Outstanding Engineering Alumni

The Penn State Outstanding Engineering Alumni Awards recognize graduates who have reached exceptional levels of professional achievement. The College of Engineering and the Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics value their example, dedication, and loyalty.

The individuals honored are proud representatives of a tradition of excellence. They provide an ideal for the engineering students who will follow. Their expertise, accomplishments, and leadership provide testimony to the success of their alma mater as a premier engineering educational institution.

2006—John R. Longenecker

John R. Longenecker earned both his B.S. and M.S. in Engineering Mechanics at Penn State in 1971 and 1973. He is the co-founder and president of Longenecker & Associates in De Mar, CA. Longenecker & Associates was founded in 1989 and specializes in solving technical and management problems for government and utility customers. John Longenecker has over 30 years experience in the energy industry in the areas of regulatory compliance, independent assessment, and quality assurance in various programs including waste management, nuclear reactor development, and advanced technology development and deployment. Unique strengths and experience include independent assessment, strategic planning, regulatory compliance, nuclear safety, and quality assurance. Mr. Longenecker’s career includes two presidential appointments. He was appointed by President Ronald Reagan as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Uranium Enrichment in the U.S. Department of Energy; and he was appointed by President George H.W. Bush as Transition Manager for the United States Enrichment Corporation, a government-owned, for-profit corporation that provides uranium enrichment services to electric utilities throughout the world. John Longenecker has also served two terms on Penn State’s Industrial and Professional Advisory Council—first with Engineering Science and Mechanics from 1981-1986, second with Nuclear Engineering from 1989-1994.

2005—Charles L. Dages

Since earning an M.Eng degree from Penn State, Mr. Dages has led an accomplished career in television network. He was responsible for the technical facilities in the Ed Sullivan Theatre for Late Night with David Letterman; the Winter Olympics broadcasts from Albertville, France and Lillehammer, Norway; the CBS TV Broadcast Origination Center and post production facilities for such shows as 60 Minutes and The CBS Evening News. While at CBS, Inc. he was the Vice President of East Coast Operations and Vice President of Development. Mr. Dages then joined Warner Bros. and was responsible for the first all –digital television production studios and for creation of the company’s DVD compression and mastering facility. He was also a member of the team that created The WB Television Network. He is currently the Executive Vice President of Emerging Technology for Warner Bros. Technical Operations, Inc. He is responsible for locating, identifying, evaluating and implementing new strategic technologies that may impact Warner Bros. television, movies, on-line, interactive and wireless businesses. He manages the technology for Warner Bros. entry into the massive multiplayer games arena with The MATRIX Online. Mr. Dages works extensively with Warner Bros. creative teams in developing original content for these new distribution forms.

2004—Sam Zamrik

After receiving his math and mechanical engineering degrees from the University of Texas, Sam Zamrik went to work for Texas Pipeline Company and then General Petroleum Company. As a pipeline engineer, Sam became very interested in stress analysis. “I decided to go to graduate school in 1960,” he recalls. “I needed more advanced knowledge in that area, and Penn State was doing a lot of research in stress analysis at that time.” Although he intended to complete his master’s degree and move on, he graduate with both his master’s and Ph.D. and then joined the Penn State engineering mechanics faculty as an assistant professor. Professor Zamrik has published more than 100 papers, won many awards and holds numerous memberships in national international societies. We remember him best for his research and teaching scholarship. He attributes his teaching success to a very simply approach. “My philosophy is if you want to teach students, you have to convey to them that these are methods used in the field and not just the classroom.” “I teach them what is used in industry.”

2003—Walter Miller

Following his graduation in 1965, Mr. Miller received a MBA from the University of Chicago business school and a Masters degree from the University of Louvain, Belgium. He then spent eight years at McKinsey and Company before joining Echlin, Inc. in 1976 as Vice President and General Manager of the Electrical Division. Four years later, he joined Becton Dickinson and Company. Beginning as Vice President for Corporate Planning and Development, he was later appointed President of the Microbiology Division and then promoted to Sector President for Diagnostics. In 1997, Mr. Miller was appointed Senior Vice President for Corporate Strategy and Development, resulting in the establishment of the company’s first venture capital arm, BD Ventures, LLC. He retired from Becton Dickinson and Company in 1999, to become Managing Director of Winhall Capital, LLC, a private investment company.

2002—Nicholas P. Godici

Following his graduation with a B.S. in engineering mechanics from Penn State, Mr. Godici began his climb through the Patents office, culminating in his being appointed as Acting Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Acting Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). He was recently honored by “Intellectual Property” magazine as the cover person for the issue on “Who’s Who in Intellectual Property.” He has received a Bronze Medal from the USPTO and has been awarded two Silver Medals from the Department of Commerce, as well as the National Partnership for Reinventing Government Hammer Award.

