Notable Alumni of Kettering University

Kettering University, a private institution in Flint, Michigan, has a rich history rooted in the automotive industry and a strong focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and business education. Founded as The School of Automotive Trades in 1919, it has evolved into a leading university known for its cooperative education model and high-achieving graduates. This article explores some of the notable alumni who have made significant contributions in various fields, reflecting the university's commitment to producing leaders and innovators.

A Legacy of Innovation and Leadership

Kettering University is named after inventor Charles F. Kettering, a former head of research for General Motors. The university's legacy is deeply intertwined with the automotive industry, and it was once referred to as the "West Point of the Automobile industry." This legacy is built upon a cooperative education model that combines classroom learning with real-world job experience, a concept pioneered at the University of Cincinnati in 1907. Kettering University also pioneered freshman-level manufacturing courses and automotive degree specialties.

Alumni in Healthcare

Kettering College of Medical Arts recognized two outstanding alumni at a dinner held in their honor. Gregory C. Henderson, president of Greene Memorial Hospital, was named the Kettering College Alumnus of the Year. Joseph J. Henderson graduated from Kettering College in 1971 with an associate’s degree in radiologic technology. He later earned a bachelor’s in health care administration and education through Oregon Institute of Technology in 1977, and a master’s in health care administration at the University of La Verne in La Verne, California, in 1997. Konys graduated in 2002 with a bachelor’s degree in health professions and a concentration in physician assistant studies. He went on to receive his master’s in physician assistant studies from the University of Nebraska and is in his final year of a master’s in health services administration from Xavier University.

Notable Alumni Across Industries

Kettering University graduates have made their mark in diverse industries and markets. Equipped with initiative and hands-on skills, they are known for solving modern-day problems and leading in their respective fields. Here are some examples of alumni who have left their marks in the business and engineering worlds:

Robert E. Reiss: America's first biomedical engineer.
Thomas G. Plaskett: Former executive in the airline industry; father of the frequent flyer program.

Alumni in Arts and Entertainment

Kettering University alumni have also excelled in the arts and entertainment, showcasing the breadth of talent nurtured by the institution:

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Robert C.: Emmy Award-winning actor who starred in St. Elsewhere and other productions.
Harrison Ford: Starred in some of the most successful films ever made, including Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and The Fugitive.
Nick Reynolds: Guitar player who helped form the Kingston Trio.
Guy L.: Noted poet and playwright. Earned a Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1953 for his play Picnic.
Dumas Malone: An American historian, biographer, and editor noted for his six-volume biography on Thomas Jefferson, "Jefferson and His Time", for which he received the 1975 Pulitzer Prize for history.
Warren Miller: Ski and snowboarding filmmaker (producer, director, and narrator).
Frederick Perls: American philosopher and writer, Gestalt psychologist who studied with M. Wertheimer, K. Goldstenin, and Kurt Lewin.
Ray Eberle: Popular baritone singer, trumpeter, big band leader, and actor in the 1940's and 1950's. Won a 1959 Emmy as best supporting actor in a comedy series for The Steve Allen Show. Featured in To Tell the Truth, Mork and Mindy, and Newhart.
Wallace Stegner: Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist, short story writer, historian, and environmentalist. Author of one of the largest collections of books in Sigma Nu's Author Collection.
Gene Hart: The longest-running television sportscaster in history.

Business and Leadership

The university has produced numerous business leaders and executives who have shaped industries and organizations:

Robert A. Miller: Former Chairman and CEO, Simmons Company.
Jerry D. Campbell: Founder and retired CEO of J.D. Power and Associates.
Robert L. Turner: Former President of CNN; Also served as President and Publisher of the Dallas Times Herald and the Los Angeles Times; Served in the administration of President Lyndon B. Johnson.
Leslie "Les" Muma: An American business executive.
Charles R. Thoma: Founder and Managing Partner at Thoma Bravo.

