Robert Ball '68

Robert Ball currently works as president of Alcan Fabrication North America having held several executive positions with this company, including executive vice president, director corporate development and technology and president Alcan Europe—England and Switzerland. He and his wife, Karen, have recently moved from their ranch near Yellowstone Park and are living in Las Vegas. They have two children and five grandchildren.

 

Arden L. Bement Jr. '54

Arden L. Bement Jr., is the 12th director of the National Science Foundation (NSF). He heads the only federal agency that funds research and education in all fields of science and engineering. He directs a budget of more than $6 billion; hundreds of programs that support roughly 200,000 scientists, engineers, educators and students across the country; and the development of world-class facilities and infrastructure. Bement’s top priorities for NSF include increasing the size and duration of funding awards, implementing electronic proposal and grant processing, developing cyberinfrastructure that advances research and education through expanded capabilities for networking, data processing and storage, modeling and simulation; and broader international collaborations to leverage NSF investments. He has expanded NSF’s Centers of Excellence program to encompass dozens of science and engineering disciplines partnering with industries and educators.

Bement serves as a member of the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO and as the vice chair of the commission’s Natural Sciences and Engineering Committee. He is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering, a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Bement is a past member and current ex officio member of the U.S. National Science Board, which guides NSF activities and serves as a policy advisory body to the president and Congress.

Prior to his confirmation as NSF director, Bement served as director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) of the Department of Commerce. Before joining NIST, he was the David A. Ross Distinguished Professor of Nuclear Engineering and head of the School of Nuclear Engineering at Purdue University. At Purdue, he also held appointments in the Schools of Material Engineering and Electrical and Computer Engineering and directed the Midwest Superconductivity Consortium and the Consortium for the Intelligent Management of the Electrical Power Grid. Before joining the Purdue faculty, Bement was engaged in a diverse thirty-nine year career, holding the following positions: vice president of technical resources, TRW Inc.; deputy under secretary of defense for research and engineering; director, Office of Materials Science, DARPA; professor of nuclear materials, MIT; manager, Fuels and Materials Department and Metallurgy Research Department, Battelle Northwest Laboratories; senior research associate, General Electric Co.

Bement has been a director of Keithley Instruments Inc. and the Lord Corporation and a member of the Science and Technology Advisory Committee, Howmet Corporation, a division of Alcoa. He has served as the head of the NIST Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology, head of the advisory committee for NIST’s Advanced Technology Program and as a member of the board of overseers for the Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award. He chaired the Commission for Engineering and Technical Studies and the National Materials Advisory Board of the National Research Council. Bement was a member of the Space Station Utilization Advisory Subcommittee and the Commercialization and Technology Advisory Committee for NASA. He has consulted for the Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory and the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory.

Arden L. Bement, Jr. was awarded the Distinguished Achievement Award from the Colorado School of Mines in 1984. He earned an engineer of metallurgy degree from Mines, a master’s degree in metallurgical engineering from the University of Idaho, a doctorate of metallurgical engineering from the University of Michigan, and holds honorary doctorates from the Colorado School of Mines, Cleveland State University and Case Western Reserve University, as well as a Chinese Academy of Sciences Graduate School honorary professorship. He is a retired lieutenant colonel of the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, and a recipient of the Distinguished Service Medal of the Department of Defense.

Larry J. Buchanan '73, PhD '79 (2013)

Larry is president and chief geologist of Electrum LLC, one of the largest privately held gold exploration companies in the world. Born and raised in the Pennsylvania coal fields, he moved to the Mojave Desert in California at age 11, and later graduated from Mines with a professional degree in geology and geological engineering, following by a doctorate in geology.

In 1995, while scouting for silver in Bolivia for Apex Mining, Larry discovered a 1 billion-ounce open-pit silver deposit, for which he received the 2006 Thayer Lindsley International Discovery Award. The deposit was located under a village, which would eventually be moved 11 km away, and Larry and his wife, Karen Gans, were adamant that the villagers be treated ethically by the mining company. The process was detailed in the book, The Gift of El Tio," and is recognized as a model of ethical practice. (Read more about his discovery in Mines magazine.)

Larry has published eight geological texts, played a key role in identifying several multi-million-ounce gold deposits, and developed implementation programs for numerous producing mines. In 1981 he became known in the mining industry for the "Buchanan Boiling Model," which outlines how the boiling and oxidation of rising hydrothermal fluids could create rich ore deposits—a framework that has since helped guide geologists to billions of dollars' worth of silver in thermally active regions.

Larry and Karen live in Ashland, Oregon. They have four children and two grandchildren.

 

Stephen Chesebro '64

Steve Chesebro’ currently serves as chairman of the board of Harvest Natural Resources, Inc., an independent exploration and production company with principle operations in Venezuela, Indonesia, Gabon, China, Russia and the United States. He is also chairman of its nominating and corporate governance committee.

Cheseboro’ retired as chairman and chief executive officer of Tenneco Energy, having served thirty-two years in a broad range of executive positions with Tenneco Oil, including manager of Gulf of Mexico operations; vice president of corporate development; senior vice president in charge of international and Gulf Coast exploration and production, business development, and marketing; and president of Tenneco Gas Marketing. He also served on the board of directors and as president of Pennzoil Company and Pennzenergy. In addition, he has held leadership positions with several professional societies and led the successful effort to form the Gas Industry Standards Board, where he served as chairman for three years. He is a registered petroleum engineer and a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers.

In 1991, Chesebro’ was awarded the Distinguished Achievement Medal from the Colorado School of Mines. He earned his bachelor of science degree in 1964 and was awarded an honorary doctorate from the Colorado School of Mines in 1998. He currently serves on the school’s Petroleum Engineering visiting committee. In 1994 Chesebro’ was the first American awarded the H. E. Jones London Medal by the Institution of Gas Engineers, a British professional association.

A native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Chesebro’ is married to the former Dollie Austin, also from Tulsa. They have two children, both married and residing in Texas, and six grand children.

 

Bruce M. Clemens '78

Bruce Clemens is a member of the Photon Sciences Faculty at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lab and holds a courtesy appointment in the Department of Applied Physics at Stanford. Clemens and his group study the growth, structure, magnetic properties, and mechanical properties of thin films and nanostructured materials. By controlling growth and atomic scale structure, he is able to tune and optimize properties.  He is currently investigating materials for electronic device, photovoltaic and hydrogen storage applications. He teaches courses in energy-related materials, the kinetics and thermodynamics of nanomaterials synthesis, and solid-state physics.

In 1989 he joined the Stanford faculty in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering as an assistant professor and then was promoted to associate professor with tenure in 1993. In 1999 he was promoted to full professor and served as the chair of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering from 1999 to 2004.

Prior to joining Stanford, Clemens worked as a senior research scientist at the General Motors Research Laboratories, where he conducted research on thin metal films, interface reactions and multilayer structures.

Clemens was awarded a Distinguished Achievement Medal from Colorado School of Mines in 2009. In 1995 he was the recipient of the ASM Silver Medal for Research. He served as visiting professor at the Max-Planck Institute in Stuttgart in 1995 and at Chalmers University in 2003; in addition, he has served on the Visiting Committee for the Colorado School of Mines Physics Department, as well as for other institutions.

Clemens received his B.S. in engineering physics from the Colorado School of Mines in 1978 and his M.S. and Ph.D. in applied physics from Caltech.

 

Bernard Coady '54

Bernard Coady founded Delta Projects Ltd. in 1966, the first Calgary-headquartered company to provide engineering, procurement and construction services to the hydrocarbon processing industry in Western Canada. As president, Bernard Coady secured controlling ownership by employees and further developed expertise in engineering and project management. Via acquisitions, he expanded company operations into contract maintenance, tool rentals and direct hire construction. Following a name change to Delta Catalytic Corporation, Coady served as chairman and CEO while annual revenue grew to $700 million throughout operations in Canada, United States, United Kingdom and the Middle East. Before establishing Delta Projects Ltd., Coady worked as a process engineer with Shell Canada and a project manager at Petrofina. He retired from the petroleum industry in 1997.

Bernard Coady was honored with the Distinguished Achievement Medal in 1993. In 1954, he graduated from the Colorado School of Mines with a degree in chemical engineering. He is a professional engineer and received awards from the Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists and from the Canadian Gas Processors Association.

Bernard Coady was born and raised in Alberta, Canada, and is currently the director of Calgary Technologies Inc. and a member of the Environmental Protection Advisory Committee for the Alberta Minister of Environment. He is the past chairman of Science Alberta Foundation.

 

David R. Cole '52

David R. Cole retired as president of the Colorado Mining Association, headquartered in Denver, Colorado, in 1994 after 25 years of service. Prior to joining the association, Cole was associated with John I. Schumacher of Grand Junction, Colorado, in the uranium exploration and mining business. He also held the position of senior metal mining inspector with the Colorado Division of Mines where he was responsible for the radon control program in Colorado’s uranium mines. He also worked in various engineering capacities with the Idarado Mining Company, in Telluride, Colorado. In 1953 and 1954, Cole served with the 77th Field Artillery Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division, stationed in Japan.

David is serving his 39th year as secretary/treasurer of the Colorado Mining Association Education Foundation, Inc. (CMAEF), a nonprofit educational organization. The CMAEF presents an annual field course, “All about Mining—A Total Concept of the Mining Industry,” designed for K-12 educators, in cooperation with Colorado School of Mines Office of Special Programs and Continuing Education.

Cole served as president of the Colorado School of Mines Alumni Association in 1973. He is a member of Gamma chapter of Theta Tau, an honorary engineering fraternity, and a member of Gamma Eta chapter of Sigma Nu Fraternity. He is a Legion of Honor member of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration (SME), as well as other professional and civic organizations.

David R. Cole was awarded the Distinguished Achievement Medal from Mines in 1982. He received an Engineer of Mines degree in 1952 and a master’s in mining engineering in 1956, both from the Colorado School of Mines. He is a registered professional engineer in Colorado.

 

Harry M. “Red” Conger IV '77

Red Conger is president of Americas division for Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. He began working for Phelps Dodge in 1987 and has served as president and vice president of several copper-mining operations. Additionally, he led the company’s performance improvement effort, Quest for Zero, from 2001 to 2003. As senior vice president, Conger has responsibility for managing multiple operations in Chile and Peru that account for approximately 37 percent of Freeport’s total copper production.

Conger began his career working for Kennecott Copper at Bingham Canyon, serving in numerous capacities ranging from blasting foreman to superintendent of engineering and geology. Throughout his career, Conger has been recognized for his leadership in safety.

