994.

“There would be a plate with a glass and something we called ‘The Concoction.’

And it would be whatever mom was into at the time, a blend of fresh juices, or almond milk, or who knows.”

At first, Leslie’s mother merely gave away her juices in tiny batches, as a way to take advantage of the expensive juicer she had finally purchased after years of fruitless fixation. Then, Arden Zinn was hit with a bolt of inspiration: Deliver the juices to salons, where stylists are stuck at their stations with cash from tips, an eye for anything trendy and plenty of new customers.

More than two decades later, Arden’s Garden operates 11 retail stores—with others soon opening on Auburn Avenue and in Vinings—and sells products in small shops and grocery chains across five Southeastern states. We caught up with Leslie last month at the company’s East Point plant to learn more about the boutique juice business.

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coming from that background, what did you learn about?

My family’s not business savvy. My mother’s not business savvy. She’s got incredible ideas. She’s a real forward thinker. But she’d give it away. She’s not motivated by money, so you kind of have to have one person that understands how can we do this, and make it profitable so it’s sustainable. And then another person that feels the passion and the ideas. She had exercise studios prior to Arden’s Garden, and she had a similar trajectory. She brought in a guy that was a businessperson and then [the studios] exploded, but she didn’t like the direction that they were going in and so she ended up leaving for no money. So it was her life’s work, and when she started Arden’s Garden she started from nothing.

And she would give it away?

When I would do her delivery route, this would be back in 1994, the juices sold for $3 a bottle, tax included. By the time I finished her route, I would be going crazy. Because every third person would say, “Listen, Arden gives it to me for $2.” And later I would tell her, “Mom, you can’t do that.” She’d respond: “They can’t afford it, otherwise.” And then I’d tell her: “But we can’t afford it!” I had to be the voice of

reason. From my time at Tech, I learned to be a good student of business, and I learned quickly on the job.

How do you come up with new ingredients and new blends?

What has happened with our retail stores is they allow us to have direct contact with our customer. So if we want to try a new juice, we make it, we send it out to our stores. Within two weeks, we’ll know if this is a hot potato, or if this is a dud. We don’t have to do a whole bunch of R&D, we don’t have to do labels, we don’t have to get approval from a million Whole Foods or whomever. We can just try it in our stores, so they have become a great lab for us.

What are your most popular juices?

In a yoga studio or a health food store, Green Vegetable Juices perform much better. In more suburban areas, our fruit smoothies fruit/veggie blends are more popular. Green juices overall have become our most popular choices and this is very indicative of how our society overall is changing its diet.

How do changes in produce costs and availability affect what you offer?

There were several seasons where you just

couldn’t get apples. So people who had huge contracts, the apples would be going to them. All of the sudden, you’re used to paying $90 a bin, and now bins [of apples] cost $150. It’s part of the business, you know? Since we’ve been in business, we started off at $3 per bottle, then we had this crazy pricing structure where it was 1 for $3, 2 for $5, 4 for $8. The most expensive juice we make now is $3.99, and the

least expensive is $2.19. One of our missions was not only to make a great product, but to make it healthy, convenient and affordable. ... So a lot of times when our produce costs go up, we just eat them.

You just opened a new retail store in Athens, your first outside of metro Atlanta. Why now and why Athens?

We have been interested in Athens for

a while and the right location became available at the right time. We want to branch outside of Atlanta, but not too far that we can’t get there quickly [from East Point] should they need juice or anything else. It is our first step outside of our comfort zone of Atlanta. Athens is also a very dynamic, progressive community and we think that our store will be very popular there.

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ON THE JOB

Celebrating the offbeat careers of Tech alumni.

An Engineer Returns to His Restaurant Roots

Beth Kanter

Renowned Washington, D.C.-area Chef Tim Ma, ECE 00, gave up a successful career in engineering to return to his first love—food.

All roads led to the restaurant business for

37-year-old Georgia Tech alumnus Tim Ma. All, that is, except for one that originally took him to Atlanta.

Ma l i t e ra l l y g r e w up in restaurants, beginning in Maumelle, Ark., where his parents worked around-theclock to keep open their small Chinese restaurant. Later, his family moved to New York in the 1980s, and some of the chef ’s favorite childhood memories played out against the backdrop of his uncle’s muchacclaimed nouveau Chinese eatery, Paul Ma’s China Kitchen.

“We’d go almost every weekend to my uncle’s restaurant and see the entire family,” Ma recalls.

“I remember being a little boy running around the restaurant. It was like one big dinner party.”

So it’s not surprising that the proud Yellow Jacket would eventually go on to open not one, but two successful restaurants of his own. It’s just that he didn’t realize that’s what he wanted to do with his life— he originally decided to try engineering.

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looked at,” Ma says. “I went on a campus visit and I immediately thought ‘I want to go here’.” He wound up choosing Tech despite being offered full rides to several others.

Ma studied hard for five years then graduated in 2000 with a degree in electrical and computer engineering. He then went on to get a master’s degree, and

started to build a lucrative career as a government contractor in the Washington, D.C., area. By all outside accounts, he was doing more than well, but Ma couldn’t quiet the call of the kitchen.

And that’s when he did the contemporary version of running away to join the circus: He quit his job and went off to culinary school.

Steamed PEI Mussels With Saffron Coconut Broth, Chinese Sausage & Crostinis

Recipe by Chef Tim Ma of Maple Ave Restaurant and Water & Wall INGREDIENTS

∏ Chef Tim Ma owns and operates two restaurants in the Washington, D.C., area: Maple Ave Restaurant and Water & Wall (pictured above, top). Drawing upon his education at the French Culinary Institute, Ma dishes up eclectic takes on well-loved classics such as bouillabaisse and seared scallops with risotto.

“I was in L.A. around 2006 visiting my sister and brother-in-law,” he says. “We were in a Japanese restaurant eating sushi and I kept thinking about how the food scene defines a city. By the end of the meal I told them that I wanted to open a restaurant.”

Despite lots of push back from his parents, Ma eventually moved forward with his plan.

He and his now wife, Joey Hernandez, sold everything they had to move to New York City where he enrolled in the French Culinary Institute, which is now known as the International Culinary Center. The couple did a lot of couch surfing and bunking down in some pretty terrible apartments—some plagued with rats—to

make it through. “At one point we were essentially homeless for 10 days,” Ma says.

But Ma had found his passion. And the demanding environment at Tech helped him conquer all his obstacles. After an externship with Chef David Chang of the Momofuku Empire and a short stint cooking in St. Thomas, Ma and Hernandez moved back to the D.C. area to open a place of their own, all on a shoestring budget.

In 2009, the couple leased an old decrepit doughnut shop on a strip in Vienna, Va., dotted with more auto shops than four-star restaurants. It was the only space they could afford and it sat decidedly outside the city’s

For 20 servings of 1/2 pound mussels: 1 lb lap xuong (Chinese sausage) 4 oz garlic 2 oz ginger 6 Thai chiles 1 stalk lemongrass 1 bunch scallions 1 bottle chardonnay 2 cans coconut milk 10 lbs PEI mussels DIRECTIONS Medium dice Chinese sausage.

Mince garlic and ginger and combine. De-seed, then thinly slice Thai chile. Thinly slice lemongrass. Thinly slice scallions. Cook off alcohol of chardonnay. Combine with coconut milk. Add 1 cup water.

Sweat garlic/ginger, add Chinese sausage, and add chiles/lemongrass. Add mussels, add enough broth to come up halfway up mussels, cover. Steam until open, sprinkle scallions over. Serve.

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ON THE JOB

vibrant food scene. “We found the place surfing Craigslist,” Ma says. “No broker would even talk to us.”

Together with the help of friends and family, Ma and his wife did everything to make the nine-table Maple Avenue Restaurant, as they dubbed it, into a reality—from hauling out the old fixtures to putting up drywall themselves. Ma and Hernandez, who serves as Maple Avenue’s general manager and shares her husband’s passion for restaurants, financed the venture with credit cards.

Lots and lots of maxed-out credit cards.

It didn’t take long for their money and credit to run out. “I couldn’t even get a $500 Home Depot card at that point,” Ma admits.

At first, the barely 1,000-square-foot dining room sat empty most nights. Closing seemed inevitable. But just as Ma started dusting off his engineering resume, Maple Avenue had its very first day where it almost broke even. Then came a few more where it actually turned a profit. The critics started paying attention.

Great dishes led to even better reviews, and the buzz brought in diners from across the region to sample Ma’s menu of American cuisine enhanced with Asian and French flavors.

“The dichotomy of Maple Avenue is that you walk into a building that is physically barely hanging on and get great food,” Ma says of his little restaurant that could.

In Maple Avenue’s early days, there were two nods to his time at Georgia Tech on the menu. The first was his take on the Southern classic—fried green tomatoes.

The second was a pineapple steak that he loved eating at a Houston’s near campus that he went to all the time during college. “That item was such a rip off of that steak,” Ma jokes.

Building on Maple Avenue’s success, he and his wife—now parents of three children—opened a second restaurant, Water & Wall, in late 2013. This time the couple had no trouble getting a broker to answer their call or to lure customers into the spacious, professionally designed spot.

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Celebrating the offbeat careers of Tech alumni.

∏ Whether it’s a fresh spin on pasta or an updated version of Southern shrimp and grits, Ma gets many of his ingredients from local farms and sources. All dishes are prepared from scratch in house, starting from making his own stocks and ending with a garnish of greenhouse microgreens.

Ma rarely uses his engineering training anymore but says he does not regret his first career. “Through engineering I got to learn a lot of leadership qualities,” says Ma, who enjoys trading stories with the

many Tech grads living in the D.C. area who frequent his restaurants. “And my security clearance from my engineering days always helps when I apply for a liquor license.”

Know a Ramblin’ Wreck with a fascinating job? Tell us all about their interesting

career at publications@gtalumni.org.

Develop Top-Flight Research with Gulfstream

A powerful partnership is broadening between Georgia Tech and Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation.

A Savannah-based initiative will feature faculty exchanges, a greater emphasis on research-based courses, internships and a track to all levels of employment. The alliance comes as Gulfstream—the world’s most technologically advanced business jet manufacturer—is rapidly expanding its research and development complex and investing in next-generation advancements in aviation.

To learn more about full-time opportunities, visit gulfstreamcareers.com.

Gulfstream, an equal opportunity employer, is committed to diversity and inclusion in its workplace.

GTALUMNIMAG.COM VOLUME 91 NO.1 2015

BALANCING ACT

Tipping our cap to alumni who know how to multitask.

A Passion for Making the Perfect Cup of Coffee Melissa Weinman

Four Tech engineering alumni give Atlanta’s coffee scene a welcome international flair.

Daniela Staiculescu and Octavian Stan have very diverse interests. They are engineers. They are urbanists. And they are really, really into coffee.

So when they had the opportunity to buy the Condesa Coffee shop in Atlanta’s up and coming Old Fourth Ward neighborhood in 2011, they didn’t let the fact that they both had full-time jobs stand in the way.

They teamed up with fellow Yellow Jackets Amin Rida, PhD ECE 11, an entrepreneur with a Silicon Valley startup company, and Moe Reda, AE 14, a coffee enthusiast who has jumped into the management of the shop.

Staiculescu, MS EE 98, PhD ECE 01, is a graduate advisor in Georgia Tech’s School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Stan, MS EE 95, PhD ECE 99, is an engineer with Erickson.

Before they bought Condesa Coffee, neither had any experience in the food and beverage industry.

“When we opened this shop we were completely clueless,” Staiculescu says.

Cocktail Recipe by Condesa Coffee “But it’s the best thing I’ve ever done. Period. We’ve - 2 ounces Cathead pecan vodka learned a lot about ourselves - 1/4 ounce vanilla syrup - 1 ounce heavy cream and a lot about people.”

- 2 dashes black walnut bitters It’s a radical departure from their engineering backShake and serve over ice with grated nutmeg grounds, but they look at Condesa as a creative outlet.

They love the experience of tasting the complex flavors in a great cup of coffee and seeing the intricate designs swirled into the foam topping a cappuccino.

But engineering and coffee overlap more than you might think, they say.

“Coffee culture is chemistry and science,” Staiculescu says. “It

Dirty Russian

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touches on our nerdy side.”

All four of Condesa’s owners made cross-Atlantic moves to study at Georgia Tech—Reda and Rida from Lebanon, and Staiculescu and Stan as a young married couple from Romania.

Upon arriving at Georgia Tech in the 90s, they were surprised to find that Georgia’s capital city was not nearly as vibrant as their home in Bucharest.

“Coming from Europe, it was a bit of a shock,” Stan says.

The international students eventually grew to love their new city, and have watched it grow and evolve over the past 20 years.

They’ve been especially interested in the renaissance of the neighborhoods surrounding downtown Atlanta.

“There’s this energy of people trying to change things here,” Stan says. “Atlanta in 10 years is going to be a completely different city.

It’s being defined right now.”

In 2011, they wanted to become part of the rising tide in the Old Fourth Ward, the once downtrodden neighborhood that in recent years has welcomed trendy new bars and restaurants.

Stan says they were drawn to Condesa Coffee because they wanted to offer a sustainable coffee program and a gathering space to promote community.

They recently celebrated their third year at Condesa, named by its former owners after an artsy neighborhood in Mexico City.

Staiculescu said while it has been an incredible experience, it hasn’t been easy. Which is why they were skeptical when developer Gene Kansas, also an MBA student at Tech, contacted them about opening a second location on Auburn Avenue.

Kansas is redeveloping the Atlanta Daily World building, the historic home of Atlanta’s first African American newspaper, to include high-end apartments and shops.

“Why would I open a second location when I’m already so busy with this one?” Staiculescu says. “But we saw the building and it made perfect sense.”

Staiculescu and Stan fell in love with the old brick building and were inspired by Kansas’ historically sensitive vision. They think Condesa Coffee will be a perfect fit for the Sweet Auburn neighborhood and offer a nice gathering spot for nearby Georgia State students.

It’s another way they think they can contribute to their adopted city, one cup of coffee at a time.

Josh Meister

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� Left: Daniela Staiculescu, MS EE 98, PhD ECE 01, and Octavian Stan, MS EE 95, PhD ECE 99. 1: Pouring espresso 2: Latte coffee foam art 3: Condesa co-owner Moe Reda, AE 14, demonstrates the Chemex brewing system 4: Condessa Coffee sources their coffee beans from Counter Culture Coffee.

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TECH HACK

A look at the latest handiwork of Tech’s tinkerers.

Coca-Cola Freestyle’s Winning Formula Roger Slavens

Tech alumni play a major role in developing the technology and business strategy of Coca-Cola’s groundbreaking drink dispenser If the curvy, racy red Coca-Cola Freestyle

drink dispenser reminds you of a Ferrari, it’s with good reason. Their sleek-andstylish exteriors are both designed by Pininfarina, the legendary Italian sports car design firm. However, it’s what lies under their hoods that should really get you excited.

The Freestyle machine debuted in Atlanta in late 2009, and just five years later there are more than 27,000 dispensers deployed worldwide in more than 16,000 restaurants, movie theaters and retail stores. But far before critical mass took hold, it took considerable Georgia Tech knowhow to build that first unit—which perhaps borrows more from the consumer electronics and medical industries than the traditional beverage world—and bring it to market.

Of the six engineers who created the original touchscreen machine, two are Yellow Jackets: David Newman, MS EE 86, Coca-Cola Freestyle director of engineering, and Gregg Carpenter, BS ME 85, global program director of engineering. In addition, three Tech alumni played instrumental roles in spearheading the Freestyle business engineering and IT strategy.

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This trio recently gave the Alumni Magazine a tour of their startuplike headquarters located near Tech campus, but separate from the main Coca-Cola campus. “The Freestyle project was one of the largest internal innovation projects in the 128-year history of the company,” says Jim Sanders, IE 88, Coca-Cola group director of business development. “And so in many ways, we approached the challenge much like a high-tech startup would. And that doesn’t just mean we have a ping-pong table in the break room.”

With Freestyle, Coca-Cola made a big-bet investment in a cutting-edge innovation, Sanders says. “We had to operate in a quick and nimble environment,” he adds. “In this building, we house dozens of cross-functional associates—all 100-percent focused on Freestyle.”

The genesis for Coca-Cola Freestyle came in the mid-2000s when company leaders recognized consumers wanted a

better fountain-drink experience in restaurants and retail locations. “First off, they wanted more variety,” Sanders says. “Typically they could only order six to eight flavors, and usually only one of them a no-calorie option. Consumers also wanted more consistency in the taste of dispensed drinks. And younger consumers wanted a more engaging and personalized experience.”

Charged with these demands, the soft-drink giant launched the Coca-Cola Freestyle project (code-named JET)— and handpicked some of its top technical minds to start working on the considerable engineering issues at hand.

“One of the most obvious obstacles was being able to deliver what they asked for in a limited footprint,” says Marc Katz,

In effect, each Freestyle dispenser behaves like a mini, ultra-high tech, personalized bottling plant, says Katz.

ME 94, Coca-Cola Freestyle VP of global operations. “Restaurants and retail stores don’t have a lot of extra space to spare.”

Regular soft-drink dispensers use boxes of syrup and water, which typically take up considerable space in a storage closet.

Adding more flavors to this already unwieldy situation would only exacerbate the problem.

So the Coca-Cola Freestyle engineers had to think small—really small.

They found inspiration in the microdosing technologies used in the U.S.

healthcare industry to administer medicines. “We contracted with Dean Kamen’s DEKA, probably best known for developing the Segway, to tap into their specialized expertise in this area,” Sanders says.

Adapting micro-dosing for beverage dispensing, the Freestyle machine employs printer toner-sized cartridges filled with highly concentrated ingredients.

When a specific beverage brand or mix of flavors is selected by a consumer, these ingredients combine according to proprietary recipes with either soda water or still

water in precise, accurate amounts to deliver the perfect-tasting drink.

“And flavors like vanilla or cherry aren’t added like you add a flavor shot to your coffee,” Sanders says. “They are added at the appropriate ratios to provide a consumer-preferred consistent taste. For example, Sprite Orange and Coke Orange have different levels of orange that are unique to their recipes.”

To illustrate how complex the Coca-Cola Freestyle micro-dosing and dispensing technology is the dispensing nozzle itself boasts three patents, Katz says. “To make sure flavors don’t mingle from drink to drink, only pure still or soda water touch the plastic part of the nozzle—the flavor ingredients are mixed mid-air,” he says.

In effect, each Freestyle dispenser behaves like a mini, ultra-high-tech, personalized bottling plant, Katz says. He should know—he spent nearly 20 years in bottling and engineering operations for years before joining the Coca-Cola

TECH HACK

A look at the latest handiwork of Tech’s tinkerers.

Freestyle team. “And each of these machines can dispense up to 125 different beverages plus consumers’ custom recipes,” he says.

The combinations are mind-boggling. A single vending-machine-sized unit can serve up sparkling soft drinks (Coke, Sprite, etc.), flavored waters (Dasani), sports drinks (PowerAde) and even other categories such as lemonades. There are approximately 70 low- or no-calorie options, and up to 90 caffeine-free options. And that’s not even getting into international, country-specific offerings. ∏ Tech alumni (left to right) Jim Sanders, IE 88, Marc Katz, ME 94, and Chris Dennis, Mgt 95, A new wrinkle being all play vital roles on the Coca-Cola Freestyle team. rolled out in 2015 is replacing the plastic flavor cartridges many cases, all it takes is an overnight software update and cuswith something more sustainable, tomers are able to enjoy a new beverage the next day,” Dennis says.

Sanders says. The company projDennis is currently overseeing a rollout of a new touchects that its recyclable, paperboard screen interface. The current version is relatively simple and SmartPAK will have the same carintuitive to use, though it can be overwhelming to browse bon benefit as taking 430 cars off the through a Freestyle machine’s 125-plus possible flavors. “The road or planting 1,700 acres of forest. new interface draws upon our analytics and testing that While Coca-Cola Freestyle’s disshows how consumers use Freestyle to make drink selections, pensing technology marks a and groups them into top-menu categories such as ‘Low-Calgroundbreaking achievement for orie’ or ‘Fruit-Flavored’,” Dennis says. the beverage industry, its automatIn addition, Freestyle fans can download the Coca-Cola Freeed systems, wireless connectivity and style app onto their smart devices where they can mix and save touchscreen interface are equally impersonalized flavor combinations. Then they can use the app to pressive. The machines boast powerful find the location of the nearest machine, walk up to it, connect internal CPUs that not only can provia a quick QR code “virtual handshake” and upload their favorvide analytics and consumption data, ite drinks for a speedy, personalized experience. “In the future, but also can monitor component perwe’d like to make this interaction even faster,” Dennis says.

These are the most formance and repair needs, says Chris Though Freestyle is an unqualified success, the managepopular custom mixes Freestyle fans make on Dennis, Mgt 95, Coca-Cola Freestyle ment team isn’t satisfied. “One thing Georgia Tech taught us their smart devices. group director of platform managewas to always be thinking about how we can make it even betment. “What’s more, every Freestyle ter,” Sanders says.

1. Vanilla Coke + Orange Coke unit is wirelessly connected to the In the near-term pipeline are even smaller Coca-Cola Free2. Coke + Dr. Pepper + Internet and can provide this informastyle machines for locations that can’t accommodate a large Fanta Peach tion back to us, as well as to restaurant floor-standing unit. Currently, the primary models in the 3. Diet Coke + Lime Diet Coke + Diet Dr. Pepper and retail owners,” Dennis says. “The market are the Freestyle 9000 for self service in fast food and 4. Orange Sprite + dispenser ‘calls’ in every night and upretail locations and the Freestyle 8000 for wait staff crews Vanilla Sprite dates its operating status and needs.” to use in full-service restaurants. Both are the size of a large Try the recipes if you’re In fact, the Freestyle dispensers vending machine. brave enough—or create are capable of automatically order“Smaller units are a technical challenge,” Sanders says, your own concoctions. ing new beverage cartridges and “but they provide an opportunity for Freestyle to be in places other supplies when they’re running it couldn’t be before. And while they do offer fewer beverage low. “All of its automated processes choices—they can sit on countertops and still provide all the makes a manager’s job that much easier,” he says. “It’s end-tointeractivity and connectivity of the top versions. end, global and closed loop network integration.”