Alumni in Public Service and Politics

Kettering University alumni have also served in public office and made significant contributions to government and public service:

Sam Zemurray: Believed to be the inspiration for the POW character portrayed by Steve McQueen in the movie The Great Escape.
William S. Morris: American professor of mathematics who wrote on a variety of subjects, including drama and history.
Herman B. Wells: A world leader in education. Holds the record for the most honorary doctorates from 26 universities. Served on numerous foreign commissions during and after WWII.
George W. Grider: United States Representative for Tennessee's 2nd District (1951-1964); Tennessee state route 63 is named Congressman Howard H. Baker Highway.
Charles B. Rangel: United States Representative for New York.
Quentin N. Burdick: United States Senator from North Dakota.
Gerald L. Yaklich: Former United States Representative for Montana's at-large congressional district from 2013-2015.
Samuel L. Devine: United States Representative for Ohio.
William E. Minshall Jr.: United States Representative for Ohio.
Walter F. Mondale: 42nd Vice President of the United States.
Clifford P. Hansen: United States Senator from Wyoming.
Elwood H. Hillis: United States Representative for Indiana.
Clarence M. Kelley: Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation from July 9, 1973, through February 23, 1978.
James A. Traficant Jr.: A Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1988 to 2009.
George J. Hochbrueckner: United States Representative for Ohio's 16th District (2011 to present). He is a candidate in the Republican Party primary for Governor of Ohio in the 2018 election.
John M. McHugh: United States Representative for New York.
E. J. "Jake" Garn: A Republican member of the United States House of Representatives (1995-2007), United States Senator (2008 to present).
Burton E. Sweet: United States Representative for Iowa.
Herman E. Talmadge: United States Senator from Georgia.

Alumni in Military Service

Kettering University alumni have a distinguished history of service in the United States military, with several achieving high ranks and earning honors for their service:

Gen. Chesty Puller: A career officer in the United States Air Force, a fighter pilot in World War II, and a leading United States Army Air Forces ace. Recipient of the United States Congressional Medal of Honor.
Lt. Gen. Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller: He received the Medal for using his biplane to evacuate wounded Marines under fire in Nicaragua. He saw action in World War I, the Haitian and Nicaraguan campaigns, World War II, and the Korean War.
Charles W. Cherry Jr.: He was an American lawyer, politician, and decorated naval aviator. A Democrat, he served as the tenth Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas for ten terms, from 1947 to 1967.
Captain Torre R. Mallard: Captain Torre R. Mallard died in Balad Ruz, Iraq of wounds sustained when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas. Torre graduated with a degree in Computer Science in 2002 and commissioned an Armor officer. He received a Bronze Star during his service and was awarded the Purple Heart and the Meritorious Service Medal posthumously.
First Lieutenant Emily Perez: First Lieutenant Emily Perez, was born in Heidelberg, Germany to a military family. Emily accepted an appointment to West Point where she was a four-year letter earner on the track team, a member of the Cadet Gospel Choir, served as Cadet Command Sergeant Major, and graduated academically in the top 10% of her class. Emily was the first female minority Cadet Command Sergeant Major in the history of the USMA. She was killed when an improvised explosive device exploded near her Humvee during combat operations in Al Kifl.
Henry O. Flipper: Flipper is widely considered the first African-American civil and mining engineer and first African-American commander in the US Army. While at Fort Sill, he was responsible for designing and building a ditch to resolve a drainage problem that was causing a malaria outbreak from stagnant water.
John Hanks Alexander: Alexander was stationed with the Ninth Cavalry, a Buffalo Soldier regiment, at Fort Robinson, Nebraska. At the time of his posting he was the only black officer in the Army commissioned to lead troops in combat.
Charles Young: Brigadier General Charles Young graduated from West Point in 1889. A Buffalo Soldier serving with the 9th and 10th Cavalry and the 25th Infantry, Young eventually became the first African American to achieve the rank of colonel in the United States Army. In 1903, Young was appointed superintendent of the Sequoia and General Grant National Parks in California. He was the first African American to hold the post of National Park Superintendent.
Benjamin O. Davis, Jr.: Davis became one of the few African Americans to graduate from West Point before World War II. The Red Tails shot down more than 100 German planes during the war and flew some 15,000 missions. When President Harry S. Truman established the Air Force as a separate branch of the armed services in 1947, Davis became one of it founding officers. Two years after his retirement, Davis was named a four-star general by President Bill Clinton.
Roscoe Robinson, Jr.: Roscoe Robinson, Jr. was the first African American to become a four-star general in the United States Army. Robinson was also the first African-American to command the 82nd Airborne Division.
Fred Gorden: Major General (Retired) Fred Gorden, USMA '62, was the first African-American Commandant of Cadets. He served in various key leadership positions, including: as a captain during the Vietnam War; commanding general, 25th Infantry Division (Light); Commander, U. S. Army Military District of Washington; and as Army Chief of Public Affairs in the Pentagon.
Joseph B. Anderson, Jr.: During his military career, Mr. Anderson commanded troops as an infantry officer in the 82nd Airborne Division and served two tours of duty with the 1st Cavalry Division in Vietnam.