A member of the Mineral and Metallurgical Society of America and the American Institute of Mining Engineering, Conger has also served as New Mexico state mining commissioner, chairman of the New Mexico Association of Commerce and Industry, director of the Arizona Mining Association, and treasurer of Consejo Minero, an industry group for all the major mining companies in Chile. Conger also has served the Colorado School of Mines as class chair for the Reunion Giving Program, and he was a member of the board of directors of the Friends of Kartchner Caverns.

Harry M. “Red” Conger was honored with a Distinguished Achievement Medal graduated from Colorado School of Mines in 2007. He earned a bachelor’s degree in mining engineering in 1977 from Mines. He has furthered his education through business and management courses at the Whitmore School of Business and Economics at the University of New Hampshire and the Duke University Fuqua School of Business.

 

Vicki Cowart MS '77

Currently, Vicki Cowart is the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains. She has revitalized five health centers, opened two new health centers, and raised more than $9 million for system-wide improvements, including a flagship headquarters.

Vicki Cowart served the oil and gas industry for twenty-six years including ten years as the Colorado state geologist and director of the Colorado Geological Survey (CGS). She led that agency within the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, overseeing scientific programs relating to geological hazards and resources. She also served as president of the Association of American State Geologists. Recently, Colorado Governor Bill Ritter appointed her to be a Trustee of the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado.

Cowart was honored with the Distinguished Achievement Medal from the Colorado School of Mines in 1999. She earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in physics from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. She earned a master’s degree in geophysics from the Colorado School of Mines in 1977 and is a former president of the Colorado School of Mines Alumni Association and director of the Colorado School of Mines Foundation Board.

Cowart is an active member of the Colorado Women’s Forum. She is married, and with her husband is an avid skier, hiker, biker, and ballroom dancer.

 

Lawrence B. Curtis '49

Lawrence B. Curtis is the retired vice president of production engineering services for Conoco, Houston, Texas. He served in that position for seven years and held positions leading up to it as general manager, production engineering services, manager of international operations (New York), chief engineer of international operations (New York), and various assigned regional engineer positions within the United States. His noteworthy achievements include: technical leadership and motivation of early development and application of digital computers in monitoring and controlling production functions in oil field automation systems; leadership for the design and installation of the Fateh Field, submerged storage tanks 60 miles offshore, Dubai, UAE; leadership and motivation for the design, fabrication and installation of tension-leg platforms used to develop the Hutton Field in the North Sea and the Jolliet Field in the Gulf of Mexico.

His board service includes chairmanship of Energy Corporation of America and director terms at both Energy Corporation of America and Eastern American Energy Corporation. Currently, he serves as a trustee for the Society of Petroleum Engineers Foundation and as a member of the Colorado School of Mines President’s Council.

Curtis is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, Society of Petroleum Engineers of AIME, and the American Petroleum Institute. His awards and honors include the Anthony F. Lucas Gold Medal of AIME, Dupont Lavoisher Medal for Technical Achievement, Society of Petroleum Engineers’ Degolyer Medal, in addition to several others. He is also the author or coauthor of many technical or topical articles.

Lawrence B. Curtis was honored with the Colorado School of Mines Distinguished Achievement Medal in 1980. He received a petroleum engineering degree from Mines in 1949 and graduated from the advanced management program at Indiana University in 1964.

 

James R. Daniels '51

For more than forty years, James R. Daniels has served as the executive vice president, general manager or advisor to the Murfin Drilling Company. He began his career as a consulting geologist and engineer in a family business with his father in Wichita, Kansas. He also worked as a partner with D&D Drilling Company Inc.

He is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Kansas Geological Society, Rocky Mountain Associations. Daniels is a professional geologist in Wyoming, Kansas and Nebraska and an associate state representative to Interstate Oil & Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC).

Daniels was named a Colorado School of Mines Distinguished Achievement Medalist in 2006. He earned his bachelor of science degree in geological engineering in 1951. Daniels is the recipient of the IOGCC Warwick Downing Award and was elected to the Kansas Petroleum Industry Hall of Fame. He served in the United States Army Corps of Engineers as a first lieutenant from 1951 to 1953.

James R. Daniels and his wife reside in Wichita, Kansas. They have nine children and twenty grandchildren.

 

James Donathan Dunn '64

James Donathan Dunn is chairman of the board of directors for Mill Creek Lumber and Supply Company and its seven subsidiaries. Prior to this position he served for thirty-three years as both president and chairman of the board of directors for Mill Creek Lumber and Supply. He is also the president of RV Corporation, president of Thermon Development Corporation and a managing partner in the following companies, Vandalia LLC, DDC, Dunn & Dunn and Willandhan and Associates.

He began his career as the manager of program control for TRW Systems working on a NASA contract for mission trajectory control supporting the Gemini and Apollo programs and the Manned Space Craft Center in Houston, Texas.

Dunn’s service to the community includes his current work as vice chairman, Tulsa Industrial Authority; advisory director, Arkansas River Corridor Development; and advisory director, Foundation for Tulsa Public Schools; advisory director, Commerce Bank Tulsa, Oklahoma; director, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City; advisory director, UP WITH TREES and membership in the Rotary Club of Tulsa. He has recently served as chairman of the Tulsa Metro Chamber of Commerce, chairman of the board of trustees for the Rotary Club of Tulsa, director of Indian Nation Councils of Government, director of the Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, advisory director for Tulsa Vision 2025, a member of the Oklahoma Judicial Nominating Committee and chairman of the Tulsa Community College Foundation.

James Donathan Dunn was awarded the Distinguished Achievement Medal from the Colorado School of Mines in 2001. He earned his degree in engineering physics from Mines in 1964 and was a member of the All-American Football Squad of 1962. He earned his MBA from Stanford University in 1966. James and Barbara Dunn have two children and six grandchildren.

 

Patrick J. Early '55

Patrick J. Early retired as vice chairman of Amoco Corporation in1995, following a forty-year career in the petroleum industry. Early began his career as a petroleum engineer and later worked in supervisory and management positions in Wyoming, Colorado, Texas and Louisiana. He was appointed vice president, production in Chicago for Amoco’s North American operations and held several management positions until he was appointed president of Amoco Production Company, the worldwide exploration and production unit of Amoco Corporation. He served on Amoco Corporation’s board of directors and was appointed vice chairman of Amoco Corporation, serving in that position until his retirement. After his retirement, Early served on the board of directors of Questar Corporation, Salt Lake City, Utah, for ten years.

Early was awarded the Distinguished Achievement Medal from the Colorado School of Mines in 1989. He received an honorary degree of doctor of engineering from Mines 1994. After earning his PE degree from Mines in 1955, he received advanced management training at the University of Western Ontario and at the Harvard Business School.

Throughout his career Early was active in several not-for-profit organizations. He served on the boards of Chicago Children’s Memorial Hospital, Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry, and the national board of the Urban League. He also was a member of Chicago’s Catholic Charities board of advisors.

Early currently divides his time between his homes in Naperville, Illinois, and Palm Desert, California. He and his wife Evelyn are the parents of six children and ten grand children.

 

M. Stephen Enders '76

M. Stephen Enders is currently an honorary lecturer for the Society of Economic Geologists and served as president of SEG Foundation and the society’s international exchange lecturer in 2007. Enders has also been active in the Society of Mining Engineers; and in 2005, was selected to present its Henry Krumb Lecture.

Enders is involved with the University of Arizona, currently serving on its Industry Leadership Board for the Department of Mining and Geological Engineering and its Department of Geosciences Advisory Board. Recently he joined the board of directors as a founding member for the university’s Institute for Mineral Resources.

In 2003, Enders joined Newmont Mining Corporation as vice president of worldwide exploration and was elected senior vice president of worldwide exploration in 2006. Recently retired from Newmont, he is currently the director of Renaissance Resource Partners.

After early career experience at Galactic Resources, Pegasus Gold, Texas Gulf and Terradex Corporation, Enders joined Phelps Dodge, where he worked for fourteen years. He held positions of increasing responsibility there as a senior project geologist, project manager for the discovery of the McDonald gold deposit, chief geologist at the Morenci copper mine (Arizona), vice president of mine site exploration, and as president of Phelps Dodge Exploration Corporation from 2001 to 2003.

Awarded a Distinguished Achievement Medal from the Colorado School of Mines in 2009, Enders earned his undergraduate degree in geological engineering from Mines in 1976, and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Arizona where he documented the critical role that bacteria can play in supergene enrichment of copper deposits.

 

William H. Erickson '47

William H. Erickson served as chief justice of the Colorado Supreme Court from 1983 to 1985, and his path to law began in an unlikely place: the Rangely Oil Field, where Erickson was setting casing on a new completed well. When the last stand was set, it was 3 a.m. and he was dirty and exhausted. He was surprised to find his father, a prominent Denver lawyer, waiting for him: “When are you going to law school?”

Erickson entered University of Virginia Law School and after one year transferred to University of Michigan where he could take courses in patent and oil and gas law; he then returned to Virginia to finish his law degree.

He embarked on a legal career that ultimately led to his appointment to the Colorado Supreme Court, where he served for 25 years, including three years as chief justice, until reaching the mandatory retirement age of 72. In addition to his service on the court, he lectured at the New York University Appellate Judges Seminar for 14 years. He was the co-author of four books and more than 90 legal publications.

Erickson, over the course of his career, served as a member of the Distinguished Board of Visitors, University of Colorado Law School; Woodrow Wilson Fellow Lecturer, Washington and Lee University; cofounder and faculty member, National College for Criminal Defense Lawyers and Public Defenders, University of Houston Law School; American College of Trial Lawyers; American Judicature Society; American Law Institute; American Board of Trial Advocacy; National Commission on Standards for Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies; American College of Trial Lawyers; International Academy of Trial Lawyers; International Society of Barristers; American Board of Trial Advocacy; the Denver Bar Association; Colorado Bar Association; American Bar Association; National Advisory Commission on Criminal Justice Standards and Goals; and the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge. He served as chair of the Colorado Commission of Criminal Justice Standards and Goals; the Standing Committee on Standards of Criminal Justice; President Ford’s National Commission for the Review of Federal and State Laws Relating to Wiretapping and Electronic Surveillance; the Erickson Commission, a Denver-based advisory commission appointed to recommend police procedures to be followed before the use of deadly force could be justified; the Columbine Review Commission concerned with the high school tragedy; and as one of four selected by Elliot Richardson to be the Watergate prosecutor. Among his honors, Erickson was awarded the Colorado Bar Association Award of Merit.