2001—J. Ronald Unger

Mr. Unger has achieved notable success in three different careers: Engineer, Entrepreneur, and CEO. His first career was as a practicing engineer, one who rose through the ranks of the auto industry from a Development Engineer to a Chief Product Analyst to Manager of larger and larger groups to Supervisor of Advanced Truck Engineer Engineering for the largest truck manufacturer (Ford) in the world. This advancement occurred in the short span of 18 years, including a three year interruption due to his service in the Korean War. His second career started with an entrepreneurial vision. He and a partner created Intelligent Controls, a company which specialized in engineering services and computerized engine control products and that attained annual sales of $20M with 250 employees. His third career was launched when the board of the Dearborn Federal Credit Union asked, in an unprecedented move, Ron to become the president of this billion dollar enterprise.

2000—Edward M. Frymoyer

Beginning his career at Bell Telephone Laboratories in 1959, Dr. Frymoyer was responsible for some of the components in the ground-breaking Telstar communications satellites. Later, he went to work for Collins Radio (now Rockwell International) and International Rectifier and, then, Hewlett-Packard. At Hewlett-Packard, he formed strategic relationships between rivals HP and IBM, as well as with Sun Microsystems. Dr. Frymoyer started numerous companies, including EMF Associates and Fibre Channel group, and assisted in starting other very successful firms, such as Brocade Comm. Systems, before founding Infinity I/O, of which his is, also, the chief executive officer.

1999—Yoh-Han Pao

After receiving his Ph.D. in Engineering Science and Mechanics from Penn State in 1952, Dr. Pao joined DuPont where he did extensive research on materials. In 1960, he joined Bell Laboratories, where he did innovative work on the use of lasers in high resolution spectroscopy and investigated holographic memory units for computers. Following a series of invited lectures on his research at Case Western Reserve University, Dr. Pao joined the faculty as a tenured full professor of electrical engineering. His interest in artificial intelligence and neural networks blossomed during his tenure, and he wrote the first single-author text on neural networks and their role in artificial intelligence. In 1987, he founded AI Ware, Inc. to produce the software needed for integrating neural networks into artificial intelligence. He retired from Case Western in 1993 as the George S. Dively Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Engineering.

1998—David M. Brewer

Mr. Brewer was recruited to IBM following his graduation from Penn State in 1959. At IBM, he was a member of the original engineering team for the System 360 computer line, the first example of building a line of computers with the same architecture. In 1969, he was part of a group of ex-IBM staffers who formed a start up company, MASCOR, though the company only lasted for on and a half years. He joined the Amdahl Corporation as it was starting up, becoming Director of Computer Development in 1976. He eventually rose to VP for Compatible Systems, where he was responsible for the development and business management for the processor and disk storage business. He retired in 1994.

1998—Hiroshi Honda (Distinguished Alumni Award)

A life member of the Alumni Association, Mr. Honda was an early member of the Penn State Alumni Chapter of Japan since its establishment in 1985. He has served as president since 1993, and has demonstrated his leadership in making it one of the outstanding overseas chapters. He has spent innumerable hours arranging receptions, dinners, and meetings for Penn State scholars and officials with business and academic leaders in Japan. Also, with numerous publications, lectures, and honors to his credit, one stands out on his vita: keynote speaker at the 1994 ASME International Conference in Hawaii where he spoke, in English, on how to conduct business with the Japanese, then, in Japanese, on what the Japanese should know about doing business in the U.S.

1997—Dale M. Mosier

Mr. Mosier earned his honors degree in Engineering Science in 1967. His excellent leadership skills already proving themselves, he joined the Menasha Corporation at General Manager of the then Poly-Hi Division. He then joined Carrol Touch Division, a touch screen display manufacturer, of AMP as president. He later helped establish and lead Research Applications Inc., a seed venture capital organization focused on the development of technologies and the transfer of technology from universities in the State of Texas. He returned to Poly-Hi as General Manager, eventually becoming president of Poly Hi Solidur and subsequently named Vice President of the Menasha Corporation.

1996—Jane M. Gitschier

Since graduating with a BS in Engineering Science in 1974, Dr. Gitschier received a MS in Applied Physics from Harvard and a Ph.D. in Biology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Starting out as a Post Doctoral Fellow at Genentech, Inc. after receiving her Ph.D., she moved to the University of California as an Assistant Professor of Medicine and was then promoted to Associate Professor of Medicine in 1991. She headed the research which led to the discovery of the mutation in genes, which could eventually lead to cures for hemophilia and Menke’s disease.

1995—Earl Joel Martin

After graduating with a BS in Engineering Mechanics, Mr. Martin joined the Sperry New Holland home plant in New Holland, where he rose to Senior Design Engineer. In 1979, he joined GKN Walterscheid as their first Chief Engineer. He rose through the ranks from Chief Engineer to Vice-President and General Manager to President. As president, Mr. Martin helped GKN Walterscheid to achieve double digit sales growth.