Alumni in Sports

Kettering University alumni have also achieved success in the world of sports:

Charles W. Joiner: Professional football player (San Diego Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers), three-time All-Southwest Conference player of the year. Two-time first-team All-American.
LaVell Edwards: American football head coach for Brigham Young University (BYU). With 257 career victories, he was among the most successful college football coaches of all time.
Ron Hansen: Former American Baseball Player with the Baltimore Orioles and the California Angels, a six-time All-Star.
Hugh "Shorty" Ray: Member of the College Football Hall of Fame and charter member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. An American athlete, coach, and college athletics administrator.
Bill Willis: An American football defensive takcle for the Cleveland Browns adn Green Bay Packers during his thirteen-year National Football League (NFL) career.
Guy V. Lewis: University of Houston Basketball coach with 27 straight winning seasons. His 1980s teams, nicknamed Phi Slama Jama for their slam dunks.
Jack Nichols: A 6'7" center who attended the University of Washington and the University of Southern California, Nichols played nine seasons (1948-1951; 1952-1958) in the National Basketball Association.
Rick Pitino: Accomplished Athletic Director at universities such as the University of Miami, American University, Georgia Institute of Technology, and Clemson University.
Bill Sharman: Former NBA player and head coach; Served as head coach for five NBA championship team (L.A. Lakers).
Billy Vessels: Played college football at the University of Oklahoma and won the Heisman Trophy in 1952.
Ellsworth Vines: An American tennis champion of the 1930's, was the World No. 1 player for four years in 1932, 1935, 1936 and 1937, and won Pro Slam titles on three different surfaces.

Recent Honors and Achievements

Kettering University students are known for striving for excellence in everything they do. This year, the Honors Banquet recognized the efforts of more than three dozen graduates who exceeded even those high expectations during their Kettering careers.

Sobey Scholar Awards

The University established the Sobey Scholar Awards in 1961 to honor exemplary students who have demonstrated the highest levels of scholarship and leadership at Kettering University. Honorees must be a member of the Robot Society, the University’s most distinguished honor society, as well as a member of another academic honor society or have achieved cum laude status.

Seven Kettering graduates met the demanding criteria to become Sobey Scholars:

Alexandra Ann Bahm, B.S. Management
Kimberly Linnette Betty, B.S. Mechanical Engineering
Emma Catherine Bishoff, B.S. Management
Leah Michelle Garczynski, B.S. Electrical Engineering
Kristen Jean Gury, B.S. Industrial Engineering
Thomas Weldon Sprecher III, B.S. Electrical Engineering, B.S. Computer Engineering, M.S. Electrical Engineering
Felipe Antonio Villalobos, B.S. Mechanical Engineering

President’s Medal

The President’s Medal was first awarded in 1996. Recipients must exhibit extraordinary professionalism and job performance while engaged in their Co-op experience. A President’s Medalist must also demonstrate outstanding scholarship and have made notable contributions to Kettering University and the surrounding communities.

