Abraham Wagner '02
Abraham Wagner is not the kind of guy who can sit still. He has this inner drive to contend with.
It started long before he decided to become a mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter and step into a cage with huge men intent upon inflicting as much damage upon him as possible . . .
Daniel Wakeman '90
Daniel S. Wakeman graduated from Michigan Technological University in 1990 with a BS in Computer Science. While at Michigan Tech, he served as the treasurer of Blue Key. He subsequently received a MS in Business Administration from Central Michigan University and is now an active member of the Wharton Fellows Program at the University of Pennsylvania.
Jane L. Waldron (Grady) '84
Jane was an early student in Michigan Tech’s Environmental Engineering program, and she graduated in 1984 with a bachelor’s degree in Engineering. After graduation, she joined Limno-Tech as an environmental engineer. After a short career in computer modeling of water quality, she moved to Dow Corning to join their Corporate Environmental Compliance department.
Thomas K. Walker '68
Tom Walker earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan Tech in 1968. He spent eight years with General Motors, then joined Volkswagen of America in 1976 as general superintendent of the assembly plant in New Stanton, Pennsylvania. From 1979-1985, he was general manager of a Volkswagen subsidiary producing air conditioning evaporator and condenser coils in Ft. Worth, Texas.
From 1985-1992, he was president and general manager of Allied-Signal Automotive Catalyst Co., a $250 million subsidiary of Allied-Signal in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He moved to ITT Automotive and his current position in 1992 as president of ITT Automotive and vice president of ITT . . .
Karen Wallace '88
Wallace started her career as a Process Engineer at Dow Corning Corporation. She left Dow Corning after two years to return to school full-time for her MBA. Following the completion of her MBA in 1992, Wallace joined ARCO Chemical Company as a Senior Financial Analyst before moving to Los Angeles to join the parent company, Atlantic Richfield.
Robert R. Wallace '49, '49
Retired President, R.R. Wallace & Associates
Robert R. Wallace graduated with honors from the Michigan College of Mining and Technology in 1949 with BS degrees in Mining Engineering and Metallurgical Engineering, and also with a Bachelor of Mining Engineering. While in college, he was active in many campus organizations such as Blue Key, Tau Beta Pi, Yearbook, Alpha Sigma Mu, and Student Council, as well as intramural sports. He was also listed in Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities.
Bob joined U.S. Steel’s Oliver Iron Mining Division in Hibbing, MN, as a mining engineer in 1949. In 1954, he became supervisor of engineering for the Sherman Group. . . .
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 . . .
Mr. Joseph M. Warren '59
Mr. Joseph M. Warren joined the 3M Corporation as a Produced Development Engineer in the reflective products division after earning a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering in 1959. Mr. Warren worked on such products as reflective highway signs, industrial bar code systems, reinforced plastics, and vibrations dampers used in industrial products and in building construction. He was promoted to general manager, of the adhesives, coatings, and sealers division in 1981 and to divisions vice president in 1983. He began his international career as Senior Managing Director of 3M Italy in 1984 and was promoted in 1989 to Vice President Europe with . . .
Scott Wazny '94
Renowned climber Yvon Chouinard said that when scaling mountains, he never felt scared, instead totally alive.
By that standard, Scott Wazny '94 is on cloud nine literally and figuratively. On May 30, 2005, he reached the summit of Mt. Everest.
Robert C. Weed '42
Retired President, Natural Resources Group
Senior Corporate Vice President, Anaconda Company
Robert Weed received a BS in Mining Engineering from the Michigan College of Mining and Technology in 1942. After graduation, he served in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from 1942-46, rising to the rank of Captain. He was awarded the Silver Star by General Patton in 1943 for gallantry in action at the Battle of Kasserine Pass in Tunisia, North Africa.
He joined the Anaconda Company in 1946, where he worked as a mining engineer in Butte, MT. In 1948, he transferred to Compania Minera de Cananea, a subsidiary of the Anaconda Company, in Cananea, Sonora, . . .
Caleb Wendel '04
In their classes at the School of Business and Economics, Steve Vizanko ’04 and Caleb Wendel ’07 learned how to craft a detailed business plan and meticulously estimate a new enterprise’s growth.
Dr. James S. Westwater '75, '34
Retired Sr. Vice President, Operations, Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company
James Westwater earned a BS in Mining Engineering in 1934 from the Michigan College of Mining and Technology and received an Honorary Doctorate of Engineering from Michigan Tech in 1975.
After graduation, he served two years as a drilling and blasting engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He then went on to several engineering positions including an exploration project in Chuquicamata, Chile. In 1941, he joined Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company which began a distinguished 38-year career. He served in various positions including Manager of Mines in Ishpeming, MI from 1941-58 and Vice President of Mining from 1958-70. During this . . .
Calvin J. Wheeler '50
Calvin Wheeler began his professional career with General Electric, where an early assignment to develop, design, and test programs for B-52 on-board power systems led to his lifetime interest in power generation. After brief posts with McCulloch Corporation and Harnischfeger Corporation, Cal began his twenty-eight-year career with the Kohler Company in 1961. He retired in 1990 as senior engineer in Kohler’s generator division.
Since 1971, Cal has supported the University with annual donations, as well as generous gifts from his estate, which benefit faculty grants and the Rozsa Center. In 1995, Cal donated notes and a prototype for a DC traction motor he had . . .
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 . . .
Gerald L. White '73, '73,
Gerald White entered Michigan Tech in the fall of 1970 after a four year tour in the Air Force as an electronics technician. He completed degrees in electrical engineering and engineering administration in 1973. Following graduation, Jerry worked as a process engineer with Owens-Corning Fiberglas, also completing his MBA. Following a stint with Babcock and Wilcox he joined the Magnetics Division of the Allen-Bradley Company in 1981 as a product manager, becoming Corporate Marketing Manager when TDK of Japan bought the Magnetics Division in 1987. In 1992 Jerry became Vice President for Sales and Marketing for the General Magnetic Company, with promotion to Vice President and General Manager in 1998. In 2001, he became a partner with his wife Mary in White Training and Consulting.