William H. Erickson was recognized by the Colorado School of Mines with a Distinguished Achievement Medal in 1990 and an honorary doctorate of engineering in 2002. He graduated from Mines with a degree in petroleum engineering in 1947 and a JD from the University of Virginia in 1950.

A longtime supporter of Mines, in 2004 he and his wife, Doris, established the William H. Erickson Distinguished Lecture Series, addressing such topics as leadership, ethics, education and international relations. “I am proud of the education I obtained at Mines. It taught me how to think and analyze problems, which was a great asset in law school and throughout my career.”

 

Lauren E. Evans '82

Lauren Evans, who graduated from Mines in 1982 with a BSc. in geological engineering, is the president and founder of Pinyon Environmental Engineering Resources, which provides consulting services related to the assessment, investigation and remediation of real property and regulatory compliance assistance. Ms. Evans is on the board of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Colorado, and was the first woman to serve as president of that organization during 2008-09. She also previously served as chairman of Colorado’s Solid and Hazardous Waste Commission and has served as a court appointed advocate representing abused and neglected children. Ms. Evans was honored by Colorado School of Mines with a Distinguished Achievement Medal in 2010.

 

Hoy E. Frakes '75

Hoy Frakes graduated from Mines with a bachelor’s degree in metallurgical engineering, and in 1985 he received an MBA from the University of Colorado. Mr. Frakes is president of AMG Vanadium, the world’s premier ferrovanadium manufacturer. Under Mr. Frakes’ leadership, the company has realized the largest ferrovanadium market share in North America. A respected industry and civic leader, Mr. Frakes serves as vice chairman of the Ohio Manufacturing Association board of directors, president of the Vanadium Producers and Recyclers Association, and is on the board of directors of the Vanadium International Technical Committee, which brings together representatives of companies involved in the mining, processing and manufacturing of vanadium. Following his graduation from Mines, Mr. Frakes served with distinction in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, both as a full-time officer and in the reserves.

 

Ben L. Fryrear '62

Ben L. Fryrear served as president of Aerospace Optics, Inc., from its start-up in 1970 until his retirement in 2000. He continues to serve on the board of directors. Based in Fort Worth, Texas, the firm established itself as the technical leader in illuminated push button switches and programmable display products for the aircraft and aerospace industries.

Fryrear’s CSM education was interrupted by a two-year stint in the U.S. Army. While attending Mines after returning from the Army, he worked as a chemical process operator and supervisor at Coors Porcelain Atomic Energy Division in Golden, Colorado. He earned his degree in metallurgical engineering in 1962 and an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh. Before joining Aerospace Optics, he worked as a metallurgical engineer trainee at Alcoa Research Labs in New Kensington, Pennsylvania; a manager of final inspection at Firestone Tire and Rubber Company in Akron, Ohio; an industrial engineering at McCall Publishing in Dayton, Ohio; and as vice president of manufacturing at Conti Engravers in Fort Worth, Texas.

In 1989, Fryrear was awarded the Distinguished Achievement Medal from the Colorado School of Mines. He also received the Colorado School of Mines Alumni Association Honorary Member Award. He served Mines as a member of the Engineering Division’s visiting committee and is a member of the President’s Council. Fryrear was a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers-Aircraft Lighting.

Shortly before retiring, Fryrear obtained a graduate gemologist certification from the Gemological Institute of America. In retirement, he has concentrated on philanthropic projects, focusing on student scholarships and faculty fellowships at several universities and colleges.

In 2006, Fryrear and his wife moved to Jacksonville, Florida, to be near children and grandchildren. He enjoys gemology, traveling, reading, tennis, and road trips in his Morgan.

 

David Ginley '72

David Ginley graduated from Mines in 1972 with a BSc. in mineral engineering chemistry and received his Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry from M.I.T. Dr. Ginley, who is considered one of the world’s leading scientists in the field of thin-film photovoltaics, is a research fellow and group manager at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Dr. Ginley’s research team has been awarded the prestigious R & D 100 award five times. Dr. Ginley has over 30 patents and 360 publications in technical journals. Among many other awards and recognitions, he is a fellow of the Electrochemical Society. Dr. Ginley has also served as a member of the visiting committee for the Colorado School of Mines Department of Chemistry and Geochemistry. He was awarded a Distinguished Achievement Medal by Colorado School of Mines in 2010.

 

Timothy J. Haddon '70

Timothy Haddon is president and chief executive officer of International Natural Resource Management Co. He spent twenty-three years working for Texasgulf and Amax Inc. with responsibilities in Africa, Australia, Southeast Asia and North and South America. Haddon has served as chief executive officer for Amax Gold Inc., co-founder of First Dynasty Mines, and president and chief executive officer of Archangel Diamond Corporation. Additionally, he has served as chairman of Anatolia Minerals Development Limited since 1998, and is lead director of Thompson Creek Metals Company since 2007.

Haddon is a fellow with the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. He is a member of American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers, the Mining and Metallurgical Society of America and the Colorado School of Mines Trustee Development Council. He has served as a board member and advisor at several companies, including Amax Gold Inc., Archangel Diamond Corporation, Ascendant Copper Corporation, First Dynasty Mines Ltd., Earth Resources Consortium, Australian Consolidated Minerals Ltd., Mineral Resources Alliance, World Gold Council’s membership committee, NewWest Gold Corporation, the Gold Institute’s public policy committee and the Mining Executive, Environmental Roundtable.

Haddon was awarded the Distinguished Achievement Medal from the Colorado School of Mines in 1993. He received his bachelor of science degree in mining from Mines in 1970. He is a member of the National Mining Hall of Fame and the US Bureau of Mines Advisory Board.

In Colorado, he is a member of the Bear Creek Golf Club and the Denver Athletic Club.

 

Norbert M. Hannon, Jr. '47

Having more than sixty years’ experience in the energy industry, Norbert Hannon was the owner and president of Murcon Development and the owner and president of Canadian Hydrodynamics. He stills serves as a director for both companies. He was also part owner and director of Ocelot Industries Ltd. Hannon began his career in 1947 as a geophysicist for Phillips Petroleum and later worked as the Canadian manager for the Petroleum Research Corporation.

Hannon was named a Colorado School of Mines Distinguished Achievement Medalist in 1999. He earned his bachelor of science degree in geological engineering in 1947, following his service in the United States Navy. He is a graduate of East High School in Denver, Colorado.

Hannon was born in Denver and married Helen Murphy in 1954. Two of his three children graduated from Mines, Murph Hannon (GE ’78) and Connor Hannon (PE ’83).

 

Hugh E. Harvey, Jr. '80

Hugh Harvey graduated from Mines with a bachelor’s degree in mining engineering and later earned a master’s degree in petroleum engineering. Mr. Harvey is the executive vice chairman of the board of Intrepid Potash, the largest producer of potash in the United States. Prior to founding both Intrepid Potash and Intrepid Mining, Mr. Harvey spent more than 24 years in the oil and gas industry. His unique combination of experience in mining, mineral processing, drilling, field operations and economic evaluation provided the basis for his innovative application of horizontal drilling techniques to potash extraction. Mr. Harvey and his wife, Michelle, established the Harvey Scholars Program at Mines in 2009, with the largest endowment gift in the school’s history. The Harvey Scholars Program provides recipients with full-tuition scholarships, as well as opportunities to expand their knowledge of the broader world through enrichment grants, professional development opportunities, funding for a semester of study abroad, and faculty mentorship. Mr. Harvey currently serves on the board of governors of the Colorado School of Mines Foundation.

 

Robert C. Hedlund '75

Robert C. Hedlund is the founder and CEO for Joint Development Associates (JDA) International, Inc. Following a move to Uzbekistan with his family, the company was founded in response to poverty in rural areas of Central Asia with a humanitarian and development mission to make an impact and become a catalyst for change. The organization is made up of national Uzbek, Afghan and expatriate staff. He believes that individuals and communities can learn to help themselves through their own God-given creativity, initiative and ingenuity. He sees himself and the JDA staff as a catalyst for transformation affecting all levels of society: enabling families to put food on the table; village governments’ endorsement of cooperation within the communities for the benefit of all; and petitioning the government for new laws that affect the poor and disadvantaged.

They began their work by bringing clean water to over 200 remote villages and ministering to the needs of leprosy patients. It has expanded into the development of micro credit programs, administering more than 3,000 small loans with a success rate of 97%. Staff are involved in training and education in sanitation and health through hygiene, agricultural research in alternative livelihood cash crops, and the construction of homes and schools.

Hedlund’s work has involved the training of national staff in all aspects of development. This can encompass everything from leadership, participatory planning, preparing funding proposals, budgeting and bookkeeping, to implementing programs. Since 2001, Hedlund has been involved in rebuilding communities in northern Afghanistan. Initially this consisted of food-for-work programs employing more than 15,000 men from more than 200 villages and distribution of clothing and shelter for returning refugees. Operating out of Mazar-i-Sharif , he has subsequently enabled rural communities in Northern Afghanistan to rebuild their roads, irrigation canals and sanitary facilities, to dig and drill water wells, and to construct new schools and homes. Current activity is focused on promoting efficient and appropriate farming techniques, introducing new crops suitable to the climate and soil conditions, training and starting small businesses to prepare crops for export, importing walk-behind tractors to mechanize small farms and improving the level of instruction at the local agricultural universities.

Prior to founding Joint Development Associates International Inc., Hedlund spent seventeen years in the mining industry working both underground and open pit extractive operations.

Robert C. Hedlund was honored with the Distinguished Achievement Medal from the Colorado School of Mines in 2003. He earned his bachelor of science degree in mining engineering from Mines in 1975.

 

Vernon A. “Bud” Isaacs, Jr. '64

Vernon A. “Bud” Isaacs, Jr. is the chairman and CEO of the RIM Companies, a private oil and gas property management firm he formed in 1989, with production and operations located within the continental United States.

In 1985 Isaacs founded V.A. Isaacs and Associates, Inc. to advise companies in the purchase and sale of oil and gas properties. In 1976 he joined Petrol-Lewis Corporation and in 1981 he became senior vice president. Isaacs held positions with Coquina Oil Corporation, Union Oil Company and CALCO in the areas of drilling and production engineering, planning and property valuation.

Isaacs served in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, including service in Vietnam with the 1st Brigade of the 101st Airborne. He was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star with “V” Device, Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the National Defense Service Medal and various Vietnamese medals.

