Catherine Aimone-Martin '71
Cathy received her BS degree in Geological Engineering from Michigan Tech in 1971. She then spent seven years in industry: four years with mining companies in Canada (Ontario and BC) and then three as Geological Engineer and Geotechnical Engineer with consulting companies in Washington State and Illinois. In 1979 she returned to academia and a doctoral program at Northwestern University where she received her Ph.D. in Mineral Resources Engineering and Management. Since 1981 she has been at New Mexico Tech, where she is now Chair of the Department of Mineral and Environmental Engineering. She currently serves on the U.S. National Committee for Rock Mechanics of the NRCC, National Academy of Science.
John Beitzel '61
After obtaining employment with Atlantic Richfield as a research geophysicist, John assumed positions with increasing responsibility. Eventually he became Vice President of Technology "with barely enough power (he claims) to prod the exploration portion of the company into the twentieth century with regard to computer applications." He then became Vice President of Exploration for the Eastern United States focusing primarily on the Gulf of Mexico Basin, on- and off-shore, where early goals were always exceeded.
Lee E. Blodgett '76
Lee received his BS degree in Geological Engineering from Michigan Technological University in 1976. He then spent twelve years working for the Dowell Division of Dow Chemical Company where he was District Manager, first in Michigan and then in Southern Oklahoma. At this time, he also had responsibility for environmental compliance. Lee then left and went to work as Director and Manager for Eastern Reservoir Services as part of a research team studying the Gas Research Institute's Antrim Shale Project.
During the late 1980's, he went to work for Wilcox Associates as a Project Manager/Engineer for two years. Since 1991, Lee has been . . .
William I. Boggs '48
Bill graduated from Michigan Tech in 1948 with a B.S. in Geological Engineering. Upon graduation, he began working for The Atlantic Refining Co. on seismic exploration crews. In 1951 Bill switched gears from the oil industry to mining and became a mining engineer with Pickands Mather and Co. working on iron in Minnesota and Michigan. Four years later he moved to Allied Chemical Corp. in Syracuse, New York, where he held the titles of principal mining and geological engineer, Assistant Director of Engineering, and Resident Manager of a Trona Mine in Wyoming.
In 1970, Bill became Manager of Business Development and Project Control for Boyles Brothers Drilling Co. in Salt Lake City, Utah. Bill left Boyles and assumed the positions of Vice President of Operations of Centennial Development Company and President of Coal Contractors, Inc. Bill retired in 1985 from Centennial where he was President and Chief Executive Officer.
William Brice '69
Bill obtained his B.S. in Geological Engineering from Michigan Tech in 1969. He continued his studies at the University of Minnesota where he received a Master of Engineering in 1971 and a PhD in Mineral Resources Engineering in 1981 with a concentration in Environmental Design, Law, and Economics.
While en route to his PhD he began his employment with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Bill worked with them throughout his entire career, culminating 19 years as Director of the Division of Lands and Minerals. As Director he was responsible for managing over 12 million acres of mineral rights and 7.5 million acres . . .
William H. Broman '53, '52
Bill joined Shell Oil Company in 1953 as a Junior Geophysicist and later became Area Chief Geophysicist. While working for Shell, his job titles included Director of Exploration Research, General Manager of Exploration and Production Research, General Manager of Offshore Exploration and General Manager of Rocky Mountain Exploration and Production. In 1990, he retired after 37 years of service, but his name is legendary within the company.
Ronald J. Christie '68
Ron began his career with Tenneco Oil Company where he was employed for 21 years. During his time at Tenneco, Ron was a Geological Engineering Supervisor and provided technical support to geological engineering staff who were involved with generating prospects and development drilling. He also held positions as Geological Engineering Manager for the Gulf of Mexico region and Exploration Manager for the Western Gulf Division. In these positions, he initiated and managed regional evaluation, lease acquisition, and exploratory drilling in the western Gulf of Mexico.
In 1989, he moved to Amerada Hess Corporation in Houston, Texas where he was Manager of U.S. Offshore . . .
Hilary G. Dussing '79
Hilary graduated from Michigan Tech with a B.S. in Geological Engineering in 1979. She immediately joined Tenneco Oil Company in Denver as a petrophysicist. After four years, she moved to Union Pacific Resources in Denver, where she worked as an exploration coordinator and as a team leader for offshore development, and eventually became general manager of their western region for all exploration, production, and transportation.