Harold Wiens '68
Harold Wiens graduated from Michigan Tech with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering in 1968 and started work at the 3M Company, headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota. Wiens took on managerial responsibilities in 1980, which included six years with 3M Europe and three years as head of 3M's largest international company in Japan.
Tim A. Williams '76, '82, '85,
Dr. Tim A. Williams (MTU Class of 1976) is the CEO of Beach Technologies, LLC, a consulting company that provides intellectual property assessments and investment due diligence studies for large multinational companies and venture funds. He is also the chairman of Docco Tech, Inc., a company that trains engineers in wireless standards, VoIP, and RFID. Additionally, Dr. Williams holds the position of CEO at BEEcube, Inc., which builds high-speed computing engines based on FPGA logic circuits. Finally, as chairman of Digital Schools, Inc., Dr. Williams has helped the company become the premier supplier of software tools for the management of K-12 public school districts.
Paul E. Williams '61
Paul Williams is a graduate of Negaunee High School and the only member of his family to attend college. He graduated from Michigan Tech with a BSEE in 1961 and spent most of his career in the aerospace industry with Hughes Aircraft.
Paul credits Michigan Tech with changing his life forever by creating career opportunities he never thought possible. In 2011, Paul established an endowed scholarship for Negaunee High School seniors enrolling at Michigan Tech and was a major benefactor of the new Paul and Susan Williams Center for Computer Systems Research, located on the fifth floor of the Electrical Energy Resources . . .
Dr. Randall E. Winans '71
Dr. Winans received his B.S. in Chemistry from Michigan Tech in 1971 and a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Cornell in 1975. He joined the Chemistry Division at Argonne National Laboratory where he is now Senior Chemist.
In his distinguished career in fuel science he chaired conferences, served on review panels for DOE, NSF, and universities, and he is on the editorial board of several journals. In 1988 he received the American Chemical Society's Henry H. Storch Award in Fuel Science.
From 1997 Induction to the College of Sciences and Arts Academy
William Winiarski '73
William Winiarski came to Michigan Tech because of "its singularity of purpose" - engineering. When he left Tech, he became a singular success, but he never envisioned the accomplishments he achieved. A native of Chesaning, Michigan, Winiarski graduated from Michigan Tech in 1973 with a bachelor's in civil engineering. College was "tough sledding," he says, but his Tech education prepared him "very well" for the workaday world.
Mr. Hugh Winn '40
Mr. Hugh Winn was born in St. Louis Missouri in April 1918. He attended Michigan Tech and graduated with a BS in Chemical Engineering in 1940. Hugh, the son of a Civil Engineer, had three brothers, two of who attended Michigan Tech, one in Mining Engineering and the other in Electrical Engineering. Following graduation, Hugh joined Dow Chemical Company where he worked on the development of Saran.
During the Second World War, Hugh was an Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering and Director of the plastics laboratory at Case Western Reserve University. While at Case Western, Hugh completed his MS in 1944 and his Ph.D. . . .
Linda Wittbrodt (Johnson) '83
Linda Wittbrodt received a bachelor's degree in Computer Science from Michigan Tech in 1983.
Linda began her career as an Engineer in the Picture Tube Division at Zenith Electronics where she wrote software to perform statistical analysis on data taken from pilot picture tubes which was then used to determine production specs. Later, as Lead Programmer she was responsible for programming equipment used to automate production tasks on the new flat screen monitors being designed.
Nancy Wizner '77
Nancy came to Michigan Tech after receiving an associates degree from Delta Community College in Saginaw, Michigan. She graduated from Mich Tech in 1977 with a bachelors degree in Forestry. Later, she received her masters degree in Fire and Emergency Management from Oklahoma State University in 2002.
Dr. Frank G. Woodruff '85, '40, '39
Retired President and Chief Operating Officer, Gulf Resources & Chemical Company
The late Frank Woodruff received a BS in Mining Engineering (1940) and Geology (1939) from the Michigan College of Mining and Technology. He received an Honorary Doctorate of Engineering from Michigan Tech in 1985.
After graduation, he served in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and went on to hold many positions with various mining companies. In 1954, he joined Kennecott Copper Corp., which began a distinguished 16-year career in the Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico Divisions. In 1970, he became President and General Manager of Bunker Hill Co., a subsidiary of Gulf Resources & Chemical . . .
Dr Terry J Woychowski '78
Terry Woychowski has done so much for so many and is clearly worthy of being the first recipient of the newly established Humanitarian Award.
With his immediate family, Terry founded the Woychowski Charitable Foundation, sponsoring a Michigan Tech Senior Design Team to build a “Human-Powered Hammer Mill.” He has formed a partnership with the World Hope organization to manufacture these grain processors and deploy them in sub-Saharan Africa to assist local villages in the preparation of their food staple. A second version was recently designed by yet another senior design team and Terry’s daughter Jamie, is travelling to Africa to manufacture and distribute them.
Richard L. Wunderman '88, '83
Rick attended Foothill Junior College after graduating early from high school. After his mother insisted he find a summer job that was in line with his interests and skills, he chose one that required being a licensed boat pilot on Isle Royale. He took the job, and on one occasion, too far offshore, he was struck by lightning and knocked unconscious.
Rick obtained his B.S. from the University of California, Berkeley, where he was a member of its Sailing Club. Following graduation, he took a job as a seasonal ranger at Isle Royale. After spending a winter on the Keweenaw, this led him back . . .