Isaacs serves as a director of Enduring Resources, LLC. He is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, and was a distinguished lecturer for SPE in 1984-85. He also served on the executive board of the Independent Petroleum Association of Mountain States where he was chairman of the Coalbed Methane Committee, and is a member and past president of the Denver Chapter of the Society of Petroleum Evaluation Engineers.

Isaacs has also been an active volunteer with Boy Scouts of America and currently serves on its executive board. He is also on the board of trustees for Denver Inner City Parish and is on the development board for Uplift. He serves as a trustee for ACE, the Alliance for Choice in Education. Previously, he served on the boards of the Winter Olympics Committee and Ski Club Vail. Isaacs is a strong supporter of the Colorado School of Mines, having served as chair of his reunion gift committee and on the campaign committees for the Student Recreation Center and Marquez Hall.

Vernon A. Isaacs, Jr. was honored with a Colorado School of Mines Distinguished Achievement Medal in 2008. He graduated from Mines in 1964 with a petroleum engineer degree.

He and his wife, Kaye, live in Englewood, Colorado, and have three children and three granddaughters.

 

Howard Janzen '76

Howard Janzen currently serves as chief executive officer for Boston based One Communications, the largest privately owned competitive local exchange carrier in the US. Janzen received the 2001 Ovations Award from Telecom magazine and COMNET for the company’s extraordinary achievement in technology and operations.

Prior to joining One Communications, Janzen was president of Sprint Business Solutions and president of the Sprint Global Markets Group. He was chairman, president and CEO of Williams Communications Group and served in a number of leadership roles in Williams’ energy and natural gas pipeline businesses. He serves on the board of directors for Anyware Mobile Solutions, Exanet, GTT, Sonus Networks and Vocera Communications.

Janzen was named a Colorado School of Mines Distinguished Achievement Medalist in 1996. He earned two degrees from Mines, a bachelor of science degree in 1976 and master of science degree in 1977, both in metallurgical engineering. He completed the Harvard Business School Program for Management Development. Janzen was inducted into the University of Tulsa, College of Engineering and Natural Sciences’ Hall of Fame. He is a licensed professional engineer.

Janzen is involved in a number of nonprofit organizations and is a commissioner and chairman for the Global Information Infrastructure Commission (GIIC).

Janzen has three grown children and lives in Leawood, Kansas, with his wife, Cherine. 

 

Donald L. Kammerzell '71 (2013)

Donald is CEO of K-zell Metals, Inc.,  a Custom Metal Fabrication Company. Kammerzell founded the company in 1986, growing it from a small shop into a Tier II supplier to military vehicle manufacturers and Navy shipyards.

Donald began his career as a materials engineer for Stone & Webster Engineering Corporation. He later was chief engineer at CTI-Nuclear and held management positions at Marathon Steel. He is a registered engineer in Colorado. He is a life member of the American Welding Society and a member of the American Society of Metals. Donald has patents on a wide range of products, including Horse Race Starting Gates, Rapidly Erectable Portable Stages and Evaporative Coolers.

Don graduated from Mines with a BS in metallurgical engineering. While at Mines, he was a four-year letterman in track and won the MVP award for track in 1971. He lives in Phoenix with his wife of 41 years, Barbara. They have three children and three granddaughters.

 

H.R. Klingensmith '75

Harvey Klingensmith has 32 years of oil and gas industry experience in a wide variety of technical and managerial positions with Texaco, Diamond Shamrock/Maxus Energy, and Coastal Oil and Gas/El Paso Oil and Gas. He formed Stone Mountain Resources Ltd. in March of 2005 and currently serves as president and CEO. Klingensmith is a member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Society of Exploration Geophysicists, and Society of Petroleum Engineers, and has served in a variety of capacities for Mines: as a member and chairman of the advisory committee for the Department of Geophysics; the immediate past chairman of the President’s Council; and the CSMAA board as a director at-large and now as an international regional director.

Klingensmith received a Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award from the school in 1991. He earned a BS degree in geophysical engineering and a BS degree in geological engineering from the Colorado School of Mines in 1975.

He and his wife, Seanne, have two children and live in Calgary, Alberta. He is an avid cyclist, and enjoys bird hunting, hiking and fishing.

 

Harold M. Korell '68

Harold M. Korell is chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Southwestern Energy Company. He joined the company as an executive vice president and chief operating officer and has also served as president.

He has also held executive positions with American Exploration Company, McCormick Resources and Tenneco Oil Company. He began his career with Mobil Oil Corporation.

Korell received the Distinguished Achievement Medal from the Colorado School of Mines in 2004, and the Outstanding Service Award from the Sam M. Walton School of Business at the University of Arkansas in 2006. He was named the 2006 Executive of the Year by Oil and Gas Investor magazine. He earned his professional degree in chemical and petroleum refining engineering from the Colorado School of Mines in 1968 and is a licensed professional engineer in the states of Texas and Colorado. Korell serves on the executive advisory board for the Sam M. Walton School of Business at the University of Arkansas, and is a member of the visiting committee for the Department of Petroleum Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines.

Harold M. Korell presently serves as the vice chairman of the American Exploration and Production Council and a board member of the National Petroleum Council and the Independent Petroleum Association of America. He is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers and American Gas Association. 

 

Karen Krug ’84

Karen Krug is an experienced energy negotiator with more than 30 years in the energy industry as both a lawyer and a petroleum engineer. A lawyer with international firm SNR Denton, she was based in Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan) for a number of years. Her practice encompasses all aspects of energy and mining. Prior to working internationally, she was based in Denver, a partner with Welborn, Sullivan, Meck & Tooley.

Prior to her legal practice, Krug was a petroleum engineer (BS, Colorado School of Mines), specializing in enhanced oil recovery projects (steamfloods, waterfloods and polymer floods). She is a registered professional engineer (Colorado).

Krug is former President of the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators AIPN (2009–2010), AIPN VP of Education (2006–2008), Board member (2005–2011) and co-chair of AIPN/Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation (RMMLF) International Short Course and Core Course (2002–present). She is former adjunct professor, DU Law School, LLM – International (1996–2003), a Trustee of Colorado School of Mines (1996–2004) and a Trustee of RMMLF (1996–2002, 2005–2008). Krug is recognized in 2011 Who’s Who International Oil and Gas Lawyers and Who’s Who International Mining Lawyers. Notably, she founded the Sister-to-Sister scholarship focused on assisting women students pursuing any degree at CSM.

Krug and her husband, Jack, own and operate Spoiled Dog Winery located on Whidbey Island, Washington. Their wines are award winning, including double gold for their estate Pinot Noir. Local community activities include Chair of the Board of Whidbey Island Conservation District (2005–2011), NW Regional Director for the Washington Association of Conservation Districts (2006–2011), founder/Chair (2005–2011) of the Whidbey Island Farm Tour.

 

E. Dean B. Laudeman '55

Dean Laudeman has been active in oil and gas consulting through his company, Resource Evaluation Partners, Ltd. since 1991 when he and his wife, Barbara, returned to Denver after various work assignments in North America. Laudeman joined Union Oil of California in 1955 following graduation from Mines as a geological engineer, Petroleum/Engineer Corps Reserve Officer, and worked in oil and gas operations throughout North America. His assignments ranged from petroleum engineer trainee and subsurface engineer in the urban oil and gas fields in Southern California to manager and executive in exploration and production operations while living in Central California, Alaska, Canada, the Northern U.S. (Denver), and finally for all the U.S. from the corporate offices in Los Angeles. As Laudeman and his family moved through the oil patch towns, he maintained contact with Mines and assisted in restarting the local alumni groups in Bakersfield, Anchorage, and Calgary. In addition to graduate courses in economics and computer science taken at Mines while in Denver, he attended the Management Development Program at the University of Western Ontario while resident in Calgary. He retired from Unocal after 35 years of continuous service. 

As a member of the API, Exploration Affairs Committee, and serving as chairman during the development of deep water leasing and drilling, he was responsible for coordinating the industry's policy for access with Congress and the Department of Interior. He is a member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, the Society of Exploration Geophysicists, and the Society of Petroleum Engineers. 

For Mines, Laudeman served as a charter member and then as chairman of Mines' President's Council. He also served on the Geology and Geological Engineering Visiting Committee to support the department's goals.  Mines honored him in 1985 as a Distinguished Achievement Medalist, and again in 1988 as a Mines Medalist "for unusual and exemplary service" to the Colorado School of Mines. Laudeman continues his strong volunteer support of the Colorado School of Mines, as well as Rotary and other community and neighborhood programs.

 

John P. Lockridge '52

Since 1970, John P. Lockridge has been the owner of Mountain Petroleum Corporation, an independent oil and gas producer. He began his career at Mobil Oil Corporation in 1952 and rose to the position of division exploration manger before moving to Koch Exploration Company where he served as vice-president and regional exploration manager.

He is the author of Oil and Gas Field Papers, Northwestern Colorado and Central Wyoming and Niobrara Formation and Gas Production, Eastern Colorado.

Lockridge has been honored by the American Association of Petroleum Geologists with the A. I. Leverson Memorial Award, Distinguished Lecturer Award, Distinguished Service Award, Honorary Member ship and Outstanding Explorer Award. He has served the association as vice-president, chairman of the distinguished lecture committee and general chairman of the national convention. The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists honored him with the Distinguished Service Award, the Best Technical Paper Award, the Explorer of the Year Award and Honorary Membership. He served the association as both president and vice-president.

Lockridge was awarded the Distinguished Achievement Medal from the Colorado School of Mines in 1982. He was inducted into the Mines Athletics Hall of Fame in 2003 and his basketball jersey was retired in 2007. He earned his bachelor of science degree in geological engineering from Mines in 1952.

Lockridge was born in Marshall, Missouri, and currently resides in Los Angeles, California, with his wife, Erika. 

 

Mari Angeles Major-Sosias '85

Mari Angeles Major-Sosias serves as vice president for AREVA’s International Network at the company’s corporate headquarters in Paris. AREVA is a French multinational nuclear energy company operating in 41 countries and the world’s largest nuclear energy technology provider. It offers technological solutions for carbon-dioxide free-power generation and electricity transmission and distribution. She joined AREVA in 2006 as its director of strategy where she coordinated the development of strategic action plans across its businesses in North America, from the nuclear fuel cycle to renewable energy.