In 1999 she moved to Tom Brown Inc, as Vice President of Exploration, where she was responsible for company growth during a time that the budget for exploration quadrupled in one year. Two years later, she accepted an . . .
Philip C. Ellsworth '50
Phil served as a rifle squad leader in the 397th Infantry regiment, 100th Division, in France and Germany during WWII, before completing his B.S. in Geological Engineering from Michigan Tech in 1950. Following the completion of his degree, he spent a short time in the Gogebic Range for the Jones and Laughlin Ore company.
In 1951 he joined the US Atomic Energy Commission as an exploration geologist out of Grand Junction, CO where he was assigned to a field camp in the Lukachukai Mountains on the Navajo Reservation, and later to an office in Grants, NM. One year later he joined a uranium . . .
James A. Fegan '57
Jim began his career in 1957 as a geologist at US Steel in Hibbing, Minnesota. Four years later, he began a 33 year career with Cleveland Cliffs Iron Company rising through the ranks from geologist to operating engineer, pit superintendent, plant superintendent, and finally, general manager. During his tenure, he worked at the Humboldt, Republic, Tilden, and Empire Mines.
Currently, Jim is a self-employed senior consultant. Jim is very active in the community. He is an active member in his church; a former member and past President of the Ely Township Board of Education; former member and past President of NICE Community . . .
Arthur Gosling '58
Arthur Gosling got a BS degree in geological engineering from Michigan Tech in 1958 and joined the US Army Corps of Engineers from 1959 to 1961 where he worked on airfield construction, barracks, street and missile installations in Korea, Colorado and near Washington, DC. He then did graduate work at Colorado School of Mines and in 1964 began a seven year stint as a hydrologist and hydraulic engineer at the Water Resource Division of the USGS where he did water quality and groundwater studies and stream flow measurements in California, Wyoming, Montana and Colorado.
Since 1971 he has worked in engineering consulting in . . .
Richard Gray '82
While working toward his bachelor’s degree at Michigan Tech, he spent one summer as a roughneck on oil drilling rigs on the north slope of Alaska; he must have liked it, because he has spent most of his career in the oil business, but not as a roughneck. After graduating from Michigan Tech with a B.S. in Geological Engineering in 1982, he took a job with Amoco Production Company, which led him from Hobbs, NM to Casper, WY to their Research Center in Tulsa (twice), before ending up as exploration manager for their Denver regional office where he was responsible for a . . .
Bernard J. Guarnera '67, '64
Since 1994 Barney Guarnera has served as President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chief Operating Officer of Behre Dolbear and Company, Inc., one of the premier mining consulting companies. He has been responsible for developing the company into a multi-officed, multi-million dollar growing enterprise. His personal expertise is in the areas of evaluation and valuation of mineral properties, ore reserve estimation procedures, design and evaluation of exploration programs for precious and base metals, coal/lignite, uranium, and industrial minerals, as well as the negotiation and terms of mineral agreements.
Just prior to joining Behre Dolbear, he was Manager of Mineral and Hydro Resources for Boise . . .
L. Jack Gunter '65
After graduating from Michigan Tech in 1965, Jack worked in Canada's far north doing underground mining and surveying. From 1966 to 1974, he worked for Phelps Dodge and worked his way up to becoming Manager. Jack directed Canada wide exploration, where he found the La Gauchiere Cu-Zn deposit in Quebec. During this time, he was also a consultant in the Eastern United States and South America.
His 37 year career as a mineral industry executive was particularly highlighted from 1974 to 1989, when he served with the Rio Tinto Group as Head of Rio Tinto Finance and Exploration, Ltd. and RTZ Consultants, . . .
Kenneth G. Hatfield '50
Ken received his B.S. in Geological Engineering from Michigan Tech in 1950.
His first position following graduation was with the US Atomic Energy Commission where he was assigned to field camp in the Lukachukai Mountains. Ken dedicated thirty years to the mining industry specializing in mineral exploration. During that time, he also worked a short (two-year) stint in uranium production.
Following retirement from industry, the unexpected invitation to teach at a university allowed him to maintain an active role in the profession of his choice. Ken is now retired from Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
From 2004 Induction to the Geological and Mining Engineering and . . .
