Tina M. Schmiedel (Taylor)

Tina (Taylor) Schmiedel graduated from Michigan Tech in 1984, receiving BS degrees in both chemical engineering and business engineering administration.

Upon leaving Tech, she accepted a position as operations manager with Procter & Gamble (P&G) in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where she moved through assignments of increasing responsibility over the next 17 years of her career. She resigned from P&G in 2002 as the operations leader for North American Towel. In 2003, she received her MBA from UW-Oshkosh. A year later, she began to work for Oshkosh Corporation. She progressed through roles in strategic marketing, investor relations, and strategic initiatives before retiring at 53 in 2015.

“Michigan Tech did an outstanding job preparing me for my entire career including technical roles, manufacturing leadership roles, business development, and strategy,” Schmiedel said. “While I definitely acquired the required engineering skills, I believe the development of problem-solving abilities and practical engineering skills was just as critical in preparing me for my career.”

While at Michigan Tech, Schmiedel was a member of Alpha Sigma Tau sorority—to which she credits her organizational, teamwork, communication, and leadership skills—and the Society of Women Engineers. In 1984, she was a Winter Carnival Queen finalist. 

As an alumna, Schmiedel has continued to support the University in a multitude of ways. Along with her husband, Gary, she returns to campus regularly. She was inducted into the Presidential Council of Alumnae in 2014, and she has helped recruit Michigan Tech students to P&G and Oshkosh Corporation. 

The Schmiedels have financially supported multiple areas across campus, including the Department of Chemical Engineering, the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, the Unit Operations Lab, and several Enterprise teams. They are also funding four-year, full-tuition scholarships for 12 students over the next 15 years.

“Michigan Tech is so unique, given its location and the ‘we are all in this together’ vibe,” Shmiedel said. “It just feels like home—and philanthropy begins at home.”

In recognition of her outstanding contributions in her career and to Michigan Tech, Schmiedel will be presented with the Distinguished Alumni Award in August 2026.

Outside of Michigan Tech, Shmiedel has been an active volunteer in her community. She currently serves on the board of the Beta Xi chapter of the Alpha Sigma Tau sorority and the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Foundation. Additional volunteer organizations include Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Oshkosh Area United Way, and Christine Ann Domestic Abuse Services.

Schmiedel is mother to three children: Sarah, Rebecca, and Jacob. She and Gary (a fellow Tech alum who graduated in 1983 with his BS in Mechanical Engineering) reside in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

Updated June 2026