Major-Sosias began her career as a geophysicist in oil and gas exploration with Berrong Enterprises. In 1991 she joined Concord/Nuexco as a market analyst and focused on the economics of rare earths and specialty metals. After leaving Concord/Nuexco, Major-Sosias joined TradeTech, performing studies on the economics of specialty and energy metals, with an emphasis on uranium and the nuclear fuel industry. In 1997 she joined the Nuclear Energy Institute in Washington, DC, and subsequently moved to the U.S. Enrichment Corporation, formed when the Department of Energy privatized its uranium enrichment operations. As uranium marketing manager at USEC, she managed the disposition of uranium inventories inherited from the Department of Energy into the global market, and later became investor relations manager.

The Colorado School of Mines awarded her a Distinguished Achievement Medal in 2009. She earned two degrees from Mines, a B.S in geophysical engineering in 1985 and an M.S. in mineral economics in 1992.

 

W. Harry Mandeville '71

W. Harry Mandeville is currently chief executive officer and chairman of Lipid BioSciences, a new company developing an anti-obesity drug. Over the course of his career, Mandeville was employed at Hoffmann-La Roche in Nutley, New Jersey, in the chemical development department and as manager of the Kilo Laboratory. He spent two years at Hyperion Catalysis International and four years at Waters Chromatography as director of research, development and engineering in the chemical products group. He was the first employee of GelTex Pharmaceuticals and co-inventor of Renagel® and WelChol®, GelTex’s first two FDA-approved products, for the treatment of hyperphosphatemia in end-stage renal disease, and hypercholesterolemia. He is also co-inventor of tolevamer, a new non-antibiotic treatment for Clostridium difficile infections currently in Phase 3 clinical trials at Genzyme Corp., and GT248-232, a new drug for the treatment for obesity via lipase inhibition. He continued working for Genzyme as senior vice president of research until 2004 when he moved to Peptimmune with the licensing of the anti-obesity program by Peptimmune.

He has been honored with the R&D 100 Award for Renagel Capsules awarded by R&D magazine, the Award for Industrial Polymer Chemistry from the American Chemical Society - Polymer Chemistry Division, the Champion of Hope Award from the National Kidney Foundation, and the American Chemical Society’s Award for Team Innovation. He has more than 90 publications and patents in the fields of chemistry and polymer chemistry.

Mandeville was awarded the Colorado School of Mines Distinguished Achievement Medal in 2004. He earned his bachelor’s in mineral engineer-chemistry from the Colorado School of Mines in 1971 and a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he studied with Prof. George M. Whitesides.

 

Timothy Marquez '80

Timothy Marquez is founder, chief executive officer and chairman of the board of Venoco, Inc. He also was founder and C.E.O. of Marquez Energy, LLC. Venoco, Inc., is a public, Denver-based energy company with a focus on producing property acquisitions in California. Venoco has been named Business of the Year in three different communities and in 2006 was named the Best Corporate Citizen by Oil & Gas Investor magazine. The company progressed from a startup with an initial equity stake of $3,000 to a company with a total enterprise value of more than $1.8B. Marquez was the sole shareholder of Venoco prior to going public in 2006. The company is listed on the NYSE with the trading symbol VQ.

Marquez began his career at Unocal where he progressed from an engineering position to several managerial positions. He worked in California and the North Sea focusing in reservoir, production, facilities and acquisition engineering.

Marquez and his wife, Bernie, formed a philanthropic foundation to support education. Their recent gift of $10 million is the largest given to Mines. With matching gifts raised from other donors, Marquez Hall will be the new home of the Petroleum Engineering Department. The Marquezes are also co-founders of the Denver Scholarship Foundation, whose mission is to provide need-based college tuition assistance for all Denver Public High School graduates.

Marquez is an Aspen Institute Henry Crown fellow and had served as vice president of Santa Barbara City College Foundation and president of the Hispanic Business Council. Marquez also served on the board of the Santa Barbara Chamber of Commerce where he was named Businessman of the Year. He has served on numerous nonprofit boards in Denver and Santa Barbara.

Timothy Marquez was named a Colorado Distinguished Achievement Medalist in 2007. He earned his bachelor of science degree in petroleum engineering from Mines. He was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Energy to serve on the National Petroleum Council. He belongs to the Society of Petroleum Engineers, Society of Petroleum Evaluation Engineers and is a registered professional engineer in the state of Colorado.

 

Charles S. McNeil '71

Charles S. McNeil is the founder and CEO of NexGen Resources Corporation, a natural resources company managing the procurement of coal, mine development and operations, coal-based alternative fuel and clean coal technology commercialization, and oil and gas resource development. NexGen also manages a diverse portfolio of direct investments in companies at multiple stages of growth and across multiple industries. Mr. McNeil is also a cofounder of Trident Resources Corporation, a Calgary-based coal bed methane producer.

Prior to forming his company, Mr. McNeil held board, CEO, and senior executive positions with Kaiser Steel, Kaiser Oil & Gas, Kaiser Coal, Kaiser Power, Perma Resources and Consol Energy.

McNeil is a licensed professional engineer in the state of Colorado and a member of the Society of Mining Engineers of the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical and Petroleum Engineers. He was previously nominated by the secretary of energy to the National Coal Council and is a former director of the National Coal Association and the Colorado Mining Association. He is also a member of the American Coal Council, Tau Beta Pi Engineering Society, Council of Energy Advisors and the National Coal Transportation Association.

He is active in serving the Denver community as a member of the executive board of the Denver Area Boy Scouts, Cherry Hills Farm Board of Directors, Arapahoe House for Substance Abuse (honored as 2007 Pillars of the Community), Sewall Childhood Development Center, Kempe Foundation for Abused Children, Children’s Diabetes Foundation, and the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.

Charles McNeil was honored with the Mines Distinguished Achievement Medal in 1998. He received his bachelor of science degree in mining engineering from the Colorado School of Mines in 1971. At Mines, he is a member of the president’s Council, the Guggenheim Society, an advisor to the board of trustees, and a previous director of the CSM Foundation Property Management Corporation.

 

Terence P. (“Terry”) McNulty '67

Terence P. McNulty is the president of T. P. McNulty and Associates, Inc., a mineral industry consulting firm working in the areas of metallurgy, chemical engineering, mining and geology. Prior to establishing his consulting firm, he was the president and CEO of Hazen Research Inc, and vice president of technical operations for Kerr McGee Chemical Corporation. McNulty began his career at the Anaconda Company, working there throughout the pursuit of his academic degrees, and continuing after graduation in the areas of plant operations, research, process engineering, operations management, and corporate technical management assignments.

He holds two patents in copper metallurgy and is the author of forty technical papers and textbook or handbook chapters related to mineral processing plant design and control, energy conservation, technology development, and environmental topics.

Terence P. McNulty was awarded the Colorado School of Mines Distinguished Achievement Medal in 1989 and the Distinguished Alumni Award from Montana Tech in 2003. He served on the board of trustees at the Colorado School of Mines from 1989 to 1993. He is a member of the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical and Petroleum Engineers, the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration, The Minerals, Metals and Materials Society, Mining & Metallurgical Society of America, and Mining Foundation of the Southwest. He received the Robert H. Richards Awards from in 2003.

McNulty earned his undergraduate degree from Stanford University, his master’s degree from the Montana School of Mines and his doctorate from the Colorado School of Mines. McNulty is a registered engineer in the state of Colorado. He was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2005.

 

Wendell Jones McQuinn '46

W. Jones McQuinn played a major role in defining the role of the American petroleum industry in the Middle East. During a long and distinguished career with the Standard Oil Company of California, now known as Chevron Corporation, he worked his way from a design engineer on both domestic and foreign refinery, pipeline and other oil and gas-related projects to foreign staff analyst and manager, then to assistant to the president, executive vice president and corporation director. During the latter phases of his career, tumultuous years for the oil industry, he served as the corporation’s principal representative on the boards of directors of its major foreign affiliates: Arabian American Oil Co., American Overseas Petroleum Co., Iran Chevron Inc., Caltex Petroleum Corp., Caltex Pacific Indonesia, the Saudi Cable Co., and several Japanese companies. These responsibilities required extensive foreign travel. Known to be one of the most foremost authorities on the Middle East, he was prominent in the negotiation and management of Aramco’s difficult transition from an American-owned to a Saudi government-owned company. Later he played a prominent role in complex negotiations with Indonesia, covering the conversion of Caltex Pacific Indonesia’s contract of work to a production-sharing agreement. Jones also served as a visiting member of Mid-East affairs at Harvard, the Middle East Institute and the San Francisco Committee on Foreign Relations. After retirement he served on two oil company boards.

Wendell Jones McQuinn was honored with a Distinguished Achievement Medal by the Colorado School of Mines in 1971. He earned a professional engineer degree from Mines in 1946. He was honored by Franklin College with an honorary doctorate; McQuinn attended Franklin for two years prior to Mines.

 

F. H. Merelli '59

F. H. Merelli currently serves as the chairman of the board, CEO and president of Cimarex Energy Co. Merelli began his career as a field engineer with the Trigood Oil Company. He has also served as the president of Terra Resources, president and chief operating officer of Apache Corporation and chairman of the board, CEO and president of Key Production Company. In 2002, Key was merged into Cimarex Energy Co. and Merelli simultaneously became chairman of the board, CEO and president.

Merelli has served as a director of Apache Corporation since 1997. He is a member of the National Petroleum Council and was named Independent Petroleum Association of Mountain States’ Wildcatter of the Year in 2002.

F. H. Merelli was awarded the Colorado School of Mines Distinguished Achievement Medal in 2001. He received a professional degree in petroleum engineering from the Colorado School of Mines in 1959.

 

Jan Dean Miller '66

Jan Dean Miller is the department chair and Ivor Thomas Professor of Metallurgical Engineering at the University of Utah. He has received the Departmental Teaching Excellence Award on three occasions. During his career at the University of Utah, Miller has supervised the research of more than ninety graduate students who have successfully defended their theses. His students have received national research awards, teaching assistant awards and numerous awards through University of Utah competitions. Twelve of his graduates and post-docs hold tenured university faculty positions. Several have academic administrative responsibilities such as department chair and dean.

Miller is well known for his numerous technical contributions in mineral resource recovery and utilization, specifically in the areas of surface/colloid chemistry, particle technology, coal preparation, mineral processing, hydrometallurgy, and environmental technology, with more than 450 publications. His recent research activities involve both fundamental and applied aspects of surface and colloid chemistry in the development of flotation technology, the use of x-ray computed tomography in the 3-D analysis of multiphase particles and packed particle beds, the development of air-sparged hydrocyclone technology and the synthesis of magnetic activated carbon.

