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 . . .
Martin G. Lagina '77
Marty Lagina graduated with honor in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. While a student at Michigan Tech he was a member of Tau Beta Pi and Pi Tau Sigma. He continued his education in the field of law and received his Juris Doctorate, with honor, from the University of Michigan in 1982.
Marty began his career working as a petroleum engineer for Amoco Production Company. In 1979, while attending law school, he was an independent petroleum engineer doing consulting engineering work for various Michigan corporations. In 1982 Marty founded Terra Energy Ltd., an oil and gas exploration . . .
Jane E. Laird '68
In 1968, Jane became the second woman to graduate from Michigan Tech in Electrical Engineering. She worked for a variety of employers including Amoco Chemicals Corporation, McNamee, Porter & Seely, and as a civilian with the U.S. Air Force. In 1972, Jane joined Ford Motor Company and has worked in various engine-related areas including alternators, regulators, batteries, ignition systems, powertrain planning, and powertrain technical education. She is currently the Best Practices Team Leader for Core and Advanced Powertrain Engineering. She is a Life Trustee of the Michigan Tech Fund, Charter Member of the Michigan Tech Council of Alumnae, President’s Club Member, and Second Century Member.
Laurence J. Lamb '52
Retired President and CEO, Steep Rock Resources Inc.; Mining Engineer, Algoma Ore Properties, Wawa, Ontario; Assistant Mine Engineer and Chief Engineer, Hilton Mines of Pickands, Mather & Company in Shawville, Quebec; Operating Assistant and General Mine Superintendent, Marcona Mining Co., San Juan, Peru; Supervising Engineer, Canadian Bechtel Ltd., Montreal; Mine Manager and Vice President of Steep Rock Resources; Chairman of Processed Minerals Inc.; Member, Ontario Professional Engineers; Life member, Canadian Institute of Mining; MTU Founders Club, Huskies Club, Deans Club; Board of Control Silver Medal; Outstanding record of civic service.
From 1997 Induction to the Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences Academy
Charles Lamoreaux '56
Charles (Chuck) Lamoreaux earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan Technological University in 1956. After graduation, he worked in California for Northrup Industries, Fairchild Instruments, TRW Inc, and Hyper-Air Engineering Company. In 1965, Chuck and his wife, Gayle, started American Bristol Industries Inc. The company manufactures high and low pressure air and gas systems, and air purification and air monitor equipment used in scuba diving and fire services. Chuck has several patents in this field. American Brisol Industries was sold in 2002 and Chuck is now retired.
While a student at Tech, Chuck served as vice-president of his junior class and president . . .
Rom LaPointe '92, '92
President of a rapidly growing business, past President of the MTU Alumni Association Board of Directors and proud husband and father of four kids; life is good for Rom LaPointe. A 1992 MTU graduate, LaPointe credits many things for his success, but it all started with growing up in downstate Michigan.
Jeff Larson '96, '96
Lights, Music, Action! Jeff Larson has always felt he had an advantage in life: exposure to his passion, electronics, early on—in his case, as a tot.
He was taking things apart when he was 4; he experimented with a small Tesla coil when he was in grade school; he built a bigger one when in high school; and he crafts outsized ones these days to put on light shows, for which he and two colleagues are famous. “The phenomenon has always been very interesting to me,” he says.
Charles J. Laurila '59
Chuck Laurila earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1959 and began his career as a field engineer with Boeing Company's Aerospace Division. He spent seven years with Boeing, becoming a senior engineer working on the Minuteman missiles at Air Force bases in the Western states. Chuck then worked for Cleveland Cliffs Iron Company and was responsible for the maintenance program in the crushing and concentrating section.
In 1969 he joined Champion Incorporated and has spent the last twenty-nine years with the company. Chuck's career at Champion has encompassed many positions in the Mechanical Division including Sales Engineer, Chief . . .
Pasi Lautala '97, '07
Pasi Lautala ’97 ’07 knows about cold climates. He’s from Finland, where it snows much the way it does in Houghton. He knows what arctic temperatures and freezing or thawing ground can do to railroad tracks and ties: heaving them, twisting them, turning them dysfunctional in a dozen different ways.
Gary L. Lawrey '79
Gary Lawrey earned a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan Tech in 1979. He continued his education at the University of Detroit towards an M.S. degree in Engineering Management in 1986. Gary began his career in the automotive industry with Ford Motor Company in 1979 as a Process Engineer. He advanced to Plant Manager in 1996 at Ford's Berlin Plant in Berlin, Germany.
