15 minute read
Class Notes
70s
Ken L. Ferry (CE, 1978) retired after 20 years as chief engineer with Henderson (Kentucky) Water Utility.
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80s
Bradley R. Newman (EE, 1984) is president of the Desert Mountain Breakfast Club in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he has retired after a 30-year corporate career. Tom C. VanderLaan (MA/EE, 1985) is senior vice president of CentroMotion’s brake and friction division. He formerly worked in sales, business development, and general management roles with several companies. Rich A. Correll (CHE, 1986) has been promoted to vice admiral rank within the U.S. Navy after serving as the deputy commander of the U.S. Strategic Command, responsible for command and control of the nation’s strategic forces (approximately 154,000 sailors, airmen, soldiers, Marines, and civilians). Larry W. Greene (CE, 1986) owns the Worthington Design & Remolding business in Carmel, Indiana. He has brought civil engineering concepts to home improvement. Richard J. Payonk (CHE, 1986) retired after seven years as executive director of United Way of the Wabash Valley, based in Terre Haute. Stanley G. Pittman (CHE, 1986) was named among the 2022 Philadelphia Titan 100 top corporate-level executives for demonstrating exceptional leadership and vision for their companies. He is the managing principal partner with Eigen X.
Mark A. Thompson
(EE, 1986) is manager of market-based rates and special contracts with Hoosier Energy. He had been a key accounts manager with the company and previous had a variety of roles with Duke Energy. John R. Hoffman, PhD, (CS/MA, 1987) is computer vision engineering manager and acting software engineering manager with CyberOptics. He has more than 30 years as a manager and engineer creating state-of-the-art sensors.
90s
Bruce G. Carter (CE, 1990) is now president of Weddle Brothers Construction Companies after serving as vice president for three years. Brett W. Fathauer (ME, 1991) is the executive director of research and engineering with Cummins Inc.’s emissions solutions division after being in the same role with Cummins Turbo Technologies. Col. James C. Savage (EE, 1992) retired after 30 years of combined active and reserve service with the U.S. Air Force Reserve. He was with the 96th cyberspace test group at Elgin Air Force Base. Jay R. Moorman (CPE, 1994) is chief executive officer with Chesapeake Technology International, a Maryland-based defense software and system development services provider. He had been the entity’s chief technology officer since May 2022 after being senior vice president for CACI International’s wireless solutions division. Phillip E. Gralik (CE, 1995) is chief engineer for the City of Hammond, Indiana. Michael Meneghini, M.D., (CE, 1995) is practicing in his hometown through a new partnership between Terre Haute’s Union Health Bone and Joint Center and Indiana Joint Replacement Institute, which he founded and serves as chief executive officer. Shawn L. Patterson (CE, 1995) is president and chief executive officer with Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline, Inc., based in Owensboro, Kentucky. He had been the company’s chief operations officer since June 2017. Gregory T. Hawkins (ME, 1997) is a partner of an inaugural program between the National Business League and automaker Stellantis to develop and support Blackowned supplier companies through education, connections and resources. He is a business resource group and global integration manager with Stellantis.
Niles Noblitt and family members enjoyed the Indiana Academy honor this fall.
Noblitt Inducted into Indiana Academy
Board of Trustees Chair, alumnus, and Indiana biomedical technology pioneer Niles Noblitt (BSBIOE, 1973/HDENG, 1996) was inducted into the prestigious Indiana Academy this fall for a lifetime of achievement and contributions to Indiana and Rose-Hulman. The Indiana Academy promotes the advancement of Indiana through the Academy’s support of the Independent Colleges of Indiana, Inc., and its member institutions. Academy membership highlights people who live in or are from the state who have demonstrated exceptional leadership in philanthropy, business, public service, advancement of the sciences, the arts, literature, culture, and scholarship in connection with Indiana’s independent non-profit colleges and universities. Noblitt co-founded Biomet Inc., a leading medical device manufacturer located in a business cluster within Warsaw, Indiana. In retirement, he has lent his organizational leadership expertise, problem-solving skills, and commitment to helping others assist in Rose-Hulman’s leadership role in undergraduate STEM education. Niles and his wife, Nancy, have supported students through scholarships, and expanded leadership and community service opportunities through the Noblitt Scholars program. Learn more about Noblitt’s career achievements at rose-hulman.edu/NoblittScholars.
