Alumni

Pete Knudson earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan Tech in 1964 and began his career with the Budd Company as a management trainee. He would spend the next 19 years with the company, including stints as executive vice president and general manager of Auto Manufacturas and as president and general manager of Budd's Canadian subsidiary. He became group vice president of automotive products for Budd in . . .

The 2012 Outstanding Service Award posthumously honored Tanya Wareham Klain, who died on December 7, 2008. Tanya earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 1990 and was a vibrant presence on campus. She was active in her sorority, Alpha Gamma Delta, Undergraduate Student Government, residence hall councils, the Alpine Ski Club, and the Michigan Tech Student Foundation. Besides earning a degree, she made . . .

Dr. James C. Gerdeen (BSME '59) retired as Professor and Department of Mechanical Engineering Chair from the University of Colorado - Denver. After graduation, Jim worked in industry before completing his MS in 1962 from Ohio State University and later his PhD from Stanford in 1965, both in mechanical engineering. He returned to Michigan Tech as a faculty member from 1968 to 1989. He received his M. Divinity, Theology, . . .

Jack Real began his aviation career two years after graduating from Michigan Tech with a BS in Mechanical Engineering in 1937. He joined Lockheed Aircraft as a design engineer in 1939, flew for Pan Am during World War II, then worked as a test pilot and flight test engineer for Lockheed until 1965, when he became vice president and general manager of the Lockheed Rotary Wing Division. He became Howard Hughes chief . . .