There’s much more to come from Coca-Cola Freestyle, A huge benefit of such seamless integration is the ability to roll Sanders says. “Like every Georgia Tech graduate knows, barriout new products and even a new brand with relative ease. “In ers are simply problem-solving opportunities for an engineer.

Top 4 Custom Coca-Cola Freestyle Recipes

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Yes, this is THE hat that Pharrell Williams wore to the Grammys last year. Read on to find why Arby’s CEO Paul Brown has it.

TAKING ON

A MEATY CHALLENGE S T O R Y B Y O S AY I E N D O LY N

PHOTOS BY JOSH MEISTER

PAUL BROWN, MGT 89, MAY NEVER HAVE THOUGHT HE’D GRADUATE FROM GEORGIA TECH TO WORK IN THE FASTFOOD INDUSTRY, BUT THE CEO OF ARBY’S IS LEADING ONE OF AMERICA’S MOST ICONIC RESTAURANT BRANDS WITH SAVVY MARKETING STRATEGIES THAT ARE ANYTHING BUT OLD HAT. In the fall of 2013, Arby’s Restaurant

Group CEO Paul Brown sat down with his leadership team at a planning retreat.

Brown had jumped into his new role in the spring of that year, leaving behind his post as president of brand and commercial services for Hilton Worldwide. If all went the way he intended, this important off-site meeting—the capstone of six months of methodical research and data analysis—would set the tone for the company’s direction for years to come. Arby’s needed a jolt to to revitalize the brand. Pretty much everyone was in agreement on that.

The previous decade had been a rough ride for the 50-year-old fast-food brand known for towering roast beef sandwiches and delightfully curly fries.

Though by the time Brown, 47, took the helm at Arby’s, he says the company had already done much to start “righting the ship.”

In 2008, Arby’s had joined forces with Wendy’s and went public as the Wendy’s/Arby’s Group. Arby’s earnings were already trending behind their competitors before the economic downturn of that year, but the challenges of managing a merger in the midst of the ensuring recession did not make matters easier. As if that wasn’t enough, the innovation pipeline was not operating anywhere near capacity. Sales were dropping and the next great ideas simply weren’t there.

It did not come as surprise to most when in 2011, Arby’s was spun back off on its own. The next move, however, did make a few heads turn. Arby’s waltzed into the arms of Atlanta-based Roark Capital Group, an investment firm specializing in franchise concepts (Moe’s Southwest Grill, Cinnabon and Corner

Bakery Cafe among them). For the sale price of $130 million plus another $190 million in debt, Roark took Arby’s private and began steps to stem the decline.

The firm also started looking for someone who could push Arby’s to the next level. The new investors wanted a leader who could both envision the growth opportunities of increased sales with newly added locations, while also seeing the process through. All the players believed in the brand’s potential to make its mark, but helping the ship right its way was only the beginning. For Arby’s to weather the journey ahead, the ship was going to need a new captain.

THE PREVIOUS DECADE HAD BEEN A ROUGH RIDE FOR THE 50-YEAR-OLD FAST-FOOD BRAND KNOWN FOR TOWERING ROAST BEEF SANDWICHES AND DELIGHTFULLY CURLY FRIES. Brown carries a relaxed presence at the Arby’s North Atlanta restaurant support center. He smiles at strangers in the elevator and speaks in even, measured tones, even when expressing excitement. While being interviewed for this article, the married father of two apologized for taking a pause—he needed to answer text messages from his college-aged daughter, who had just returned home for winter break. He highlights the great work done by people on his team and casually references books that have impacted his

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BROWN IS LAID BACK ENOUGH THAT IT’S EASY TO FORGET THIS GUY RUNS AN ORGANIZATION WITH 3,400 LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE U.S. AND ABROAD. own development: Simon Sinek’s Start with Why and Daniel Pink’s A Whole New Mind, which discusses why right-brainers will rule the future. Brown is laid-back enough that it’s easy to forget this guy runs a multi-billion dollar brand with 3,400 locations throughout the U.S. and abroad.

Born in Georgia, Brown spent the majority of his childhood in metro Atlanta. Attending Georgia Tech seemed inevitable. “My father was a Georgia Tech grad. My brother went to Georgia Tech. An uncle of mine went to Georgia Tech.” He shrugs, smiling. “So that was one of the reasons why I ended up going to Georgia Tech.”

While studying to earn his bachelor’s degree in management, Brown maintained a busy extracurricular schedule and served as president of the Interfraternity Council. Right after graduating, he worked as a software engineer on a Delta Airlines project for Anderson Consulting. Five years later, he headed up to Northwestern University, where he earned dual master’s degrees in business administration and engineering management.

Retail and hospitality piqued his interest in his next role as a consultant for the Boston Consulting Group and a partner for McKinsey & Company. But Brown says his first major management responsibility came at InterContinental Hotels, where he oversaw brands such as Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza. He eventually followed that with a move to Expedia. com, where as president, Brown says he learned to flex his marketing muscles. He prizes the time he got to work with Expedia Chairman Barry Diller, a legendary entrepreneur and marketing expert.

“Barry is one of best marketing guys ever,” Brown says. “I learned a lot of lessons from him.”

At Hilton, Brown got the hang of building a strong culture and admired the CEO’s ability to align a workforce behind clear company values. During Brown’s tenure, Hilton reached its highest market share level in the company’s history.

“I’m applying learnings from all aspects of my career,” Brown says. “Maybe there are downsides to having as many experiences as I’ve had along the way. But the plus side is you’ve seen so many different things, and

you can pick and choose the best.”

It’s a helluva trail to blaze. But if Brown’s career navigation sounds like a curious passage to leading a restaurant company, especially one that was aching to find a strong, steady current, that curiosity would be wellplaced. His was not the most direct route.

Still, Brown sees the parallels. And perhaps more importantly, so did Roark Capital Group.

“I specialized in marketing and finance,” Brown says, “but the engineering management part of my work has been overseeing manufacturing processes or running large, complex facilities. That plays into part of what I’m doing now. Because if you think about a restaurant company, each location is a mini manufacturing plant, as well as a retail facility.” He nods in thought, then adds, “It’s fairly complicated.”

Brown was up for the challenge, and his mandate could not have been more clear: Make Arby’s work.

“Who are we?”

That was the question floating above everyone’s head at the Arby’s 2013 planning retreat. Brown believed that Arby’s had to define what it was about before the company could take any meaningful action. It was a brand in existential crisis. During the 10 years preceding Brown coming on board, Arby’s had tried a string of different marketing approaches.

And they all failed to deliver sustained success.

The logo kept changing: Remember the oven mitt? The tagline “I’m Thinking Arby’s” stuck around for a little while, then it was dropped for no tagline. A year later, “I’m Thinking Arby’s” returned, only to give way to two others soon after: “Good Mood Food,” then “Slicing Up Freshness.” Such incessant, seemingly frantic change didn’t fare well compared to the long-term, consistent brand messaging of its myriad competitors. The Arby’s brand focus seemed to be in constant flux, but nothing ever felt right.

BROWN WAS UP FOR THE CHALLENGE, AND HIS MANDATE COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE CLEAR: MAKE ARBY’S WORK.

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So at this important meeting, away from distraction, Brown charged his leadership team to figure out the purpose of Arby’s. This would be no small feat for the new captain and his crew. But they had come prepared. A great deal of insight had gone into setting up the meeting. Brown had reviewed so much customer research filled with spreadsheets, graphs and numerical columns, that later he could only describe the quantities as “reams and reams and reams.” He had spent the last six months listening to franchisees, stakeholders and restaurant team members. He wanted to squeeze out every bit of experience he could. He wanted to connect with anything or any person who could help tell the story of Arby’s—what it had been, what it should be, what was possible down the road.

But they had to start with the why, a philosophy Brown believed in even before he read Sinek’s management book on the subject. “I wanted us to have a clear overarching purpose statement that would survive for decades,” Brown says. “Everything needed to add up to that.”

At the off-site meeting, the executive team developed a purpose statement worth keeping: “Inspiring smiles through delicious experiences.” That was it, simple and straightforward. And out of that statement, a new clarity emerged. Remember all that potential Roark saw in Arby’s? Suddenly it was obvious. The Arby’s identity was rooted in the food.

“The reason you see a lot of sleight of hand in this industry is because some companies don’t want to focus people too much on the food,” Brown says. But for Arby’s, he says, “it’s really delicious food. And I’m not just saying that.”

Hot, sliced roast beef sandwiches had been at the core of

∏ Part of Arby’s rebranding under Brown’s leadership

was a refresh of the company’s restaurant interiors and exteriors (below), as well as its advertising (right).

Arby’s since its 1964 beginning. And over the years new classics were created—the roast beef sandwich with warm cheddar cheese sauce, fried chicken, corned beef, Angus steak, roast turkey and most recently the 13-hour smoked brisket. If Arby’s cut out all the other marketing noise and just focused on delicious food that made people smile, how would the brand change? To find the answer, it was time to start dreaming.

The executive staff began developing a vision for the brand based on its core purpose. What would being inside an Arby’s feel like? What would customers say? Brown could see the ground shifting. Now, he had to get buy-in from everyone else—the franchisees and the team members—the people who were going to make this vision become an actual, edible reality. There’s just one thing about charting new territory across thousands of people in thousands of locations: When some of those people have been with a brand through the roughest of times, it can be hard to dream. Cynicism can sometimes become an obstacle to purpose statements and brand visions. But Brown was ready for that.

Five to seven. That was the mantra.

A holdover from exercises Brown used at Hilton, he found this one to be especially useful. Look out five to seven years, and you’d hit the sweet spot. It was far enough away so people could let their imaginations play, but not so close to incite panic.

“You can get a lot more alignment if you talk about that many years out, than if you talk about next year,” he says. “Once you spend time getting everybody aligned around what things look like in that span, then you come back and say ‘OK, what does that mean specifically for year one, two, three and four?’”

After poring over the research and analyzing how Arby’s had recently struggled as a brand, Brown and his team named the vision “deli-inspired delicious.” The team imagined beautiful sandwiches artfully presented with wax paper, the fresh ingredients peeking through an intentional opening. They envisioned chalkboard-style menus with items written in elegant print, where the names of the food items tell you precisely what they are.

The restaurants would have to look different, too. Fluorescent lights disappeared from this vision, as did laminate tables and boxed-in windows, typical fare for the average fast-food joint. The team was inspired by New York City’s Chelsea Market and Eataly—teeming with natural materials such as red brick and wood, and elements that reflected light, such as glossy white subway tile. In their vision, larger windows ushered in the light, pendant lamps created a soft environment, and wood panels lined the walls.

Now, they realized, they weren’t just talking about fast food anymore. But it wasn’t quite fast casual either, a la Chipotle. They decided that deli-inspired delicious was it’s own thing—“Fast Crafted”—somewhere in the middle. Brown believes Arby’s offers a better experience and product than fast food, and when compared to fast casual stores, he says Arby’s has comparable food that’s less expensive and more convenient. If they were successful in executing this vision, within five, six or seven years, customers would walk into Arby’s locations that looked, felt, smelled and served food based on this ideal.

Brown would need people far beyond his executive staff to implement these changes, however. Arby’s was and still is a franchise system. “There are a lot of people to get aligned,” Brown says.

Of the nearly 3,400 restaurants, the company owns and operates just more than 940 locations. Of the remaining franchise-owned, almost 400 different franchisees run those restaurants.

The process of getting everyone on the same page was “as much as anything, the galvanizing, seminal moment on the journey thus far,” Brown says without a hint of exaggeration. “It was a balancing act of going fast enough because there’s an urgency around the business, but going slow enough so that you’re bringing the right stakeholders with you along the way.”

Brown wanted the franchisees to have the same inspired smiles that his executive staff had when this deli-inspired delicious vision was discussed. But his team had enjoyed the benefit (or the curse) of seeing all the data. They had paged through the research and gone to the off-site. He couldn’t expect the same level of enthusiasm from people who, while committed to the growth of Arby’s, did not have access to the same information, nor the time to process all those reams and reams.

So, Brown made a key decision. He branded the brand vision.

Working with his marketing staff and an external agency, he created a brand book that told the story of this soon-to-be emerging Arby’s. This was not boring, corporate homework. No consulting PowerPoint slides here. The pages of this giant book begged to be opened, the bright red cover as wide as the picture books of one’s childhood. Make no mistake—the data was in there. But the Arby’s story was told in a narrative format that was digestible, brief and accompanied by gorgeous photos that illustrated precisely what the words stated. The book and its Pinterest-style image galleries did what Brown and his team wanted future Arby’s locations to do—it created an experience.

“This was the Arby’s I fell in love with when I first started,” one franchisee told Brown.

“Finally, we’re back to focusing on all the great food we have,” said another. “This pulls it all together in a way we haven’t seen before.”

But it wouldn’t be a conversation with a franchisee without this response: “Wow. That looks like it could be expensive.”

Brown followed the book with countless conversations. Assurances. More explanation on what this would mean, how it would work. And there were focus groups—so many—with customers and potential customers. Still, Brown knew he had to reach the service staff, and in a personal and profound way. That was going to be a challenge.

“We employ 21,000 people, and across the whole system it’s more than 70,000,” Brown says. Flying all over the country or sending a mass communication was not going to articulate this vision in the way it needed to be expressed. Brown approved an idea from his vice president of guest experience and developed Brand Camp, a half-day, off-site training exercise where all the team members of a particular location would get introduced to the new Arby’s.

On a rolling schedule, the team members of a restaurant would come together (with another location backfilling their schedule to keep the business running), and a district supervisor who had been trained on the same content would talk about the brand vision and what that meant for the service staff. The exercise culminated in personal goal-setting exercises for each employee who participated.

“The Brand Camp was the only way you could reach that many people on the front line,” Brown says.

The feedback on all fronts was resoundingly positive. For the few remaining cynics, Brown could only say, “Trust me.” He would have to prove it to them.

BROWN COULD SEE THE GROUND SHIFTING. NOW, HE HAD TO GET BUY-IN FROM EVERYONE ELSE—THE FRANCHISEES AND THE TEAM MEMBERS—THE PEOPLE WHO WERE GOING TO MAKE THIS VISION BECOME AN ACTUAL, EDIBLE REALITY. 0 4 4

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Well, seeing is believing.

A little over a year from when the brand book was created, Arby’s has an updated logo, a new marketing campaign, and 35 restaurants have been renovated or newly built under the new brand vision parameters, with more to follow suit this year. In addition to the restaurant building designs, Arby’s guests will begin to see new uniforms on staff, new higher-end food items launching this year, and they’ll experience the “frontline concept.” This is an integrated counter space that is probably most similar to Jimmy John’s. Customers order at one end, watch as their food is assembled in clear view, then pick their orders up at the other end. ∏ Arby’s proved its social-media savvy when it called out Pharrell Williams for wearing an oversized fedora at the 2014 Grammys that looked a lot like the company’s iconic 10-gallon hat.

Even if a spanking new Arby’s hasn’t opened nearby, chances are some aspect of this new, purposedriven Arby’s has landed on your radar. As part of the rebranding, Arby’s hired a new advertising agency, Fallon. But it was crupush it too far,” he says. “Pharrell wore it, it looked like our logo, cial to Brown that the agency couldn’t start with a completely and we called him out. I wish we could keep the hat permablank slate. That’s one lesson he learned from Mr. Diller. nently at Arby’s, but it’s on its way to the Grammys museum.”

“It’s important for management to articulate the vision for Another social media win was a genius 13-hour beef the brand to the advertising agency,” Brown says. “We knew brisket YouTube video, where meat lovers can watch the that, so we went to them with ‘this is where we’re going.’”

Arby’s brisket cook for the full 13 hours. That was followed He picks up the brand book. “We showed them all of up by the unexpected success of the “Meat Mountain” sandthis. Fallon took that and came up with a beautiful way wich. Sparked by an effort to showcase the many different of talking about the brand. It’s simple, it’s authentic. It’s proteins Arby’s offered, the company printed a poster itemabout the food.” izing every type of meat on the menu. Customers loved And things continued to fall into place. Ving Rhames, it—which in food service means they wanted it. Arby’s refamous for his commanding roles in films such as Pulp Ficsponded by stacking up all of its meats up high on a bun for tion and Mission: Impossible—as well as his deep voice—has $10, and received considerable buzz for the move. performed entertaining voiceovers in the new commercials.

“In one way, shape or form,” Brown says, “I think all these In the ads, the food is front and center amid a white backefforts come back to being very clear on who you are, what ground. And the message is simple: “We have the meats.” you’re trying to do and what your long-term vision of the Brown likes that it’s straightforward yet witty. “And the wit is business is.” On some level, he says, “I think customers can about the food,” he says. sense that. And our marketing staff has been excellent in exArby’s has scored impressive, timely social media ecuting this new vision.” successes, too. At the 2014 Grammy Awards, musician The numbers, per the Arby’s sales reports, appear to and producer Pharrell Williams wore an instantly iconic, confirm Brown’s observations. The brand’s system-wide oversized hat designed by Vivienne Westwood that looked sales totaled $3.26 billion in 2014, and same-store sales remarkably similar to the Arby’s 10-gallon cowboy hat. were up 5.7 percent by the end of the year. Over the past The tweet that killed the Internet by Arby’s astute social two years, Arby’s has outpaced the quick service industry media staff: “Hey @Pharrell, can we have our hat back?” by 7.2 percentage points, with a same-store sales growth It was retweeted more than 78,000 times and discussed at rate of 8.5 percent. The company expects to hit $4 billion length by the media for days afterward. Of course, Brown in system-wide sales by 2018. smartly made sure Arby’s won the hat when it was put up That is the reach of a focused business strategy, filtered for auction on eBay. through the concept of “deli-inspired delicious.” That’s the Ever present to the brand implications, Brown loved the mooutcome of envisioning the journey ahead, where Arby’s ment but appreciated his staff’s restraint even more. “We didn’t outmaneuvers its competition.

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INSIDE ARBY’S TEST KITCHEN B Y O S AY I E N D O LY N | P H O T O S B Y J O S H M E I S T E R

Getting a new menu item to an Ar-

by’s location near you is no small feat for the executive cooking team based at the corporate headquarters test kitchen in Sandy Springs. It takes the work of five dedicated food professionals to create tasty products that are cost-effective and fulfill on the promise that the Arby’s marketing effort has spread to the masses.

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development and sous chef John Miller, who took us through an average day on the job.

Long before a sandwich, side item or milkshake can become the inspiration behind a customer’s smile, a simple sketch of the product starts out in the ideation department, where the staff brainstorms key concepts, ingredients and even potential mash-ups. Once the elements are agreed upon, the product goes to research and development.

This is where the test kitchen staff tries

out the ingredients and evaluates the cooking process, even considering which vendors to use.

Of course, there’s the tasting. A lot of tasting happens in the test kitchen.

“You can see all the bottled water we have,” Miller says, pointing to a glassdoor refrigerator. Almost every shelf is packed with water bottles, each row about three deep.

Depending on the day’s agenda, test kitchen hours start around 6 a.m. Staff members have their own work areas

One product that made the grade and is still gaining fans is the Arby’s Roast Turkey Ranch and Bacon Sandwich. Below, Sous Chef John Miller shares some tidbits about the winning product’s key ingredients.

Roast Turkey: Only whole breast meat found here. Miller is secretive on how long it takes to marinate and slow roast the turkey, but he does confirm that when it’s done, it’s at the perfect level of tenderness.

Pepper Bacon: Cut thick and cooked crisp, these strips come from a large slab of pork belly that’s rubbed down with peppery spices, then smoked for depth of flavor.

where the focus may be on the shake station, the fryer or the work line that closely mirrors the equipment and space available in an average restaurant. (Note: everyone ought to have a cheese pump, for the warm, melted goodness that tops off an Arby’s Beef and Cheddar.)

The food scientists can share the kitchen when needed, but they also have their own office space to focus on quality assurance. Here, you won’t find meat slicers or stoves. Instead, you should be on the look out for microscopes. This

is where each item is closely examined for food safety reasons and to ensure the cooking process meets restaurant requirements.

After satisfying the rigors of R&D, the new product goes through operations integration. This stage ensures that every Arby’s kitchen can execute the item consistently and deliciously.

Even if a product seems perfect in the test kitchen, it must pass store testing to make it to an Arby’s menu. The recipe and ingredients are sent out to actual

Cheddar Cheese: All-natural and American. That’s about all an Arby’s guest needs to know.

Parmesan Peppercorn Ranch Sauce: Taste the real Parmesan in this smooth, creamy sauce with a bit of cracked peppercorn kick.

Honey Wheat Bread: Search online and you’ll find forums dedicated to revealing the baking secrets behind Arby’s soft, fluffy bread.

Arby’s restaurants. Now the test kitchen team awaits feedback. Was the product easy to execute in production? Did team members report issues? Most importantly, what did the guests think? Such analysis is key. If you’re going to roll out a new product to hundreds or thousands of locations, that sandwich better sell. It ought to make people smile, too.

When a product is finally added to the menu, it has likely been under consideration by the test kitchen team for anywhere from six months to one year.

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BEER

CRAFT

BY AUSTIN L. RAY | PHOTOS BY JOSH MEISTER

Once Tech alumni and Pi Kappa Phi fraternity brothers Jason Santamaria, Mgt 06, and Chris Doyle, Mgt 07, MBA 11, discovered what real beer was, getting together and opening their own brewery—the Second Self Beer Company—was all but inevitable.

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That night at Rocky Mountain Pizza changed Jason Santamaria’s life. Normally, he was there every Monday, playing trivia with his Georgia Tech pals. But that week, everyone bailed except his buddy Brian Brady, who ended up winning $50 in house cash all by himself. After a quick phone call to their friend Chris Doyle to share the good news, it was time for the guys to step up and help Brian drink that prize.

It was the pair’s time at Georgia Tech that gave them the skills to open their own business in their early 30s.

“We decided the three of us couldn’t muster through that many $4 pitchers of Santamaria reminisces fondMiller High Life,” Santamaria remembers. “We asked the barkeep what their most ly on the mental challenges expensive beer was, and it was Samuel Smith’s Oatmeal Stout, for a whopping $8 a of college, how he figured out pint. It was magical—rich, smooth, roasty, delicious, balanced and just wonderful. essentials such as hard work, Ever since, beer has never been the same, nothing has been the same.” determination and probAs fraternity brothers, Santamaria and Doyle bonded early over The Big Lebowski and lem solving. Doyle says his Adult Swim cartoons, and once they were of legal drinking age, they started bartending critical thinking expanded at parties. While hard liquor was their passion at first, after that evening with Sam Smith exponentially during his time and his delicious Oatmeal Stout, the pair got to talking about beer on a regular basis. at Tech. Santamaria gradu“The time living under the same roof at the fraternity house gave us the ability to unated with a bachelor’s degree derstand each other’s backgrounds and how we approached life,” Doyle says. “That’s the in management in 2006 and biggest leg up we had from our time at Tech—getting personality conflicts out of our sysa background in software tems, becoming friends and moving on to create Second Self.” sales; Doyle with a management degree in 2007, then an MBA in 2011.