MAJORS KEY | AB: Applied Biology | BCMC: Biochemistry/Molecular Biology | BE: Biomedical Engineering | BIO: Biology | BIOE: Biological Engineering | CE: Civil Engineering CHE: Chemical Engineering | CHEM: Chemistry | CPE: Computer Engineering | CS: Computer Science | ECON: Economics | EE: Electrical Engineering | EMGT: Engineering Management EN: Environmental Engineering | EP: Engineering Physics | MATH: Mathematics | ME: Mechanical Engineering | OE: Optical Engineering | PH: Physics | SE: Software Engineering
Alumni, Trustees Named Among 250 Most Impactful Hoosiers
Alumni Greg Gibson (BSCE, 1984/HDENG, 2017), Jeff Harrison (EE, 1989) and Fred Cartwright (ME, 1980) joined trustee Linda White in being named among the inaugural Indiana 250, a list of the state’s most influential and impactful business and community leaders, as cited by the Indianapolis Business Journal, Inside INdiana Business and Indiana Lawyer. Gibson, recognized in the civic leadership category, is an entrepreneurial who has founded, owned, or led more than 50 companies in a variety of industries. He is also active in civic and community roles, serving as secretary to the Rose-Hulman Board of Trustees, chair of the Terre Haute Convention and Visitors Bureau, and member of the Indiana Port Commission. Harrison, president and CEO of Citizens Energy Group, was honored in the energy and agriculture sector. He has worked in Indiana’s utility industries for more than 30 years. Harrison also serves on several boards and organizations, including the Rose-Hulman Board of Trustees and was co-chair of the institute’s successful Mission Driven Campaign for Rose-Hulman. Cartwright was cited for his efforts to help develop Indiana’s manufacturing and logistics industries as president and CEO of Conexus Indiana. This came after he spent 33 years with General Motor Company, rising to become vice president of GM Europe, and then was executive director of Clemson University’s International Center for Automotive Research and president of the startup PRUV Mobility. White, honored for contributions in health care and life sciences in the Evansville area, has had a various of leadership roles within Evansville’s Deaconess Health System, including current roles as vice president of the Deaconess Foundation and vice president and chief administrative officer of Deaconess Henderson (Kentucky) Hospital. She will receive an honorary degree from Rose-Hulman in May 2023. (See story on Page 20)
Gibson
Cartwright Harrison
White
Barry C. Portman (ME, 1997) is managing partner with Lodestone Energy Partners and chief executive officer of the entity’s dedicated oilfield operator, BCP Resources. He also has developed a new finance fund to support conventional, vertical oil wells extracting oil from Texas’s fertile Permian Basin. Kevin R. Lanke (ECON, 1997) has been promoted to associate athletic director for communications and public relations in the Rose-Hulman Athletics Department. Amy (Werner) Cary (CHE, 1998) has been appointed an executive of Procter & Gamble as senior director of product supply for the company’s oral care quality assurance division. She has more than 24 years with P&G, working in three business units supporting such brands as Pringles, Tide, Downy, Dawn, Vicks, Pepto Bismol, and Crest. Matt R. Kuper (ME, 1999) is vice president of global sales and applications at Bastian Solutions. He oversees some of the company’s largest and most complex integration projects. Jeremy C. Price (CPE, 1999) is a solution architect with Cloud Academy. He has been a trainer with Codeup, Amazon Web Services, and Rackspace.
00s
Jena M. Ringo (ME, 2000) has been promoted to vice president of the project management office with Candid Color Systems Inc., where she has worked since July 2019. Ryan A. Barton (CS, 2001/MSEMGT, 2005) is technical principal in Internet of Things areas with Mesh Systems. He spent 18 years with Cetani and Centrak. Gregory M. Gotwald (CHE, 2001) is serving as co-chair of the business interruption subcommittee of the American Bar Association’s litigation section. He is the managing partner of Indianapolis’ Plew Stanley Racher & Braun law firm. Amy L. (Hentz) Macak (BSEE, 2001/MSEE, 2006) is general manager of Marathon Petroleum Company’s refinery in Robinson, Illinois.
