Alumni

Edward J. Gaffney Ted Gaffney earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan Tech in 1951. After serving in the U.S. Navy and working as an engineer at Allis Chalmers for three years, he formed Neodyne Corporation, a research and development company. In 1963, he founded Ortho-Kinetics, Inc., a manufacturer of health care products with manufacturing plants in the U.S. and Europe and sales offices in England, Germany . . .

Dorothy (Daavettila) Ruohonen had a strong connection to Michigan Tech prior to her attending the University in 1982. Dorothy’s father, Donald Daavettila, was named Michigan Tech Professor Emeritus of Physics in 2000. Working as a nurse while attending Michigan Tech, Ruohonen graduated in 1985 with a degree in Mechanical Design Engineering Technology. By 1987, Ruohonen was President and Owner of Hawk Technologies, executing . . .

Karl LaPeer is currently a partner at Peninsula Capital Partners, LLC, a Detroit-based $1.9 billion private equity firm.  From 1998-2009 he was Senior Vice President amp; Principal, and from 1996-1998 he was an Investment Manager. He and his partners at Peninsula Capital began with $20 million in capital back in 1995, and they have since invested over $1.5 billion, in more than 140 small and mid-sized companies with . . .

Carl Avers earned a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan Tech in 1962. He continued his education in 1968 at Stanford University completing a special course in Special Finance, Economics, Accounting and Engineering Economy. Carl began his career in 1962 at the San Diego Gas amp; Electric Company as a Junior Engineer. He advanced in the company to the level of Project Manager before becoming a successful . . .