Peter Hermiston '61
Peter began his career at E.J. Longyear in Minneapolis working mainly on projects in the Western United States. He then served as a mine geologist for two mining companies in Canada until 1971 when he opened his own contracting business in the Red Lake Mining District. He closed his contracting business in 1992 and is now a consulting engineer.
Peter served as Reeve (Mayor) of Cochenour Township for several years. He is an avid traveler and fisherman. He has been a private pilot since 1955 and has served as a commercial pilot flying twin engine aircrafts from Hudson Bay to Northern Manitoba. . . .
John M. Hird '61
John had a 32 year industrial career before retiring in 1993; however, he still does consulting. John began his career with Allied Chemical in Syracuse, New York as a Geological Engineer working on solution mining of salt and potash in the United States, Canada and Mexico. During this time, he was also involved in exploration and evaluation of many industrial mineral deposits.
In 1965, he went to work in the Phosphate Division of Texasgulf Sulphur Company in Aurora, North Carolina, where he was a Geological Engineer and then advanced to Mine Manager. He was involved in ground water hydrology, open cast mining, ore . . .
Allan M. Johnson '67, '65
Al Johnson received an Associate Engineering Degree from Muskegon Community College before being drafted into the U.S. Army. While in the army, he became a Master rifleman and won two legs towards a Distinguished Riflemans Badge, the highest honor for a rifleman.
After his honorable discharge, he attended Michigan Tech and graduated with a B.S. in Geological Engineering in 1965, an M.S. in Geological Engineering in 1967, and a Ph.D. in Geology in 1971. Beginning part time as a student and then full time after finishing his Ph.D., Al worked at the Institute of Mineral Research here at Michigan Tech. In 1986, Al was . . .
Gregory A. Johnson '83
Greg began his professional career as a project geological engineer for Buchart-Horn of York, Pennsylvania. He then served as a senior geological engineer at W W Engineering & Science of Grand Rapids, Michigan and then as division manager of Sundberg Carlson Associates of Marquette. In 1991, Greg opened MJ Environmental Consultants, Inc. of Marquette where he serves as President.
Throughout his career, Greg has published several articles on groundwater, subsurface mapping, and pollution. He has presented these papers at several conferences and symposiums, some internationally. Greg is an avid fisherman and runs a charter boat on Lake Superior out of Marquette.
Greg graduated from . . .
F. James Knight '59
Jim has 33 years of experience at Gannett Fleming in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania where he is currently a Senior Vice President and a member of the firm's Board of Directors. His experience includes water resource planning, landfills and contaminated site remediation, geotechnical and geological studies, mineral investigations and development, and dam and flood control works engineering.
Jim is a Professional Engineer in Pennsylvania and Arizona and a Professional Geologist in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Indiana, North Carolina, Virginia, and Florida. Jim has served his profession as a member of the Board of Directors of the National Society of Professional Engineers, President of the Pennsylvania Society of . . .
Robert Laakso '64
Bob is currently the Owner and President of a company called Shaft and Tunnel Engineering Services, operating out of Holland Landing, Ontario. In addition to his B.S. in Geological Engineering which he received from Michigan Tech in 1964, Bob earned a graduate diploma from the Haileybury School of Mines in Haileybury, Ontario.
After leaving Michigan Tech, Bob worked with a wide variety of projects in a few different companies, including Dravo in Australia and the U.S. and Vice President of Harrison Overseas Construction, headquartered in Toronto, but supervising projects in Brazil and Peru. Bob has led a number of other projects, but one of . . .
Gregory Matiuk '67
Greg has dedicated his career to Chevron, now ChevronTexaco ,where he is corporate officer and Executive Vice President for Administrative and Corporate Services, ChevronTexaco Corporation and reports to the Office of the Chairman.
Some of the duties and titles he has held are: production and reservoir engineer for USA's Western Operations; coordinator of Chevron Overseas Petroleum, Inc., Australia and Africa; Superintendent for Chevron USA; Manager of Drilling and Production, Western Australia Petroleum Pty. Ltd. based in Perth, Australia; General Manager, Chevron U.K. Ltd., Aberdeen, Scotland; Vice President and General Manager, Western Business Unit, Chevron USA Production Company, Bakersfield, California; Manager for Strategic . . .