Jennifer M. Meyer
Chagnon (CHE, 2002) has joined the Washington, D.C.based Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox law firm as counsel in its electronics practice group. She had been the lead administrative patent judge of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board since 2013. Michael E. Dockins (CHE, 2002) is recognized in the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America for patent litigation. He is a partner and chair of the hospitality, leisure and sports sector with the Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick law firm in Toledo, Ohio. Christopher P. Nicholson (CHEM, 2002), PhD, is an assistant dean leading the School of Science and Mathematics at Marian University’s College of Arts and Sciences. Christopher T. Middlebrook, PhD, (MSAO, 2003) was honored by the U.S. Department of Defense for his innovative efforts to close education gaps and help build tomorrow’s electronics manufacturing workforce. He has been a professor of electrical and computer engineering at Michigan Technological University since 2007. Cory J. Howell (CE, 2005) was recognized as one of the Top 40 Under 40 by Triangle Business Journal for making an impact to STEM-rich Research Triangle region in Raleigh, North Carolina. He is a senior vice president with Kimley Horn. Jonathan W. Keim (CE, 2005) is area manager with Aqua Illinois Inc.’s east central division which serves the utility’s customers in three east central Illinois counties. Scott R. Small (BSME, 2005/MSBE, 2007) completed a doctorate in musculoskeletal sciences from the University of Oxford, England. Scott P. Tourville (CE, 2005) is the administrator of the division of infrastructure management for the City of Columbus, Ohio, Department of Public Service. He formerly was the city engineer for Westerville and Pickerington, Ohio. Jacob D. Fuerst, PhD, (CHE, 2006) earned a graduate degree in explosives engineering from New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. He is the research and development metallurgist with Sig Sauer in Exeter, New Hampshire.
Lowe Bringing Semiconductor Industry Back to U.S.
Alumnus and emeriti trustee Gregg Lowe (BSEE, 1984/HDENG, 2014) is striving to bring the semiconductor industry back to the United States through his leadership as president and chief executive officer of Wolfspeed, the global leader in silicon carbide technology. The North Carolina- based company announced plans this fall to build a new multi-billion-dollar, state-of-the-art materials manufacturing facility to support Wolfspeed’s long-term growth strategy to accelerate the adoption of silicon carbide semiconductors and unlocking a new era of energy efficiency. “Demand for our products continues to grow at a rapid pace, and the industry continues to be supply constrained. Expanding our materials production will further our market leadership and allow us to better serve the growing needs of our customers,” said Lowe in a company press release. He stated sales could hit nearly $3 billion by 2026 because of increased demand for chips used in electric vehicles and other products. Lowe became the key executive with Cree, Inc. (now Wolfspeed) in September 2017 after serving as leader of Freescale Semiconductor and having a 28-year career with Texas Instruments. ALSO CHAIRING ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME: In other news regarding Lowe, he has been elected chair for the board of directors of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. He has served on the board since 2010 and has expressed a passion for the organization’s educational outreach.
Andrew M. Hunt (OE, 2007) is an electro-optical senior staff engineer with Lockheed Martin. Danna R. Sheridan (BE, 2007) is engineering program manager of supplier quality operations with Medtronic, where she has worked since August 2014. Nate P. Richter (ME, 2009) is managing director of the North American division within the Stow Group, a manufacturer of automated storage solutions using autonomous mobile robots. He previously had been with Bastian Solutions for more than 13 years.
10s
Mathew D. Deaton (CE, 2010) is a project manager with Dowdle Construction Group in Nashville, Tennessee. He formerly was a construction administrator with Structural Design Group. Keenan C. Long (ME, 2010) is now a senior product manager with All-Star Sporting Goods. Cole T. Perry (CE, 2010) wrote the article “The Future of Pharmaceutical Facilities” for businessfacilities.com. He is a senior project executive with Messer Construction Company. Didem Tunc (BE, 2010) is a technical clinical consultant with FUJIFILM Healthcare Americas Corporation. She has worked for the company since October 2016. J.D. Hill (SE, 2011) was cited among TechPoint’s Tech 25 Class of 2022, honoring non-executive leaders who are helping build Indiana’s tech and tech-enabled companies. He is a program manager with Vertex in Indianapolis. Zachary H. Pligge (PH, 2011) is a network and systems administrator with Lakeview Energy LLC in the Chicago area. He formerly was a senior network analyst with DuPage County in Illinois. Molly E. Richardson (CE, 2011) has passed the Principles and Practice of Engineering exam and works on a variety of construction projects with Lowe Structures Inc. Jordan C. Baker (CE, 2012) is a senior civil engineer with OHM Advisors in southeastern Indiana. He had worked with American Structurepoint and Luckett & Farley. Brent T. Frizzell (CHE, 2012) made presentations on electrical vehicle engineering for Tech Briefs Media Group and the CHARGED virtual conference. He is the electronics and transportation market segment manager with Specialty Coating Systems. A. Thor Geisler (ME, 2012) has become a senior principal automation engineer with Eli Lilly and Company’s equipment development group. He formerly was a controls engineer with Clif Bar Company. Andrew T. Jordan (ME, 2012) is part of an Engineer in the Classroom program that’s helping fifth-grade students build Rube Goldberg machines to inspire future engineers in the Decatur, Illinois, area. Jonathan P. Martin (CHE, 2012) is the director of economic and market analytics with Clean Fuels Alliance America, formerly the National Biodiesel Board, after spending 10 years as an economist with Marathon Petroleum Corp. He remains based in northwest Ohio. Spencer J. Fox (AB, 2013) is an assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of Georgia after being the associate director of the University of Texas’ COVID-19 Modeling Consortium. Kristopher P. Geyer-Roberts (ME, 2013) is engineering services manager with PGT Innovations, whose tuition reimbursement program supported him earning a professional engineering license.
