John F. Calder

- BS Mechanical Engineering 1967
- MS Business Administration 1976
John F. Calder earned a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1967 at Michigan Tech and went on to earn an MS degree from Michigan Tech in Business Administration in 1976. After graduating from Michigan Tech he started his career as a Design Engineer with Digital Integrated Circuit Systems in 1967.
From 1968-1975 he rose from Application and Field Service Engineer for the east coast to Regional Sales Manager for the Midwest and West Coast Regions. In 1975 he joined Dorsey-Alexander in Cincinnati, Ohio and in 1987 purchased the company. Dorsey-Alexander is a Manufacturer’s Agent for motion control, sensing and machine guarding safety products. In 1980 he co-founded Cincinnati Controls, Inc. which is a high tech distributor of microprocessors for motion control products and human-machine systems, and in 1992 he purchased 100% of the company. In 1985 he co-founded Integrated Manufacturing Control Systems, which developed motion and system software. In 1992 he became sole owner of Dorsey-Alexander. In 1992 he also purchased Zenith Engineering Sales Company, doubled the sales volume in two years and sold the business. In 1993 he purchased K.F. Narez, Inc., doubled sales volume in three years and sold the company. In 2003 he purchased Rilco Industrial Controls, Inc. and in 2006 he purchased Gorilla Storage Company. Currently he is CEO and owner of Cincinnati Controls, Inc.
John has been very active with Michigan Tech. He is currently Vice Chair of the Michigan Tech Fund Board of Directors. He was a member the ME-EM Phase I Campaign Committee Building for the Future and is currently Chair of the ME-EM Phase II Campaign Committee Endowing Excellence. John and his wife Joan have established the ME-EM Calder Systems and Controls Laboratory.
John is active with the Boy Scouts as a Citizenship merit badge counselor and advisor. In the past he was a Webelo’s leader, Cub Master, and Committee Chair of both the local Pack and Troop. He is an avid hunter and gardener, and enjoys fishing. John and his wife Joan have two children and live in Cincinnati, OH.
From 2007 Induction to the Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics Academy