Miller is a member of the American Chemical Society, The Minerals, Metals and Materials Society (TMS) and the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME). He has served on the SME board of directors and is a past-chairman of the Mineral Processing Division of SME.

Jan Dean Miller was honored with the Distinguished Achievement Award in 1994 and the van Diest Gold Medal in 1977 from the Colorado School of Mines. He was also awarded the Distinguished Research Award from the University of Utah. He is the recipient of numerous professional society awards, being recognized for his research contributions by both SME and TMS. In 1991 he was recognized by the American Institute of Metals and Energy Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers (AIME) with the Robert H. Richards Award.  In 1993 Miller was honored with the A.M. Gaudin Award by the SME and was further distinguished in the same year by being elected to the National Academy of Engineering. In 1997 he was recognized with the AIME Mineral Industry Education Award, and in 2003 he was recognized with both the Frank Aplan Award (AIME/SME) and the Stefanko Best Paper Award (SME). Professor Miller received the Utah Governor’s Medal for Science and Technology in 2006. In 2007 he received an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Pretoria in South Africa, where he was commencement speaker, and an honorary professor appointment at Central South University, Changsha, People’s Republic of China. More recently, in 2008, Miller was awarded the title of distinguished professor of metallurgical engineering at the University of Utah.

Miller earned his bachelor of science degree from Pennsylvania State University and his master’s degree (1966) and PhD (1969) in metallurgical engineering from the Colorado School of Mines. 

 

Steven L. Mueller ’75 (2014)

Steve graduated from Mines with a bachelor’s degree in geological engineering. Today, he’s president, CEO and director of Southwestern Energy, a position he has held since 2009. He joined Southwestern in 2008 as president and chief operating officer.

Steve has more than 30 years of experience in the oil and gas industry and has served in multiple operational and managerial roles at Tenneco Oil, Fina Oil, American Exploration, Belco Oil & Gas and The Houston Exploration Company. He serves on the boards of America’s Natural Gas Alliance, the American Exploration and Production Council and the Independent Petroleum Association of America.

He and his wife, Anita, have two grown children—a son and a daughter. The Muellers live in Houston.

Steve has long been a generous supporter of Mines, both through his own philanthropy and through investments by Southwestern Energy.  He and Anita have supported The Mines Fund, as well as helping to establish the Robert J. Weimer Distinguished Endowed Chair in Sedimentary and Petroleum Geology. A Boettcher Scholar when he was a student, Mr. Mueller has also provided support for the Boettcher Foundation Endowment for Distinctive Educational Programming.

Under his leadership, Southwestern Energy made a substantial investment in Marquez Hall, naming the Harold M. and Patricia M. Korell and Southwestern Energy Lobby in the new facility. More recently, the company has invested in the Clear Creek Athletics Complex at Mines, helping to make that facility a reality for student-athletes.

Steve has been a member of the President’s Council nearly every year over the past decade, and he’s a member of the Mines Century Society.

 

Olu Akin Oduolowu '72, '78

Olu Akin Oduolowu recently retired as Lead Energy Specialist from the World Bank, where he had worked since 1981. A native of Nigeria, Dr. Oduolowu spent much of his career at the Bank assisting the governments of developing countries in the development and management of their energy resources, including appraisal of energy project economics, financing and implementation. Prior to his appointment as Lead Energy Specialist in 1995, Dr. Oduolowu served as an Energy Planner, Geophysicist and Energy Economist. From 1998-2001 Dr. Oduolowu undertook a three year executive staff exchange between the World Bank and ExxonMobil Global Services Corporation, where he was responsible for the evaluation and development of new initiatives in global procurement activities and in the development of several road (vehicle) safety standards for the distribution of petroleum products.

Prior to joining the World Bank, he served as the Managing Director of Digicon Geophysical Company in Nigeria. Earlier in his career, Dr. Oduolowu worked for Shell-BP Nigeria as a geophysicist and seismologist, based in the Niger Basin. He also served as an Area Geophysicist for Geophysical Services, Inc. and taught geophysics at the University of Ibadan, where he was instrumental in the development of an expanded curriculum for their geology degree program to include geophysics.

Dr. Oduolowu is a member of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists, having served for many years as a member of its Scholarship Committee.  He is also a member of the American Counter Trade Association; the National Association of Procurement Management; and an Associate member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists.

Dr. Oduolowu received his B.S. in physics from the University of Ibadan. He earned his M.S. in geophysics from the Colorado School of Mines in 1972 and returned to Mines on a Fulbright Scholarship to earn his Ph.D. in mineral economics in 1978.

Dr. Oduolowu and his wife Julianah Nike Oduolowu have four children. They reside in Chantilly, Virginia.

 

George W. Off '70

George W. Off retired as chairman of the board of Checkpoint Systems Inc. in January 2009, after serving as chairman and chief executive officer from August 2002 until December 2007. Checkpoint is a $1 billion multinational manufacturer and marketer of solutions that help retailers control shrink losses.

During his career, Off, a 40-year retail marketing industry veteran, also held executive positions at Lucky Stores, Inc. and Safeway Stores, Inc. Prior to Checkpoint, Off was a founder, former chairman and CEO of Catalina Marketing Corporation, a $400 million multinational company that provides targeted marketing solutions for consumer goods companies, pharmaceutical manufacturers and retailers.

He is a member of the Food Merchandisers' Education Council, a board director of Telephone and Data Systems, Inc., and a trustee of Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, FL.

George W. Off was honored with a Distinguished Achievement Medal by Colorado School of Mines in 2000. He earned a bachelor of science degree in mathematics from Mines in 1970.

He resides with his wife, Tara, in Berwyn, PA near Philadelphia.

 

James L. Payne '59

James L. Payne is the CEO and chairman of Shona Energy Company. Shona Energy was established with emphasis on South American exploration and production properties that benefit from additional technical expertise, strong management and increased capital. He has held several other executive positions including chairman, president and CEO of Nuevo Energy Company, vice chairman of Devon Energy Corporation, chairman and CEO of Santa Fe Snyder Corporation, chairman and CEO of Santa Fe Energy. Before Payne’s career with Santa Fe, he spent twenty-three years with Chevron Oil in various domestic and international exploration and management positions including manager of Africa, Europe/Middle Eastern exploration and general manager of Sudan.

Payne currently serves on the boards of BJ Services Company, Global Industries, Ltd., and Nabors Industries, Inc. He has served as chairman and been on the boards of the Domestic Petroleum Council, the Offshore Energy Center, the Palmer Drug Abuse Program, and Spindletop International. Payne is a certified professional geologist and has been a member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) and Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) for many years. He has served on the board of the Independent Petroleum Association of America and the foundation boards of the SEG, AAPG and American Geological Institute.

Payne was honored with the Colorado School of Mines Distinguished Achievement Medal in 1993. He graduated from the Colorado School of Mines in 1959 with a professional degree in geophysical engineering and received the Cecil H. Green Award in Geophysics upon graduation. He also holds an MBA from Golden Gate University and completed the Stanford Executive Program.

Mr. and Mrs. Payne were recently honored as the recipients of the Palmer Drug Abuse Program’s Annual Heart Award. In 1994, Mr. Payne was recognized with the Mr. Spindletop Award.

Payne and his wife, Arlene, have been married for 50 years. They divide their time between Houston and Pagosa Springs, Colorado, where they have a small ranch. They have three children and eight grandchildren.

 

Deborah A. Peacock '78 (2013)

Deborah Peacock is the president/CEO and managing partner of Peacock Myers, P.C., Intellectual Property Law Services, with its primary office in Albuquerque and satellite offices in New York and Washington D.C. Deborah is a registered patent attorney and a licensed attorney in New Mexico, Colorado and New York. She is also a registered professional engineer in New Mexico and Colorado. She provides legal and business/technology advice to a worldwide clientele. Her particular expertise is complex transactions and commercialization of cutting-edge technologies.

Deborah received a BS in metallurgical engineering from Mines (with highest honors) and her JD from Harvard Law School in 1985. She uses her engineering degree daily in reviewing and giving advice as a patent attorney about new technologies.

Before becoming an attorney, Deborah worked in the mining industry in Zeehan, Tasmania, and as a metallurgical engineer at Kennecott Copper in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was the first woman front-line foreman (since World War II) at Kennecott’s Utah Copper Division in the late 1970s.

Deborah received two appointments from Governor Susana Martinez when the governor took office in 2011. Deborah serves as a Regent at the New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology (formerly New Mexico School of Mines). She also serves as Chair of the Environmental Improvement Board, which passes all New Mexico regulations concerning environmental matters.

In addition to these boards, Deborah serves on other non-profit boards, including Explora Science Center and Children’s Museum, Albuquerque Community Foundation, New Mexico Angels, Kirtland Air Force Base Partnership Committee, New Mexico Israel Business Exchange, and Solomon Schechter Day School. Deborah is also a member of New Mexico and National Society of Professional Engineers; Society of Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME); Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum; New Mexico Amigos; International Women’s Forum (NM and NY); Albuquerque Economic Development; Association of Commerce and Industry; Association of University Technology Managers; Licensing Executives Society; International Trademark Association; World Future Society; National Association of Corporate Directors; Corporate Board Members; and Association of Governing Boards.

Deborah has received numerous awards and professional recognition, including Engineer of the Year (Albuquerque Chapter NMSPE), Best Lawyers in America, Martindale Hubbell AV (highest rating), Super Lawyers, Bar Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers, Ethics in Business, Governor’s Volunteerism Award, Quality of Life Employer, Women of Distinction and YWCA Women on the Move.

 

Laurence G. Preble '61

Laurence G. Preble is vice president and director of development, Kajima Urban Development International LLC, a subsidiary of Kajima Corporation, a construction and development firm based in Japan. KUD acts as master developer for complex mixed-use, public/private projects, such as the Eagles stadium in Philadelphia. Prior to this position, Preble practiced real estate law with O’Melveny and Myers for thirty-two years. O’Melveny is a large national and international law firm with offices in the US, Europe and Asia. He was a partner for twenty-four years and chair of the real estate department for ten years. Preble began his career in the US Army Corps of Engineers in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, serving as a US Army Engineer School company commander.

Preble was honored with the Distinguished Achievement Medal from the Colorado School of Mines in 1998. He received his bachelor of science degree in petroleum refining engineering in 1961. He was awarded his JD cum laude from the Loyola Law School of Los Angeles in 1968.

