“Mark brings strong management skills, industry experience and professional leadership to this new role within Emerson.  I’m confident he will continue to drive innovation and growth for Industrial Automation businesses and our leading brands and technologies,” said Emerson Chairman and CEO David N. Farr.

Nielsen said she will start by making students aware that everything around them was designed by someone.

“Too many kids, particularly girls, think engineering is some pie-in-the-sky thing they can’t do. It’s not,” said Nielsen, a Malabar High School graduate who earned her engineering degree from General Motors Engineering and Management Institute in Flint, Mich.

“Eighth-graders will take a problem-solving approach and learn about teaming — how to work together to solve problems, Nielsen said. “The curriculum will be based on state academic standards. Kids will learn how engineering ties into math and science.”

HC: What advice would you give to a 20-something with similar aspirations?
AW: There are various opportunities within engineering, so keep an open mind. Give every job opportunity a chance so you can learn more about yourself, your interests, and where you see yourself going.

Brandon Scanlon, who has spent the last eight years with Stryker Corporation, a medical technology company. His most recent position was business development portfolio manager, where he evaluated medical devices for acquisition. He has a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from Kettering University.

Ron Weber '87

Ron Weber ’87 has been named Vice President of Operations at Phoenix Coaters. From the Wisconsin Rapids Tribune:

Ron Weber has joined the Phoenix Coaters Team as Vice President of Operations. Weber will be responsible for directing and coordinating activities to obtain optimum efficiency and economy of operations while offering the best possible product and services to their customers. Weber has past experience with General Motors where he held the positions of Senior Mechanical Engineer, Business Manager/Manpower Coordinator for Production and General Assembly, Production Supervisor for the phosphate and top coat paint area, Maintenance Supervisor for the Paint and Trim operations, as well as Senior Facilities Engineer. Most recently, Weber held the position of Project Manager with J. P. Cullen & Sons, a $300M general contractor and construction management company, where he made significant contributions by reducing costs and increasing revenues and profits.

Three Lunar Roving Vehicles were left parked at different sites on the surface of the moon some forty years ago. They had flown on the last three Apollo Missions; 15, 16 and 17. Both the prime and backup crew members of these flights had developed their LRV operating skills and procedures, on a terrestrial equivalent called the 1G Trainer. “The Lunar Roving Vehicle 1G Trainer” by William F. Probert is a collection of photographs documenting the configuration of this one-of-a-kind vehicle as it was being built in 1970.

The 1G Trainer was the terrestrial equivalent of the Lunar Roving Vehicle in terms of performance and physical characteristics, other than for its non-folding frame. It provided a platform for developing skills and operational procedures to be followed once the astronauts were on the lunar surface. The primary and backup Commander and LEM Pilot for the Apollo missions 15, 16, and 17 were the principal participants.

Mary Barra '85

Mary Barra ’85, Senior Vice President of Global Product Development at General Motors, was recently featured in Detroit Business as one of eight influential female business leaders. From the story:

If Mary Barra felt pressure and scrutiny after being named General Motors Co.’s senior vice president of global product development in early 2011, she didn’t show it. She followed two legends: Tom Stephens, who held the position for two years, and Bob Lutz, who wrenched product design out of the hands of engineers. “I worked with Bob for years and have tremendous respect for him,” Barra says. “He did an excellent job of creating a culture and structuring global product development to be a design-focused organization, and I’m building on that. I still periodically talk to Bob, and he is incredibly supportive. I see it as a continuation, taking it to the next level.” The playing conditions in the auto industry are evolving, she adds, “so we have to stay attuned to what is changing. Right now (we are) continuing to enable great design and driving customer focus into the organization, down to every engineer, so they have a really good understanding of who the customers are for specific vehicle segments and brands.”

Experts agree that one thing is certain, reshoring – sometimes also referred to as “onshoring” – must make financial sense, or a company won’t even discuss it. Meanwhile, the calculations have to include the fate of manufacturing capacity in China, in which many companies have invested heavily.

“Today we see an economic situation where a strong case can be made for many products – that they should be made closer to the customers,” said William Scheller, a professor of industrial engineering at Kettering University in Michigan.

Dr. Benjamin Berry has been hired as a member of the veterinary team at Noah’s Landing Pet Care Clinic. He received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Kettering University and a doctorate of veterinary medicine from Michigan State University