George R. McGinn '55
George graduated from Sudbury Mining and Technical School in 1949 with an emphasis on geology and mining. Following this, he was hired by INCO to do surveying and diamond drilling and later promoted to a contract miner.
In 1955, George graduated from Michigan Tech with a B.S. in Geological Engineering. He then joined Mobil where he remained for over 36 years until his retirement in 1992. During his tenure with Mobil, George worked in Calgary, Edmonton, and Athabasca Canada as well as New York and Denver, CO.
His job titles included: Senior Geologist responsible for developing oil and gas prospects; Senior Exploration Advisor in the areas . . .
Catherine Dummer McRae '83
Cathy began her career at Shell Oil Company in the Michigan Basin Development Engineering - Production Department. One of her many duties included qualifying as an expert geological engineering witness at a proration hearing which lasted over two years. Cathy then joined the South Texas Development Engineering - Production Department as Process Manager for on-shore well drilling and planning, and is a member of the Property Acquisition Evaluation Team. While in this position, she made recommendations for well development, coordinated budgets for development engineering, led two Field Asset Management Teams, and authored and presented several papers.
In 1996, Cathy became Technical Manager of . . .
David R. Nelson '79
Dave began his professional career with Tenneco as a Geological Engineer. His responsibilities included prospect generation and petrophysical analysis of their Arkoma Basin holdings in Arkansas and Oklahoma. In 1983, he moved to Petro-Lewis Corporation in Denver, Colorado where he directed the company's development of producing properties in Northeastern Oklahoma. During the petroleum price downturns in the mid 1980's, Dave shifted his attention to investment banking, while using his geological and petroleum knowledge.
In 1991, Dave joined Wavetech Geophysical, a Denver based provider of exploration services and began working on projects in the former Soviet Union countries. From 1991-94, he focussed on . . .
Thomas Pangborn '75
Tom Pangborn received his BS in Geological Engineering from this department in 1975 and has followed a distinguished career in oil and gas in Michigan. After graduation, he went to work as an engineer for Shell Oil in Traverse City where he has lived ever since.
In 1977 he began work as an exploration geologist for Reef Petroleum and in 1980 started off on his own as a managing partner for the Schmude and Pangborn Joint Venture. In 1983 he founded Pangborn Exploration and since 1989 has been Chairman and CEO of Savoy Oil and Gas.
He is a member of the Board of Directors . . .
William C. Quinlan '88
Bill graduated with honors from Michigan Tech in 1988 with a B.S. in Geological Engineering. Following graduation, he began his oil and gas career with Terra Energy Limited in Traverse City, Michigan. As Senior Production Engineer, he developed novel gas lift techniques which became industry standards for Antrim Shale gas production.
In 1997, he joined Jordan Exploration Company, LLC, continuing a focus on the development of unconventional hydrocarbon reservoirs as well as renewable energy projects. Bill has also worked in partnership with the Michigan Tech Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences since 1994 to conduct and coauthor several oil and gas . . .
C. Mark Rabagliati '69
Mark transferred to Michigan Tech after obtaining a Diploma in Mining Technology from Haileybury School of Mines in Ontario and received his BS in Geological Engineering in 1969. Since this time, Mark has worked in industry beginning with junior Canadian companies and major international companies working up to a geological exploration consultant with Hunter Dickinson Group.
He is currently President of his own company, Rebagliati Geological Consulting, Ltd. where he made his most recent discovery, the new Pebble Mine in Alaska – one of the world’s largest copper-gold-molybdenum porphyry deposits. He has also discovered Mount Milligan and Kemess in British Columbia; Campo Morado . . .
Walter N. Rognerud '71
Walt is holding one of the thousands of geophones that have kept him employed in oil exploration over his 30 plus year career. While working on his undergraduate degree in Geological Engineering, he interned two summers in mineral exploration. Upon graduating from Michigan Tech in 1971 with a B.S. in Geological Engineering, Walt went on to work in base metal exploration for U.S. Steel. He then returned to Michigan Tech for an M.S. in Geophysics (received in 1974), doing a field study south of the Keweenaw Fault near Mass City, with a research grant from Cleveland Cliffs Iron (CCI).
Walt took a job with an . . .