While working in “regular” Opened last September, Second Self Beer jobs, they each experimented with home brewing and grew more Company stands just a few miles up the road entranced with the idea of making beer a full-time occupation. from Tech, in the same industrial complex that After graduate school, Doyle earned his certification from once housed one of Georgia’s very first brewthe American Brewers Guild and spent a year learning the eries, the Dogwood Brewing Company. It’s also the space commercial brewing ropes at SweetWater Brewing Comthat once belonged to Bill Loy Foods, the company that pany in Atlanta—the country’s 19th biggest craft brewery by handles, amongst other things, the potato salad for Hootvolume. He serves as Second Self’s “Alechemist,” in charge of ers franchises all over the country. brewing operations, while Santamaria leads sales and marThe brewery houses 20 barrel tanks and can produce keting as the company’s “Beer Architect.” up to 2,400 barrels of beer a year. The duo specializes in “Chris is grain to door, and I am door to glass,” Santamamaking “bold but balanced beers” such as Thai Wheat, ria says. But he also plays a pivotal role as Second Self’s “taste Red Hop Rye, a LIPA (Light India Pale Ale), a Saison and a ambassador,” drawing upon his experience in the restaurant chocolate-centric Mole Porter. business to help Doyle develop flavor profiles and recipes for “Red Hop is our top seller, but Thai Wheat is a close secthe beer they make. ond,” Santamaria says. “But most of the surprises have The name Second Self, of course, signifies the glorious been on the sales side, not the brewing side. We have to present where they’ve ditched their traditional business caconstantly prove ourselves to restaurant managers and reers to pursue their love of beer. Their day-to-day activities owners that we have a superior product.” now revolve around making and selling beer together—and Not content to rest on their core line, Second Self is also seeing it on tap at their favorite places. Brick Store Pub. Leon’s working on a couple limited-edition specialty beers—JunIFull Service. Holeman & Finch Public House.

PA (an India Pale Ale with juniper and rosemary, inspired by Santamaria doesn’t mince words when it’s time to give thanks. gin) and Bleeding Heart (a red ale with cocoa and vanilla, in“Having a Tech degree opened up many doors that allowed spired by red velvet cake). Santamaria says he hopes to have me to see the country and the world,” he says. “From my time Thai Wheat cans in the market this summer, and that more living in San Diego, to the personal travel I was able to do in Belspecialty beers and experimental one-offs are in the works, gium and Thailand that inspired several beers we craft now. as well as collaborations with brewers both near (Twain’s Arguably the most important are the friends I made at GeorBrewpub & Billiards in nearby Decatur) and far (2nd Shift gia Tech. Only with their support and encouragement, and the Brewing in New Haven, Mo.). skills we acquired at Tech, were we able to build this company.”

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HOW TO MAKE A

CRAFT

BEER: SECOND SELF’S THAI WHEAT The official definition of a craft beer, according to the Brewers Association, is one that’s produced by a small, independent and traditional brewer. But to Atlanta’s Second Self Beer Company, craft beer means something much more—namely high-quality ingredients and processes that produce “layers of character and flavor” which come together in a beer that’s “greater than the sum of its parts.” Second Self ’s purveyors take us through the steps—and science—of how they make one of their best-selling craft beers.

1 RAW INGREDIENTS “Thai Wheat was inspired by my trip to Thailand in 2010,” says Second Self Beer Architect Jason Santamaria, Mgt 06. “I loved the flavor combinations there, and I came back, took cooking classes, ate a lot of food. We started with a plain ale with ginger and lemongrass, but eventually we switched to an American wheat because it better suited the style. We stayed away from coriander, but eventually added galangal, which is a cousin of ginger. It’s a much more robust flavor, and much more potent, so dialing that in was hard. That’s where we’re at now.”

2 STEP ON THE SCALE Early on, Second Self made small batch-

es of Thai Wheat—five to 10 gallons at a time. (These days, the brewery makes 620 gallons at a time.) “Our boil used to finish in five minutes and that was it,” says Alechemist Chris Doyle, Mgt 07, MBA 11.

“Now we’re talking 30 minutes, which means all new interactions of your herbs in the beer. When scaling, we had to do a lot of adjustments.” He says they’re still tweaking to this day, restlessly striving for perfection.

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4 THE SPICE

IS RIGHT

Second Self gets its lemongrass and gin-

ger from Buford Highway Famers Market, Your Dekalb Farmers Market and Restaurant Depot, but they’d like to bring the spice production in-house. “We’re in talks with some local farmers and hydroponic growers to do it here,” Santamaria says. They tend to go shopping the night before or the morning of brewing, and they make Thai Wheat once or twice a month. “Which means once or twice a month, those markets are out of galangal,” Doyle says, laughing. The pair adds that all the local farmers markets think they’re insane.

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3 TOO

MANY COOKS

“We typically didn’t ask for public opinion until we are really confident,” Santamaria says. He and Doyle would brew every other weekend, and always had volunteer friends who would try the beer and give feedback—20 to 30 people total. “They’d like one batch way better than another batch, and we’d take notes,” Doyle says. “This focus group of friends had a history of trying a given beer, which made them experts on its evolution.” Since Santamaria and Doyle were meticulous with their notes, they could always find out why one Thai Wheat was different from another, especially when it got particularly favorable feedback from their tasting crew.

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5 MILLING ABOUT

The malt—malted barley

and wheat—shows up wholekernel in 50-pound bags to Second Self from malters in the Midwest or Canada.

Santamaria and Doyle lug it to the tanks and manually dump it in. “It’s just transferring seeds into usable sugar,” Doyle says. “You’re cracking the seed, the hull, to get the sugar out.

That’s what milling does.”

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6 DO THE MASH

“Mashing is when you add water to it, extracting all that sugar into the water,” Doyle says. “The enzymes are still active in the seed, so it pulls the sugar out, puts it in the water, and that water is what you draw off and turn into wort. Wort is what you boil and add hops and spices to.”

Once all the potential sugar is converted, you rinse off the remaining sugar and then it’s time for the boil.

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7 MAKING

THE MAGIC HAPPEN

“Boiling takes about an

hour and a half,” Doyle says. Then it’s time to cool it down from 212 degrees to 70. Then it goes to the fermenter for 10 days. “We pitch yeast from one of the other tanks into the clean, empty fermenter,” Doyle says. “We add oxygen, and that allows the yeast to grow daughter cells and expand. When it’s rolling, there’s trillions of cells in the tank, eating all the sugar and converting it into alcohol and CO2. Once that’s done, they start to fall out and fermentation stops.”

8 QUALITY CONTROL

“We do lots of tasting before and

during fermentation,” Doyle says.

“We generally check gravities every day.” In the end, he says it’s up to his and Santamaria’s palates. If the flavor is off, they’ll know. Sanitation is extremely important in preventing off flavors, as well.

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9 GOODBYE AND GOOD LUCK

After Santamaria and Doyle are satisfied with a

batch, the beer is kegged, loaded onto a United Distributors truck and hauled to various bottle shops, bars and restaurants all over metro Atlanta. “We test beer in market before we have locations sell it to make sure it’s pouring right, that the CO2 levels are right,” Santamaria says. “Because we’re growing, there’s no set route just yet. We’re out there trying new approaches, trying to drum up new sales.”

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A LWAY S Waffle House’s inspiring ability to keep its restaurants up and running 24/7/365—no matter what Mother Nature throws at them—demonstrates the company’s deep commitment to customers, employees and the communities it serves.

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O

BY ROGER SLAVENS | PHOTOS BY GREGORY MILLER

PEN Snowmageddon. Icepocalypse. Cartastrophe. Whatever you call it, none of the executives gathered for a Waffle House senior management meeting in suburban Duluth, Ga., on Jan. 28, 2014, could have predicted the impact that a few inches of snow and ice would have upon greater Atlanta that day. Yet they were better prepared for the storm’s unexpected effects—including the epic gridlock that snarled the area’s roadways for days—than virtually everybody else.

“We’re all a bunch of weather junkies here,” says Will Mizell, Mgt 87, Waffle House vice president of people. “We have to be. It’s part of who we are as a company, and part of the areas of the country we serve. On that Tuesday morning, we knew there was a winter storm system moving in, and we were keeping a close eye on it. Still, what happened took us by surprise.”

Most of us remember what happened hours later, even if we didn’t experience it first hand. Snow started falling just before lunchtime, some of it turning to ice and making driving conditions truly treacherous. Georgia Department of Transportation crews rushed to salt and clear the roads, but were too late. At around 1 p.m., businesses and school systems across the region decided to shut down and send everyone home. The mass exodus, mixed with the accumulating snow and ice, proved to be a recipe for disaster. Commuters and school buses hit the roads almost simultaneously, and thousands of people wound up stranded for the evening, miles away from home, cold and hungry.

One of the few businesses that didn’t close, of course, ∏ Atlanta Snowpocalypse 2014 was Waffle House. “It’s a point of pride that we do so well to keep our restaurants open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, in almost any situation,” says Waffle House President and CEO Walt Ehmer, IE 89. “Over the years, we’ve kept getting better and more efficient in our preparations. Part of it has been practice and repetition, learning as we go along, and part of it has been putting the right tools and technology to work for us as they became available. In any case, we GTALUMNIMAG.COM had faced far worse weather events than this.”

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There’s a popular urban legend that

Waffle House doors have no locks— and with good reason. Since the day Joe Rogers Sr. and Tom Forkner opened that first restaurant in Avondale Estates, Ga., in 1955, operating 24/7 stood as one of Waffle House’s core tenets. “Joe Sr. always believed that if you want to be of full service to the people in your community, you have to be there for them—all of them—at all times,” Mizell says. “That includes those who work the late shift and those who need a warm meal or safe shelter during a crisis.”

Today, Waffle House Chairman Joe Rogers Jr., IM 68, continues his dad’s legacy of service by doing his best to keep the company’s “always open” vow a centerpiece of its business.

But it wasn’t until Hurricane Hugo made landfall in South Carolina in 1989 that company executives began to consider approaching natural disasters in a carefully scripted, systematic way, Ehmer says. Hugo turned out to be, at the time, the costliest hurricane in U.S. history, and Hugo wound up causing considerable damage and distress to many communities that Waffle House served.

“Our restaurants and people made Herculean efforts to stay open for those affected by Hugo, but it wasn’t always an efficient process,” Ehmer says. “Sometimes it was like throwing chaos at chaos.” In an effort to minimize the chaos and maximize its effectiveness, the company literally drew up a playbook—one that has continuously evolved—to take on the worst Mother Nature could dish out.

“We simply didn’t have much exposure to large-scale storms and hurricanes before Hugo,” Ehmer says. As Waffle House grew and locations expanded across the Atlantic Coast, the South and the Midwest, so did its vulnerability to potential calamities of all sorts, be they hurricanes, tornadoes, ice storms, blizzards or floods. Today, the company operates 1,752 locations in 25 states, employing approximately 40,000 workers.

Ehmer remembers the first big weather event he encountered shortly after starting work at Waffle House. It was an honest-to-goodness blizzard—dubbed at the time as the “Storm of the Century”—that hit Atlanta in March 1993. “I was in purchasing at the time, and I had to work long hours on the logistics of getting food to our restaurants across the region,” he says. “The storm lasted days, most roads were closed and power outages were rampant, but we were able to get or keep most of our restaurants up and running.”

What struck a chord with Ehmer was just how much the community cared about what Waffle House did in the face of catastrophe. “As a new employee, it was truly inspirational to realize that our efforts really mattered to a lot of people,” he says. “The Atlanta Journal-Constitution even ran an ad thanking us, Georgia Power and Kroger for going above and beyond the call of duty for the area’s citizens.”

A little more than a dozen years later, Mother Nature finally unleashed her worst, as Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and the Gulf Coast in August 2005. Katrina’s aftermath truly tested Waffle House’s mettle and mission. “We had to shut down 107 restaurants along the I-10 corridor from Florida to Louisiana,” Mizell says. “And we completely lost seven locations to the storm.”

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“Joe Sr. always believed that if you want to be of full service to the people in your community, you have to be there for them—all of them—at all times.”

—Will Mizell, Waffle House VP of People

The scope and visibility of Waffle House’s recovery efforts were unprecedented in the history of the company. However, the lessons learned and the readiness plans put into place since Hugo all paid off. The company got 75 percent of its affected restaurants back up and running within a few days.

“Katrina confirmed and emphasized our strengths and teamwork,” Ehmer says. “We fed a lot of hungry people who hadn’t had a hot meal in days. We knew we were making a difference on a large scale, and that knowledge made the hard work and long hours and money spent worth it.”

Keeping its restaurants open during a natural disaster does come at a sizeable cost for Waffle House. However, it’s a price worth paying, says Mizell. “We definitely lose money in the short term whenever a significant storm hits,” he says. “Others might sit back and collect business interruption insurance, but we don’t. In the end, our ‘always open’ commitment is a sound investment in our communities and our brand that pays us back many times over in terms of goodwill.”

∏ As Waffle House expanded across the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, so did its exposure to Mother Nature’s wrath.

But even the devastation wrought by major hurricanes such as Hugo, Ivan and especially Katrina couldn’t weaken the company’s resolve to strive to keep its restaurants open for communities affected by such storms.

F E M A’S “WA F F L E HOUSE I N DE X” When it comes to understanding how bad-

ly a community has been hit by a natural disaster, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) turns to Waffle House for cues. In fact, FEMA officially calls this the Waffle House Index.

∂ If the company’s restaurants are up and running

in an affected region with little to no impact on service, then things probably aren’t too bad. That merits a green status on the index.

∂ However, if one or more locations can’t get full

supplies and are serving a limited menu, FEMA knows it’s time to be concerned. Condition yellow.

∂ And if a Waffle House restaurant is damaged or without power and closed, then the local situation has truly turned serious. Red alert.

Because Waffle House weathers disasters so well, FEMA’s index seldom reaches red.

The Waffle House Index not only tells FEMA how soon a restaurant location may rebound, but also how the surrounding community is doing.

The quicker that service businesses can rebound from storms, the sooner the community will move toward recovery. The Insurance Information Institute estimates that 25 percent of businesses that close following a natural disaster never reopen.

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SCATTERED, SMOTHERED AND COVERED HOW WA F F L E HOUSE R E SP ON DS TO DI SA ST E R

Waffle House’s reputation for disas-

ter response and operational excellence is so strong—thanks to a core of Georgia Tech-trained engineers and business executives—that some pundits have publicly wondered if the nation might be better off having the company running the government. We all remember how slow the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) took to respond to Hurricane Katrina.

(More on FEMA elsewhere.)

Here’s a look at the resources and processes that Waffle House deploys today to keep its restaurants open 24/7/365 in times of adversity:

∂ Consulting the disaster operations manual. “Every-

thing starts with consistent risk management processes and making sure they’re all written down clearly and are easy to follow,” says Waffle House Vice President of People Will Mizell. “We constantly update it.” ∂ Sounding the all-hands-on-deck alert. “An important part of Waffle House culture is that senior management leads from the front lines, especially in times of crisis,” Mizell says. “All our executives have been trained to run a restaurant, and know how to cook and everything else.”

In addition, the company mobilizes all its associates in an affected area to help. “This approach to teamwork really shines,” he says. The company makes sure its employees have a place to sleep if they’re stuck at a location by booking nearby hotel rooms. ∂ Setting up the command center. “At Waffle House HQ, we closely monitor traffic, road closings, weather updates and local news reports,” he says. “We’re also able to track our restaurants’ status in real time, as well as food, supplies, 0 6 2

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power generators and more.” During hurricanes, the company uses HURRTRAK software to follow the storm’s path and predict where the worst damage will be. The communications team has also found that social media, especially its Twitter account, is useful for letting everyone know which Waffle Houses are open for businesses. ∂ Sending out the command RV. “Often during a storm phone lines will be down, so we’ve equipped an RV with a satellite link, as well as with Wi-Fi capabilities, so we can keep communications open,” Mizell says. “We lovingly call it the EM-50, in homage to the movies Stripes. It also serves as a mobile field office and sometimes we use it as a PR vehicle, along with our separate Waffle House food truck.” ∂ Mobilizing the ‘Go Team.’ “We assemble our resources just outside affected areas in staging zones, ready to go in and help as soon as they can,” Mizell says. “Our construction teams will have building supplies and power generators at hand, and they’ll fix any damage and get power running if the electricity is down. We have a generator that’s so big we have to unload it from a truck with a crane.” Waffle House also deploys bladder trucks to keep the generators filled with gas, as well as reefer trucks to refrigerate food that would otherwise go rotten. ∂ Collaborating with local authorities. “Part of our success is our ability to partner with state patrols, the local police and emergency management staff, health inspectors and more,” Mizell says. “In fact, often times because of our strong reputation handling disasters, we’ll have an ‘all-access’ pass to hard-hit areas where roadblocks and curfews are set up to keep out most others.” ∂ Ensuring safety and security. “While the police can help, we have to make sure our restaurants and assets are protected from both hazardous situations and criminal activity,” he says. ∂ Communicating with vendors. “Luckily, our major distributor who handles everything but bread, produce and dairy is U.S. Foods, and they’re located just a mile away from Waffle House headquarters, which makes things easier,” Mizell says. “We have strong relationships with all our vendors, and they’re quick to jump in to help us keep our restaurants running when we sound the alarm.”

“Of course, every natural disaster is different, and sometimes we have to throw a little chaos at chaos until we understand a particular situation,” says Waffle House CEO Walt Ehmer. “Once the storm hits, our local teams mobilize and act as triage, assessing damage and status, and setting priorities.

Everybody pulls together, and with these resources and plans in place, there are few catastrophes that we can’t make better.”

∏ CEO Walt Ehmer (top, left) and VP of People Will Mizell laud the ability of “A lot of times storms are oversold, but

we were ready to leap into action,” Ehmer says of Atlanta’s 2014 Snowmageddon. “As soon as we heard reports of what was happening across the area, we promptly ended our leadership meeting and sent out our managers and top executives to the restaurants to help.”

Like the military, Waffle House believes its “generals”—the senior leadership team—should be stationed on the front lines, where they can pitch in and lead by example. “We don’t expect our 40,000-plus associates to do anything that we wouldn’t do ourselves,” Ehmer says.

Ehmer credits Joe Rogers Jr. for establishing the company’s “show up” culture. “Joe sets the tone by showing up at our restaurants to work nights, weekends and holidays,” Ehmer says. “That culture carries over to our crisis response, too. Whenever our customers and employees need us, we ‘show up’ and get to work.”

Only Mizell stayed back at company headquarters in suburban Norcross, but it was so he could set up a command center to monitor weather and traffic conditions and serve as a centralized point of communications with restaurants in the region.

This storm was a rare and messy situation, Mizell says. “The worst of the traffic snarls hit right after the lunch shift and our restaurants were mostly manned with skeleton crews. Some employees had left to go home and got stuck on the way, while their

Waffle House employees to pull together to create an “oasis in the middle of a storm” for customers needing a good, hot meal and some temporary shelter.

replacements couldn’t get to work. Luckily there were no power outages at any of our locations.”

The first order of business that night was to make sure the restaurants were properly staffed. After all, if things were as bad as they looked, Waffle House would become a beacon of food, warmth and safety for stranded motorists. The solution that Mizell and the executive team agreed upon was to get as many company-owned and personal four-wheel-drive vehicles on the roads to transport employees to and from restaurants.

Ehmer himself had a 4x4, but as fate would have it, his son, Greg, had the vehicle with him at Georgia Tech, where he is a business student. So Ehmer hopped in his car and onto I-85, and hoped for the best. About a third of the way to Tech, however, he got stuck and almost had to hike his way on foot to the nearest refuge, which, of course, was a Waffle House.

“I eventually got to our nearest restaurant at Clairmont and I-85, but immediately dove into the tasks that were needed—bussing tables, washing tables, cooking,” Ehmer says. “It’s what we’re all expected—and trained—to do as Waffle House employees.”

He then met up with a division manager who had a 4x4, and they rode around to check in on other restaurants in the area until 5 a.m. “We were up all night,” he says. “Our stores were packed.

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0 6 3

FO OD L O G I ST IC S

Having a sound plan in place for when disaster strikes is always a good idea, no matter what your business is. But when you’re Waffle House, it’s critical. After all, the logistical implications of making sure you have enough food and supplies on hand for 1,752 restaurants in 25 states is staggering. Here’s just a sampling of the menu items Waffle House serves up chain-wide per 24-hour day.

491,040 strips of bacon

Word quickly spread that we were one of the few businesses operating, and people sought us out, even if it was just a place to get warm. At least at one location, some customers even pitched in and helped us get food out of the kitchen and keep the restaurant clean.”

Finally, later in the morning Ehmer was able to take MARTA down to Tech and get his 4x4 so he could use it to shuttle employees, as well as food and supplies, to and from Waffle House locations. Scores of other executives and associates were doing the same thing.

Back at headquarters, Mizell kept tabs with restaurant managers and his fellow executives on the front lines. One of the ways Waffle House stays on the cutting edge of disaster response is that it employs a centralized software system where everyone logged in can see what the most immediate needs are across the system— whether it’s food, supplies, power or anything else. “In the past, we’d have to call or radio in one-on-one, and reporting of critical information was slow and sometimes inaccurate,” Mizell says.

After the storm, Mizell collaborated with U.S. Foods, Waffle House’s major food distribution partner, to make sure supplies got where they were needed. He also made sure nearby hotel rooms were secured so associates had a place to stay if they couldn’t get home. “Most locations were able to maintain full menus through the first day, but some had limited inventory and were forced to temporarily make do without certain items,” Ehmer says. “For example, restaurants that ran out of hamburger buns used Texas toast or regular bread instead. Our customers, thankfully, are very understanding when we have to improvise.”