Eight Kettering graduates earned the President’s Medal:

Henry Warren Grasman, B.S. Computer Engineering, M.S. Computer Engineering
Kristen Jean Gury, B.S. Industrial Engineering
Ariana Elizabeth Hunt, B.S. Chemical Engineering
David Gerald Kavanagh, B.S. Mechanical Engineering
Mattie Ann Reich, B.S. Computer Engineering
Thomas Weldon Sprecher III, B.S. Electrical Engineering, B.S. Computer Engineering, M.S. Electrical Engineering
Felipe Antonio Villalobos, B.S. Mechanical Engineering
Alayna Grace Wanless, B.S. Electrical Engineering

Outstanding Thesis Awards

Every student who earns a Bachelor’s degree from Kettering University must satisfactorily complete a senior thesis. The thesis represents the culmination of a student’s academic experience.

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Two students earned Outstanding Thesis Awards this year for producing a thesis that exceeded the University’s highest expectations and expertly integrated theory and practice:

Lauryn Nicole Tithof, B.S. Industrial Engineering, earned an Outstanding Thesis Award for her work “Universalized H-Point Process” under Faculty Advisor Dr. Scott Grasman while in the Co-op program at Lear Corporation. Her thesis project replaced manual H-point testing with a semi-automated process that improved efficiency by as much as 84% and reduced the risk of injury by 100%.
Alexandra Lakota Kekel, B.S. in Troy, Michigan. As is sometimes the case when working on high-level projects and emerging technology, the company deemed her thesis confidential. Her Faculty Advisor, Dr. Bashar AbdulNour, said Kekel’s 309-page report is one of the most technically valuable and the best thesis he has ever seen.

Summa Cum Laude Graduates

Kettering University is known for its rigorous academic standards and challenging coursework. This year, 39 students met those challenges head-on, earning their degrees with a grade point average of 3.90 or higher, granting them summa cum laude status.

They are:

Mary Samantha Allen, B.S. Chemical Engineering
Kimberly Linnette Betty, B.S. Mechanical Engineering
Parker J. Buszka, B.S. Computer Science
Rebecca L. Dengel, B.S. Mechanical Engineering
Andrew Thomas Dixon, B.S. Mechanical Engineering
Anna Christine Dumanois, B.S. Industrial Engineering
Luke Patrick Fenstermacher, B.S. Mechanical Engineering
Shannon Nicole Fillwock, B.S. Electrical Engineering
Taiden Rexford Foryt, B.S. Mechanical Engineering
Jack William Gaddis, B.S. Mechanical Engineering
Joyce May Gaffner, B.S. Applied Biology
Bobby Rupesh Gandhi, B.S. Electrical Engineering
Henry Warren Grasman, B.S. Computer Engineering, M.S. Computer Engineering
Kristen Jean Gury, B.S. Industrial Engineering
Tyler J. Holdwick, B.S. Mechanical Engineering
Emily Corinne Hong, B.S. Management
Ariana Elizabeth Hunt, B.S. Chemical Engineering
Parker Lee Jensen, B.S. Mechanical Engineering
Spenser Alex Keys, B.S. Mechanical Engineering
Mitchell Wallace Kusser, B.S. Mechanical Engineering
Christopher George Mars, B.S. Electrical Engineering
Lily Moran, B.S. Computer Science
Gregory Robert Morrill, B.S. Mechanical Engineering
Sean Patrick Morse, B.S. Electrical Engineering
William Christian Kevin Moss, B.S. Computer Science
Tanner P. Moszak, B.S. Mechanical Engineering
William Chad Raines, B.S. Computer Science
Mattie Ann Reich, B.S. Computer Engineering
Jared Patrick Robinson, B.S. Electrical Engineering
Jenna Michelle Salmen, B.S. Mechanical Engineering, B.S. Industrial Engineering
Crystal Yaesong Smalligan, B.S. Management
Thomas Weldon Sprecher III, B.S. Electrical Engineering, B.S. Computer Engineering, M.S. Electrical Engineering
Unya Chuanromanee Sripradisvarakul, B.S. Mechanical Engineering
Courtney Elizabeth Stone, B.S. Electrical Engineering
Brady Marshall Tackabury, B.S. Electrical Engineering
Joel Anthony TenHaaf, B.S. Mechanical Engineering
Lauryn Nicole Tithof, B.S. Industrial Engineering
Alayna Grace Wanless, B.S. Electrical Engineering
Allison Lynn Warners, B.S. Mechanical Engineering

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