1994—William Thomas Kennedy III

Following his graduation in 1964, Mr. Kennedy joined the Belleville New Holland plant as an “industrial” engineer. As this plant repeatedly traded hands, first by Ford farm machinery division and the by Fiat to create the N. H. Geotech n. v., Mr. Kennedy advanced through the ranks, from plant manager at the Belleville plant to Vice President of the North American Sales Operations for Ford New Holland to Senior Vice President of N. H. Geotech and Chief Operating Officer of Ford New Holland Americas. As well as being active in the community, Mr. Kennedy has also greatly contributed to the university and to the ESM Department in particular.

1993—Owen Richmond

1992—A. Frederick Thompson

After completing his BS in Engineering Science and his MS and PhD at Cal Tech, Dr. Thompson joined Roy F. Weston Corporation. He rose through the ranks from a Principal Engineer to the Chairman of the Board in only 14 years. He has been a speaker for the Society of Engineering Science student Society and filled a one year term on IPAC. He worked with Mr. Richard Swails as a member of the PSES Development Committee and volunteered to spearhead fund raising activities for the College of Engineering in the Philadelphia area.

1992—James E. Carnes (Distinguished Alumni—1996)

After graduation from Penn State, Dr. Carnes served in the U.S. Navy and later earned a Ph.D. in electron device physics from Princeton University. He joined RCA Laboratories’ David Sarnoff Research Center in 1969, where he was promoted through the ranks to eventually become President and CEO in 1990. He has received many awards, including the IEEE Centennial Medal and the Engineer of the Year Award. Dr. Carnes is highly active in the Alumni Association, participating on the Alumni Council and the Alumni Council Marketing Committee, volunteering for Alumni Admissions and is a life member of the Alumni Association.

1990—William J. Douglas

Beginning as a mechanical engineer at Ford Motor Company in 1957, Mr. Douglas worked with a number of large engineering firms in management posts until joining Roy F. Weston, Inc., in 1984. He has authored more than forty publications in the fields of mining computer applications, applied mechanics and operations research. He served as an Associate Professor of the Weston Institute and on the Department’s Industrial and Professional Advisory Council.

1989—Glen F. Chatfield

Glen Chatfield joined IBM following his graduation and spent the first five years of his engineering career as a systems engineer. In 1970, he and two partners founded Duquesne Systems Incorporated. Under his leadership, the company grew from a three-person consulting firm to a leading worldwide supplier of productivity enhancement system software for IBM mainframes and minicomputers with more than 300 employees and revenues in excess of $50 million. He holds a patent on a novel internal combustion engine, participates in civic and cultural activities in Pittsburgh, is the director of the Pittsuburgh High Technology Council, is a general partner of the CEO Venture Fund and is an active member of The Enterprise Corporation of Pittsburgh’s Software Forum.

1989—Guy C. Dilworth, Jr.

Since graduating with a Masters in Engineering Science in 1979, Mr. Dilworth has served at senior executive levels in the Federal Government. Starting as the Technical Director at the Naval Coastal Systems Center (NCSC), he then moved to Director of the Software and Computer Technology Directorate at the Naval Air Development Center (NADC) and finally to Technical Director of NADC. His commitment to technical excellence and innovative achievement greatly increased capabilities in plant, personnel and management systems, along with continued improvement in the timely completion of program and project assignments at both Centers.

1988—Alex B. Cimochowski

Starting as a designer/marketer of various computers and their components at IBM, Mr. Cimochowski rapidly distinguished himself as a developer and leader. Raising through the ranks at Control Data Corporation from engineering manager to supervisor of two manufacturing plants to Group Vice President of the peripheral systems unit, he was already regarded by high-tech industry experts as an excellent CEO prospect. In late 1983, he joined with a design team at AB Dick and formed Edge Computer Company, which operates at a $30M/year level.

1987—Frank Gabron

Mr. Gabron achieved distinction as Chief Executive Officer of a $50M corporation, Helix Corporation, through utilizing the engineering sciences of materials, heat and mass transfer, numerical analysis and thermodynamics, sound leadership and business acumen. In addition, he was a patron of the Microelectronic Materials efforts of the department, donating such things as a $10K Helix Pumps for the Ion implanter. He was also named the first Keen Professor for Entrepreneurship in Engineering in Penn State’s College of Engineering, where he strove to impart “real world” business experience to Engineering students. In 1989, he was selected to be an Alumni Fellow.

1987—John T. Frasier

During Dr. Frasier’s career, he was the Head of the Research and Technology Department of the Naval Surface Weapons Center at White Oak and the Deputy Technical Director (the top technical civilian) of ARRADCOM (Army Research and Development Command). He also served on IPAC and was instrumental in departmental funded research with Dr. Neubert.