Overall, setting up a command center with an operations expert like Mizell running the show has really helped Waffle House keep up with the speed and complexities of disaster response, Ehmer says. “Things can change so rapidly, it’s critical to be able to monitor situations from a bird’s-eye view,” he says.

So the question remains: Why

342,720 orders of hashbrowns

208,000 orders of waffles

cups of coffee

158,400

21,600

138,240

15,840

sausage patties

orders of grits

47,520

hamburgers 0 6 4

182,880

GTALUMNIMAG.COM VOLUME 91 NO.1 2015

chicken breasts pork chops

5,760 T-bone steaks

does Waffle House, in particular, excel in responding to natural disasters and other emergencies better than virtually everybody else? Proper planning and the right tools and smart leadership certainly all play a role.

However, Ehmer says it primarily comes down to one thing: “We simply have more ‘want to’ than anyone else.

We’ve built a reputation of standing strong in the face of adversity and we’re committed to maintaining it.”

Waffle House truly thrives on performing as a team under extreme circumstances. “We are blessed with a special group of employees that rally and come together when we’re needed,” Ehmer says. “And when we get through an event, we stand proud of our performance. We know we’ve made a difference in people’s lives when things were dark. We also know we’re not curing cancer; we’re not fighting wars. We may be just waffles and bacon and eggs, but a hot meal can be an oasis in the middle of a disaster.”

PROVIDED BY GEORGIA TECH'S OFFICE OF DEVELOPMENT

Campaign approaches $1.5 billion with 13 months to go!

The Impact of Philanthropy at Georgia Tech

Zbar estate gift will be transformative for two schools “Georgia Tech gave me the foundation to be successful in everything that I have done since I left,” said Jack J. Zbar, ChE 1956. “It gave me the knowledge, the confidence, and the ability.”

Now Zbar, a leader in the chemical manufacturing and textile industries and a visionary supporter of Georgia Tech, has made a commitment that will have a tremendous impact for the Institute in the future.

He and his wife, Leda, have directed a generous $9 million testamentary commitment to several different areas within Georgia Tech that are close to their hearts, including faculty support and student support for two schools, and unrestricted support for the Institute.

The last of these, the Leda L. and Jack J. Zbar Endowment Fund, will one day provide significant unrestricted resources for Georgia Tech — resources that will be deployed strategically by the president to meet pressing, immediate needs and to respond to opportunities as they arise in any given academic year.

The Zbars have also been strategic in committing future support to the Schools of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (ChBE) and Materials Science and Engineering (MSE). Through a series of charitable remainder unitrusts, one day their philanthropy will establish chairs in ChBE and MSE, scholarship endowment funds for students with demonstrated financial need in both schools, and will also fund faculty enrichment endowments in each.

“My profession is, and has been, a chemical engineer,” explained Zbar, a native of Tampa, Florida.

“But I also got my start producing, developing, and utilizing chemicals for a textile manufacturer for a few years, so both of these schools are important to me.”

Indeed, that experience led him to found his own company, Arrow Engineering, in 1970 in Dalton, Georgia. For decades, the company has specialized in providing technologically advanced chemicals for the textile industry, servicing the carpet industry as well as the cotton, woolen, polyester, and denim markets.

It has been a leader in carpet protection technology, utilizing recycled materials in a variety of patented products. In 2004, Zbar sold Arrow Engineering after almost 35 years of success at the helm.

Naresh Thadhani, professor and school chair in MSE,

Leda and Jack Zbar

called the commitments “transformative. They will help make us the model program that will define the future of our discipline.”

Zbar echoed those sentiments, noting that, “To continue being the school that it is, Georgia Tech needs the best people. That really is the bottom line.”

He is happy to be in a position to give back, and credits his wife Leda for encouraging him. “Leda has been so instrumental in developing my philanthropic thinking. Her parents were of modest means, but they always found a way to give to others. She taught me how important that is.”

For many years the Zbars, who are members of The Hill Society, have provided vital scholarship support in the former School of Polymer, Textile, and Fiber Engineering (now part of MSE), and provided unrestricted current operations support through Roll Call for 28 consecutive years. In addition, Zbar served on the Textile and Fiber Engineering Advisory Board and his 40th Reunion Committee. In 1996 he was named a College of Engineering Distinguished Alumnus, and in 2003 he was elected to the Engineering Hall of Fame. n

PROVIDED BY GEORGIA TECH'S OFFICE OF DEVELOPMENT

Reunion classes set new record Generous alumni from the Class of 1964 have set the bar for future Reunion Giving at its highest point ever, leading the way toward the most successful year in more than three decades of Reunion Giving at Georgia Tech.

“I couldn’t be more proud of my fellow alumni from the Class of 1964,” said William W. “Bill” George, IE 1964, HON Ph.D. 2008, who chaired this year’s 50th Reunion Committee along with social chair Geoffrey C. Gill, IM 1964, and reunion fund chair Alfred P. West Jr., AE 1964, HON Ph.D. 2010. “Our classmates decided very early on that we wanted to make this the best year in Tech history for reunion gifts. Thanks to their determination, generosity, and love for Tech, we accomplished our goal.”

The beneficiaries of the generosity of alumni from the Classes of 1964, 1974, and 1989 will be Georgia Tech students, whose success as both students and alumni was the philanthropic focus of this year’s milestone reunion classes.

In addition to class projects, gifts and commitments from alumni celebrating milestone reunions also support vital ongoing efforts such as Alumni Roll Call, the Alexander-Tharpe Fund, and special gifts to the college, school, or program of choice. n

Class of 1964

Class of 1974

Class of 1989

Class project total:

Class project total:

Class project total:

$401,050

$350,000

$147,890

Overall reunion total:

Overall reunion total:

Overall reunion total:

$32,745,462

$10,335,406

$1,137,890

__________________________________

Bill George, IE 1964, HON Ph.D. 2008 50th Reunion Chair

__________________________________

__________________________________

Steve W. Chaddick, EE 1974, MS EE 1982 40th Reunion Chair

Walt Ehmer, IE 1989 25th Reunion Chair

Anonymous donor honors former Tech Promise Scholar Stephen Webber, MGT 2013, former Mr. Georgia Tech, Ramblin’ Wreck driver, Student Alumni Association member, and Georgia Tech Promise Scholar, was honored during halftime of the Homecoming game against the University of Virginia with the announcement that an anonymous donor has established a Tech Promise Scholarship in his name. The announcement was a surprise for his mother, Donna Webber, who attended the game with her son.

PROVIDED BY GEORGIA TECH'S OFFICE OF DEVELOPMENT

The Campaign Quarterly Interview

Milt and Carolyn Stewart continue to champion the nation’s best industrial engineering program H. Milton “Milt” Stewart, IE 1961, is the retired chairman and CEO of Standard Group (formerly Standard Telephone Company), based in Cornelia, Georgia. Stewart is trustee emeritus of the Georgia Tech Foundation and past president and former trustee of the Georgia Tech Alumni Association. He and his wife, Carolyn, who was named an Honorary Alumna in 2008, are members of The Hill Society. The Stewarts reside in Vero Beach, Florida. Their two children, Jeb M. Stewart, Class of 1991, and Jill S. Archer, MGMT 1993, followed in their father’s footsteps to North Avenue.

CQ: The Stewart School has been the top-ranked graduate program in industrial and systems engineering for 24 consecutive years. The undergraduate program has been ranked number one for 20 years in a row. As an alumnus, how proud are you of this accomplishment?

MS & CS: Extremely proud!

Number one status is not easily attained or retained. Holding at number one for a quarter of a century is no small feat and reflects dynamic teamwork for which everyone associated with Georgia Tech should be justly proud. Our outstanding faculty, bright students, excellent leadership, and highly supportive alumni give us an important edge in the continuing competition to be the very best. And certainly not to be overlooked are all those who elevated ISyE to the top many years ago. It is a testament to their dedication and achievement that ISyE has maintained that distinction for 24 years. __________________________________ CQ: The Stewart School surpassed its $60 million goal for Campaign Georgia Tech at the end of 2013, making it the first engineering school to reach its campaign goal. What motivates you to support Georgia Tech, and what would you say to others who are thinking about giving for the first time?

MS & CS: Industrial (and Systems) Engineering has been very special to our family. Aside from being proud of School achievements, we find that ISyE has been a large part of our business, professional, and academic life. The diversity of training has served us well, as it has for a great many ISyE alumni. Those who have been through the Georgia Tech “boot camp” appreciate what it has done for us in developing our mental skills and personal character. Giving something back is a privilege as well as a pleasure. ______________________________ CQ: Your son and daughter went to Georgia Tech, and they both married Georgia Tech alumni. Do you see gold and white in your grandchildren’s future?

What are your aspirations for Tech and what it will look like for their generation, and for the generations that follow?

MS & CS: We’ve been blessed with four wonderful grandchildren, two of whom will be entering college in 2016. They are all huge Tech fans, but we cannot say at this time where they will attend college. That depends on their individual interests, aptitudes, and opportunities.

At this point, they all have

their eye on Georgia Tech and it certainly doesn’t hurt that Tech provides the best education for the cost that you will find anywhere.

As for our aspirations for Tech, we would be happy simply to see more of the same growth in quality and quantity. The Georgia Tech of today is a great place to be in the 21st century. Still, there is always room for improvement and we have every confidence that Tech will keep on getting better. n

PROVIDED BY GEORGIA TECH'S OFFICE OF DEVELOPMENT

Campaign Georgia Tech Update

Campaign Georgia Tech Steering Committee

July 1, 2004 through November 30, 2014

HONORARY CHAIRS

Funds Raised v. Required

Warren L. Batts, EE 1961 Chicago, Illinois Brook and Shawn Byers, EE 1968, HON Ph.D. 2010 Menlo Park, California

1,500 1,400 1,300

$1,463.1

1,200

Roberta & Steven A. Denning, IM 1970 Greenwich, Connecticut

1,100 1,000 900 800

Millions

700

Average Required Funds Raised

600 500 400 300 200

$1,019.0

$1,115.2

Jun-08

Jun-09

Jun-10

Jun-11

Jun-12

$1,248.3 $1,421.8

Jun-15

$862.8

Dec-15

$713.1

Jun-14

$615.2

Jun-13

$428.2

Jun-06

Jun-04

$255.1

Jun-05

$124.1

0

Jun-07

100

220%

222.6% 206.2%

200% 180%

Progress Toward Goal

160% 140% 120% Time Elapsed — 90.6% 100% 80%

106.7%

95.7%

87.3%

126.0%

120.5%

94.7%

40% 20% 0%

$654.8

$382.9

$216.8

$96.0

$13.4

$63.0

$11.4

$24.7

Alumni

Corporations

Foundations

Other Organizations

Faculty/ Staff

Friends

Parents

Surviving Spouses

$400M

$180M

$90M

$6M

$50M

$12M

$12M

Goal: $750M

110%

Progress Toward Goal

90%

98.9%

Time Elapsed — 90.6%

84.0%

80% 70%

70.1%

60% 50% 40% 30%

0%

Goal:

Roberta & Ernest Scheller Jr., IM 1952, HON Ph.D. 2013 Villanova, Pennsylvania

Hubert L. Harris, IM 1965 Atlanta, Georgia

Penny & E. Roe Stamps IV, IE 1967, MS 1972 Miami, Florida

Suzanne & Michael E. Tennenbaum, IE 1958 Malibu, California

$593.3 Endowment

$600M

$189.0 Facilities

$225M

$122.6

$548.2

Equipment

Current Operations

$175M

$500M

Lawrence P. Huang, IMGT 1973 Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida John R. Huff, CE 1968 Houston, Texas Andrea L. Laliberte, IE 1982, MS IE 1984 Jacksonville, Florida John S. Markwalter Jr., IMGT 1981 Atlanta, Georgia

Alfred P. West Jr., AE 1964, HON Ph.D. 2010 Oaks, Pennsylvania ___________________________________

David M. McKenney, PHYS 1960, IE 1964 Atlanta, Georgia

CO-CHAIRS

Robert A. Milton, IM 1983 Godalming, Surrey, England

VICE CHAIRS Rodney C. Adkins, EE 1981, HON Ph.D. 2013 Somers, New York

Charles D. Moseley, IE 1965 Atlanta, Georgia Deborah A. Nash, IE 1978 Medina, Washington Michael A. Neal, IM 1975 Stamford, Connecticut Lawton M. Nease III, IM 1965 Atlanta, Georgia David A. Perdue, IE 1972, MS OR 1976 Sea Island, Georgia

Francis S. “Bo” Godbold, IE 1965 Tierra Verde, Florida

Parker H. Petit, ME 1962, MS EM 1964 Marietta, Georgia

Gary T. Jones, GMGT 1971 Atlanta, Georgia

Beverly J. Seay Orlando, Florida

Frances G. Rogers, ECON 1993 Atlanta, Georgia

C. Meade Sutterfield, EE 1972 Atlanta, Georgia

Joseph W. Rogers Jr., IM 1968 Atlanta, Georgia

Howard T. Tellepsen Jr., CE 1966 Houston, Texas __________________________________

William J. Todd, IM 1971 Atlanta, Georgia

20% 10%

David D. Flanagan, IE 1976 McLean, Virginia

David W. Dorman, IM 1975 Hillsborough, California 109.6%

100%

Joseph W. Evans, IM 1971 Atlanta, Georgia

Anita P. & Julian D. Saul, IM 1962 Dalton, Georgia

Kenneth G. Byers Jr., EE 1966, MS 1968 Atlanta, Georgia

Funds by Use

William R. Collins Jr., ME 1957, MS IM 1963 Atlanta, Georgia

Thomas A. Fanning, IM 1979, IMGT 1980, HON Ph.D. 2013 Atlanta, Georgia

Mary R. & John F. Brock III, ChE 1970, MS 1971 Atlanta, Georgia ___________________________________

60%

A. Russell Chandler III, IE 1967 Atlanta, Georgia

Susan & Michael T. Duke, IE 1971, HON Ph.D. 2011 Bentonville, Arkansas

Carolyn & H. Milton Stewart, IE 1961 Vero Beach, Florida

Funds by Source

Charles W. Brady, IM 1957 Atlanta, Georgia

EX OFFICIO

Stephen P. Zelnak Jr., IM 1969 Raleigh, North Carolina ___________________________________

William W. George, IE 1964, HON Ph.D. 2008 Minneapolis, Minnesota

AT-LARGE MEMBERS

James R. Lientz Jr., IM 1965 Atlanta, Georgia

H. Inman Allen Atlanta, Georgia G. Niles Bolton, ARCH 1968 Atlanta, Georgia

Robert N. Stargel Jr., EE 1983 Alpharetta, Georgia

www.development.gatech.edu

Georgia Tech Alumni Association Presents

CHARTING YOUR RETIREMENT

This financial seminar is taught by David W. O’Brien, Senior Vice President- Investment Officer with Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, and a member of SIPC. David is registered in the area of investment securities and insurance licensed. Wells Fargo Advisors is not a tax or legal advisor. Class topics include: • Financial Basics • Taxes • Social Security • Retirement Income • Risk Management

• Medicare • Investments • Retirement Goals • Estate Planning • Retirement Plans

For more information visit: gtalumni.org/chartingyourretirement

Yellow Jackets on the Move Another benefit from the Georgia Tech Alumni Association Preferential YELLOW JACKET treatment * * * * * * *

Minimum of a 55% discount on all interstate relocations.

Free Full-Value Coverage up to $50,000.

15% discount on all Georgia and Florida intrastate moves.

Guaranteed on time pick-up and delivery.

Personalized attention from start to finish.

Top rated drivers will be assigned to all Yellow Jacket shipments.

Sanitized air-ride vans.

Contact Tom Larkins (The Ramblin’ Relocator) for details on this program

1-800-899-2527 or e-mail him at tom.larkins@atlanticrelocation.com

Atlantic Relocation Systems/ Interstate Agent for

ATLAS VAN LINES 1909 Forge Street Tucker, GA 30084

* A portion of the proceeds collected from the transportation costs will be paid to the Georgia Tech Alumni Association

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GTALUMNIMAG.COM VOLUME 91 NO.1 2015

Justen Clay

Volunteers gather every Friday at Brittain Dining Hall to package unused food from Tech's dining halls into meals for the hungry and homeless—both on and off campus— via the Campus Kitchen and Klemis Kitchen programs.

GTALUMNIMAG.COM VOLUME 91 NO.1 2015

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Why wait for a call? Give to Roll Call today at gtalumni.org/giving.

Sharing Tech's Bounty on Campus Melissa Weinman

The newly opened Klemis Kitchen lends a helping hand to students in need.

Klemis says. “It honors all the employees of Junior’s, many of whom were students.”

The meals at Klemis Kitchen are made from leftover food from Tech’s dining halls and stored in freezers. Unlike a traditional soup kitchen serving hot meals, Klemis Kitchen allows students to select as many pre-packed, frozen meals as they need and then take them to go .

Klemis Kitchen provides an important complement to an existing program called Campus Kitchen, which donates leftover food to local organizations. While extra food from dining halls is already being given to organizations around Atlanta, it can now also benefit students who need it right here on Tech’s campus.

Students in need can get access to Klemis Kitchen through Dean of Students John Stein or GT’s Homeless Student Liaison Dana Hartley.

Hartley says food insecurity and homelessness are more prevalent among students than many may think.

“It’s surprising that these things exist here at Tech ∏ Extra food from dining halls doesn't have to go to waste. Volunteers assemble meals but they do,” Hartley says. “In many ways they’re very that are available to students in need through the Klemis Kitchen initiative at Tech. hidden problems. But they exist everywhere.”

It’s a foregone conclusion that most college students are Some students may need assistance on a long-term basis. Howstrapped for cash. But for some students at Tech, it’s not just a lack ever, others may have a more temporary situation, such as an of beer money, but a true struggle to afford enough to eat. unexpected car repair or bill, that has left them without enough Last year, members of the Student Alumni Association chose money for food. Klemis Kitchen exists to help any student strugto help their less fortunate peers by using the organization’s annugling to get enough to eat. al Gift to Tech to create Klemis Kitchen, a food pantry for students The reason student hunger and homelessness fly under the rain need. SAA’s $31,000 gift was used to renovate and outfit a space dar is because those in need often try to hide it, Hartley says. It’s on campus with a freezer, refrigerator and BuzzCard reader that typically a friend or roommate who will refer a student to her. will allow students to access Klemis Kitchen discreetly. The kitch“Most students in such situations are not comfortable exposing en, which officially opened its doors on Feb. 2, 2015, resides at an their need,” she says. undisclosed location on campus to protect students’ anonymity.

Each year, the Student Alumni Association makes a sizable gift As many of you might have guessed, the facility is named in back to Tech that’s funded by its members. Students suggest projhonor of Tommy Klemis, the owner of Junior’s Grill, a longects, and SAA members vote on which one they’d like to fund. time Tech dining mainstay that closed in 2011. Klemis was Catie McCoy, STC 07, director of student outreach for the known for his generosity at Junior’s Grill, often giving away his Georgia Tech Alumni Association, says the decision this year to famous chicken fingers or hamburgers to students when they fund Klemis Kitchen really speaks to the caliber and integrity of were struggling to pay.

Tech students.

“I can’t think of a better legacy to leave for our future Tech stu“They could have voted for an outdoor concert series,” McCoy dents than one that actively provides funds to feed those in need,” says. “But this is students caring about other students.”

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GTALUMNIMAG.COM VOLUME 91 NO.1 2015

Justen Clay

wrecks

at work

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Tap into career advice and resources for alumni at gtalumni.org/career.

Take Your Job Search Up Close and Personal Caroline Player

Get offline and meet more than 300 corporate executives eager to hire Yellow Jackets at the annual Georgia Tech Alumni Career Fair.

Plotting your next career move can be

frustrating for both the active and passive job seeker. With most opportunities posted online, there’s just so much automation and so little personalization to the process. So many keywords, so few real relationships.

That’s why we in the career services profession emphasize the benefits of in-person networking. Any attempt to personalize your job search and make reallife connections inside and outside of your field is important. Yet, too often, job seekers and career advancers attend networking events that—due to a lack of focus or structure—make it difficult for them to forge meaningful connections with potential employers and industry peers.

Now, I am not saying that valuable networking can’t happen anywhere. It can and it does. But if you’re looking for an event where dozens of companies are specifically interested in your credentials—most obviously that badge of honor you carry as a Tech graduate—then the annual Georgia Tech Alumni Career Fair should be among those you add to your upcoming calendar.

Held on Tuesday, April 14 at the Cobb Galleria Centre, not only will there be more than 300 company representatives looking to get to know Tech alumni personally, there also will be more than 800 peers—your fellow Yellow Jackets—to meet and to compare notes with. It’s an audience ripe with possibilities.

So how do you optimize the experience? Going to the Alumni Career Fair, or any networking event, isn’t something you should approach casually. Here are five pointers that will help you to distinguish yourself and make positive relationships that could take your career to the next level.

Dress the part. Whether you are going to work in a manufacturing facility or on Wall Street, a company wants to be assured that you are the candidate that they can put in front of their leadership or most important client.

Know your unique qualifiers. Be ready to clearly communicate who you are and what you bring to the table in a way that is valuable and relevant to the audience.

Maintain balanced conversations. Your most important goals should be to meet people, learn about them, tell them about yourself and uncover opportunities. Remember, to make good decisions about future opportunities, you’ll have to listen. Don’t worry—this isn’t just a one-person performance!

Be open. There may be companies that you’ve never heard

of on the employer list. However, a simple conversation may lead to a terrific opportunity that you had not even considered.

Have a plan. Decide who you’d like to speak with and how you’d like to pursue those companies. Perhaps you’d Caroline Player is the director of Career Services at the Alumni Association. like to start with a company that’s not the first Interested in attending the Georgia Tech Alumni Fair on April 14? Alumni— on your target list just to get some practice in and alumni only—can register for the free event at gtalumni.org/careerfair. and perhaps calm your nerves.

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GTALUMNIMAG.COM VOLUME 91 NO.1 2015

Philanthropy at Work “Philanthropy fosters flexibility, continuity, and interdisciplinarity. It empowers me to execute a vision for the future.�

Wayne K. Li James L. Oliver II Professor of the Practice in Design and Engineering Wayne Li is the director of the Innovation and Design Collaborative (IDC), an interdisciplinary program fostering design thinking, innovation, and collaboration among schools and colleges across campus. Housed in the Price Gilbert Memorial Library, IDC is designed to change the way Tech undergraduates think, interpret, and solve problems.

