Business Administration Profiles
Jim Anttonen '65
Jim Anttonen ’65 became a pioneer in environmentally sustainable construction long before the term “sustainable” became a household word.
John Benaglio '70
John Benaglio is a leader in industry and has earned worldwide stature.
Benaglio is the Chairman of the Group Executive Committee and General Partner of the German-based Heitkamp & Thumann Group, which owns twenty-three companies in the metal and plastic-forming industries, as well as battery components.
Dave Bernard '74
After graduating from Michigan Tech in 1974, a fortunate incident altered the trajectory of Dave Bernard’s career before it started. “I was set to interview with the accounting department at Kimberly-Clark,” he says, “and just three days before, they called to say the position was filled, but they could offer me a spot as a tax analyst. I took the job and never looked back.”
Dave Chaudier '93
Dave Chaudier ’93 has a four-part approach to work: “Don’t fear failure, don’t let anything surprise you, learn from your mistakes, and don’t put up with anyone’s negativity.”
Marilyn Clark (Metsa) '73, '76
Clark first worked as a Computer Programmer with A. C. Spark Plug, now Delphi, in Flint, Michigan. After receiving her masters, Clark joined Cummins Engine Company in Jamestown, New York. She became one of the first women shop floor supervisors. At that time, Cummins was developing quality of work life systems and this philosophy matched Clark's skills.
Marie Cleveland '82
Marie Cleveland ’82 loves her job. As a worldwide corporate account manager for Federal Express, she handles six major accounts and is responsible for bringing in $50 million in sales each year.
John Drake '64, '69
Hold on Tight to Your Dreams
John Drake did that for the duration of his career - what he calls a "forty-four-year run." The ensuing success has put him and his wife, Cathi, in the position of being philanthropists.
Robert J. Freimuth '77
Robert Freimuth has traveled far in a distinguished career with wide-ranging responsibilities in the automotive industry.
He has spent his entire career with General Motors Corp.
J.B. Hoyt '74
Life is good for alumnus J.B. Hoyt. He feels gifted to be able to enjoy both professional and personal pursuits. He is an executive at Whirlpool Corp. in St. Joseph, Michigan; away from work, his passions are boating and photography. “I've always been a work-hard, play-hard kind of guy,” he says. “You’ve got to have that balance.”
Tom Irwin '63, '66
Tom Irwin, soft-spoken and thoughtful, has “taken a leave of absence” from income-producing activities and redirected his energy to such pursuits as fly-fishing in the West, golf in the South, and travel around the world—when not tending to his volunteer duties on various boards and committees.
Mr. Daniel W Kretz '70, '72
Dan graduated in 1970 with a BS degree in forestry and continued his education by earning a master’s degree in business administration from Michigan Tech. While a student at Tech he was active in Xi Sigma Pi, Blue Key, Air Force ROTC and he played football for MTU.
Mark Malekoff '08
A native of Grand Prairie, a town of 55,000 residents in Northwestern Alberta, Canada, Malekoff came to Tech to play hockey; he says that he left a winner in all ways. He graduated in 2008 with a bachelor's degree in business administration, with a concentration in finance. "I've always been interested in business and entrepreneurship," he says.
Kristina Marshall (Sobczynski) '98
Kristina (Sobczynski) Marshall ’98 began her education at Michigan Tech with an interest in environmental engineering and landed a student co-op job at General Motors. One evening while driving home from the GM plant in Ypsilanti, Marshall realized that she needed to turn her life in a completely different direction.
Edward Robinson '66
When Ed Robinson was growing up in Chicago, he loved to gaze at the El trains, the streetcars, and the many railroad trains - all of which he encountered on his way to school. The good nuns routinely admonished him for being late to class. "I couldn't help it," he recalls. "I loved to watch."
John Rockwell '79
In his career as a venture capitalist, John Rockwell ’79 frequently draws on the knowledge he gained in his courses at the School of Business and Economics. He said that he picked up one of his most valuable business skills not in the classroom but on the ice.
Ross Roeder
Ross E. Roeder says his years at Michigan Tech gave him "an edge" in graduate school and in his career.
Roeder studied at Tech from 1958-60 before transferring to Michigan State University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in business administration. After serving in the US Army, he earned an MBA at UCLA.
Laurie Schwerin '87
Alums Team up to Engineer a Better Beer
Chas Thompson '91, computer science, had a good reason for becoming a brewer. "I was thirsty," he says, pouring beers from the Schmohz Brewery counter at the recent Grand Rapids alumni tailgate party. Jim Schwerin '87, owner and brewer at Schmohz (pronounced shmoes), had a similar reason. "I couldn’t find a beer I liked," he says.
Ron Staley '77, '80
Ronald Staley, who earned an associate’s degree in civil engineering technology in 1977 and a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1980, has high praise for Michigan Tech.
“I learned how to study hard,” he recalls, “and I remember working hard. I wouldn’t be where I am today without Michigan Tech.”
Joel Tacey '01
Fresh out of Tech, Joel Tacey '01 was not enthused by his first marketing or sales rep option. So, he gave himself an ultimatum.
"I told myself, if I could make the same kind of living by doing magic as my friends did in traditional jobs, I would stick it out," he says. "It's been the best decision of my life."
Janice K Tervonen '80, '80
After leaving Michigan Tech, Jan Tervonen joined the Eastman Kodak Company as a Programmer/ Analyst. In 1986 she left Kodak and took several years off to raise her children – two of those years were spent in Paris. She returned to the work force initially as a consultant, and then in 1993 accepted a position with Mammography Reporting System, Inc. (MRS) as a Senior Programmer/Analyst. MRS is the leading provider of mammography information systems in the US. She worked her way through the ranks as a Product Manager, Technical Director, and ultimately became the Vice President, Technology.
Steve Vizanko '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.
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.
Economics Profiles
Dr. William Raduchel '67
William J. Raduchel, a native of the Keweenaw, attended Michigan Tech before earning a bachelor's degree in economics from Michigan State University and both a master's and doctoral degree in economics from Harvard University. He has served as senior vice president of market development and chief scientist for McGraw Hill, Inc., and vice president for document systems, Strategic Business Office, at Xerox Corp