Upon his return to the United States he took a position with Visteon as an Advanced Engineering Manager for the Interior and Exterior Division. In that role, Gary managed systems-related technologies and advanced plastics and processing initiatives. After twenty . . .
Craig C. Lazzari '42
Craig Lazzari graduated from Michigan Tech with a BS in Mechanical Engineering with honors, then served in the U.S. Navy in World War II. He began work in 1947 as a project and sales engineer for the Fish Engineering and Construction Corporation. He participated in the engineering and design of the Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Project, the Pacific Northwest Pipeline and various projects for Humble Oil Company, Shell Oil Company, El Paso Natural Gas, and Colorado Interstate Corporation. Twelve years later he became vice president of the Fish Engineering International Corp. In 1958 he negotiated a natural gas and oil pipeline with . . .
Floyd H. Lee '41
Floyd Lee received his BS in Mining Engineering from Michigan Tech.
After graduation, he spent four years in the U.S. Army Combat Engineers in the Pacific. Prior to joining Hanna in 1949, he held mining engineering positions with the Oliver Iron Mining Company and in Bolivia. With Hanna, he held a series of positions in Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, and finally Cleveland, where he retired. He was a member of AIME and the AMC.
He was honored with the Michigan Tech Board of Control Silver Medal in 1972 and served on the Michigan Tech Fund Board of Trustees for ten years. He also chaired the Class of . . .
Cathy Leslie (Kuchta) '83
Catherine Leslie '83 has an open hand and an open heart these days. Leslie, whose degree is in civil engineering, is president and executive director of EWB-USA, a job that wears her out, but she wouldn't trade it for the world. The volunteer work takes about twenty hours per week on top of her regular employment. "I get tired," she says, "but I'm not sorry I'm doing it in the least. I love it."
Susan M. Lewis '87
Susan is the Global Technology Center Director within the Dow AgroSciences (DAS) business of The Dow Chemical Company and is responsible for technology and improvements for the global DAS Operations. The global technology center is responsible for process research, improvement & capabilities, and capital investments for over 100 production facilities worldwide in order to achieve the business strategy.
Susan started in Dow Chemical after graduating with a Chemical Engineering degree from Michigan Tech in 1987. She has worked in several different technologies including Agricultural Chemicals, Cellulosics, Emulsion Polymers and Polyglycols & Surfactants. Throughout implementation of her roles, she has traveled to over 18 . . .
Karl V. Lindell '28
Retired Executive Vice President and Director, Hazemag USA, Inc. and Hazemag Canada, Inc.
Karl Lindell earned BS and MS degrees in Mining Engineering from Michigan Tech and holds an honorary doctorate in engineering from Michigan Tech and honorary doctorates in science from Laval University and the University of Sherbrook.
Karl is regarded as a leading international expert on asbestos mining and production, having visited most of the world's deposits of the mineral. He was General Manager of the Asbestos Fibre Division, Chairman of the Board of Canadian Johns-Manville Company, Director of Johns-Manville Corporation, and Vice-President of Operations of Johns-Manville Corporation.
He is a Life Trustee of the Michigan Tech Fund and . . .
Mr. Charles Lingelbach '39
Mr. Charles Lingelbach, a native of Oconto, Wisconsin, began his career at the Haas Brewing Company, Houghton in 1934, understudying his father, master brewer Charles J. Lingelbach, Sr. After earning a degree in Chemical Engineering in 1939, he worked in the fermentation cellars of Pabst Brewing Company in Milwaukee. In 1940 Pabst sponsored his attending Wallersteins Brewing Academy in New York City to earn a certificate in brewing chemistry.
After service in the Army Air Force, he became the first Research Associate of the Institute of Paper Chemistry, Appleton, Wisconsin in 1945. In 1948 he joined Marathon Corporation’s commercial development department as a . . .
Daniel P. Lorenzetti
It is only fitting that Dan Lorenzetti receive this award, for all he has done for Michigan Tech.
He is a member of the President’s Society, and he donated ten acres of land to the Mont Ripley ski hill. Lorenzetti co-chaired the Let It Snow campaign for snowmaking equipment on Mont Ripley, raising more than $750,000 in local contributions.