As the Oliver Professor of the Practice, Li brings years of professional experience in design strategy and product design, from Ford Motor Company and Volkswagen to Williams Sonoma. He holds an MS in engineering from Stanford University, and a BFA in design and BS in mechanical engineering from the University of Texas at Austin.

Hometown: Baton Rouge, Louisiana Hobbies: Drawing, photography/film, tennis, racing cars (auto crossing)

The goal of creating 100 new endowed chairs and professorships is a top priority for Campaign Georgia Tech, the $1.5 billion effort to enable Georgia Tech to define the technological research university of the 21st century.

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Find an Alumni Network or Group at gtalumni.org/networksandgroups.

Young and Restless

Melissa Weinman

Though it's not been long since they got out of Tech, these alumni are eager to give back.

If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’re younger than 40.

More than 35 percent of Georgia Tech’s alumni have graduated in the past decade, meaning more than one-third of all living alumni could be considered “young” alums.

Take a deeper look at this age bracket, and you’ll find that these alumni are different from many of their Tech predecessors, says Nicole Holubar, Mgt 09, Georgia Tech Alumni Association’s advisor to the Young Alumni Council.

“Young alumni are so diverse and have such varied interests and aspirations,” Holubar says. “We want to provide them with the opportunities they need and want to connect with Georgia Tech.”

The Young Alumni Council is a leadership panel composed of around 30 young alumni that focuses on engaging fellow young alums with community service, social and career development opportunities.

Membership is selective and limited to graduates of the last decade. Potential members have to submit an application and are chosen for the council based on their engagement with Tech after graduation.

Holubar says many of the council members were very involved as students at Tech. But past leadership on campus doesn’t necessarily ensure you a spot on the council. Selections are made based on many factors, including leadership potential, aspirations and involvement with the Alumni Association.

“We’d rather see someone who has attended their local network events or volunteered for Mentor Jackets after graduation,” she says.

Brian Tyson, EE 10, 2015 president of the Georgia Tech Young Alumni Council, says the group has plans to make the council more active and visible in the coming year. “We’re going to hone in on the things we really think will be beneficial to young alumni,” he says.

One of the group’s priorities will be branding and reaching more alumni through social media and the Council’s online newsletter, GT GOLD, which stands for Graduates of the Last Decade.

Young alumni are traditionally harder to reach because they are so transient. After graduation, they typically move around a lot, are focused on starting their careers, and may not know how to stay involved with Tech, especially if they move away from Atlanta, Tyson says.

“A lot of young alums will graduate and not really have a home or a network to connect with,” Tyson says. “We really feel it’s our duty to get those alumni connected with a network wherever they are.”

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GTALUMNIMAG.COM VOLUME 91 NO.1 2015

Of the council’s 32 members this year, 22 live in the Atlanta area, with the other 10 spread around the country.

Because so many Tech alumni stay in Atlanta after graduation, Tyson says they try to have lots of events and service projects in the Atlanta area.

One of the Council’s biggest events is the annual “To Hell With Georgia Party” held just in time to drum up some clean old fashioned hate before the Yellow Jackets take on a certain in-state rival.

In the coming year, the Young Alumni Council plans to host one community service project a month, up from the three service projects a year they’ve held in the past.

“We’ve seen a strong push from fellow young alumni that they want to get involved both on campus and around the community,” Tyson said.

Tyson says one thing that seems to set young alumni apart is their strong interest in service.

“We used to “Get Out” of Tech. I think more so we’re changing that mindset to not only get out , but give back,” Tyson says.

“I think that’s why it’s important we show students that once you get out, there’s still students behind you that need that help. And it doesn’t have to be financial. Hosting a Dinner Jackets event or getting involved in Mentor Jackets helps tremendously as well.”

Find out more about the GTAA's Young Alumni Council at gtalumni.org/youngalumni.

KUDOS!

The Alumni Association’s Networks and Affinity Groups depend on volunteer leadership to organize gatherings, fundraisers and community service projects. Here are a few leaders who deserve thanks for all of their hard work: Carl Lester, ChE 78, and Stephanie Deaton, IE 97, of the Georgia Tech North Alabama Network. Lester, an active volunteer since 2004, currently leads the North Alabama Network’s Roll Call effort and ensured the network would reach its goal of creating an endowed scholarship by offering a matching gift.

Deaton, past president and scholarship

chair, has been a leader in the network since 2011 and worked with Lester to endow the network’s Robert Glenn Allen Scholarship.

Steve Stapleton, IM 70, of the Memphis Alumni Network.

Stapleton has been instrumental in leading the revitalization of the network, which was named “The Most Improved Network” by the Alumni Association for 2013-14.

Marc Corsini, IM 80, of the Birmingham Alumni Network. Corsini is the glue that holds the successful Birmingham network together, using his knowledge of sales and management to lead the group.

AFFINITY GROUP NEWS The Alumni Association is excited to introduce our newest affinity group, The Georgia Tech Supply Chain Network.

This group is for people with an interest in supply chain and logistics—such as manufacturers, retailers, carriers, educators, software developers, and consultants. Go to gtalumni.org/ affinitygroups to learn more.

On March 28, the Georgia Tech Black Alumni Organization’s Leaders & Legends Awards Gala will recognize outstanding black alumni and community leaders who have made significant contributions to the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, as well as their communities.

The Georgia Tech Women Alumnae Network hosted a successful speed career development night in January. Visit gatechwan.org to learn more about this organization connecting Georgia Tech women.

Nominate the 2016 Alumni Association Board of Trustees The Alumni Association welcomes nominations for members of the Georgia Tech Alumni Association Board of Trustees for the term beginning July 1, 2015 and ending June 30, 2018.

Nominees must be Tech alumni and have a significant record of supporting the Institute. Self-nominations are accepted. The nominating committee will review all submissions in late March and propose a slate of candidates in April that best promotes reflects active engagement and support of the Association and the Institute.

Go to gtalumni.org/boardoftrustees or fill out the form below to submit a nomination. The deadline to submit nominations is March 23. Include a resume or brief biographical profile and mail to: Trustee Nominations, Attn: Emily Newman, Georgia Tech Alumni Association, 190 North Ave. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30313; or email emily.newman@alumni.gatech.edu.

Online Voting Opens in April. Alumni may review and vote on the slate of candidates beginning in late April at gtalumni.org/boardoftrustees. Alumni will be emailed when voting opens. If you do not have a current email address on file, please update your information at gtalumni.org/alumnicommunity. For more details, email emily. newman@alumni.gatech.edu.

NAME OF NOMINEE

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travel

The Alumni Travel Program takes Tech alumni to exciting locales around the globe.

Cruising the Baltic Sea

Ginger Amoni

When I told people I was traveling to the Baltic Sea, many responded, “Isn’t that where the Russians invaded this spring?” No, that’s Ukraine, which is east of the Balkans. But there are many similarities.

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Baltic Sea Cruise TRIP ITINERARY 1 COPENHAGEN Departure Port 2 BERLIN Port of Call (via Bus Ride) 3 KLAIPEDA, LITHUANIA Port of Call 4 RIGA, LATVIA Port of Call 5 HELSINKI, FINLAND Port of Call 6 ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA Port of Call 7 TALLINN, ESTONIA Port of Call 8 STOCKHOLM Fly Home

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Both areas contain countries that were once a part of the Soviet Union, and their populations are 25-to-40-percent Russian. The Russian influence on these Eastern European countries was one of the more striking aspects of our trip. The Baltic countries, especially those on the eastern side of the Baltic Sea, are vastly different from the Western European countries I’ve visited before. Besides the ethnic, cultural and social differences, it’s also a good bit colder. Not quite Siberia, but a sweater was required when we visited in August.

On our 11-day cruise aboard Oceana’s Nautica cruise ship, we traveled east from Germany to Russia before heading north to end our trip in Stockholm, Sweden. We had a wonderful group of 26, including alumni, a professor and friends of Georgia Tech who enjoyed getting to know each other through dinners, happy hours and excursions during our trip.

Our first stop, Berlin, was a delightful surprise to me. I had no idea it was such a pretty city, with tons of people out enjoying the outdoors. Berlin claims to have more green space than any other European city with tree-lined boulevards and numerous parks.

From there we sailed due east to Klaipeda, Lithuania. Klaipeda is a medieval city that features a wooden turn bridge opened manually every 15 minutes, 24 hours a day. Two men turn the shaft to rotate the bridge and open it for boats—even in the dead of winter.

On the perimeter of the old town are Soviet-era apartments and buildings. These buildings were not only bland and utilitarian, but deteriorating. We were told by our tour guide that the best-constructed buildings were built under Nikita Khrushchev; that next in quality were the Leonid Brezhnev buildings ; and that the ones built under Mikhail Gorbachev were far inferior. I thought it an interesting correlation that the more totalitarian the leader, the better the construction.

Riga, Latvia, our next stop, has a beautiful, very walkable old town that was a pleasure to stroll around. Its central square is large and surrounded by magnificent medieval building. There was plenty to see and lots of outdoor booths to purchase anything from food to the ever-present nested Russian dolls.

This is where we discovered Eastern European beer.

Each city or region has hundreds of brands to pick from.

We asked locals which they thought were the tastiest and then bought three to four different brands to taste. We were either exceptionally adept at picking out the best local beer drinkers, or they don’t have an inferior beer in the Baltics.

Helsinki, our next stop, felt like a large cosmopolitan city, but its population is only a little over half a million.

All the big fashion designers have storefronts, and there’s a vibrancy to the city that make it very appealing and chic. If top name brands aren’t what you are shopping for, there are lots of open-air markets and interesting architecture to catch your attention.

St. Petersburg is truly the jewel of the Baltic. We spent three days at port there and that wasn’t enough. Once you view the magnificent gold-swathed rooms of the palaces, you can easily understand why their Czars were the envy of every European aristocrat. Their wealth was enormous and there was no bound to their extravagance.

From St. Petersburg we sailed to our final port of call, Tallinn, Estonia, a picturesque city with a medieval fortress wall that still surrounds the old town and makes navigating very easy. In Tallinn we found a small statue thanking President Boris Yeltsin for the peaceful transition to Estonian independence. I’d forgotten about that Russian leader.

Another president, our President Barack Obama, visited Tallinn two days after we did. He had that other Russian leader, Vladimir Putin, on his mind as he came to emphasize our dedication to supporting democracy and our NATO allies. Throughout our travels along the Baltic Sea we heard and felt the unease about Russia and Putin’s next move. I hope the peace remains for many obvious reasons—including my own selfish ones. I’d love to return to the Baltic countries and learn more about their unique cultures.

For instance, Russians don’t smile much. Apparently, they only smile at people whom they know very well. They think people who smile a lot are foolish. I fear I must have been taken for a lunatic for I was smiling constantly. How could I not when I was having such a delightful trip?

Want to travel with fellow Ramblin’ Wrecks? More information is available at gtalumni.org/travel, or call Martin Ludwig, director of Alumni Travel, at (404) 894-0758.

If you’re itching to travel the world, who better to globe-hop with than your fellow Yellow Jackets? The Georgia Tech Alumni Association has a host of trips scheduled for 2015. For more information or to register for any of these trips, visit gtalumni.org/travel.

Rivieras and Islands, Aug. 28-Sept. 5 Cruise for seven nights from Barcelona to Rome along the sun-drenched Mediterranean coast and visit the highlights of the French and Italian rivieras including Nice, Cannes, Monte Carlo, Cinque Terre, Florence, Sardinia and Corsica.

Provence, France, Sept. 15-23 Discover the magic of Provence, a colorful region that inspired great artists like Paul Cézanne, Marc Chagall and Vincent van Gogh.

Explore the gorgeous beaches and undulating hills connecting the Mediterranean and the Alps on a seven-night adventure through this fabled region.

London Immersion, Sept. 19-30 Discover the best of what London has to offer and delve into the heritage of one of the world’s great cities. Visit London’s most storied landmarks, including Buckingham Palace, St. Paul’s Cathedral and more, as well as the town of Oxford, the pastoral Cotswolds and regal Windsor.

The Divine Amalfi Coast, Italy, Sept. 2230 Here, mountains dotted with cascading pastel buildings erupt from the blue waters of the Mediterranean, creating a prismatic spectrum of colors. Travel the storied Amalfi Road through the idyllic villages that will serve as the backdrop for this incredible journey.

Swiss Alps and the Italian Lakes, Oct. 2-11 Explore the timeless magic of Alpine vistas and glacial lakes. Literary luminaries of the 19th century extolled the picturesque treasures of Switzerland and Italy. Not much has changed in this pristine region of Europe, where magnificent landscapes continue to thrill visitors.

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Discover more Alumni Association happenings at gtalumni.org/events.

Save the Date!

Melissa Weinman

Make sure to put these upcoming Alumni Association events on your calendar.

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You know getting out of Tech wasn’t easy. Top employers know that, too.

Come to the Alumni Career Fair to network with companies that are specifically interested in hiring Tech grads like you.

Sure, there’s plenty of 5K races out there. But we dare you to find a race as mathematically charismatic as our own Pi Mile.

Join us for a run through Georgia Tech’s beautiful campus on a course dedicated to the rock star of transcendental numbers.

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JUNE 15-18

This is our annual thank you celebration for those who donate $1,000 or more to Roll Call.

This is no stuffy gala: you’ll be enjoying dinner with Georgia Tech’s president and first lady, grooving to live music and taking in the incredible scenery of the Delta Flight Museum. Want in?

There’s still time to donate to Roll Call!

We’ll see you on the dance floor.

Tech’s Dr. G.P. “Bud” Peterson and Queen Bee Valerie will make their annual summer pilgrimage around the state of Georgia to share what’s going on at Tech. Here are the dates and cities they plan to visit:

GEORGIA TECH ALUMNI CAREER FAIR

PRESIDENT'S DINNER CELEBRATING ROLL CALL

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43RD PI MILE ROAD RACE

PRESIDENT'S TOUR OF GEORGIA JUNE 15 Peachtree City, LaGrange, Carrollton JUNE 16 Cartersville, Ringgold JUNE 17 Big Canoe JUNE 18 Young Harris, Dahlonega

THOUSANDS OF PROUD RAMBLIN’ WRECKS HAVE ALREADY DEMONSTRATED THEIR BELIEF IN

Georgia Tech HAVE YOU?

BY PUTTING THEIR NAMES ON THIS LIST.

CHECK THE LIST OF DONORS HERE:

gtalumni.org/donors

Make your gift to the 68th Roll Call: gtalumni.org/giving ROLL CALL, GEORGIA TECH ALUMNI ASSOCIATION 190 North Avenue | Atlanta, Georgia 30313-9806 or c a ll (8 0 0)GT-ALUMS GTALUMNIMAG.COM VOLUME 91 NO.1 2015

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U.S. Green Building Council elects Denise Grabowski to 2015 Board of Directors The U.S. Green Building Council has elected Denise Grabowski, M CRP 00, to a three-year term in the Urban/Regional Planner seat of the 2015 Board of Directors. USGBC, wh i c h ove rsees the LEED green building program, is made up of thousands of chapters including builders, students, environmentalists and corporations committed to sustainable building. Grabowski, AICP, LEED AP, is the founder and owner of Symbioscity, an urban planning firm in Savannah. Active in many community and professional organizations, Grabowski is a founding member and past board chair of the USGBC Georgia Chapter; serves on the USGBC Chapter Steering Committee; and is a past member of the Georgia Planning Association Board of Directors. She also co-founded Designing4Health, a collaboration of professionals working to increase the understanding between public health and community design. She is a graduate of the Georgia Institute for Environmental Leadership and was named to Georgia Trend’s “40 Under 40: Georgia’s Best and Brightest” list in 2009.

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Have a new job or other news to share? Email details to ramblinroll@gtalumni.org.

1960s Dr. John C. Sutherland, Phys 62, MS Phys 64, PhD Phys 67, was elected a Fellow of the Institute of Physics, a UK-based organization that works to advance physics education, research and application. He is also a Fellow of the American Physical Society and serves as chair of the Physics Department at East Carolina University.

1970s Lawrence "Larry" Bentley, AE 72, was honored with the 2014 Founders Award

by Engineers Without Borders—USA. Manuel A. Junco Jr., ME 75, was promoted to group vice president southern region at Jacobs with

responsibility for engineering, construction and maintenance in the hydrocarbons sector for the U.S. and Mexico.

W. Allen Morris, BM 75, received the Business Leader of the Year Award from the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce. This recognition is reserved for a leading businessperson with a strong connection to the community. Morris is chairman and CEO of the Allen Morris Company.

Peter Schirk, ME 79, was hired to head the expansion of the new Recycling Division of BHS-Sonthofen Inc.

1980s Gerald V. "Trey" Anderson III, BC 82, accepted the 2014 Large Chapter of the Year award on behalf of

Jeffrey Sheppard named AIA Colorado’s Architect of the Year Jeffrey Sheppard, Arch 76, M Arch 78, was named the 2014 Architect of the Year by AIA Colorado. Sheppard, who has been an architect in Colorado since 1983, received the prestigious award for his "outstanding achievement in the field of design to the benefit of the profession of architecture …[and] outstanding service to the building industry of Colorado."

His firm, Roth Sheppard Architects, was also recognized with AIA Colorado design awards for two recently completed projects: the Denver Art Museum's new administration building and the Izakaya Den restaurant located on Denver's Pearl Street. Out of the more than 120 projects submitted to AIA Colorado, only eight were selected for an award.

the Associated General Contractors of Georgia Inc. This award is presented by the Associated General Contractors of America and recognizes association excellence. Anderson is the president of Anderson Construction Company of Fort Gaines, Ga.

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Elizabeth Holmes, CE 89, is a finalist for the Women of the Year in Technology Award. Given by the Women in Technology, this award celebrates female technology executives for their accomplishments as leaders in business, visionaries of technology and women who make a difference in their communities. Holmes is SVP of IT Transformation and Global Quality Assurance at Elavon.

L. Jackson McConnell, Mgt 88, is president of the Georgia Banker’s Association. He is also president and chief executive officer of Pinnacle Financial Corporation.

Fay Cobb Payton, IE 89, published “Leveraging Intersectionality: Seeing and Not Seeing - A Professor's View on Digital and Social Inclusion." She is an associate professor, information systems, at North Carolina State University.

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Jeffrey W. Shaw, ME 88, was recently elected by the Virginia General Assembly to an eight-year term as a judge of the Ninth Judicial Circuit. He is the presiding circuit court judge in Gloucester, Mathews and Middlesex counties. He and his wife, Barbara, live in Locust Hill, Va. Mike Skrynecki, BC 88, Mgt 88, won the 2014 Invest in Others Catalyst Award at the eighth annual Invest in Others Community Leadership Awards dinner in New York City. Skrynecki earned the honor for his work with the WiskottAldrich Foundation, which will receive a $20,000 donation from the Invest in Others Charitable Foundation. He is a certified financial planner and financial adviser with Morgan Stanley Wealth Management.

1. The Nikoukary family of Yellow Jackets gathered on campus for Georgia Tech Family Weekend this past fall. Left to right are: Greg Nikoukary, Mgt 16; Carol Nikoukary; Mark Nikoukary, IE 11; Kristin Nikoukary-Hitt, IA 09; Gary Nikoukary, IM 81; Alex Nikoukary, IE 17; and future Yellow Jacket Kevin Hitt. Not pictured: Nathaniel Hitt, Mgt 09. 2. Candy (Frederick) Houston, IE 98, MS IE 99, and Paul Houston, ME 97, MS ME 00, proudly wore their GT gear on vacation in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National parks this past September. 3. One hundred years and four generations of Yellow Jackets gathered in person and spirit, starting with Pierre Rouaud, left, a first year environmental engineering student at Tech; his father, Didier Rouaud, right, Ph.D. EE 92; and grandfather Henry Taylor V, center, CE 51. Pierre’s great grandfather Henry Taylor IV studied at Tech from 1914-16, and made an appearance in the 1915 Blueprint.

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WEDDINGS

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1. Nicole Darnell, IA 11, and Benjamin Wedekind, IA 12, on Dec. 14. They live in Atlanta, Ga. 2. Benjamin Elliott, ME 09, and Taylor Richie on Aug. 9 in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Ben is a Product Development Manager for Euramax International.

3. Christine Henning, Mgt 09, and Will Reed, ChBE 08, on Sept. 12. Christine is a media supervisor with an

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Atlanta advertising agency. Will is a biomedical engineer with a defense contractor.

4. Lisa Marie Hicks, MS ECE 13, and Steven Thomas Bradshaw, ME 11, MS ECE 13, on Sept. 13. Lisa is an algorithm engineer at General Motors. Steven is a transmission controls engineer at General Motors.

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5. Zachary Puckett, CE 12, and Angela Nelms on Nov. 8 in Lula, Ga. Zach is a transportation engineer II at pond and Company. They live in Buford, Ga. 6. Rory Sims, Mgt 09, and Dr. Marcuetta Williams, on Dec. 12 in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Rory is a junior flavorist at GSB Flavor Creators. They live in Smyrna, Ga.

1990s William Walter Bolton, ME 94, was recognized in the 2014 Inc. Magazine 500 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America. His company, Beaufort Engineering Services Design/Build, was ranked No. 20 on the list.

Susan M. Davis, Bio 91, gave a report at the UNC Water and Health conference. The report focused on the responsibility of a development organization for addressing problems with water systems that it has built. Davis is an executive director at Improve International.

Michael S. Defranks, ME 91, was awarded a U.S. patent. Mr. Defranks is a senior corporate mechanical engineer at Simmons Company.

Elizabeth Ferrill, MS CS 99, has been promoted to partner at Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP. M. David Galin, EE 90, joined Tucker Ellis LLP as a partner in its growing Intellectual Property Group.

Beth Ann Hanson, MS ME 93, is now an associate with Newcomb & Boyd, a multidiscipline consulting and engineering firm.

Lt. Col. Jonathan D. Howell, AE 94, is retiring after 21 years of military service. Upon retirement, Howell was deputy commander of the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center in Vicksburg, Miss.

Jennifer Smart Merritt, IE 97, is now vice president at the North Highland Company. She has been with North Highland for seven years and was previously an account executive for the retail and consumer packaged goods industries.