Preble and his wife, Deborah, have been married for forty-five years. Their interests include music, opera, travel and wine. In addition to riding the Orient Express Train and the Trans-Siberian Railroad, they have traveled to Kenya, Morocco, Botswana, China, India, Indonesia, Cuba, Europe, Japan, Chile and Peru. They reside in Palm Desert, California, and have two children and three grandchildren.

 

William A. Preston '58

William A. Preston is the chairman and CEO of Cortica Benicia, S.A. and CBUSA Incorporated. Prior to holding this position he was the CEO of APM Incorporated. He also served as the president and CEO of Icore International Incorporated and general manager at Fansteel Incorporated. He began his career at Ducommun Incorporated as a general manager, powder metallurgy. Preston serves as a corporate director for Redlake Corporation, Oxford Laboratories, Physics International, Pacific Scientific, Data Technology, APM Thermoplastics, University National Bank & Trust Co. – founder, Matsi Inc and Datron Systems. He also served as a first lieutenant in the United States Army.

In 1998, Preston was awarded the Distinguished Achievement Medal from the Colorado School of Mines. He received his master of science degree from CSM in 1958 and his MBA from Stanford University in 1962. He attended the Wharton School-Management of Commercial Banks program in 1979. He continues to serve the Colorado School of Mines on the board of overseers for the McBride Honors Program.

Preston presides over Preston Farms vineyard and has authored the book Cork and Wine. He is the board chair for Channing House and Sensory Access Foundation.

Preston resides in Palo Alto, California, and is active in the University Club of Palo Alto, Palo Alto Club, Stanford Alumni Association, YMCA and the Alexis De Tocqueville Society.

 

Marcus P. Randolph '77

Marcus P. Randolph is the group executive and chief executive-ferrous and coal for BHP Billiton in Melbourne, Australia. Randolph has overall responsibility for four business units—iron ore, metallurgical coal, energy coal and manganese—in addition to his leadership role for business improvement and IT business systems. He has served in several other executive positions for BHP Billiton including, chief organisation development officer; president, diamonds and specialty products; chief development officer, minerals; and president, minerals development and chief strategic officer. He has also served as the CEO and president of First Dynasty Mines Ltd., mining and metals executive for Rio Tinto plc, and director of acquisitions and strategy for Rio Tinto subsidiary Kennecott.

Randolph began his career at ASARCO where he served in various operating positions in North America and as the general manager of Corporacion Minera Nor Peru in Lima, Peru.

Marcus P. Randolph was honored with the Distinguished Achievement Medal from the Colorado School of Mines in 2005. He earned his bachelor of science degree in mining engineering in 1977 and his MBA from Harvard University in 1990.

 

Jack L. Rivkin '62

Jack L. Rivkin is a director of the Neuberger Berman Mutual Funds and a consultant to Lehman Brothers focusing on climate change as an investor and policy advocate. Formerly, he was the executive vice president, chief investment officer and head of private asset management of Neuberger Berman, a Lehman Brothers Company. He was also a member of Neuberger's Executive Management Committee, the Lehman Brothers Council on Climate Change and the Neuberger Berman Climate Change Fund Advisory Board.

Rivkin began his investment career as a research analyst and director of research at Mitchell Hutchins. He also served as the director of research, CFO of the parent company; president and CEO of PaineWebber Mitchell Hutchins, chairman of Mitchell Hutchins Asset Management and president of PaineWebber Capital. Rivkin was director of global research and, subsequently head of the Worldwide Equities Division of Lehman Brothers Inc., vice chairman and director of global research at Smith Barney and executive vice president with Citigroup Investments. He joined Neuberger Berman in 2002.

Rivkin is the co-author of Risk & Reward–Venture Capital and the Making of America's Great Industries, Random House, 1987. He is a regular guest on various media including CNBC and Bloomberg. He is the principal subject in a series of Harvard Business School cases describing his experience as director of research and head of equities at Lehman Brothers. He has been a guest lecturer on investing and investment management at a number of New York area universities and was an adjunct professor at Columbia University, teaching a course in security analysis. In addition, since 2005 he has participated in a number of forums on the topic of climate change and investing. He is a director of Dale Carnegie and Associates Inc. and the New York Society of Security Analysts, an associate fellow of the Asia Society, a member of the Economic Club of New York and the Anglers Club of New York. He continues to be an active private equity investor.

Jack Rivkin was awarded the Colorado School of Mines Distinguished Achievement Medal in 1990. He earned his professional engineering degree from the Colorado School of Mines and his MBA from Harvard University.

 

Jozef (Jef) Roos '70

Jozef Roos is chairman of the board of directors of the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium (K.U. Leuven). As a faculty member at K.U. Leuven, he created the Materials Research Centre. He was promoted to associate professor in 1969 and full professor in 1976 and still serves as a guest lecturer. After 25 years at K.U. Leuven, he joined stainless steel producer ALZ (now ArcelorMittal Stainless Belgium). He also served as executive vice president of the Arcelor-Group, and chairman and CEO of Ugine-ALZ Belgium. He is board member and advisor at several companies.

Roos is a Fulbright alumnus and a fellow of the Institute of Metal Finishing (UK) and the American Society for Metals. He has served as the chairman of the Flanders Science Policy Council and VITO, the Flanders Institute of Technology Research. He is also the author of books and patents and more than 200 scientific papers.

Jozef Roos received the Distinguished Achievement Medal from the Colorado School of Mines in 1997. He earned his master’s and Ph.D in metallurgical engineering from the Colorado School of Mines. He earned the diploma of metallurgical engineer at the K.U. Leuven.

Roos is the honorary chairman of the Vlaams Economisch Verbond, Flanders-Belgium Employers Organisation.

 

Neal E. Schmale '68

Neal E. Schmale is president, chief operating officer and a member of the board of directors for Sempra Energy, a San Diego-based Fortune 500 energy services holding company whose subsidiaries provide electricity, natural gas and energy products and services. The Sempra Energy companies' 14,000 employees serve more than 29 million consumers in the United States, Europe, Canada, Mexico, South America and Asia. He has been a member of the board of directors since 2005.

Schmale has served as the executive vice president and chief financial officer of Sempra Energy. Before his career at Sempra Energy, Schmale was chief financial officer and a member of the board of directors of Unocal Corporation and had earlier served as Unocal’s senior vice president and president of its petroleum products and chemical division.

Throughout his 29-year career at Unocal, Schmale held a variety of positions in the operations, legal and finance functions. He is a member of the board of directors of Murphy Oil Corporation and serves on its audit and compensation committees. He is the non-executive chairman of the board of directors of the WD-40 Company and serves on its audit and governance committees, previously chairing the WD-40 Company audit committee.

Neal E. Schmale was honored with the Distinguishes Achievement Medal in 1992. He holds a law degree from Loyola University of Los Angeles Law School and a bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering from the Colorado School of Mines. Schmale is a native of Nebraska and a member of the California Bar.

 

Donald D. Schwemmer Jr. '78

Donald D. Schwemmer Jr. is president and co-owner of AMET, Inc., an international company providing innovative, automated welding systems solutions. AMET is headquartered in Rexburg, Idaho, and serves its Asian and European markets through facilities in Beijing and England. In 1989, Schwemmer and his partner founded AMET to design, manufacture, install and support advanced automated welding and process monitoring systems. These systems are used for the manufacture of critical components for the nuclear, aerospace, medical, defense, automotive, petroleum and other commercial industries. Since that time, AMET, Inc. has grown into a recognized leader for providing specially engineered welding systems for varied applications involving steel, aluminum, titanium, copper, and nickel alloys and has more than 120 employees worldwide.

Prior to forming AMET, Schwemmer held a number of management and executive positions with Rockwell International and Rockwell-INEL, including director of engineering and production development. At Rockwell International, he served as branch manager of joining technology, W79L manufacturing manager, and nuclear joining manager. He also worked as an engineer for Ford Motor Company’s Casting Division and was responsible for implementing Ford’s first production non-vacuum electron beam welding systems for joining die-cast engine components. Schwemmer also served as operations manager for Matrix Drilling Products and helped to develop automated plasma welding processes for Matrix’s critical deep hole drilling products.

Schwemmer is a member of the American Welding Society and serves as an active participant on its scholarship committee. He is also an American Defense Preparedness member, a Rexburg Chamber of Commerce member, and a volunteer for the Colorado School of Mines.

Schwemmer was awarded the Distinguished Achievement Medal in 2006. He received his B.S. in computer science from Colorado State University in 1975 and his master’s in metallurgical engineering from Colorado School of Mines in 1977.

During his tenure at Rockwell he received Rockwell’s President’s Award for establishing and managing a specialized team to develop and implement welding and manufacturing processes for the production of critical weapons components.

He and his wife, Charlene, reside in Idaho Falls, Idaho.

 

Charles E. Shultz '61

Charles E. Shultz is chairman and chief executive officer of Dauntless Energy, Inc., a company he started in early 1995. He has served as senior vice-president of Tenneco Oil Company, Houston, and president and chief operating officer and president and chief executive officer of Gulf Canada Resources Limited. Shultz helped found Canadian Oil Sands Trust and has served as chairman since its inception. He currently serves on the boards of Enbridge Inc., Newfield Exploration, Glencoe Resources Ltd., Matrix Solutions Inc. and Sonoma Energy.

In the not-for-profit sector, he currently serves on the Alberta Economic Development Authority, the Calgary Airport Authority Business Advisory Council, the Science Alberta board, the Colorado School of Mines Trustee Advisory Board and as an elder for the St Paul’s Presbyterian Church. He has also served on the University of Calgary Board of Governors (vice chair), the Canadian Energy Research Institute (chair), the Colorado School of Mines President’s Council (chair) and the US National Energy Council (chair). He has been actively involved in numerous non-profit fundraising activities in Calgary.

Schultz was awarded the Distinguished Achievement Medal in 1986. He earned his degree in geological engineering from Mines in 1961. He attended the University of Virginia’s executive program and the Harvard Business School’s advanced management program. He completed the Institute of Corporate Directors program to hold the ICD.D designation in 2005. Schultz was awarded the Alberta Centennial Medallion in 2005.

Shultz was raised in Oklahoma, holds both United States and Canadian citizenship and is a resident of Calgary, Alberta.

