John Palmer '87
"It all started with Michelob Dark on tap at the Dog House," says John Palmer '87. When the metallurgy grad moved to California in 1988, he couldn't find a good beer, so he started making his own. Thus began the current best-selling home-brewing book on Amazon.com.
Frank Pavlis '38
Frank Pavlis got his first lesson in leadership before he started grade school.
"I had the good fortune to be born on a farm," he tells the inaugural group of Michigan Tech students enrolled in the Pavlis Institute for Global Technological Leadership.
Dr. David Peters '87
Dave Peters '87, BS, chemistry, from Dansville, Michigan, works for BASF in technical services. He chose to come to Michigan Tech because a high-school teacher told him he wouldn't succeed here.
"I wanted to prove him wrong," Peters remembers. He says he proved to be "stupid but saveable."
Ray Plewa '87
Ray Plewa '87, BS, chemical engineering, of Westerville, Ohio, came to Michigan Tech because of its reputation and because it was affordable. The latter was key because he had to pay his own way through school. "I was poor," he said. "I watched every penny."
Dawn Plitzuweit (Zarling) '95
She is the first person to be honored by the Molten/Women's Division II Bulletin as both an All-America Player (1995) and Coach of the Year (2006). As well, she has been named Coach of the Year in the conference, the state, and the nation. Plitzuweit has been an assistant coach for Tech, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.
Tom Porter '68
Dr. Merle Potter '58, '61
Merle Potter '58 was awarded the American Society of Mechanical Engineers 2008 James Harry Potter (no relation) Gold Medal. Potter received the award "for making a renowned impact on thermodynamics through forty-two years of outstanding teaching and through published textbooks on thermal sciences and applied mathematics, and for research on energy consumption in dwellings and industrial plants."