Calvin Mackie appointed to National PTA Board of Directors Calvin Mackie, ME 90, MS ME 92, has been appointed to the Board of Directors for National PTA. He was selected for the 29-member board because of his commitment to education and the health and welfare of children. As a member of the Board of Directors, Mackie will work with the staff of National PTA to build upon programs that benefit families and improve the lives of children. He also will help ensure the execution of the association’s mission and strategic plan. Mackie will serve a two-year term. The position is a volunteer role. National PTA is an advocacy and education organization that has established programs and called for legislation to improve children’s lives, such as early childhood education, health and wellness programs, family engagement, school safety, juvenile justice and arts in education.

Mackie, a former engineering professor, is a partner and senior vice president of Golden Leaf Energy, which produces and distributes alternative fuels. He also is president and CEO of the Channel ZerO Group LLC, an educational and professional development consulting company he co-founded in 1992. Most recently, Mackie founded STEM NOLA, a nonprofit association dedicated to engaging communities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

James D. "Jim" Scott Jr., EE 91, was promoted to president of the Aviation, Communications and Homeland Security Group of DRS Technologies. Based in northern Virginia, DRS provides a variety of technologies and services to U.S. and international defense and government agencies. He is married to Holly H. Scott, IE 91.

Boris Segalis, ME 97, has joined Norton

Rose Fulbright’s New York office. He will co-chair the U.S. group of Norton Rose Fulbright’s global data protection and privacy practice.

Kenneth C. Tyburski, IE 99, is a disc golf world champion, winning the Advanced Masters Division at the PDGA Amateur Disc Golf World Championships. Tyburski is part of the mathematics faculty at Chatham Hall, a private boarding school for girls.

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John E. Souders, AirTran’s first pilot, flies aboard airline’s final flight

>> Dr. Mark S. Whorton, PhD AE 97, was promoted to chief technologist for Teledyne Brown Engineering in Huntsville, Ala. He joined Teledyne in 2009 after 20 years at NASA MSFC and has been leading the development of instruments and pointing systems for commercial earth imaging from the International Space Station.

Lisa Woods, CE 98, MS CE 06, joined Barge, Waggoner, Sumner and cannon Inc.’s Atlanta office as senior bridge engineer.

John E. Souders, ME 72, flew in the cockpit of the final AirTran Airways flight Dec. 28. He was the first pilot hired by AirTran, then ValuJet, and flew the airline’s inaugural flight in 1993.

AirTran’s last flight was called Flight 1 as a nod to that first AirTran plane Souders piloted from Atlanta to Tampa, Fla. AirTran, founded by fellow Tech alumnus Lewis H. Jordan III, AE 67, was purchased by Southwest Airlines. Along with a long and successful career as pilot, Souders also served as AirTran’s chief pilot and vice president of flight operations. Souders began his flight career during the Vietnam War, where he flew 360 missions and earned a Distinguished Flying Cross, single mission Air Medals and a 24-stripe Air Medal, according to a profile of Souders in the Marietta Daily Journal. He ended his 20-year military career in 1985 as a lieutenant colonel in the Marine Reserves.

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Louis Darrouzet, ChE 05, is now vice president of business development at cycleWood Solutions Inc., a startup biodegradable and compostable plastics company.

He also recently received his MBA at Southern Methodist University.

Dr. David H. Frakes, EE 98, MS ME 02, MS ECE 02, PhD BioE 03, won the 2014 World Technology Award in Health and Medicine. He is an associate professor at Arizona State University.

2000s

Matthew F. Harrison, ME 10, is now an associate with Newcomb & Boyd, a multidiscipline consulting and engineering firm.

Juan Acosta, CE 07, is now a licensed professional engineer. He is an engineer at Barge, Waggoner, Sumner and Cannon Inc.

Silas Khor, EE 06, is now a senior associate with Newcomb & Boyd, a multidiscipline consulting and engineering firm.

Colin M. Black, ME 03, is now a senior associate with Newcomb & Boyd, a multidiscipline consulting and engineering firm.

W. Jud Ready, ME 94, MS MetE 97, PhD MSE 00, was awarded a US patent. Ready is an adjunct professor in the School of Materials

Ben Tarbutton honored with Leadership Georgia award Ben J. Tarbutton III, Mgt 94, was selected as the 2014 recipient of the Frederick B. Kerr Service Award. Tarbutton was chosen for this prestigious award by Leadership Georgia, an affiliate of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, for his support of Leadership Georgia and for contributions to his community and the state. Tarbutton recently was reappointed by Gov. Nathan Deal to a second term on the University System of Georgia Board of Regents. Tarbutton is the assistant vice president of the Sandersville Railroad Company. He also serves on the board of directors for the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and Oconee Fall Line Technical College. In the past, Tarbutton has served as chairman of the University System of Georgia Board of Regents, Leadership Georgia and Washington County Chamber of Commerce, as well as president of the Georgia Railroad Association and Sandersville Rotary Club. Tarbutton has been recognized as one of the 100 Most Influential and Notable Georgians by Georgia Trend.

Jeffrey Waters, IE 00, EE 05, is now a partner with Cantor Colburn LLP. Devin P. Yohe, ME 10, is now an associate with Newcomb & Boyd, a multidiscipline consulting and engineering firm.

2010s Seletha Rochell Butler, MBA 10, was selected as a fellow for both the Harvard Kennedy School, Women and Public Policy Program

and the Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics at Harvard University. Butler is an assistant professor of business law and ethics at Georgia Tech’s Scheller College of Business.

Mariel Rezende, ME 12, participated in the 2014 Freedom Ride, where a group of around 20 riders biked from Seattle to Portland to raise money and awareness for the International Justice Mission, which rescues victims of slavery, sex trafficking and violent injustice. Rezende is a product development engineer at Kids II Inc.

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inspiring

Science and Engineering at Georgia Tech.

If you’re looking for the most creative, most stimulating, most educating senior living community, the writing is on the wall.

And it says Lenbrook.

The residents enjoy all sorts of enriching activities right on-site. There are dance classes, history lectures, plus a full library from which to learn. The people who live at Lenbrook are continually fulfilled and inspired. And that’s a healthy way to live.

Inspiring is one of the great words that describe Lenbrook. And value is one of them, too. It’s your best investment in life. Call 404-857-2896 today or visit Lenbrook-Atlanta.org.

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BIRTHS

Welcomed a future Yellow Jacket into your family? Send a photo and note to ramblinroll@gtalumni.org.

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1. Tim Barnes, ECE 07, and wife, Holly, welcomed daughter Lindsey Reid on June 8. Reid joins big brother, Cooper. Tim is a Research Engineer at Georgia Tech Research Institute in Warner Robins, Ga. 2. Meredith Orr Bruce, Psy 98, and Dr. Beau Benjamin Bruce, Chem 98, welcomed daughter Isabella Marie Bruce on July 31. Beau is a physician. Meredith is a physical therapist. They live in Decatur, Ga. 3. Andrew Burton, BC 10, and his wife, Leah, welcomed son Rory Maverick on Aug. 30. Andrew is a track supervisor for Norfolk Southern Railroad. They live in Hornell, N.Y.

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4. Jim Butterworth, IE 84, and wife, Sallie Smith, welcomed twins Siggi and Bodi on Nov. 18. They live in Boulder, Colo.

9. Jillian Apa Goodhew, AE 07, and Daniel Goodhew, EE 07, welcomed Joshua Daniel on June 17. The family lives in Melbourne, Fla.

5. Lindsay M. Causey, Mgt 09, and Matthew D. Causey, Bio 08, welcomed son Wesley James Causey.

10. J.P. Hall, CE 99, and his wife, Pollyanna, welcomed Maxwell Patton Hall on March 1, 2013. The family lives in Newnan, Ga.

6. Christine Cundy, Bio 01, welcomed her nephew and David R. Cundy, AE 77, his grandson Ryan Brett Cundy.

7. Tiffany Johnson Forkner, CS 04, and Kyle Forkner, CS 04, welcomed daughter Sophia Grace on Oct. 27, 2014. They live in Denver, Colo.

8. Rick Garcia, CE 73, and his wife, Kathy, welcomed granddaughter Kingsley Ann Davidson on Nov. 11.

11. Megan Heffern, IE 03, MS IE 06, MS IA 06, and Robert Heffern, AE 04, welcomed son Kirk Alden on April 14. Rob and Megan both work for the Department of Defense. They live in Gambrills, Md. 12. Kathleen (Salome) Hern, EAS 07, PhD EAS 12, and David Hern, Mgt 08 MBA 12, welcomed daughter Grace Kristen on April 23.

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13. Clifford Allen Lipscomb, PhD PubP 03, and his wife, Amelia, welcomed daughter Araminta Jessenia on July 5. They live in Cartersville, Ga., with their other three children Thoreau, Hadassah and Garrison.

14. Anna Noack, IE 05, and her husband, Brett, welcomed  son Harrison James on July 16.

Harrison joins big sisters Aspen, Lili and Elizabeth. Anna is a commercial sales representative at Carrier Enterprise. They live in Cypress, Texas.

15. Ashlee Popka, BC 08, and Bryan Popka, CS 06, welcomed their daughter, Maggie, on July 25.

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16. Lisa Crockett Richmond, Mgt 99, and her husband, Jason, welcomed daughter Ocia Anna.

Ocia joins big brother Ambrose Carvossa, 5. They live in Marietta, Ga. 17. Benoit Robinot-Bertrand, MS IE 01, and his wife, Lisa, welcomed daughter Caitlin on Nov. 4. She joins sister Madeleine, 4, and brother Julien, 2, at home in Austin, Texas. Benoit is senior vice president of operations at Parcel and Fulfillment Services.

19. Travis Steed, CHBE 06, and his wife, Becky, welcomed son Merritt Bryson on Sept. 9. The family lives in New York City.

20. Jessica Blount Wolff, MBA 13, and Benard J. Wolff, Bio 06, welcomed son Bernard James on Aug. 8. Benard is a research scientist for the CDC. Jessica is a development assistant for the Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business. They live in Roswell, Ga.

18. Dale Russell, Mgt 01, and Mary Frances Russell, STC 03, welcomed son Mark Raylan on June 10. Dale is a USAF radar navigator.

They live in Bossier City, La.

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memoriam 1930s James Joseph Russell Jr., CE 35, of Denver, Colo., on July 21. American Oil Company. GE. ALCOA. Founder. Grandchildren: Ryan James Russell, ME 07; Kristen Michele Russell, Arch 11.

1940s Natale Bellocchi, IM 48, of Bethesda, Md., on Nov. 16. Army. United States Foreign Services. Ambassador to the Republic of Botswana. Chairman of the Board of Trustees, managing director, American Institute in Taiwan.

William Edward Stockton Bird, Arch 43, of Portsmouth, N.H., on Oct. 13.

Navy (Lt. Cmdr.). WWII. L. Travis Brannon Jr., IM 49, of Atlanta, on Dec. 4. Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities (1949).

Chairman, Hansell, Post, Brandon and Dorsey Law Firm. Partner, Jones, Day, Reavis and Porgue. Flight engineer, Army Air Force. President, Georgia Tech Foundation. Chairman, Technology Square Project. President, Georgia Tech Facilities Inc. Georgia Institute of Technology Alumni Distinguished Service Award (1987).

Director, The First National Bank of Atlanta.

William Benajah Briggs, MS ME 48, of Town and Country, Miss., on Oct. 20.

Navy. WWII. Aeronautical engineer, McDonnell-Douglas Aircraft (Boeing).

Paul Daniel Bryan, IM 48, of Stockbridge, Ga., on Nov. 2. Gunnery officer, engineering officer, Navy (Lt.). WWII. 0 9 0

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Sales manager, Sherwin-Williams Company.

Frank J. Bull, Arch 49, of Atlanta, on Oct. 9. Founding partner, Bull & Kenney Architects. Founding partner, Bull, Brown & Kilgo, Architects AIA. Pilot, Navy. WWII. PanAm. Dennis A. Calamas, Cls 45, of Augusta, Ga., on Oct. 30. Army. WWII. Bronze Star. Combat Infantry Badge. Presidential Unit Citation. Artillery Battery Commander. Battalion Communication Officer. Founder, Calamas Television Company. St. Michael’s Medal.

Frank Walton Collins Jr., IM 49, of Charlotte, N.C., on Sept. 14. Navy.

WWII. The Hartford Insurance Company. Golfer. Masters tournament official. Charter member, Cedarwood Country Club.

Edwin F. Curry, ChE 43, of Baton Rouge, La., on Nov. 7. Bomb disposal officer, Army. WWII. Civil War. Professional engineer, Baton Rouge Exxon Refinery. Cub master, district committee chairman, Boy Scouts. Wood Badge, Silver Beaver, Order of the Arrow.

Grandson: Robert E. Curry, AE 78.

William E. “Bill” Ehrensperger, ME 47, of Atlanta, on July 14. Aircraft Maintenance Officer, WWII. Senior vice president, power supply, Georgia Power Co. Sons: John P. Ehrensperger, IM 78; Thomas J. Ehrensperger, Phys 82, MS Phys 84; Brother: Fred. E. Ehrensperger, ME 54, MS NE 60.

Gewin Walter “Bud” Flowers, ChE 40, Apalachicola, Fla., on Oct. 29. Personnel manager, Army Corps of Engineers. Labor adviser. Redstone Arsenal.

Hugh Franklin Hunter Jr., AE 43, of

Atlanta, on Oct. 4. Army. Lockheed.

Granddaughter: Katherine Rosenkranz, IE 11.

Henry H. Jordan Jr., Arch 43, of Atlanta, on Nov. 5. WWII. Henry H. Jordan Architects.

James “Jim” G. Lancaster, ME 49, of Columbus, Ga., on Oct. 10. Army.

WWII. Combat Infantryman’s Badge. Bronze Star. European Theater of Operations medal. Three campaign stars. Licensed Professional Engineer. Author, publisher, “When I was a Youth”; “When I was a Soldier." Wood craftsman. Inventor.

Patent holder. Son: Lindsay Lancaster, AE 71.

Floyd Joseph Linkous, ME 46, of Atlanta, on Sept. 28. Army. Air Force. WWII. Korean War. Entrepreneur. Real estate developer. Son: Floyd Joe Linkous Jr., ME 74. Daughter: Estelle Froehbrodt, TE 79.

Harold J. Lyons, ME 43, of Canton Center, Conn., on Oct. 13. Otis Elevator.

Patent holder. Navy. WWII. William “Bill” B. Martin Jr., EE 48, of Chattanooga, Tenn., on Oct. 23. Navy.

Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. TVA. Registered professional engineer.

Olin K. McDaniel, Jr., ChE 44, of Florence, S.C., on Nov. 20. Navy (Cmdr.).

Korean Conflict. Union Bag & Paper Co. DuPont Company. Fisherman.

Hunter.

Gerald Ross Murphy, Cls 48, of Houston, Texas, on Sept. 17. Army. WWII. Realty Mortgage Company. Senior vice president, Fannin Bank. Golfer.

Fabian Joseph Paffe Jr., IE 48, of Jacksonville, Fla., on Dec. 22. U.S. Navy.

WWII. St. Joe Paper Company. Engineering supervisor, St. Regis Paper Company. Big Bend Engineering.

Samuel William Simpson, IE 49, of Gainesville, Ga., on Sept. 28. Navy.

WWII. Korean Conflict. Chi Psi Fraternity. Sales representative, furniture manufacturing companies.

Lester L. Sobelson, ChE 43, of Atlanta, Ga., on Nov. 20. Army. WWII. Department of Defense.

Cone Brothers Contracting Company.

President, Tampa Sand & Materials Corp. Founder, president, Florida Prestressed Concrete Co. First president, Prestressed Concrete Institute of America. Founder, president, American Concrete Crosstie Corp. Founder, president, Florida Fly Ash Company. Executive vice president, Florida Mining & Materials Corp. Founder, president, The Cone Corp. Founder, Cone Distributing Inc. Co-founder, Ice house USA Inc. Georgia Tech

Randolph Smith Jr., Arch 49, of Roswell, Ga., on Oct. 22. Air Corps. Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. McDonough Construction Company. Nat Harrison and Associates. Barge-Thompson Company. Co-founder, president, Smith-Cothran Inc. Painter. Pilot.

Arthur Manigault Wilcox, IM 43, of Charleston, S.C., on Oct. 13. Editor, Charleston Evening Post. Navy (Rear Adm., Cmdr.). WWII. Secretary, Board of Directors of Evening Post Industries. Children: Arthur M. Wilcox Jr., IM 68. Grandchildren: James R. Wilcox, Mgt 03; Edward P. Wilcox, EE 07, MS ECE 10.

1950s Vier Merritt Maynard Ambrose Sr., IM 51, of Atlanta, on Oct. 22. Navy. WWII. Union Special Corporation.

Arlyn Boekelheide, EE 51, of Sequim, Wash., on Nov. 1. Army. Aerospace engineer. Hughes Aircraft.

Robert Richard “Bob” Bossons, IM 51, of Burlington, N.C., on Oct. 14. Air Corps. Green Bay Packers. Georgia Tech Hall of Fame (1968). College football coach. Two National Championships (1952 & 1960).

Douglas Poe Cone Sr., CE 50, of Tampa, Fla., on Nov. 30. Kappa Alpha fraternity. Army (Lt.). Vice president,

Engineering Hall of Fame (1999).

Florida Transportation Builders Association Hall of Fame(2006). Children: Fred Hirtzel Carlson, CE 01, MBA 04 ; Julianne Cone McKeel, CerE 74; Ashley Ramsdell Cone, CE 77.

Eric E. Crake, IE 53, of Baton Rouge, La., on Oct. 11. All American Basketball award. Holds record for the most rebounds in a single game against the University of Georgia. Sigma Chi Fraternity. Army (1st Lt.). Industrial Piping

James Herbert “Herb” McAuley CHAMPION SWIMMER AND GEORGIA TECH SWIM COACH

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ames Herbert "Herb" McAuley, EE 47, of Twiggs County, Ga., on Nov. 26. McAuley left an enormous legacy at Georgia Tech both as a champion swimmer and a beloved swim coach.

McAuley was the star of Tech’s SEC Champion swim team in 1942. During World War II, McAuley temporarily halted his education to serve in the U.S. Army and served as captain in the Army Signal Corps from 1944-46 in Europe.

After returning to Georgia Tech and graduating with an engineering degree in 1947, McAuley was hired by legendary Tech swim coach Fred Lanoue to serve as assistant coach.

McAuley spent the next 40 years coaching swimmers at the Institute, both competitive team members and regular students taking the infamous drown proofing class.

Drownproofing, a technique developed by Lanoue, taught students how to survive for long periods of time in the water.

For many years, it was a required course that all students had to take in order to graduate. In 1965, McAuley succeeded Lanoue as Tech’s head swim coach, a position he held for 23 years. According to a 2012 profile in Buzz Magazine, McAuley valued academics as highly as his swimmers’ performance in the pool. Following McAuley’s retirement in 1987, Tech’s swimming program went on a one-year hiatus and drownproofing was no longer a required course. Even after his retirement, McAuley never stopped swimming. He competed in U.S. Masters Swimming Competitions into his 90s, winning national championships in the freestyle, butterfly and individual medley events. McAuley was inducted into the Georgia Tech Hall of Fame in 1982 and inducted into the Georgia Aquatic Hall of Fame in 2012.

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Supply Industry. Founding member, PVF Inc. Distributor sales, distributor stainless and president, Total Fitting & Valve.

Rolfe Edmund Edmondson Jr., CE 50, of Decatur, Ga., on Dec. 6. Air Force.

Contracting and construction industry. Flagler Company. Henry Beck Company. Jordan, Jones, and Goulding, Consulting Engineers. Son: Rolfe Edmund Edmondson III, CE 79.

Henry Atwater “Pete” Ferris, Cls 52, of Griffin, Ga., on Oct. 4. Georgia Tech Athletic Hall of Fame. Manager, City of Griffin golf course.

Elmer Julian Flexer, Arch 52, of St.

>> Simons Island, Ga., on Oct. 20. WWII. Army Air Corps. Air Force (Capt.).

Owner, E. Julian Flexer, Architect.

Alexander P. “Bob” Foley, ME 59, of Homewood, Ala., on Oct. 11. Air Force.

WWII. Korean Conflict. Engineer and manager of water supply utilities.

General manager, Industrial Water Board.

Rev. R. Vernon Fuller Jr., IM 54, of Haines City, Fla., on Oct. 17. Minister.

Randolph Goulding, CE 50, of Smyrna, Ga., on Oct. 29. WWII pilot. Civil leader. Consulting engineer. Founding partner, Jordan, Jones and Goulding. Consulting Engineer of the

James Elwyn Johnston NASA ENGINEER

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ames Elwyn Johnston, MS Met 70, of Athens, Ala., on Nov. 20. Johnston was an engineer with a prolific career that helped shape America’s space program.

He worked for the Army Missile Command in Huntsville, Ala., from 1959-1963 before transferring to NASA, where he worked for the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center until his retirement in 2005. He started his NASA career as a materials engineer supporting the Saturn rocket program. More recently, Johnston served as the Materials and Processes Laboratory lead engineer for the solid rocket motor, redesigned solid rocket motor and advanced solid rocket motor. During his career at NASA, he was a vital link for materials excellence for the safe flight of past programs such as Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and the Space Shuttle. Johnston was honored with the Astronauts' Personal Achievement Award, known as Silver Snoopy Award, for professionalism, dedication and outstanding support that greatly enhanced space flight safety and mission success. Johnston was described as a Christian gentleman who was sincere, caring, dependable, honest and courteous. As a member of First Baptist Church in Huntsville, Johnston served as a church deacon, Sunday school teacher, Christian training teacher and outreach leader.

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Year (1992). American Water Works Association. Atlanta World World II Round Table. Daughter: Anne Randolph Goulding, Mgt 88.

L. Gerald Granger, Text 59, of Kennett, Mo. on Dec. 10. Uniroyal Manufacturing. Parker-Hannifin.

William Hannah, Cls 56, of Hobe Sound, Fla., on Dec. 2. Indiantown Company. Special deputy, Martin County Sheriff’s Office. Indiantown Citizen of the Year (2000).

Frank Evan Haren Sr., ME 54, of Etowah, Tenn., on Oct. 18. Tennessee National Guard. Haren Construction Company. Sons: Frank Evan Jr., CE 77; J. Skylar Haren, CC 79. Daughter In Law: Delane Parker Haren, IM 77. Grandsons: Frank Evan III, CE 06; Parker Haren, CE 14.