 

Sandra M. Stash '81

Sandra M. Stash is the global vice president, health, safety, environment and asset integrity for Talisman Energy in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Prior to serving in this position she served in several executive positions with British Petroleum and Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO) including vice president, regulatory affairs, compliance and ethics, BP Exploration Alaska; vice president, health, safety and environment, TNK-BP, Moscow, Russia; vice president of operations, Atlantic Richfield Company; vice president of operations, ARCO Discontinued Businesses LLC; interim vice president, environmental, health and safety, ARCO Los Angeles; and manager, Anaconda Minerals Operations, ARCO, Anaconda, Montana. She began her career as a drilling engineer and foreman with ARCO Exploration and ARCO Oil and Gas Company.

Stash has served as a Director on the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, the Institute for Sustainable Communities, Burlington, Vermont; the Montana State Chamber of Commerce and the Butte Family YMCA. She was the President and Director of the Montana Tech Foundation and President and Director of the Butte-Silver Bow Chamber of Commerce. She also chaired the Environmental Subcommittee of the American Chamber of Commerce in Moscow, Russia. Stash was an appointed member of the Montana Commission on Reinventing Government, the NACEPT Subcommittee for Superfund and the Clean Air Act Advisory Committee.

Sandra M. Stash was awarded the Distinguished Achievement Medal from the Colorado School of Mines in 2005. She was honored by Montana Tech as the keynote commencement speaker in 2000 and as the Montana Tech Outstanding Community Leader in 2001. She earned her bachelor of science degree from the Colorado School of Mines in 1981 and holds professional engineering licenses in Colorado and Montana.

Ms. Stash is married to Rob Provan and has two stepdaughters, Brittan and Mallory, and is fluent in Russian.

 

Candace S. Sulzbach ’81 (2014)

Candy is a teaching professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, where she has taught since 1983, and a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Colorado.

Candy served as a Metro area director on CSMAA’s board of directors from 2002 to 2007. In 2011, she received the Outstanding Alumna Award for meritorious service to the alumni association, and the Board of Trustees Outstanding Faculty Award. In 2006, she was honored as the Faculty Senate Distinguished Lecturer.

Candy is faculty advisor to the Society of Women Engineers, Civil Engineering Honor Society and Tau Beta Pi student organizations. For two decades, she’s been faculty advisor for the American Society of Civil Engineers, receiving the award of Outstanding Faculty Advisor eight times. Last year, Mines’ Board of Student Organizations recognized her as Faculty Advisor of the Year for her work with ASCE. Additionally, she’s served on several national ASCE committees.

Candy is a member of SWE, ASCE and Tau Beta Pi, and she’s an honorary member of the Blue Key honor society at Mines. Her family includes her husband, Jim ’92, her son and daughter-in-law, Rob and Kayti Ammerman, granddaughter Harbor, her daughter, Eryn Ammerman ’11, and her mom and dad, Tom ’58 and Judy Brown.

 

Andrew Swiger '78

Andrew Swiger, who received his BSc. in petroleum engineering from Colorado School of Mines in 1978, is senior vice president of ExxonMobil Corporation and a member of the corporation’s Management Committee. Throughout his career, Mr. Swiger has held a variety of technical and managerial positions in production, operations, engineering, planning and gas and power marketing. He previously served as president and general manager of Mobil Oil Canada, as ExxonMobil’s lead country manager in the United Kingdom and Ireland, executive vice president of ExxonMobil Production Company and president of ExxonMobil Gas & Power Marketing. Mr. Swiger is a member of the Center for Strategic and International Studies Advisory Board. Colorado School of Mines awarded Mr. Swiger a Distinguished Achievement Medal in 2010.

 

J. Don Thorson ’55

Don Thorson grew up in the Osage oil field in Wyoming, where his father worked as a superintendent. At the age of six he decided to become a mechanical engineer, and by the age of 14 was working with his father’s bentonite business, mixing concrete during the plant construction and doing field work during the summers—test drilling, mapping and running equipment.

Thorson graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a degree in geophysics, eventually joined the army (Topo engineers) and then returned home to join his father’s new oil business. He learned to do every job in the field, but particularly enjoyed designing and modifying equipment such as rigs, loggers and trucks. After 30 successful years, the Thorson family sold the oil business but continued to run the bentonite business, which marked its 65th year of operation in 2012.

Thorson served two terms in the Wyoming House of Representatives and was on the board of directors of the Mountain States Legal Foundation for 12 years, where he is still the emeritus director. He has served on numerous Mines reunion, fundraising and geophysics visiting committees. He established the Thorson Engineering Senior Design Endowment Fund, sponsors the annual Student Leadership Summit, and supports the Wyoming Scholarship Fund.

 

Tom Vander Ark '81

Tom Vander Ark is currently the managing partner of Revolution Learning, a venture fund that invests in innovative learning tools and school networks. He is also a partner in Vander Ark/Ratcliff, an education public affairs firm. Previously he served as president of the X PRIZE Foundation, which creates and manages prizes that drive innovators to solve some of the greatest challenges facing the world. Vander Ark also served for seven years as executive director of education for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, where he developed and implemented more than $3.5 billion in scholarship and grant programs to improve education throughout the United States. Prior to his role with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Vander Ark was the first business executive to serve as a public school superintendent in Washington State.

A prolific writer and speaker, Vander Ark has published more than 100 articles and given thousands of presentations on the subject of education. In December 2006, Newsweek readers voted Vander Ark the most influential baby boomer in education. He also has extensive experience in the private sector, having served as a senior executive for a retail start-up, PACE Membership Warehouse, that was eventually sold to K-Mart. He began his career at Amoco Minerals, now Cyprus Amax, in engineering and corporate finance.

Mr. Vander Ark has also distinguished himself through public service.  He advises Communities in Schools, ConnCan, Democrats for Education Reform, the National Association of Charter School Authorizers, X PRIZE Foundation, and MLA Partner Schools.

Awarded a Distinguished Achievement Medal from the Colorado School of Mines in 2009, Vander Ark graduated from Mines in 1981 with a degree in mineral engineering. He received his M.B.A. in energy finance from the University of Denver.

 

Michele Vivona '86

Michele Vivona is the senior vice president and general manager of Web Strategy for LexisNexis, where she is responsible for the development and execution of the strategic direction for the web strategy for LexisNexis. Prior to this position, Vivona served in several executive positions at LexisNexis including senior vice president and chief operating officer, litigation services; vice president of Law Large Market Planning; and senior sales director of the western U.S. law firms. Since joining LexisNexis in 1988, Vivona has also held a variety of sales and sales management positions within the law firm, government and law school markets. Prior to joining LexisNexis, Vivona held several technical positions with software development companies providing technology and business solutions to the manufacturing and transportation industries.

Vivona serves as a board member and past president on the foundation board of the Northwest Women’s Law Center in Seattle, Washington. She also serves on the board of the King County Humane Society in Seattle. Previously, she has served on the board of Public Council in Los Angeles and has chaired the Washington Software Alliance, the leading technology trade organization in the state of Washington.

In 2004, Michele Vivona was awarded the Distinguished Achievement Medal from the Colorado School of Mines. She holds a bachelor of science degree in geophysical engineering from Mines and is an alumnus of the Stanford Executive Business Program.

 

Don L. Warner '64

Don L. Warner is dean emeritus of the School of Mines and Metallurgy and professor emeritus of geological engineering at the University of Missouri-Rolla. He taught undergraduate and graduate courses in groundwater hydrology and subsurface for twenty-five years and served as dean for twelve years.

During his career, he worked as a geological engineer for Gulf Oil in the western U.S., California Exploration Company in San Francisco and Guatemala and for predecessors of the present Environmental Protection Agency in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Warner has published extensively and is the principal author of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Introduction to the Technology of Subsurface Wastewater Injection, which was used by the EPA and many state regulatory programs as the reference manual for that area of technology. He received a best-paper award from the American Water Works Association and the M.K. Hubbert Award for contributions to groundwater science and engineering from the National Ground Water Association.

Warner was a member of the Mineral Resources Committee of the National Association of Universities and Land Grant Colleges, where he served as chairman from 1988 to 1994, and the Department of Interior Advisory Committee on Mining and Mineral Resources Research. Additionally, he is a trustee of the National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum in Leadville, Colorado, and was a member of the visiting committee of the Colorado School of Mines Department of Geology and Geological Engineering from 1988 to1994. In 2007, Warner was nominated by the governor of Missouri, and confirmed by the state senate, as a member of the Missouri Board of Geologist Registration.

Don L. Warner was honored as a Distinguished Achievement Medalist from the Colorado School of Mines in 2007. As an undergraduate at the Colorado School of Mines Warner earned varsity letters in football, track and boxing and was president of the M Club and of his social fraternity.

He earned a degree in geological engineering in 1956 and his master’s degree in 1961 from the Colorado School of Mines. He earned his doctoral degree in 1964 from the University of California, Berkeley.

 

Bob Waterman '58

Bob Waterman pursues a varied career as author, nonprofit director and artist. Waterman is probably best known for In Search of Excellence, a book he co-authored with Tom Peters. His other books include: The Renewal Factor, Adhocracy: The Power to Change, and What America Does Right, and the international edition of the same book, Frontiers of Excellence. From 1964 to 1985, Waterman worked at McKinsey & Company, Inc., where he became a senior director and served on that firm's executive committee. At McKinsey he managed offices in San Francisco, Tokyo, Osaka, Sydney and Melbourne.

For most of his life, Waterman has suffered from Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS), a neurological disorder that plagues an estimated 10 million Americans. From 1999 to 2006 he was chairman of the RLS Foundation and is now chairman ex-officio and a member of the RLS Scientific Advisory Board. He has served on Council for the National Institute for Neurological Disorder and Stroke, a part of the National Institutes of Health, and now serves on one of the boards of NIH’s Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

In 1984, Bob Waterman was awarded the Distinguished Achievement Medal from the Colorado School of Mines. A native of Denver, Colorado, Bob graduated from the Colorado School of Mines with a degree in geophysical engineering. He received his MBA from Stanford University in 1961.

Waterman is active on the President’s Circle, a part of the National Academies of Science; he also serves as a council member of the World Wildlife Fund. In the past he has served on a number of other boards including McKesson, Boise Cascade, San Francisco Symphony, Scleroderma Research Foundation, and AES Corporation, one of the world’s largest independent power producers and a company that he helped found.

When he’s not writing, directing, playing golf or skiing, Waterman teaches watercolor and oil painting and exhibits at the occasional show at the Gallery in Burlingame, California.

 

Richard Donald Wendeborn '52

Richard Donald Wendeborn is a retired manufacturing executive. