Alumni & Friends Magazine - Summer 2015

ALUMNI & FRIENDS MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2015

Contact Us! We love to connect with our alumni and friends!

Admissions Office 612-374-5800

Alumni Office 612-381-8191

Annual Giving 612-381-3064

Career Services 612-381-8121

Development Office 612-381-3064

Legacy Gifts 612-381-3061

Workforce Training & Continuing Education 612-381-3306

[email protected]

Facebook.com/Dunwoody/ AlumniAssociation

Linkedin.com/ DunwoodyCollegeAlumniAssociation

www.dunwoody.edu/alumni

Has your address or phone number changed? Want to receive event announcements and updates via e-mail? Send an e-mail to [email protected].

VICE PRESIDENT OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT: Stuart Lang DIRECTOR, ALUMNI RELATIONS: Edith Bolin EDITOR & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER: Jennifer McNeilWRITER: Kara Rose, RoseWritingEDITORIAL ASSISTANCE: Allie Swatek & Ari Rodriguez

From Past to Present:The Evolution of Engineering at Dunwoody College of Technology

engineering

Contents

1 Letter from the President

2 The Dunwoody Engineer

4 The Self-Starter: Vern Discher

6 The Innovator: Duane Treiber

8 The Visionaries: Charles Donatelle & Michael Donatelle

10 The Entrepreneur: Jack Mowry

12 The Professor: Bob Bach

14 The Future: Tamara Guck

16 From The Alums

18 Campus News

22 Alumni & Friends News

26 C. Charles Jackson Leadership Lecture Series

28 Alumni Board of Managers

29 Calendar of Events


Spring 2015 Notes and CorrectionsDunwoody College of Technology would like

to recognize Jane BohlS for her contribution

to the College at the Sponsor level during

the 2013-2014 fiscal year. Her name was

inadvertently left off the Honor Roll of Donors

and we sincerely apologize for the oversight.

Send Us Your Suggestions!Seeking 40 Under 40 For Alumni & Friends Magazine Feature

In a 2016 edition, we will be highlighting some or our young Dunwoody alumni who are making an impact in their chosen career fields for a “40 Under 40” feature.

We are looking for wide variety of great stories from Dunwoody alumni under the age of 40.

If you, or someone you know, has a story to share, please contact us at [email protected].


Last year around this time we were gearing up for the Centennial Gala — the culmination of the College’s 100th anniversary celebration. Parallel to that, we were looking forward to the next 100 years at Dunwoody. The result of that process was a strategic plan that was approved by the Board of Trustees at its October 2014 meeting. As you would expect, Dunwoody will continue to focus on technical education that in the words of our founder “fits” our graduates for the “better performance of life’s duties.” But the College must do so in a way that responds to changes in industry need and workforce demographics. Over the past year we have made substantial progress on key elements of that plan: growing enrollment in our traditional programs and offering four-year engineering degrees.

Initiatives are already underway to grow enrollment in our traditional programs. With the help of numerous grants, including a W.K. Kellogg Foundation grant, we launched the Women in Technical Careers program, which provides funding to female students enrolling in programs in which they have typically been under-represented. With support of many partners we have expanded enrollment in the Youth Career Awareness Program. We also recently added a position to our Admissions Department that will focus on expanding our recruiting to out-state and out-of-state high schools and two-year colleges. In addition, we continue to invest in and seek money for scholarship programs to recruit traditional students into Dunwoody’s core programs. All of these initiatives will ensure Dunwoody’s core programs remain vibrant, providing skilled technicians to meet Minnesota’s workforce needs.

Another key element of the strategic plan is the creation of a School of Engineering. Industry partners identified a gap in engineering education in Minnesota and asked Dunwoody to bring our model of hands-on, project-centered learning to engineering education. To that end, I am proud to let you know that Dunwoody has made the first step to making that happen: we have received all the needed approvals to start offering a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in fall 2016. You’ll find out

more about Dunwoody’s plans to launch the School of Engineering — and how many alumni and friends are already making an impact in the field — in the pages of this magazine. As we seek to grow the College in response to the needs of our workforce and community we will need everyone’s help. Whether that’s steering individual students our way; facilitating further industry and community partnerships; or helping us raise funds for scholarships, we can’t build the next phase of Dunwoody without you.

Stay committed, be proud — we are Dunwoody!

Rich Wagner, Ph.D.President, Dunwoody College of Technology

STA

N W

ALD

HA

USE

R

Letter from the President

1DUNWOODY COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY — A L U M N I & F R I E N D S M AG A Z I N E — S U M M E R 2 0 1 5

Exciting changes are just around the corner for Dunwoody College of Technology! In response to a national shortage of engineers, Dunwoody plans to open a new School of Engineering in fall 2016, when up to 20 freshmen will enter the new Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (B.S.M.E.) program. B.S. programs in software engineering, civil engineering and other high-demand engineering fields are planned to follow shortly after.

“Dunwoody is once again looking to the future and responding to industry needs with the addition of the new School of Engineering,” said President Rich Wagner. “At the same time, we will remain true to the ‘Dunwoody Difference’ by utilizing the same model of hands-on, applied education that has proven successful for the past 100 years.”

By 2020, enrollment in the School of Engineering will reach 300, according to College leaders. With the opening of the School of Engineering, Dunwoody will emerge as a comprehensive technical education powerhouse for the 21st century.

“The addition of the School of Engineering was a natural progression for Dunwoody,” said Provost Jeff Ylinen. “Our current programs have provided us with a strong foundation and the addition of engineering will allow us to take this needed next step while remaining true to our core mission.”

The Dunwoody Engineer

1914Dunwoody opens its doors. Machine Tool is one of the first programs.

1915Welding and Forging program launched.

1919Mechanical Drafting program opened.

1920sMachine Design program started.

1942US Navy personnel trained for service abroad Naval ships and submarines during World War II.

2000sMetrology Lab commissioned.

First Haas Technical Education Center in Minnesota opened with five CNC (Computer Numeric Controlled) machines.

2 DUNWOODY COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY — A L U M N I & F R I E N D S M AG A Z I N E — S U M M E R 2 0 1 5

Ylinen added that the College spent more than a year researching, planning, and seeking industry input before deciding to move forward with the School of Engineering.

Additional investments in faculty, equipment, labs, student ser-vices and learning spaces will benefit all Dunwoody students.

These new stand-alone engineering programs will augment the College’s certificate, A.A.S., B.S. completion, and pro-fessional education programs. They are designed for highly talented Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) students who have the academic skills to handle a calcu-lus-based curriculum, but who can also take a machine apart and put it back together again.

“We’re excited about the opportunity to offer these new programs,” says Carla Pogliano, Vice Provost for program development and compliance. “We’re doing our homework to plan outstanding programs that will appeal to strong STEM students with creative and inquisitive natures.”

On the Shoulders of GiantsFrom the opening of Dunwoody College in 1914, to the debut of the Engineering, Mechanics and Metrology Lab in

2015, Minnesota industry has partnered with Dunwoody to educate the next generation of engineering employees and entrepreneurs.

Many of Dunwoody’s most prominent alumni (some of whom are profiled in these pages and previous issues of this magazine) forged their way in engineering fields and built successful companies without the benefit of a four-year degree. Dunwoody would not be what it is today with-out their leadership in fields like tool and die, mold-making and mechanical drafting and design.

Times have changed, though. Today, a B.S. in engineering is the required first step on the path to professional licensure. Only a licensed engineer may prepare, sign and seal, and submit engineering plans and drawings to a public author-ity for approval, or seal engineering work for public and private clients. Engineers are in hot demand in industry.

The School of Engineering will build on the success of our alumni and the effectiveness of existing programs in robot-ics, welding, machine tool and other disciplines. It will em-phasize hard work, discipline, integrity and creative problem solving — the very same values that have been hallmarks of the Dunwoody experience for more than a century.

2000sMetrology Lab commissioned.

First Haas Technical Education Center in Minnesota opened with five CNC (Computer Numeric Controlled) machines.

2011Bachelors completion program in Industrial Engineering Technology launched for A.A.S. graduates.

2012CNC lab upgraded to 15 machines.

College receives FANUC Robotics Training Center certification and seven robots.

Partnered with Carl Zeiss Industrial Metrology to install latest measuring technology.

2013First class of B.S. in Industrial Engineering Technology graduates, with 100 percent job placement.

2015Minnesota Office of Higher Education approves Dunwoody’s plan to offer B.S. in Mechanical Engineering.

Engineering, Mechanics and Metrology Lab opens.

2016School of Engineering opens. First freshmen enter B.S. in Mechanical Engineering Program.


The Self-StarterVern Discher, ‘48 Engineering Drafting & Design TechnologyVisit Vern and Shirley Discher’s Prior Lake home and you’ll see Dunwoody pride. A Dunwoody pennant hangs over the door in the den. Certificates acknowledging Vern’s membership in the Dunwoody 50-Year-Club and the Legacy Association are displayed on the wall, next to scores of family pictures and a map showing the couple’s travels around the world and to all 50 states.

“Shirley and I have been truly blessed in our journey through life,” says Vern. “This isn’t a ‘me’ story; it’s a ‘we’ story.”

The couple met on a double date in Minneapolis when they were still in high school. Vern was hooked instantly, but marriage had to wait until after he completed his military service in Germany and graduated from Dunwoody.

Once he had settled into work at West Bend Aluminum Company (a job the College arranged for him), he and Shirley launched their life together.

In the following years, Vern moved through a series of positions that built his knowledge of extruded aluminum manufacturing and sales.

“I was always looking for better jobs with higher pay, so I moved around from company to company in those early years,” he explains, admitting that there were a few times when he tried some “wild scheme to be my own boss” that didn’t work out. “I think I just had a built-in desire to be independent,” he explains.

In 1975, he was named general manager of Northland Marine, a division of Northland Aluminum Products that manufactured marine windshields and portholes.

The company was struggling, and Vern and CEO/owner Dave Dalquist turned it around by moving into extruded aluminum fabricating, an industry Vern knew very well.

With a new name of Northland Fabricators and a new product line, sales took off. In 1979, when Northland Aluminum was ready to sell the division, Vern and plant manager Larry Holen, bought the company, renaming it Norfab.

“A lot of the success of Norfab was my ability to hire the right people,” explains Vern. He focused on sales, and let other people do their jobs.

Shirley was often at his side at trade shows, business dinners and calls on key customers. “She did an excellent job,” says Vern. “She loved people and people loved her. We’d go to a trade show, and they’d show up at our booth and say, ‘Where’s Shirley?’”

In 1987, Vern sold his share of the company and retired to travel the world with Shirley.

“I have great personal pride in the fact that after more than 25 years, Norfab is still very much in business and that most of the employees that were there when I left are either still working there or have retired from Norfab.”

“When I look back on my career, I see that things just evolved,” says Vern. He’s pleased to see that Dunwoody continues to evolve too. “When I was there, Dunwoody was all drafting boards and tee squares,” he remembers. “Now it’s all computers. It fascinates me to go through it and to see what the young people are doing and the things they’re creating.”




When Duane Treiber, ’58 Machine Tool, was a kid growing up on a central North Dakota farm, he’d tell his mother, “I want to invent something; I just don’t know what.”

In high school he transformed junk-yard parts into equip-ment and put hydraulics on a tractor well before they were standard features on new models.

“That drive to create was always part of me...I just needed a little more training,” he says. “Dunwoody enabled me to become more skillful in a trade I really enjoyed. It’s the best investment I ever made in my life.”

While working for local shops after graduation, Duane started building miniature engines and tools in his base-ment as a hobby. In 1965, after he realized that industry needed people with precision skills to make high-end, complex, close-tolerance parts, he launched Custom Mold & Design.

“I started out wanting to build one of the finest tool shops with the best craftsmen I could find who shared my ambition.”

Duane served as president of the Minnesota Tool and Machining Association and founded the Minnesota Mold Building Association. He often invited students from Dun-woody and area vocational-technical schools to the Custom Mold shop to give them a taste of the work. Some of them shared the entrepreneurial fire that fueled Duane; some didn’t.

“Some people are content working for other people, and others want to be the ones who provide the jobs,” he says. “That’s just human nature.”

As a job-creator, Duane tried to provide a clean, safe work environment and treat employees humanely. If valued em-ployees wanted to leave, for example, he’d give them two

paid days off to look around for another job and then tell him what they saw. They always came back to work. And if someone turned out to be a poor fit for his company, he tried to help them find a position with another company that was a better fit.

“I was only successful because other people helped me be successful.”

By the time Duane sold the companies in 2000, he em-ployed 75 people at Custom Mold and AusTech Mold & Design, which he’d founded in Austin, Texas in 1986 to meet the needs of 3M’s Texas production facilities.

His focus now is on his wife Shirley, who has Alzheimer’s Disease. Shirley had done the bookwork when he started the company in their basement, and later kept their home running smoothly while the self-proclaimed workaholic built the business. “A spouse who shares the same passion for the business is essential in building a family-run company,” says Duane.

Another secret to his success, he says, was lifelong learning. “To be successful you have to be in a constant learning pro-cess. The best thing you can do in life is to teach something important to a person who is willing to learn.”

In retirement, Duane returned to the precision-skill hobby that started it all: building highly detailed models, including ships.

“Life is such a learning process,” says Duane, who has also delved into photography and photo- and video-editing late in life. “If I died tomorrow, I’d feel like I’ve lived a life-and-a-half. Dunwoody was a big, important part of that. It gave me just what I needed.”

The Innovator Duane Treiber, ‘58 Machine Tool


Donatelle engineers work with tool designers,

process technicians, quality technicians, and

manufacturing personnel to develop and

continuously improve systems and processes,

from early product development through

end of program life.


Machine Tool and Die graduates Charles Donatelle, ’65, and Michael Donatelle, ’67 (co-founders of medical device contract manufacturer Donatelle) say they learned some im-portant life lessons as youngsters in northeast Minneapolis.

“We both had evening paper routes growing up,” remem-ber the brothers and business partners. “If the paper wasn’t delivered by 5 p.m., we were in big trouble with our dad. This little bit of fear and learning the consequences taught us personal responsibility early on.”

As teenagers, Chuck and Mike attended Minneapolis Vo-cational High School and spent three hours of every school day in machine shop. At Dunwoody they focused on tool and die making, but the future entrepreneurs also found that classes in “soft skills” like business letter writing and speech were helpful.

During and shortly after their Dunwoody years, they worked at a plastic injection molder. “Several of the mold-makers had shops in their basements, and we were inspired to do the same,” they remember. “We were passionate about what we were doing and felt the rewards and opportunities would be greater being self-employed.”

The tool design and fabrication business they launched in Chuck’s basement in 1967 is today a global company with medical device engineering expertise ranging from cardiac rhythm management and cardiovascular surgery to diabe-tes, spine, and neuromodulation.

“Our strong work ethic, dedication, determination, and drive served us well throughout our lives.”

“We gave up free time to spend with our families [to build the company], but we really did not know any other way to do it,” they explain. “In our opinion, if a person thinks

he can play hard and still build a business, they better have some pretty good skill sets.”

Today Donatelle employs nearly 500 team member associ-ates, including several Dunwoody graduates and approxi-mately 60 engineers.

Company President Treasa Springett is a member of the Dunwoody Board of Trustees.

“Our engineers work very closely with our customers to design and build medical devices to ensure we meet our customers’ specifications,” explain the Donatelles.

Donatelle engineers also work with tool designers, process technicians, quality technicians, and manufacturing per-sonnel to develop and continuously improve systems and processes, from early product development through end of program life.

“We think a person has to have a vision on what technol-ogies, systems, and personnel you need in place to keep the company competitive and efficient,” they explain. “This never ends. That’s why hiring the right employees to do this is rewarding and helps you keep moving forward.”

The company also has internships that provide hands-on experience for Dunwoody and other students.

What is their advice to would-be entrepreneurs? “Like what you are doing and take pride in doing a good job. Your customers will recognize this, and good things can happen. You also need to have an appreciation for the administra-tive side of running a business. As a company grows, the complexities of the administrative side require big invest-ments, and there are no short cuts.”

The Visionaries Charles Donatelle, ‘65 Machine ToolMichael Donatelle, ‘67 Machine Tool


On paper, Jack Mowry’s two companies, Metal Craft in Elk River, Minn. and Riverside Machine and Engineering in Chippewa Falls, Wisc., employ around 225 people.

“But we think of it as 225 families,” says Jack, ’71 Engi-neering Drafting & Design. “We have all these families who depend on us to do our jobs, and we depend on them to do their jobs. We all work together to make a nice living.”

Jack is now semi-retired, helping his children Sean and Trisha, the current owners, learn the business.

“I don’t think I’ll ever completely leave the business,” says Jack. “I’ll always be here.”

Jack grew up in Pine City, Minn. and Howard City, S.D., with eight brothers and sisters. When a high school teacher gently told Jack he wasn’t cut out for industrial engineering, he didn’t listen. Instead, when he heard that Dunwoody was offering a six-month tool and die program to help meet an urgent industry need, he enrolled.

“At the beginning of the course they told us they’d make sure that the top half of the class got jobs, and that the bottom half was on their own,” remembers Jack, though he suspects that nearly everyone got jobs anyway. “Dun-woody gave me confidence. When I left there I had no doubt I could do whatever I wanted to do.”

Later, when he wanted to learn more about designing parts to take on more responsible work for his employer, he com-pleted Dunwoody’s mechanical design program.

Confident that he could do even more challenging work, in 1978 Jack returned to machining and founded Metal Craft in a 200 square-foot basement with just a couple of milling

machines and a saw. Shortly thereafter, the stakes went up considerably when the company bought its first CNC (Computer Numeric Control) milling machine at a cost of $39,000.

“That was more than I paid for my house,” says Jack.

Since then, his shops have evolved dramatically and kept up with emerging technology. In 1996, Jack acquired Riverside Engineering in Chippewa Falls from Cray Research.

“The change in the equipment since I started is so dramat-ic,” explains Jack. “Today we machine with laser, wire and water. The changes are just phenomenal. It’s like going from the dark ages to now.”

About 25 percent of the business is involved with aerospace and defense manufacturing, and 75 percent is machining close-tolerance parts for surgical instruments and implants.

“The work we do is complex in more ways than one,” says Jack. “We have to trace every step of the job to ensure that we haven’t added any new chemicals or processes without notifying the customers.”

Today, engineers are involved in all steps of production, from quoting to processing to inspection.

“The hardest part of being in business is getting good, qual-ified people who can help you,” says Jack. “What upsets me most is that we don’t have enough women applying for these machining and engineering jobs. Some think that it’s a dirty, grimy job, but it’s not. It’s a clean job, and you don’t have to bow your head to anybody, because it’s an occupa-tion that will always keep you employed.”

The Entrepreneur Jack Mowry, ‘71 Engineering Drafting & Design




The Professor One fateful night in 1972, 17-year-old Bob Bach, ’77 Tool and Die, was the sole attendant at a small-town gas station when a group of armed men walked in and demanded money. “I realized being a gas station attendant wasn’t a good career plan,” laughs Bob, 40 years later.

Looking for a different path, he took an aptitude test and headed to Minneapolis to work as a machinist. A super-visor who noticed Bob’s talent suggested he should enroll at Dunwoody to learn toolmaking. For the next two years, Bob went to Dunwoody days and worked nights at tooling shops.

Since then, Bob’s been a toolmaker, an engineer for two leading corporations, an instructor and a professor. For years he told his three daughters (all educators), “When I grow up, I want to be like you — a teacher.” Now he’s giving back and sharing his experience with engineering students as a full-time clinical (teaching) professor at the University of St. Thomas.

“Looking back, I’m just amazed at where I’ve come,”Bob said. “I had some great instructors at Dunwoody who I will al-ways remember,” says Bob, recalling Leon Brewer, ‘55 Ma-chine Tool, Woody Knutson, Cy O’Laughlin, Al Wildgrube, ‘65 Machine Tool and others. “They held people account-able and instilled a sense of dedication and appreciation for quality work. They were very careful in assessing our work and took time every day to give us feedback.”

At Dunwoody, he says, he learned that each person has a responsibility to make a difference in the world.

After graduation he joined Honeywell’s force of 800 Twin Cities toolmakers and met Archie Asunma, ‘41 Machine Tool, who was his apprenticeship supervisor.

“I worked with some amazing, smart people at Honey-well,” remembers Bob. “I loved the hands-on aspect of being a toolmaker, but I was also intrigued by the intellectu-al and technical challenges of being an engineer.”

Recognizing the benefits of being a continuous learner, Bob earned a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from the Uni-versity of Minnesota and eventually a Master of Science in Manufacturing Systems from the University of St. Thomas.

He describes the 2004 layoff from Honeywell as the worst and best thing to happen to his career. Within 10 weeks he was a senior manufacturing engineer with St. Jude Medical, working on design-to-production transfer of medical devic-es in California, Boston, Costa Rica and Brazil.

In 2014, he signed on with St. Thomas as a fulltime clinical (teaching) professor, building on years of part-time course development and teaching for Dunwoody and other insti-tutions.

Bob is a member of the Dunwoody Alumni Board of Man-agers and has advised the College on development of the new engineering program.

“I’ve always admired Dunwoody toolmaking grads who had the courage to be real entrepreneurs and succeeded,” says Bob, “but there is also a world of opportunity for engi-neers.”

To be truly great engineers, he says, they need to learn how to apply the principles in the realm of reality. “That’s why industry asked Dunwoody to create this engineering program — to bridge principle and practice and make truly great engineers.”

Bob Bach, ’77 Tool and Die


As project manager for Savvysherpa, Inc. Tamara Guck, ‘15 Industrial Engineering Technology, helps the company implement programs that use a line of data-driven motion detectors and pedometers to help people get moving and help employers and insurers cut medical costs.

“I enjoy having an impact on people’s lives,” says Tamara. “My education and work experience have really empow-ered me to make a difference.”

The Brooklyn Park, Minn.-based company uses data science to develop business processes, sales strategies, insurance plans, performance-improving software and consumer products. Now that the programs Tamara helped implement have hit the market, she continues to work closely with healthcare providers and insurance companies to keep the systems — and their users — up and running.

Tamara’s career path was anything but traditional, but that’s situation-normal for Dunwoody, where more than 40 per-cent of students are over age 25.

After graduating from high school in 1998, Tamara started working second shift on law-book binding machines for Thomson Reuters. While still working in production, she moved into a support role for the SAP Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, which companies use to tie together functions like human resources, production, manufacturing and distribution.

“That brought me into the office, where I was exposed to more of the process-improvement side of things and more IT work,” Tamara said. Building on that experience, she earned an associate’s degree in business administration and worked as a tax con-

sultant for Deloitte Tax for more than two years.

“I was convinced I was going to become a CPA,” she laughs now. Instead, she went back to Thomson Reuters and then Toro Company, working as a business analyst in their sourcing departments. “I like supply chain work — sourcing materials, receiving them, and having exposure to manufacturing. That’s the piece I was missing in the tax world.”

“I knew I liked mapping out and improving business pro-cesses. When I found out there was this thing called indus-trial engineering and the curriculum was similar to what I’d been doing my whole career, it just made sense to enroll in a four-year degree program.”

She chose the Dunwoody program because she could attend class at night at her own pace, and still take care of her young family.

“Dunwoody instructors are all so good,” says Tamara, “and it was really helpful to have people who have been industri-al engineers as instructors. They brought real-life experience to students, and I could relate to them more.”

Applying her associate’s degree to Dunwoody’s 2+2 bache-lor’s degree program, she was able to complete the pro-gram in three years while working full-time.

“Having a four-year degree increases your earning power, and a lot of employers are seeking that as a basic require-ment,” explains Tamara. “A bachelor’s degree is critical for engineers today, whether they are mechanical, industrial, civil or software engineers.”

The FutureTamara Guck, ’15 Industrial Engineering Technology



“General Mills has a long history with Dunwoody, and we put tremendous value on the capabilities of its graduates. I believe that in the global marketplace of the future, technical people will play an even larger role in making companies more agile and efficient. Increasingly, engineers will need to be grounded in both hands-on technical capability and scientific theory to help them better integrate mechanical and electrical systems with information technology and apply these to solve business problems. I see the addition of the B.M.E. program as a natural evolution for a technology-based institution.”

Gregg StedronskyVice President of Engineering, Global Safety and Environment

General Mills

“When I started Thomas Precision, Inc. more than 30 years ago I never expected that it would grow to the company it is today, providing parts

to the food processing industry all over the world. It was a good idea that gradually grew.

Dunwoody prepared me to do interesting work and develop two very good businesses.”

Donn Thomas’64 Machine Tool

Founder, Thomas Precision, Inc.

“In product design, designers/drafters and engineers work together, and they all contribute at different points in the design process. Which

program students choose really depends on where they want to be in their careers, but we want all Dunwoody graduates to understand how things

are made and be able to think on their feet.”

Alex Wong’12 Drafting & Design

Instructor, Dunwoody College of Technology

Executive Director, Midwest Robotics League


“At Dunwoody we learned how to think through problems to logically figure out what needed to be done. I still use that today. In medical device research we have a lot of complex problems we’re trying to solve.”

Tom Anderson’90 Engineering Drafting & Design

Senior Principal Design Technician, Medtronic

“We have a nationwide shortage of engineers. Employers in Minnesota and around the country are constantly trying to back-fill the ranks and think about who will be running their engineering programs three years from now. We simply need to educate more engineers — especially women — and get them hired.”

Bob FayfieldFounder and CEO, Banner Engineering Corp.

“Industry is looking for people who have multiple skills — not just people who get good marks in science and math, but people who know how to design, build and manage projects; who are

innovative and creative; and who understand and respect people on the manufacturing floor.

Graduates of Dunwoody’s four-year engineering programs are going to be in some very interesting,

responsible jobs in very short order. In 15 to 20 years we’ll see a lot of new businesses coming from them.”

Joel Elftmann’60 Machine Tool

Chairman of the Board, CustomFab Solutions

Former Chairman of the Board of Trustees


newsCAMPUS

Robotics & Manufacturing Department Hosts Summer STEM Camp

Dunwoody’s Robotics & Manufacturing department hosted the College’s first ever Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) Camp June 23-25.

The camp — sponsored by Boston Sci-entific — introduced STEM careers like mechanical, civil, electrical, software and industrial engineering to high school juniors and seniors.

During the camp, students were able to engage in multiple hands-on activities, including: building and testing a bridge; designing and wiring a 3D-printed flashlight; creating a soft-ware business plan; and participating in a Lego manufacturing simulation, which was led by Boston Scientific engineers.

“It’s important for students interested in STEM to understand all of the op-tions available to them,” said Indus-trial Engineering Technology Principal Instructor and camp coordinator Janet Nurnberg. “And although this camp just scratched the surface of STEM

opportunities, we are excited to help students along their journey of explor-ing their future career options.”

Dunwoody’s Robotics Team First in Region, Fifth in Nation

This spring, Dunwoody’s Midwest Ro-botics League Team had two victories to celebrate. The team earned First Place at the Regional competition in April and Fifth Place at the National competition in May.

Both the regional and national competitions are held annually and feature robots designed and assem-bled by students.

This year, Dunwoody entered two robots into both competitions — “Wedgey” and “Reburn.”

The League is open to all Dunwoody students, creating a unique opportuni-ty for students in various programs to work together — each bringing their own area of expertise to the process.

Each team must also present their ro-bot to the panel of judges by sharing drawings, describing the design pro-cess and explaining why they chose the materials they did.

Wedgey was also named one of the “Best Engineered Robots” at the national competition.


“Dunwoody gave me the opportunity and the tools to achieve my goals in having a career I can be proud of and be happy doing the rest of my life.”

—Jesse Gable ‘15 Automated Systems & Robotics

“Technologies are a wonderful career. I have been able to reach every dream I’ve ever wanted.”

—Sona Mehring, CEO & Founder of CaringBridge, 2015 Commencement Speaker

Class of

Congrats to the Grads!

Each year, a number of Dunwoody alumni are invited to participate in Commencement. The following Dunwoody alumni marched during this year’s event: Peter Hansen, ’65 Auto Electric; Pete Hanson, ’71 Air Conditioning; Jerry Jones, ‘62 Architectural Drafting & Design; Mike Loegering, ’65 Civil Technology and Land Surveying; Layton Mattson, ’65 Electrical Construction & Maintenance; Gary “Dutch” Schulz, ’65 Electronic Systems Technology; Jerry Shore,’65 Machine Tool Technology; Dan Smith, ’52 Civil & Landscape Engineering; and Glen Wegner, ’65 Automotive Service Technology.


Automotive Collision Repair & Refinishing Student Surprised with Tool Grant

This spring, ABRA Auto Body partnered with the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) to award collision repair students with tool grants.

With the help of Automotive Collision Repair & Refinishing Principal Instructor Bruce Graffunder, Dunwoody student Anthony Pung learned he was one of those students during a class lecture.

The grant provided Pung with the opportunity to select $2,000 worth of Snap-On tools and equipment from a list of entry-level body tools.

“The grant will make a huge difference in my life by pro-viding me with the tools that I need to be successful in my career path,” Anthony said.

Two Grads are Finalists in Sherwin-Williams Design Challenge

Two 2015 Interior Design graduates—Andrea Mbali and Jessica Curtis—are among the 10 finalists in the Sher-win-Williams STIR Student Design Challenge.

The national challenge provides stu-dents with an opportunity to create and submit a color rendering of an interior space for a residential and/or a commercial design. The submission requires the use of at least three Sher-win-Williams paint colors in addition to a project statement describing the project and explaining how color was essential in creating the design.

“This is the first year two of our stu-dents have chosen to enter this partic-ular competition — and now both are national finalists,” said Interior Design Principal Instructor Colleen Schmaltz.

Each submission undergoes two rounds of judging and is scored on originality; overall design aesthetics; best use of color palette; and the over-all project statement.

“All of the studio classes and building technology courses have taught me how to design creatively and utilize real practices,” Curtis said.

Mbali, who hopes to specialize in Hos-pitality design, took the idea of a tra-ditional spa in a whole new direction for her “Felicity Day Spa” submission.

Curtis submitted “Flex Art Gallery and Studios,” a more commercial design, inspired by real Minneapolis structures and landmarks.

Hearst Foundation grant will support WITC Initiative

A new grant from the William Ran-dolph Hearst Foundation will help Dunwoody College of Technology attract and prepare more women for technical careers.

In June, Dunwoody was notified that the Hearst Foundation, with offic-es in San Francisco and New York City, is awarding the College with a $50,000 grant to support the Wom-en In Technical Careers Initiative.

The Initiative seeks to increase the number of female students and broaden their access to well-paying careers in technical and STEM-relat-ed fields.


Y C A P“Seeing all the things you can do...it opens your eyes. This is a great opportunity.”

—Michael Nakada Machine Tool Technology

Dunwoody’s Youth Career Awareness Program (YCAP) is providing a group of 36 high school seniors and first-year Dun-woody students, the opportunity to explore a wide-range of career options.

This summer, the students spent five weeks learning more about the technical pro-grams offered at Dunwoody and improving their college-readiness.

YCAP was founded in 1988 and seeks to en-hance career opportunities and college access

to more students from diverse backgrounds.

Students accepted into the program are current high school juniors, seniors and potential first-year Dunwoody College of Technology students. All applicants must be in good academic standing at their school, driven to succeed, interested in technical careers and have a strong financial need.

This summer the students spent time par-ticipating in several hands-on activities and visiting potential future employers.

Dunwoody College of Technology stu-dents performed well again this year in the SkillsUSA Minnesota Contest held in April at various locations in the Twin Cities, including the Dunwoody campus.

Overall, 20 Dunwoody students competed in nine contests, including Architectural Drafting, Automotive

Service Technology, Automotive Re-finishing, Collision Repair Technology, Electrical Construction Wiring, Indus-trial Motor Control, Related Technical Math, Web Design and Welding.

Students medaled in five of the con-tests, with five in first place, two in second place and two in third place.Five Dunwoody students went on

to compete in the national competi-tion this past June. The 51st Annual SkillsUSA Competition was held in Louisville, Ky.

The students placed nationally in the following contest areas: Related Technical Math; Web Design; Collision Repair; and Automotive Refinishing.

Dunwoody College of Technology Students Perform Well in State and National SkillsUSA Contests

When Gerardo Solas learned about YCAP, he thought it would be a good opportunity to explore different careers and visit workplaces. This has allowed him the chance to consider jobs that he never knew existed and to better know which ones appealed to him. He called the opportunity to explore the different technical programs “eye-opening.”

—Gerardo Solas Toyota Technical Education Network

Tabby Yean said that she enjoyed the opportunity and the hands-on activities the Dunwoody instructors provided. She also appreciated learning about different technical companies through site visits.

—Tabby Yean High School Senior


newsALUMNI & FRIENDS“It is rewarding to see how well this cherished education and training landmark has gone through so many

changes in the past five decades and yet has remained dedicated to quality learning and the students it serves.” —Lanny N. Okonek ‘65 Baking

1965 Reunion: A Class ActMore than 150 alumni and friends attended this year’s 50 Year Club & Legacy Luncheon event on April 30 at the College. The event included induction of the Class of 1965 into the 50 Year Club and honored members of the William and Kate Dunwoody Legacy Association.

Pictured above, Class of 1965 attendees were: Verdell Hanson, Allan Munson, Gary Reimann, John Hubley, Arnold Sachs, Peter Hansen, Mike Loegering, Russell Agrimson, Curtis Murray, James Mack, Jerry Shore,

Glen Wegner, Gary Palicek, Doug Boxeth, Donald Hora, Clement Goneau, and Gary Sculz.

Pictured top, left: Bob Strom, ‘63 Machine Tool Technology, Former Board of Trustee Member; and Arlene Strom.

Pictured right: Verdell Hanson, ‘65 Architectural Drafting & Estimating.

Pictured bottom right: Doug Boxeth, ‘65 Printing & Graphics Technology.


Thursday, October 22, 2015 11:30 a.m.

You’re InvitedKate L. Dunwoody Society Luncheon

Held in recognition of the vision and generosity of Kate L. Dunwoody, the

luncheon supports women in technical careers and raises

scholarship dollars for female students.

Keynote SpeakerJulie Snow, FAIA

Founding PrincipalSnow Kreilich Architects, Inc.

Dunwoody College of Technology818 Dunwoody Boulevard(Parking Reserved on site)

Cost:Individuals — $40

Men & women are welcome

RSVP: October 15Questions: 612-381-3064 or

[email protected]

Sponsored by

Individual tickets are available and table sponsors will host a current

female Dunwoody student at the event.Visit dunwoody.edu/alumni/KDL

for sponsorship information and event registration.

Dunwoody College of Technology held its 12th Annual Alumni & Friends Golf Tournament on Monday, Aug. 10 at Edinburgh Golf Course in Brooklyn Park. Twenty-four businesses and corporations gener-ously sponsored this year’s event, and more than 120 golfers and volunteers helped make it a fun and successful day! All money raised from the tournament goes directly to support Dunwoody students through scholarships. Thank you to all of our sponsors, participants and volunteers for your support!

Pictured top left: (From left) Drew Johnson, ‘99 Electrical Construction & Maintenance; Nick Zagaros, ‘99 Electrical Construction & Maintenance; President Rich Wagner; and Board of Trustees Vice Chair Charles Westling.

Pictured top right: (from left) Tim Blair and Jeff Hawthorne, ‘89 Electrical Construction, ‘11 Electrical Construction & Maintenance, ‘15 Applied Management, Alumni Board of Managers.

Pictured middle: (from left) Jeremy Chouinard, ‘07 Architectural Drafting & Estimating; Scott King, ‘01 Architectural Drafting & Estimating; Greg Clark, ‘74 Architectural Drafting & Estimat-ing; and Vernon Jones, ‘11 Architectural Drafting & Estimating.

Pictured bottom left: (from left) Mark Jes-sen, Alumni Board of Managers; Lee Jes-sen, ‘53 Printing & Graphics Technology; Steve Stone, ‘77 Electrical Construction & Maintenance, Alumni Board of Managers; and Corey Stone.

Pictured bottom right: (from left) Rick Ostgard; Derrick Grams, ‘08 Architectural Drafting & Estimating; Kelly Peterson, ‘04 Architectural Drafting & Estimating; and Gregory Dietz, ‘05 Architectural Drafting & Estimating.

Golfing for a Good Cause


Volunteers of

Dunwoody College of Technology held its annual Slice of Summer event on June 17. The event is a social gathering that introduces new students and their families to the campus. Many Dunwoody alumni volunteer their time and help out during the event. This year’s volunteers were: Larry Raasch ’77 Architecture Drafting & Design; Kristy Raasch ’08 Interior Design; Ben Granley ’10 Applied Management; Chuck Bowen ’66 Auto Electrical; Mark Zeeman ’83 Architecture Drafting & Design, keynote speaker (pictured top center); Nick Zagaros ’99 Electrical Construction & Maintenance; Chris Swingley ’81 Architecture Drafting & Estimating; Keith Hill ’77 Air Conditioning; Michael Schlueter ’14 Applied Management; Eric Mayfield ’12 Auto Collision Repair & Estimating; Sabrina Eisert ’15 Interior Design; Dan Cooper ’10 Electronics Systems Technology; and Brennatta Harris ’12 Architectural Drafting & Design.

In 1963, Roy, ’50 Ma-chine Tool, and Florence Groves helped make theatre history on their first date, when they went to see the brand-new Guthrie Theater’s first production – “Hamlet.” The couple

remained together until Florence died of Alzheimer’s disease more than four decades later. Roy passed away a few years after Florence and left a lasting legacy by including Dunwoody College of Technology in his will.

Roy once said, “If it weren’t for Dunwoody and the skills I learned, I’d still be on the farm in South Dakota.” Roy was a Machine Tool instructor for many years, as well as a faithful contributor to the College.

“Dunwoody contributed much to the econ-omy and provided a good labor force,” Roy said. “A Dunwoody education helped many young people realize their potential.”

Read more stories like this online at dunwoodygiving.org.

Building a Legacy


together

The Thank You and Making the Future models were created on a Stratasys Fortus 250 at Dunwoody.

ON TO THE “NEW YEAR”

At Dunwoody, we never stop making the

future. The world is changing quickly and our

students need the technical knowledge and

the leadership skills to design and create

things to make life better for everyone.

To help us start the new year strong, make

your gift today using the enclosed envelope.

Consider giving a monthly gift to become a

long-term investor in Dunwoody’s future.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO ANOTHER YEAR OF

hank you to the more than 1200 individuals and organizations who contributed

to Dunwoody in 2014-2015! Your gifts totaled more than $5.1 million in cash and

in-kind support. Your contributions were used to make the greatest possible impact

on our students in their classrooms and labs through academic program support and

financial assistance.

Your generosity helps make the future better for students by enhancing their Dunwoody

experience from Day One of school to Day One of their career. And your loyal giving helps

Dunwoody by investing in our future so we can plan for what’s on the horizon.

DUNWOODY.EDU


Fir

st T

hu

rsd

ay C. Charles Jackson

leadershiplectureseries

lead

Leadership Lectures from Leading Professionals

Event Schedule:7:00 Registration & Breakfast7:30 Leadership Lecture8:00 Q & A Session8:30 Program Concludes

Students - complimentary (RSVP requested)Alumni and Friends - $20.00Payment is made at the door.

To RSVP, e-mail [email protected] or call 612-381-3064.

Future Speakers:

October 1 — Kay Phillips, Owner, ATEK Companies

November 5 — Twanya Hood Hill, Vice President Leadership Development, Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.

December 3 — Nancy Dahl, President & COO, Tastefully Simple, Inc.

First Thursday C. Charles Jackson Leadership Lecture Series McNamara Center, Dunwoody College 7:30 a.m., First Thursday of Each MonthThe Jackson Leadership Lecture Series features key ex-ecutives from the business community, who are invited to speak on a range of leadership topics. It is a breakfast lecture series held the first Thursday of every month for alumni, friends and students of Dunwoody College of Technology.

The Lecture Series was first launched in February 2015 and featured Dr. Bruce Jackson, a talented speaker and expert in leadership and human performance. Dr. Jackson kicked off the lecture series by providing a framework for leadership at any level of an organization. Dr. Jackson is the CEO of The Institute of Applied Human Excellence and the Executive Director of the C. Charles Jackson Foundation.

In April, former NHL player Ben Clymer was the second speaker in the series. Clymer is currently a hockey reporter and analyst for Channel 45 and Fox Sports North and a

Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch. Clymer spoke about taking ownership in your life through personal leadership.

CEO and President of Fabcon Companies Michael LeJeune was the featured speaker in May and spoke about the importance of corporate culture.

Award-winning architect and Founding Partner and Prin-cipal Emeritus of SALA Architects, Inc. Dale Mulfinger spoke in June. Mulfinger used his time to emphasize the values of hard work, teamwork, excellence and building positive relationships.

In August, Top Tool Companies Owner and CEO Elizabeth Abraham shared her personal journey, which she related to a series of leadership lessons that ranged from learning from your mistakes to surrounding yourself with a great team.


C. Charles Jackson

leadershiplectureseries

May 2015 — Michael LeJeune, CEO & President, Fabcon Companies, pictured with President Rich Wagner and Alumni Board of Managers President Mark Falconer, ‘68 Welding

June 2015 — Dale Mulfinger, FAIA, Principal Emeritus, SALA Architects, Inc., pictured with President Rich Wagner.

August 2015 — Elizabeth Abraham, Owner & CEO, Top Tool Co., pictured with Provost Jeff Ylinen, ‘79 Air Conditioning.

Dunwoody Alumni Of�ce

Please send feedback, story ideas and suggestions to [email protected].

Find more news and information online at

dunwoody.edu/alumni.

Connect with Dunwoody alumni and the Alumni O�ce through Facebook and LinkedIn.

Have you moved? Changed your e-mail address? Don’t

miss out on news and events, keep your info

current by sending address, phone and e-mail changes

to [email protected].

We’re Listening

Visit Us Online

Update Your Info

Stay Social


Build n HoNor n Connect

In Honor of our

ALUMNI

Help Us Fund the Alumni Honor WallTo build pride among students, help students connect with

Dunwoody’s impressive alumni network, and honor Dunwoody

alumni, the Alumni Board of Managers is creating an Alumni Wall.

The large interactive display will celebrate and honor alumni and

encourage current students to stay involved in the College after

graduation.

Go online at dunwoody.edu/alumni/alumniwall

to make your donation today!

Volunteer and re-connect with fellow Dunwoody alums!Interested in volunteering for a couple of hours at an event, or helping out a student? Contact [email protected], or call the Alumni Office at 612-381-8191.

of ManagersALUMNI BOARD

It is one of the Alumni Board’s greatest pleasures to present the Alumni Stu-dent Leadership Award to a student who exemplifies leadership, scholastic excellence, community service and school spirit.

Students nominated for this award are some of the most impressive students of the graduating class, however Ben Shiek still stood out.

Ben was in the Automotive Service Program and maintains a GPA of 3.89, while working, married and raising a

young daughter. Ben is a veteran and maintains a disciplined work ethic while juggling all these responsibilities.

Ben’s commitment to the College goes beyond his academic success. He has volunteered his time to represent the College and the student body and he volunteered to serve on the Auto De-partment’s Program Advisory Commit-tee after graduation.

The Alumni Board of Managers is proud to present Ben Shiek with the 2015 Student Leadership Award.

Alumni Board Recognizes Automotive Grad with Leadership Award

of Alumni Board of Managers donate to the Dunwoody College of Technology Annual Fund.

Making A Difference

The Alumni Board presented Benjamin Shiek with the Alumni Student Leadership Award at the Graduation Awards Dinner in April. Pictured (from left): President Rich Wagner, Board of Managers President Mark Falconer, ‘68 Welding; Benjamin Shiek, ‘15 Automo-tive Service Technology; Alumni Board of Managers Vice President Andhi Michaux, ‘03 Computer Networking Technology; and Provost Jeff Ylinen, ‘79 Air Conditioning.

Program Advisory Committees

Board of ManagersEvent Volunteers

Industry Site Visits Guest Speakers

735Alumni & Friends who

volunteered their time at Dunwoody in the past year.


2015President’s DinnerSpecial event for donors of $1,000 or moreThursday, September 24, 6:00 p.m.Minneapolis Club

C. Charles JacksonLeadership Lecture SeriesThursday, October 1, 7:30 a.m.Speaker: Kay PhillipsOwner, ATEK CompaniesMcNamara Center, Dunwoody College

Duluth Area Alumni & Friends EventsWednesday, October 7, 6 p.m. Alumni & Friends DinnerKitchi Gammie ClubThursday, October 8, 10 a.m.Golf with the President, Enger ParkThursday, October 8, 6 p.m.Alumni & Friends SocialCanal Park Brewery

Wisconsin Area Alumni & Friends EventsTuesday, October 13, noonNew Richmond Alumni & Friends LuncheonTable65Wednesday, October 14, 8 a.m.Eau Claire Alumni & Friends CoffeeLocation TBAWednesday, October 14, noonLaCrosse Alumni & Friends LuncheonThe WaterfrontWednesday, October 14, 6 p.m.Beloit Alumni & Friends DinnerDomenico’s Italian RistoranteThursday, October 15, 8 a.m.Appleton Alumni & Friends CoffeeLocation TBA

Rochester Area Alumni & Friends SocialThursday, October 15, 6 p.m.The Tap Room

Kate Dunwoody LuncheonThursday, October 22, 11:30 a.m.Keynote Speaker: Julie Snow, FAIAFounding PrincipalSnow Kreilich Architects Inc.McNamara Center, Dunwoody College

Colorado Area Alumni & Friends EventsWednesday, October 28-Friday, October 30Locations – TBA

C. Charles JacksonLeadership Lecture SeriesThursday, November 5, 7:30 a.m.Speaker: Twanya Hood HillVice President, Leadership DevelopmentAmeriprise Financial Services, Inc.McNamara Center, Dunwoody College

Retired Board of Trustees LuncheonThursday, November 12, 11:30 a.m.Minneapolis Club

Give to the Max DayThursday, November 12www.dunwoody.edu/alumni/give

C. Charles JacksonLeadership Lecture SeriesThursday, December 3, 7:30 a.m.Speaker: Nancy DahlPresident & COO, Tastefully Simple, Inc.McNamara Center, Dunwoody College

2015/2016Alumni & Friends Calendar of Events

2016C. Charles JacksonLeadership Lecture SeriesThursday, January 7, 7:30 a.m.Speaker: TBAMcNamara Center, Dunwoody College

Florida Area Alumni & Friends EventsWednesday, January 20, 6 p.m.Alumni & Friends SocialFort Meyers Brewing CompanyThursday, January 21, 11:30 a.m. Alumni & Friends LuncheonFoxfire Country ClubThursday, January 21, 2 p.m. Golf with the PresidentFoxfire Country ClubFriday, January 22, 7 a.m. Minnesota Club BreakfastInformal gathering of DCT alums

C. Charles JacksonLeadership Lecture SeriesThursday, February 4, 7:30 a.m.Speaker: TBAMcNamara Center, Dunwoody College

Arizona Alumni Regional EventsWednesday, February 10, noonAlumni & Friends Luncheon & TourMesa Cactus Garden (Mesa)Thursday, February 11, noon Alumni & Friends LuncheonLocation TBA (Scottsdale)Thursday, February 11, 6 p.m. Alumni & Friends SocialPhoenix Brew (Phoenix)Friday, February 12, 11:30 a.m. Alumni & Friends LuncheonArrowhead Ranch (Phoenix)Friday, February 12, 3 p.m. Golf with the PresidentLocation TBA

All event dates are subject to change. For more information on any event, please contact the Alumni Office at 612-381-8191 or [email protected].


Inquiries and information should be addressed to:

818 Dunwoody Boulevard Minneapolis, Minnesota 55403

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

NON PROFIT

U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

TWIN CITIES, MN

PERMIT NO. 3726


Contact Us! We love to connect with our alumni and friends!

Admissions Office 612-374-5800

Alumni Office 612-381-8191

Annual Giving 612-381-3064

Career Services 612-381-8121

Development Office 612-381-3064

Legacy Gifts 612-381-3061

Workforce Training & Continuing Education 612-381-3306

[email protected]

Facebook.com/Dunwoody/ AlumniAssociation

Linkedin.com/ DunwoodyCollegeAlumniAssociation

www.dunwoody.edu/alumni

Has your address or phone number changed? Want to receive event announcements and updates via e-mail? Send an e-mail to [email protected].

VICE PRESIDENT OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT: Stuart Lang DIRECTOR, ALUMNI RELATIONS: Edith Bolin EDITOR & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER: Jennifer McNeilWRITER: Kara Rose, RoseWritingEDITORIAL ASSISTANCE: Allie Swatek & Ari Rodriguez

Documents

Alumni & Friends Magazine - Summer 2015