Marion T. “Skip” Heeke, IM 57, of Stone Mountain, Ga., on Oct. 8. Army.

Scoutmaster. Stamp collector.

Astronomer.

John Carlyle Hemby Jr., EE 50, of Atlanta, on Dec. 3. National Guard Reserve. Executive vice president, Georgia Power Company. Georgia Tech Engineering Hall of Fame.

Thomas Morgan Hunt, IM 58, of Ruston, La., on Oct. 26. Beta Theta Phi fraternity. Plant manager, lumber sales manager, Hunt Lumber Company. Lumber sales, Willamette Industries. Brother: Alex T. Hunt Jr., IM 53. Nephews: Alex T. Hunt III, ME 77; James Davis Hunt, IM 79, Virgil Davis Hunt Jr., IM 83.

David R. Jones, IM 59, of Atlanta, on July 16. President and CEO of Atlanta Gas Light Company. President, Georgia Society of Professional Engineers.

Vice Chairman, Gainesville-Hall County Development Authority.

Chairman, Gainesville Utility Company. Georgia Tech Alumni Association

Trustee. Leadership Circle Roll Call donor.

Hugh Franklin Lane, IM 57, of Atlanta on Nov. 7. Vice president, C&S Bank.

Russell E. Linenkohl, EE 50, of Hayesville, N.C., on Nov. 1. Aerial gunner, Navy. WWII. White Westinghouse.

Administrator, Calvary International Go To Nations.

Eugene E. Lorenz, IM 53, of Atlanta, on Sept. 10. Air Force. Reynolds Metals Company. JM Tull Metals. Founder, Lorenz Industrials Company.

Henry Oswald MacDonell Jr., CE 57, of Newnan, Ga., on Sept. 11. Marine Corps. Mason. Engineer. Business owner. Stock broker.

John Denny “Jack” Margeson, IE 56, of Atlanta, on Dec. 1. Army. Korean War. Owner, Phillips & Brooks. Long Point Investors. Son: William B. “Billy” Margeson, Arch 95.

Charles Nelson Maynard, IE 58, of Hiawassee, Ga., on Oct. 15. Aerology officer, Air Force. Pioneer hurricane hunter. Weather officer. Vice president, production, Mead Packaging Corporation.

Colonel Edward A. Munns, MS CE 50, of Myrtle Beach, S.C., on Oct. 28. Air Force. WWII pilot. Distinguished Flying Cross. Seven air medals. Staff civil engineer. Civil engineer director.

Command pilot. Legion of Merit.

Registered professional engineer.

Robert “Bob” Parris, EE 50, of Macon, Ga., on Dec. 5. Marine Corp. WWII. Electrical engineer, Robins Air Force Base.

Cecil Lyle Ramsey, ChE 51, of Huntington, W. Va., on Nov. 5. Army (1st Lt., Cmdr.). National Defense Service Medal. Huntington Alloys (INCO). Region II Planning Commission. Robert C. Byrd Institute for Flexible Manufacturing. Co-founder, president, High

Performance Heat Treating.

James Byrd Roberts, Sr., IE 50, of Sandy Springs, Ga., on Nov. 26. Marine.

WWII. Owner, construction business.

Granddaughter: Elizabeth Roberts Brown, HTS 03.

Thomas Paul Robinson, Arch 51, of Atlanta on Oct. 19. Sigma Chi fraternity.

Army. Architectural and engineering career, State of Georgia.

Thomas M. Sauls, IE 51, of Florence, Ala., of Sept. 18. Marine Corps. Industrial engineer, Reynolds Metals Co. Southwire.

John Winfield "Jack" Schmidt, IE 58, of Newnan, Ga., on Sept. 11. Kappa Sigma fraternity. Army. Executive.

Consultant. DuPont. Oxford Industries. Jurt Salmon Associates. Billy the Kid. Calvin Klein Jeanswear. The Hartwell Company. Aris Isotoner. International Apparel Group. Designer Holdings. Warnaco. Bleyle. American Apparel. Footwear Association. Chairman, board member, Goergia Soft Goods Association. Paul Harris Fellow, Rotary International.

Paul “Bodie” B. Scott Jr. CE 58, of Kingsport, Tenn., on Sept. 20. Army.

Founder, SAFECO Inc. Sullivan County Commissioner. Chair, Kingsport Parks and Recreations Board. President, Kingsport safety council.

Director, Kingsport Chamber of Commerce. Chair, Conference and Civic Task Force.

William T. Stephens Jr., IE 50, of Decatur, Ga., on Nov. 25.

Herbert Lee, “Herb” Underwood Sr., CE 59, of Fernandina Beach, Fla., on Sept. 16. Navy. Korean Conflict. Director of engineering, Federal Civil Service. Director of housing and urban development, Miami Dade County. Chief administration officer, Department of HUD, Downtown Jacksonville Development Authority, City of Jacksonville. General contractor.

Vice president, Vulcan Construction.

Founder, president, Herb Underwood Contracting Corporation.

Archibald William "Bill" Sims, Jr., CE 54, of Tallahassee, Fla., on Nov. 2. Civil engineer. Army. Air Force.

Sidney M. Walker, Arch 54, of Miami, Fla., on Oct. 2. Commercial architect.

Engineer.

Hugh E. White, EE 55, of Skillman, N.J., on Nov. 9. RCA David Sarnoff Research Center.

Bill Jay Wright, Jr., Text 52, of LaGrange, Ga., on Oct. 2. Marine Corp.

WWII. Korean War. Kappa Sigma Fraternity. Hollingsworth Textiles.

Joseph Jerry Wright, IE 59, of Atlanta on Dec. 1. Entrepreneur. Real estate.

Hunter. Fisherman.

1960s J. Carl Adams, IE 61, of Atlanta, on Nov. 21. Navy. WWII. Office of Government and Regulatory Affairs, Atlanta Gas Light Company.

Donald Harper Armstrong Jr., IM 60, of Atlanta, on Sept. 20. Marine Corps Reserves. Aluminum tubing business. Treasurer, board member, Georgia Arms Collectors Association.

Charter member, sergeant at arms, board member, Southeastern Antique Arms Collectors Association.

Robert B. Coulter Jr., Cls 64, of The Villages, Fla. on June 13. U.S. Navy.

Vietnam. Engineer, MARTA. Albert W. Culbreth, Jr., IM 68, of Loganville, Ga., on Nov. 7. AXA-Equitable.

Mutual of New York. Jacob W. Shoul Award. Trustee, Georgia Tech Alumni Association. Board member, Alexander Tharpe Fund. Mentor Jackets.

Geographic Club. Deans Advisory GTALUMNIMAG.COM VOLUME 91 NO.1 2015

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Board, College of Management. 47year Roll Call donor. Son: Bert W. Culbreth III, Mgt 01.

Fred William Dougherty Jr., AE 60, of Panacea, Fla., on Sept. 28. Pan American Airways. Army. Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Florida Research and Development Center. Wayne Coloney.

Air conditioning and building systems engineering consultant. Staff mechanical engineer, Leon County School Board. Florida Department of Corrections.

Lewis Arthur Dutel, EE 62, of Sulphur, La., on Nov. 19. Navy. Professional engineer. Certified financial planner.

Francis Marion Eubanks Jr., CE 67, MS CE 68, of Tamassee, S.C., on Sept. 29. Professor of construction science management, Clemson University.

Jack Ray Farmer, TextChem 64, of Atlanta, on Oct. 2. Textile executive, King Mill. Real estate. Magistrate judge, Columbia County. Founding member, West Acres Baptist Church.

Clyde W. “Bud” Hill Jr., IM 61, of Blairsville, Ga., Kappa Sigma Fraternity. Lt., dispursing officer, Navy.

Breeder, Hill-Vue Farm. Union County Hall of Fame for Agriculture.

Ebert “Bert” Harrold, AM 64, of Rockville, Md., on Sept. 22. IBM. Daughter: Kim Lawrence, ChE 88.

Lloyd Killebrew, IE 62, of Roswell, Ga. on Dec. 8. Professional Engineer.

Chicopee Mill. Coats and Clark.

Allan Francis Mason, MS CE 61, of Hilton Head Island, S.C., on Nov. 15.

Structural engineer. US Army Corps of Engineers. Chief structural engineer, Heery and Heery Architects.

Sea Pines Co. Tennis player. USTA umpire.

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>> Robert Paul Matteson, EE 64, of Warren, Ohio, on Aug. 2. Director of technology and product development, Taylor Winfield. Counselor Award.

Robert J. Rosscup, PhD Chem 60, of Palm City, Fla., on Aug. 6. Research and management, Standard Oil Indiana. First U.S. civilian to enter China after President Richard Nixon’s visit.

Charles W. “Charlie” McCall II, IE 62, of Savannah, Ga., on Sept. 16.

Industrial engineer, Union Camp Corporation. Coast Guard Reserve.

Golfer.

Dr. Jay H. Schlag, MS EE 65, PhD EE 67, of Marietta, Ga., on Sept. 11. Philco Corporation. Consultant, Georgia Power Company. Siemens Corporation. King and Spalding. Professor, associate chair for ECE operations, professor emeritus of ECE, Georgia Tech. Wife: Katharine Leonard Schlag, MS Math 77, MS IE 80.

Daughters: K. Elizabeth Stuff, Bio 82, MS Bio 84, ChE 86; Diana Winter, MS EE 87, Cynthia Morneweck, MS HCI 01. Son In-Laws: Ronald Stuff, CE 82; Eric Winter, EE 86, MS EE 87. Granddaughter; Helen Winter, Arch 14.

Edward “Eddie” Franklin McLeroy, Cls 60, of Marietta, Ga., on Oct. 13.

Surveyor, Georgia Department of Transportation.

Terry S. Moore, IE 66, of Roswell, Ga., on Oct. 2. Navy (1st Lt j.g.). Systems engineer, IBM. Son: Mathieu F. Moore, AE 10.

W. Neil Morahan, IE 63, of Greenwich, Conn., on Dec. 18.

William R. “Bill” Nigg, IM 65, of Louisville, Ky., on Sept. 17. Army (Lt. Cmdr.).

Robert Frank O’Donnell, IM 69, of Charleston, S.C., on Sept. 17. Sigma Phi Epsilon. Senior vice president, Playboy International. Navy.

W.C. "Bill" Parham, Cls 67, of Hampton, Ga., on Oct. 3. Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity. Founder, owner, Southern Textiles; Southern Automotive.

Paul “Sam” Pefley Jr., ME 65, of Royal Palm Beach, Fla., on Sept. 25.

Pratt & Whitney. General contractor and engineer.

Oscar Eugene Pittman, IM 60, of Roswell, Ga., IBM. Logan Robins Ritchie Jr., MS CE 61, of Birmingham, Ala., on Nov. 8.

Registered professional engineer.

Co-owner, Ritchie and Montgomery.

Guy Miles “Buzzy” Tarrance Jr., IM 62, of Alpharetta, Ga., on Oct. 31. The Coca-Cola Company.

Nevin Clinton Wampole, MS NE 62, of Aiken, S.C., on Sept. 18. Navy (Lt.).

Westinghouse. Cyclist.

1970s Arthur William “Bill” Bevil, Text 72, of Charlotte, N.C., on Dec. 4.

Daria J. Bielecki, MS AM 78, PhD AM 83, of Burke, Va., on Oct. 22.

Mathematician, Office of Naval Intelligence. Sigma Xi. Naval Research Laboratory. Navy Superior Civilian Service Award. Developer, Vessel Tracking Project. Husband: Dr. Eric L. Mokole, MS Phys 76, MS Math 78, PhD Math 82 Henry B. Brackin III, IE 71, of Chattanooga, Tenn., on Oct. 11. Industrial engineer, McKee Foods.

William Forrest “Bill” Grant Jr., IM 78, of Elberton, Ga., on Nov. 15. Senior vice president, Pinnacle Bank. Brewton Parker College Board of Trustees. Baseball and softball umpire. High school football referee.

Russell Dean “Russ” Hale, MS InfoSci 70, of Arlington, Va., on Sept. 6. Systems and financial analyst, special assistant, Assistant Secretary of Defense. Air Force.

Senior staff member, House Budget Committee. Staff director, Sea-power Subcommittee, House Armed Services Committee. Assistant secretary of the Air Force for Financial Management. IBM. Northrop Grumman. Computer Sciences Corporation. Unisys.

Network Equipment Technologies. Edgesource. Cassidy & Associates.

Michael King Heaton, ChE 73 , of Aiken, S.C., on Nov. 5. Computer aided designer in manufacturing.

Ron Elvis Hunter, EE 72, Phys 72, of Columbia, S.C., on Sept. 14. DuPont. Invista.

David ‘Randy” James, Phys 70, MS Phys 71, PhD Phys 75, of Knoxville, Tenn., on Sept. 13. ORNL. Musician.

James Elwyn Johnston, MS Met 70, of Athens, Ala., on Nov. 20. Awarded several patents. Research presented at Science Fair in Paris. Chemical and metallurgical engineer. Member, Institute of Materials, Minerals, and Mining. Chartered engineer.

Chartered Scientist. Army missile command. George C. Marshall Space Flight Center, NASA. Materials and processes laboratory lead engineer.

Alert coordinator. Astronauts' Personal Achievement Award.

Robert H. McGarity III, IM 70, of Albany, Ga. on Sept. 30. Road Machinery. Carlton Company. President, Albany Georgia Tech Alumni Club.

Brent Alan Scott, IE 72, of Atlanta, on Sept.

15. Kappa Sigma Fraternity. Cathodic protection services and corrosion

control. Founder, Scott Corrosion Services Inc. Dr. Robert Luther Stephens III, MS IM 75, of Fayetteville, Ga., on Nov. 19. Professor of Business. Son: Robert L. Stephens IV, IE 03, MS IS 04. Daughter: Anna “Grace” Stephens, BC 12.

1980s Michelle Milam Davis, IM 87, of Plano, Texas, on Oct. 24. PepsiCo. Accenture. Raytheon. Electronic Data Systems. Children’s Medical Center

Richard A. Guthman Jr. BUSINESSMAN AND LIFELONG SUPPORTER OF TECH

R

ichard A. Guthman Jr., IE 56, of Atlanta, on Nov. 22. Guthman was a successful businessman and generous supporter of Georgia Tech and the Atlanta community. After graduating from Tech, Guthman served in the U.S. Army for two years followed by six years of reserve duty. He began his career as a purchasing agent and manager for Montag Brothers in 1959. In 1969, he became the secretary/treasurer of Montag & Caldwell, a position he held until 1980. In 1982, Guthman accepted a position as senior vice president of government and public institutional banking with First American Bank of Georgia, where he worked until he retired in 1991. Guthman was also an Atlanta City Councilman. First elected in 1974, Guthman served just shy of four terms for a total of 14 years on the City Council. As a councilman, he was the chairman of the finance, public safety and public transportation committees. He also served on the Public Works Commission and as an adviser to Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson on MARTA. Guthman was an avid supporter of Georgia Tech. He served two terms as a board member for the Georgia Tech Alumni Association. Along with his wife, Margaret, he served on the advisory board of the Georgia Tech Council for the Arts. In 1998, he founded the Margaret Guthman Keyboard Competition as a tribute to his wife under the auspices of the Georgia Tech School of Music. Initially a jazz piano competition, it was restructured in 2009 as the Margaret Guthman Musical Instrument Competition and today attracts innovative musicians from around the world.

Guthman was also active in many other organizations, including the Appalachian Education and Historical Society, the Metro Atlanta YMCA, the Visiting Nurse Health Systems of Metro Atlanta, the Home Health Council of National League of Nursing, the Atlanta Historical Society, the National League of Cities, The Temple of Atlanta, the American Jewish Committee and Zoo Atlanta.

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of Dallas. The North Highland Co. Independent consultant, People Results. Father: Larry J. Milam, IM 64.

Patricia Lynne “Patti” Dickerson, IE 80, of Cumming, Ga., on Oct. 11.

Southern Company Services. Kohls.

Risk policy technician, Amtrust.

Regional coordinator, Girl Scouts.

Husband: William Stanley “Stan” Dickerson, ME 80. Children: Jennifer L. Taylor, Mgt 08; Kimberly Dickerson, STC 12. Siblings: Susan Ramberger, ICS 89; Robert Schultz, ICS 90. Son In Law: Mark Ramberger, EE 88.

Paul Deran Dwelle, ME 89, of Valley Cottage, N.Y., on Sept. 21. President, Ekato Group. Athlete.

Gary S. Jester, EE 81, of Griffin, Ga., on Sept. 26.

Mia Park Little, IE 84, of Rockledge, Fla., on Sept. 4. Bentley Systems.

Boeing.

Miles Woodard Mercer, ME 84, of Crossville, Tenn., on May 16. Owner, Cumberland Mountain Stone. Wife: Carole Jelene George Mercer IM 84.

Robert Kirtland Morse, ME 82, of Beverly Hills, Calif., on Oct. 2. Aircraft structural designer. Naval Air Rework Facility. NAS Norfolk. BDM Corporation. Northrop. McDonnell Douglas. Boeing. Product manager of Space Valves, site leader, director of environmental control systems engineering of Honeywell Aerospace.

David William Snee, CE 83, of Salisbury, Md., on Oct. 25. Ricosau Construction. Dozier Construction Co. Lowenstein & Soule. Jack Plummer. Civil engineer, Soule and Associates. Real estate.

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>> 2000s Ashley Salter, IE 00, of Fayetteville, Ga., on Oct. 27. Teacher, Starr’s Mill High School.

Friends Rudolf Martin “Tino” Ahrens, of Decatur, Ga., on Sept. 20. Physics professor, Georgia Tech. Researcher. Author.

Son: Martin Ahrens, CS 08, MS CS 10.

Douglas C. Allen, of Atlanta, Ga., on Oct. 26. Kappa Sigma fraternity. Designer’s Collaborative. William H. Laubmann and Associates. Atlanta Regional Commission. Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources. ASLA Certifivate of Honor. Professor, College of Architecture, Georgia Tech. Associate dean, interim dean, senior associate dean, Georgia Tech. Council of Fellows of the American Socirty of Landscape Architects. Publisher. Cofounder, Italy study abroad program.

ANAK Award (2006). Douglas C. Allen Lecture. Distinguished Alumni Medal.

Margaret Thomas Bourne, of WinstonSalem, S.C., on Sept. 23. The Margaret T. and Henry C. Bourne Jr. Chair in Poetry. Sons: Henry Clark Bourne III, MS MGT 90; Thomas Franklin Bourne, Bio 86, MS Bio 89, PhD Bio 93.

Jerlyn Hall Brown, of Atlanta, on Oct. 25. First National Bank.

Ruth Louise Eyman Clyatt, of St. Petersburg, Fla., on Oct. 3. Alpha Delta Pi sorority. Husband: William N. Clyatt, GS 37.

Charles B. “Chuck” Dickerson Jr., of Stone Mountain, Ga., on Nov. 25.

Lockheed Aircraft. Western Electric.

Eastern Airlines. Army. Korean War. Vietnam War. Seasonal employee, Georgia Tech Athletic Association.

Dr. Thorwald “T” Eros, of Atlanta, on Sept. 28. Navy. Orthodontist. Emory University School of Dentistry.

Craniofacial team, Emory Clinic.

President, Emory University Dental Alumni Association. President, Georgia Society of Dentistry for Children.

Honorable Fellow, Georgia Dental Association, Southern Association of Orthodontists, American Association of Orthodontists. Diplomat, American Board of Orthodontists.

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information, contact BS in ISYE Gerogia Tech alumnus

Let us make sure for you.

meet their payroll processing needs.

Nathaniel Wilson.

877-277-4719 | acupaysolutions.com payroll@acupaysolutions.com

404-713-4305 | akatreeremoval.com akatreeremoval@gmail.com facebook.com/AKATreeRemoval

International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations

770-380-8319 | 30westaviation.com info@30westaviation.com

helping aec & manufacturing professionals optimize their design software investment Applied Software is the #1 Autodesk Reseller & Platinum Partner in the Southeast ... and your #1 source for Autodesk software and design technology Services - Support - Training & More!

800-899-2784 | ASTI.com

WHERE QUALITY STILL COUNTS Don’t Kick off to Our Opponent; Pass to us for All your pavement needs; Striping Sealcoating, Milling, Paving, Full Depth Reclamation, Base Construction for parking lots, streets and roadways.

Ernest Lopez, President R. Wayne Boatright, PE, Vice President BCE-1967 Mandy Alston, PE, Project Manager BCE-2002

770-220-0228 | atlantapaving.com

EXPERT GI CARE IN ATLANTA AND NORTH GEORGIA Bill Ransom of atlanta fine Homes sotHeBy’s inteRnational Realty To market or find a distinctive home requires uncommon knowledge and resources.

404-974-4440 | ransomteam.com billransom@atlantafinehomes.com

servinging in the atlanta area since 1963

The experienced physicians at Atlanta Gastroenterology Associates see patients of all ages for the evaluation and treatment of digestive disorders and liver disease, including acid reflux, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and IBS. With more than 35 locations and nine accredited endoscopy centers, the practice offers: • Preventive colon cancer screenings • Advanced endoscopic procedures • Hepatitis C treatment plans • Pain-free hemorrhoid banding • Pediatric and adolescent care

1-866-G0-T0-AGA | atlantagastro.com

The Baldwin Group offers a full range of construction management and scheduling services – from project conception and design through substantial completion and the grand opening. We also provide litigation support and construction claim services.

Plumbing, sewer and drain cleaning service.

Repiping and trenchless pipe replacement. Water heater service and leak detection. Available 24/7

A Service DiSAbleD veterAn OwneD buSineSS

and offer senior and military discounts.

770-505-8570 | atlantisplumbing.com atlantisplumbing@gmail.com

770-671-0300 www.baldwinscheduling.com techinfo@baldwinscheduling.com

GTALUMNIMAG.COM VOLUME 91 NO.1 2015

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Tech

marketplace

with you ‘til you feel at home

>>

Want to join the Tech Marketplace?

Contact Betsy Rogers at (404) 894-0751 or betsy.rogers@alumni.gatech.edu.

Most AccountAnts Work With nuMbers; We Work With PeoPle Brooks, McGinnis & Company, LLC has provided audit, tax, planning, compliance, financial

With an international background and local

accounting and consulting services for more

experience, Kay is in the Top 2% of all agents

than 35 years with a focus on the nonprofit

worldwide of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices

community as well as privately owned

affiliates and was awarded Realtor of the Year in ‘09.

businesses and individuals.