Emily C. (Asman) Jugle
(CHE, 2013) serves as an associate in Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Company’s investment banking division in Houston. She previous had been an associate with Bank of America Merrill Lynch and worked as a semiconductor process engineering with Texas Instruments.
Gilpin’s Podcast Inspiring Women to Start Companies
Alicia Gilpin (CHE, 2010) is on a mission to show young girls that women can do anything, including earning an engineering degree and start their own company. That’s what she has done, starting Seattle-based Process & Controls Engineering LLC in 2018. “People said I was an anomaly as a woman who owned her own engineering company,” says Gilpin. “I want women to see this is something we can do. It’s not just male engineers that start their own businesses.” Hoping to inspire other women in STEM, Gilpin has started the Automation Ladies Podcast with fellow engineer Nikki Gonzales. They are interviewing women who are doing interesting things with robotics and engineering. Since its summer debut, the podcast has more than 30,000 followers in LinkedIn. “Women are in manufacturing jobs and fixing robots. We need to be more visible and show the world that women are doing amazing things, in engineering and automation, and in the future of manufacturing,” said Gilpin. Follow the Automation Ladies Podcast at www.automationladies.io.
The Sawmill Society has added an Angel Network and Ventureship program to fulfill its original plan of providing services that support and encourage entrepreneurship among alumni and students. Nineteen alumni angel investors have collectively provided $500,000 to support a startup by Tim Balz (ME, 2017) that’s well on its way to revolutionizing the wheelchair seating industry. His Florida-based Kalogon (www.kalogon.com) enterprise uses patent-pending intelligent pressure sensors within an innovative wheelchair cushion to analyze pressure points and redistribute weight to alleviate pain, accelerate healing of pressure injuries, and provide comfort to users. The Sawmill Angels investment was part of $3.3 million in seed funding and federal grants that will allow Kalogon to scale operations domestically and internationally, increase staff, and expand the product’s capabilities. Meanwhile, the Sawmill Society’s Ventureship program provided $5,000 to John Grimm (ME, 2022) and mechanical engineering student Neil Lau to support development of their entrepreneurial ideas. Society member Tim Daniel (EE, 1981) is mentoring Grimm in setting up a logistic company. Engineering management professor Thomas James, PhD, is helping Lau turn his patented folding knife into a commercialized product. More mentorship opportunities are expected in the future. Learn more about the Sawmill Society at rose-hulman.edu/sawmillsociety.
Ranjana Chandramouli
(CHE, 2014) is a member of the McNulty Leadership program at the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business as a Lipman Family Prize Fellow. She is studying for a Master of Business Administration after being an intern with McKinsey and Company and a team leader with Eli Lilly and Company. Matthew B. Etchison (MSEMGT, 2014) was selected Indianapolis Business Journal’s 2022 Tech Executives of the Year for the non-profit/government sector. He is chief information officer and senior vice president with Ivy Tech Community College. Matthew J. Iwema (SE, 2014) has been promoted to associate director of Eli Lilly & Company’s Manufacturing Execution System in Limerick, Ireland. Aaron M. Foreman (EE, 2015) is a substation engineer with Dashiell Corporation. Michelle Lollie (PH, 2016) is an advanced laser scientist with Quantinuum after earning a doctorate in physics from Louisiana State University. Christine E. Harper (BE, 2017) earned a doctorate in biomedical engineering from Cornell University. Gary L. Newell (ME, 2017) is a senior global product specialist with Kinze Manufacturing Inc., where has worked since graduation. Kiana R. Caston (CS/SE, 2019) has been promoted to a senior software engineer with Betterment. Brennan H. Santaniello (CHE, 2019) has been promoted to senior process engineer at Elanco’s plant in Clinton, Indiana.
Kalogon, a startup by Tim Balz (right) is off to a strong start helping wheelchair users.