Rebecca L. Smits '86
After graduation, Becky began her career as a Geological Engineer with EC Jordan Company in Portland, Maine where she was responsible for subsurface exploration, design, testing, and construction of geotechnical projects. In 1988, she moved to Traverse Group, Inc. in Traverse City, Michigan as a Field Engineering Supervisor of hydrogeological projects at oil and gas well sites, gas stations, the Traverse City U.S. Coast Guard Station, and a U.S. E.P.A. biorestoration project. A year later she became Project Engineer with Otwell Mawby, PC in Traverse City, Michigan. As Project Engineer, she was responsible for remedial investigations and feasibility studies, preparing . . .
Samuel B. Treves '51
Sam received his B.S. in Geological Engineering from Michigan in Tech in 1951. He then went on to earn an M.S. in Geology from the University of Idaho in 1953 and a Ph.D. in Geology from Ohio State University in 1959. He was also a recipient of the Fulbright Scholarship to New Zealand between 1953 and 1954.
After completing his Ph.D., Sam began a life-long academic career at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. While here held positions including instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, full professor, and chair of the geology department; he was also an associate dean, and director/co-director of the snow and ice . . .
Dr. John Uhrie '91, '96
After earning his PhD, he joined Phelps Dodge Mining Company (now Freeport McMoRan) in the newly formed Process Technology Center. In that industrial R&D role, he developed new bio heap and tank leaching technologies.
Peter J. Van Altena '51, '50
In 1984, Peter retired from Dome Petroleum Limited in Calgary, Alberta. He started at Dome Petroleum as a Senior Staff Geophysicist dealing with seismic data in frontier areas. In 1975, he was promoted to Exploration Manager for the continental U.S., and in 1979, was named Vice President of Exploration. As Vice President, he managed an exploration department of over 300.
Before starting with Dome Petroleum, Peter was employed with United Geophysical Corporation in Pasadena, California. While with United Geophysical, he was Supervisor of Field Operations in Great Falls, Montana, western Canada, and the Arctic Islands as well as Party Chief in Chile and . . .
Gerald VanVoorhis '60
Gerald Van Voorhis graduated with a BS in geophysical engineering from Michigan Tech in 1960 and was a geophysicist with the US Coast and Geodetic Survey from 1961 to 1964, when he returned to Tech for a masters in geophysics. Then he went to work for Bear Creek Mining Company (the Exploration division of Kennecott) as Chief of their Geophysical Research Division from 1964 to 1973. Eventually he became Vice President of Exploration at Kennecott from 1981-85, a period when there were several famous deposits discovered, including the Lihi gold deposit in Papua New Guinea, the Crixas Gold deposit in . . .
James Wark '54, '54
While working toward his bachelor’s degree at Michigan Tech, Jim also worked as an underground copper miner in Ahmeek, MI. After earning his B.S. degrees in Geological Engineering and Mining Engineering in 1954 he spent four years with the U.S. Navy as a Naval Aviator. Following this he went to work for CF&I Steel as a mining engineer in Colorado and Utah. He later became CF&I’s Manager of Mines. Beginning in 1984 he was President of Evergreen Land and Resource Company.
In 1990 he started his own company, AirPhoto – North America, which combined his interests in geology, photography, and aviation. Airphoto . . .
Michael J. Whims '74
Mike has just begun his own consulting company after retiring from ANR Storage, an affiliate of ANR Pipeline Company, as Vice President of Storage. As VP of Storage, Mike was responsible for managing an essential public service with twenty-one operating plants, developing, approving, and monitoring a $26 million operating and capital budget, as well as managing a staff of 270 hourly and professional employees. Before holding this position, he held technical and operational positions with ANR Pipeline Company affiliates, MichCon and ANR Storage leading to the position of Director of Operations, Engineering and Construction.
Mike began his career with Texaco, and his duties . . .
Werner G. Zinn '66
Following graduation, Glen began working as an Exploration Geophysicist with the former Anaconda Company, and in 1969, was promoted to District Geophysicist. In 1971 he began a 15 year stint with Molycorp, Inc. (Unocal). While there, his job titles included Chief Geophysicist, Regional Exploration Manager of the southwest and Rocky Mountain Districts, Western Regional Exploration Manager, and Manager of Metals Exploration.
In 1986, Glen was appointed Assistant to the President of Hecla Mining Company, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho and two years later was promoted to Vice President to the Chairman. In 1990, he served as Vice President of Corporate Development and Exploration and was . . .