678-570-0717 | KayMcInroe.com Kay@KayMcInroe.com

404-531-4940 | brooksmcginnis.com info@brooksmcginnis.com

Professional iT ConsulTing serviCes • • • • • • • • • •

server virtualization, network setup, maintenance & monitoring private cloud implementation network security and risk mitigation firewall configuration and management mobile device management disaster recovery, backups, offsite rotation multi-office connectivity remote access project management personalized technology planning

803-738-1007 | capnetinc.com info@capnetinc.com

Marijane E. Cauthorn

PRIVIA DIGITAL PIANOS

MANAGING ATTORNEY Cauthorn Nohr & Owen was established more

ConneCting Your World... through ours!

than 20 years ago and believes that clients’

Casio’s new Privia pianos represent a significant step in the continuing evolution of the Privia digital piano line.

success determines our own. We are a small

Colo Atl, a JT Communications Company,

litigation firm representing individuals and

provides colocation, data center & interconnection

businesses in the metro area.

services within a SSAE 16 certified facility.

973-361-5400 x-1273 | mamentt@casio.com casiomusicgear.com

770-528-0150 | cauthornnohr.com

404-272-3338 | www.coloatl.com tim.kiser@coloatl.com

EXPANDING YOUR CAPABILITIES & GLOBAL OFFERING

BUILDING A LEGACY

ProPerty Valuation/ Data ManageMent Greenfield Advisors’ expertise has informed contaminated property litigation, institutional

Providing integrated development,

investment decisions, implementation of urban

manufacturing, on-site sterilization and support

villages, low-income housing development, brownfield

services to the healthcare and industrial markets.

redevelopment, EB-5 economic impact assessments,

GRI offers class 100K cleanroom services. GRI is

and mortgage backed securities litigation settlements.

ISO and EN certified, and FDA registered.

770-289-1923 | greenfieldadvisors.com cliff@greenfieldadvisors.com

678-866-0566 | gri-usa.com sales@gri-usa.com

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GTALUMNIMAG.COM VOLUME 91 NO.1 2015

Seeking Construction Project Manager/Estimator: Project estimating, scheduling, purchasing and subcontracting for growing general contractor located in Memphis, TN. 901-767-2400 | www.grindertaber.com jgrinder@grindertaber.com

CRISP Manufacturing Company Inc.

timeless ... always new

The heavy MeTal RockeR

Quality Gentlemen’s Clothing.

Official Georgia Tech Alumni Association Partner.

A work of art and a legacy that will be used and enjoyed by generations to come.

Software for better hiring Improve hiring efficiency and effectiveness with HireIQ’s multi-media digital interviewing and job fit solutions.

Nearly half of HireIQ’s employees are GT alumni. Go Jackets!

678-279-2830 | hireiqinc.com info@hireiqinc.com

Discount QuickBooks

Crisp Manufacturing is a leading producer of replacement parts for machinery used in various areas such as the coal industry.

Products include Assemblies, Bushings, Couplings, Gears, Housings, Hubs, Pins, Seals, Sections, Shafts, Sprockets, Units & more.

Est. 1963 Midtown | Lenox | Park Place | Cobb 404-249-7002 | www.hstockton.com

BETTER SERVING YOU SINCE 1963

404-245-9676 | heavymetalrocker.com

AutomAtion SolutionS

276-686-4131 | crispmanufacturing.com info@crispmanufacturing.com

commercial & industrial sector

Integrity Integration Resources (I2R) provides

John Group International is an international

manufacturers business intelligence and

architect, engineering and facilities management

automation Initiatives to meet production, quality,

firm with expertise in Oil and Gas, Paper and

and cost reduction goals. At I2R, today’s solutions

Chemicals, Transportation, Academia, Medical,

are the foundation for tomorrow’s successes!

Marine and Aviation.

972-665-3200 | i2r.com info@i2r.com

1-877-395-1268 | john-group.com info@johngroupinternational.com

EXTRAORDINARY COOKIES

Making CoMplexity SiMple!

KNAPP Logistics Automation, Inc. is a leading

Kee Technologies and Intuit are on the side of small businesses with a promise to help them succeed. QuickBooks Enterprise, Pro, Premier and Point of Sale at discounted prices.

Kent’s County Cookies’ mission is helping people

global provider of automated warehouse solutions

enhance relationships through sharing our

and warehouse logistics software. From manual

1-866-383-8533 | DiscountQB.com info@kee-technologies.com

extraordinary all-natural gourmet cookies. Share

to fully automated picking and storage systems

some of our cookies today with your family,

to intelligent warehouse control software, KNAPP

friends, customers, clients or employees.

“makes complexity simple”!

888-884-5368 | kentscountrycookies.com kent@kentscountrycookies.com

678-388-2880 | KNAPP.com marketing.us@knapp.com

GTALUMNIMAG.COM VOLUME 91 NO.1 2015

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Tech

marketplace

>>

Want to join the Tech Marketplace?

Contact Betsy Rogers at (404) 894-0751 or betsy.rogers@alumni.gatech.edu.

LEADER IN GLOBAL WIRELESS CONNECTIVITY

Ride Safely with youR dog(S)!

KORE is the world’s leading provider of

Thanks to GA Tech physics, you can bike safely with your dog(s)! The Bike Tow Leash prevents tipping and tangling, making rides enjoyably stress free. No matter your abilities, the dog needs a walk. APA approved safe for bikes, trikes, wheel chairs and mobility scooters.

machine-to-machine (M2M) network services, offering truly global connectivity over GSM, CDMA & Satellite technologies. Our network services are managed through a highly scalable unified interface platform.

678-389-3146 | koretelematics.com sales@koretelematics.com

Mary Beth Lake, reaLtOr® Award winning Residential REALTOR® specializing in Cobb & Fulton Counties. Nine years of Atlanta Real Estate Experience, working by referral with fellow Ga Tech Graduates, Faculty and Friends.

404-394-4519 | marybethlake.com marybeth.lake@harrynorman.com

BikeTowLeash.com

Nabors Consulting capabilities range from process plant project management, cost control, and capital estimating through Aspen Technology Economic Evaluation products or manual.

215-292-6158 | Nabors-John@comcast.net

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GTALUMNIMAG.COM VOLUME 91 NO.1 2015

Pre-employment assessment; surveys; coaching; team development.

Hodges L. Golson, Ph.D. (BSIM) William J. Flanagan, Ph.D. (Psy) Michele I. Mobley, Ph.D. (Psy)

857-245-3364

404-237-6808 | managementpsychology.com

PROVIDING ANTENNA MEASUREMENT SOLUTIONS ON A GLOBAL SCALE

The Leader of The packed

MI Technologies introduced the world to microwave

Georgia Tech headquarters for luggage, briefcases, leather goods, travel accessories, pens & distinctive gifts.

antenna measurement systems and continues to build on that legacy. Today we lead the industry in setting new standards for tomorrow’s performance requirements. +1-678-475-8300 (Press 3 for Sales) mitechnologies.com sales@mitechnologies.com

Your allY in driving smart business online

Project estimating

Helping leaders build effective organizations since 1986

Atlanta Augusta Birmingham Huntsville Orlando Naples Jacksonville Tampa Nashville Knoxville Chattanooga Charleston Greenville Spartanburg Charlotte Greensboro Asheville Durham

1-800-678-MORI | moriluggage.com

TRANSFORM ENGINEERS & PROFESSIONALS INTO BUSINESS LEADERS Performex® is a full service provider of talent

Ally Commerce provides a turnkey eCommerce

management and talent development services.

outsourcing solution through the combination

For 35+ years, we’ve provided immediate, tangible

of a flexible, enterprise, cloud-based technology

results to address the professional development

platform and best-in-class services including

needs of industries and companies, ensuring

fulfillment/warehousing, customer service,

technical specialists and professionals successfully

inventory/order management, and store creation.

866-994-1354 | allycommerce.com info@allycommerce.com

make the leap to accomplished leaders.

404-444-2981 | performex.com jbruce@performex.com

PHUNWARE Phunware is the pioneer of Multiscreen as a Service™ (MaaS) – the only fully integrated services platform that enables brands to engage, manage and monetize their anytime anywhere users.

512-693-4199 | phunware.com sales@phunware.com

AtlAntA’s trusted Intown BuIlder

Major Converters of flexible & speCialty rigid paCkaging Printpack is a global leader in flexible and

Printpack for all of their packaging needs.

Recall Portal is a web-based tool that provides a single view and access to all physical and digital holdings providing unprecedented visibility, accessibility and control.

800-451-9985 | printpack.com

770-776-1239 | Recall.com Joe.Gross@recall.com

specialty rigid packaging. They create the most innovative packages on the market today. The most trusted brands trust

Your Want ny Compa red Featu ?

HERE?

Intellectual Property Law Georgia Tech Class of 1994

Sean P. O’HanlOn, eSq., PllC

Round Here Renovations, LLC is a licensed and insured residential construction and renovation business

INTRODUCING RECALL PORTAL

buzz does!

next major home improvement project.

Reach out to Betsy Rogers and sign up today!

Sean P. O’Hanlon, Esq., PLLC specializes in the practice of intellectual property law.

Located in Alexandria, Virginia minutes from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

404-500-9102 | roundhererenovations.com info@roundhererenovations.com

404-894-0751 betsy.rogers@alumni.gatech.edu

703-829-7099 | seanpohanlon.com info@seanpohanlon.com

servicing the vibrant and historic neighborhoods of Atlanta, Georgia. From custom kitchens & baths to entire homes, RHR would love to partner with you for your

Dave Segars, PE, LEED-AP, BCE’85

Let Segars Engineering tackle your next industrial expansion and score one for your team

540-943-1138 | segarsengineering.com

shoe trees for men & women

MORE THAN JUST A CAMERA STORE Serving Atlanta for nearly 40 years, Showcase

Shoe Tree Marketplace carries the largest selection of Shoe Trees, Boot Trees, Boot Shapers and Shoe & Boot Stretchers. With 30 years+ of experience, trust us with all your shoe care needs!

ShoeTreeMarketplace.com Tech@ShoeTreeMarketplace.com

is the go-to source for your photography and videography needs. Come in and experience new product demonstrations, professional services and educational opportunities. Founded by Georgia Tech Alumni.

404-325-7676 | showcaseinc.com sales@showcaseinc.com

GTALUMNIMAG.COM VOLUME 91 NO.1 2015

1 0 1

Tech

marketplace Your Want ny Compa red Featu ?

HERE?

buzz does!

Reach out to Betsy Rogers and sign up today!

404-894-0751 betsy.rogers@alumni.gatech.edu

now building in forsyth, fulton, dekalb, gwinnett, e. cobb and oconee “At SR Homes, our goal is to focus on building you a home that meets your needs both today and tomorrow. We’ll think through the details so you don’t have to.”

>>

Want to join the Tech Marketplace?

Contact Betsy Rogers at (404) 894-0751 or betsy.rogers@alumni.gatech.edu.

50 YEARS OF CONTRACT ELECTRONIC ASSEMBLY

I&C ENGINEERING EXPERTS

Our focus on your individual needs and our unique approach support your products from Design for Manufacturing to Custom Inventory Management.

Helping clients achieve technical excellence with their instrumentation and control projects.

618-539-3000 | siemensmfg.com sales@siemensmfg.com

southern-engineering.net bgeddes@southern-engineering.net

ReseaRch InnovatIon centeR ThyssenKrupp Elevator Americas has partnered with Georgia Tech to leverage the talents of our organizations, capture ideas, and put our shared knowledge to work for future success.

--Alex Tetterton, President of SR Homes

678-252-2525 | SRHomes.com info@srhomes.com

OFFERING MORE TO GEORGIA TECH & THE ATLANTA COMMUNITY Windham Brannon is proud to have provided tax, audit and advisory services to businesses and executives in Atlanta and the southeast since 1957. WB and Ga Tech grads are redefining the CPA industry.

404-885-5260 | ThyssenKruppElevator.com RICAtlanta@thyssenkrupp.com

404-898-2011 | windhambrannon.com info@windhambrannon.com

process optimization

LET ZPAPER OUTFIT YOU FOR THE ROAD AHEAD

Proudly celebrating 25 years!

Wolverton & Associates, Inc. is a full-service engineering firm offering Land Development, Transportation Engineering, Traffic Engineering, Land Surveying, Subsurface Utility Engineering and Landscape Architecture for public and private clients throughout the United States. We are headquartered in Duluth, GA, with a branch office in Savannah, GA. 770-447-8999 | wolverton-assoc.com info@wolverton-assoc.com

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GTALUMNIMAG.COM VOLUME 91 NO.1 2015

The ZDM Group and Northwest Center for Performance

true process excellence via Lean and Six Sigma.

zPaper is the technological standard for fax and form solutions for businesses of all sizes. Whether you are at your desk or on the go, we deliver the perfect solution for your workflow processes!

770-365-3427 thezdmgroup.com | nwcpe.com szagarola@nwcpe.com

770-643-9297 | zpaper.com Sales@zpaper.com

Excellence enable your business to set world class benchmarks for customer loyalty, productivity of assets and ROI. For 25+ years, we’ve provided Workshops, Certification, Consulting and Coaching in how to achieve

Hiring

marketplace

ExcEllEncE EvEry ProjEct. EvEry Day.

>>

Looking for a new job or a career change? Take a look at our Hiring Marketplace partners!

Your Want ny Compa red Featu ?

HERE?

Build Your Future with Gtri

ENERCON is an employee owned premier engineering design company with an outstanding reputation for innovation, responsiveness, cost-effective solutions, and technical excellence.

facing government and industry around the world.

678-354-8357 | enercon.com eramirez@enercon.com

employment@gtri.gatech.edu gtri.gatech.edu/careers/opportunities

Putting technology talent to work!

The Georgia Tech Research Institute is the applied research and development arm of Georgia Tech.

GTRI’s 1,600+ scientists, engineers and other professionals solve the most difficult problems

everyday made easier

buzz does!

Reach out to Betsy Rogers and sign up today!

404-894-0751

404-894-0751 betsy.rogers@alumni.gatech.edu betsy.rogers@alumni.gatech.edu

asking more from chemistry

Atlanta’s Premier Technology Recruiting Firm. Founded by Georgia Tech Alumni Supporting the Georgia Tech Community.

As Always, Go Jackets!

We run the everyday transactions that make your life easier.

At Solvay, we invent, market and engineer solutions by empowering people to explore what chemistry can do for a sustainable world.

Twitter: @htrjobs | htrjobs.com clint@htrjobs.com

ncr.com | ncr.com/about-ncr/careers

www.solvay.com

Your Want ny Compa red Featu ?

HERE?

buzz does!

Reach out to Betsy Rogers and sign up today!

(r)

DENOTES A GTAA CAREER SERVICES PREMIER PARTNER. FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT GTALUMNI.ORG/EMPLOYERS.

GREAT CAREERS IN TECHNOLOGY! Looking for a great career in technology? UPS leverages technology to empower customers with personalized solutions that simplify global trade and optimize supply chains.

Come be a part of it!

Copyright © 2014, United Parcel Service of America, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

404-894-0751 404-894-0751 betsy.rogers@alumni.gatech.edu betsy.rogers@alumni.gatech.edu

678-746-4085 | UPS.com palomapena@ups.com

GTALUMNIMAG.COM VOLUME 91 NO.1 2015

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Tech

history

>>

Tech's 130-Year Love Affair with Food

Roger Slavens

 At the very beginning, in 1888, there was no dining service at Tech—and no restaurants nearby. Students had to bring their lunches from home, and they typically consisted of biscuits with cheese, hard-boiled eggs, apples and fried pies.

The first dining hall opened in the basement of the Knowles Dormitory in 1897. The students received full service treatment from stewards.

Later on, the dining area became known as the “Mess Hall” and food fights were a fairly common occurrence, alumni say.

Among the dining options that opened on campus in the early 20th century was the YMCA Grill on North Avenue—in the building which today houses the Alumni Association.

“What’ll ya have?!?” The Varsity set up shop in 1928 and offered up chili dogs, fries, burgers and frosted orange drinks to hungry Yellow Jackets between classes. It’s not as popular today with Tech students as it once was, but it remains a jam-packed haven for nostalgic alumni and out-of-towners wanting a taste of Atlanta history.

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GTALUMNIMAG.COM VOLUME 91 NO.1 2015

Brittain Dining Hall also opened in the late 1920s, and with The Varsity, endures as the longest-tenured dining options on or near Tech campus. In the hall’s early days, students listened to a full orchestra play as they dined.

Pilgreen’s Steakhouse, a “fancy” sitdown restaurant once located across from the Varsity, was a favorite place for a “splurge” meal back in the day. You could reportedly get a T-bone steak, baked potato and fixings for a whopping 98 cents.

 Junior’s Grill—perhaps the most beloved eatery in GT history—opened in 1948 on North Avenue and eventally moved next to Tech Tower. At its height of popularity, the family restaurant last run

by Tommy Klemis claimed to have served 800 students a day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Many visiting Yellow Jackets wish they could still order a basket of those delicious battered chicken fingers, but alas that’s no longer possible as Junior’s closed in 2011.

 Food options kept getting more plentiful. In 1974, three Tech students turned an old liquor store on Spring Street into the Mellow Mushroom, treating the campus to their eccentric, artful takes on pizza. Today, there are more than 160 Mellow Mushroom locations in 17 states.

 Speaking of yummy guilty pleasures, Krispy Kreme opened on Ponce de Leon Avenue in 1965, and students swarmed to get boxes of their glazed donuts on what they referred to as “K runs.”

Time Machine 5 years ago, in 2010, I <3 GT Week is established to raise school spirit.

• 10 years ago, in 2005, After two years and $45 million of work, the newly renovated Campus Recreation Center opens its doors.

• 25 years ago, in 1990, Georgia Tech’s football team is named the national champion

by UPI after winning the ACC Championship and the Citrus Bowl.

• 50 years ago, in 1965, Georgia Tech stops requiring students to participate in ROTC. • 75 years ago, in 1940, Fred Lanoue begins teaching his infamous “drown proofing” course.

•

Since the 1980s, fast food and higher-end options have invaded and surrounded Tech campus, offering students more dining options than ever. Curious to know what and where today’s Yellow Jackets eat? Turn to page 12 and find out!

Have a Tech memory to share? Send mail to Editor, Georgia Tech Alumni

100 years ago, in 1915, ANAK make freshmen wear RAT caps, beginning a long Tech tradition.

• 125 years ago, in 1890, North Avenue is paved for the first time.

Magazine, 190 North Ave. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30313, or contact us by email at publications@gtalumni.org.

GTALUMNIMAG.COM VOLUME 91 NO.1 2015

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Back

page

>>

Lesson one: I don't ever want to wear a red tie.

Five Things Ma Tech Taught Me About Being a Restaurateur Riccardo Ullio When I was starting out in the restaurant business and told someone I had a and master’s degree in engineering from Georgia Tech, I was likely to get a look of surprise. More often than not, they thought I was crazy. Ma Tech, however, did manage to teach me a few things.

Lesson one: I don't ever want to wear a red tie. It was common practice that everyone wore a red tie and a blue suit to job interviews. But I was something of a nonconformist: I listened to punk music, wore ripped jeans and made my own offensive T-shirts. Red ties were part of an establishment that was a bit too conservative for me.

I figured that the students that did not like 1 0 6

GTALUMNIMAG.COM VOLUME 91 NO.1 2015

me at school would end up being my bosses, and my career would go nowhere fast.

So I went in a different direction.

I had worked in many restaurants since high school and got fired from most of them for having a bad attitude. Out of all of them, a small pizza and pasta place made a lasting impression on me. The owner was young, made a good living, traveled when he wanted to and started the business with a relatively small investment. I figured that

if he could do it, so could I. And I would never have to wear a red tie. My goal to become a restaurateur was set.

Lesson two: Problems are there to be solved. It’s uncanny how many people in the real world lack problem-solving skills.

Many an employee has come to me with a blank stare when facing ordinary problems—as if they had seen a ghost. If there is one thing you get out of engineering school it’s that problems are not obstacles to your job—problem solving is the job. Think hard about them and figure them out.

It was a Tech classroom where I learned that efficiency equals profit. That's lesson three. Friction, energy losses in transfer and inefficiencies in systems … I don’t recall the classes where I learned those theories, but the basic principle of efficiency resonates in all aspects of the restaurant business. Maximize your dining space by limiting your kitchen area. A small kitchen is easier to watch over so your cooks will eat less and work more, and dining space is what makes you money. Use your vertical space for storage; a ladder takes up little room. Fewer ingredients equal lower food cost. Water-saving toilets are a good investment. … I could go on and on. But the idea is the same—efficiency equals less wasted energy and E=$2.

Lesson four, straight from one of the industrial engineering classes I took: Undertand marginal rates of return.

Every extra customer that dines in your restaurant on any given night will increase your profits by 70 cents on the dollar, assuming a 30-percent product cost. Everything else, you’re going to wind up paying for—no matter what. Do everything you can to make sure that everyone who wants to eat at your establishment does so. Make sure your books are tight and the hostess is really nice to the people that have to wait on a table. A friendly smile goes a long way.

And last? The second law of thermodynamics applies to everything. Just come back to work after vacation and see what's happened while you were away.

Riccardo Ullio, CE 90, MS EnvE 93, is one of Atlanta’s most acclaimed chefs and restaurateurs, owner of the award-winning Sotto Sotto, Fritti and Escorpión, as well as the soon-to-be opened Novo in suburban Dunwoody. He was a President’s Scholar as an undergraduate at Tech.

Joe Ciardiello

What if

there was a way for all GT alumni to

stay connected to each other and Georgia Tech?

John Brock ChE 70, MS ChE 71

Bob Stargel EE 83

Matt Kuchar MGT 00

Walt Ehmer IE 89

Deborah Nash IE 78

Paul Brown MGT 89

James “Sandy” A Winnefeld Jr AE 78

Joe Irwin IM 80

Michael Gazarik MS EE 89, PhD EE 97

Errika Mallett IE 96

Tony Chan IE 94, MS MGT 98

Mike Neal IMGT 75

Visit gtalumni.org and register to: • Search and connect with classmates • Post a resume and attend Career Fair • Register for events like Pi Mile and Homecoming • Join groups of alumni who share your interests • Update your address, email and preferences

Connect with your alumni family at

gtalumni.org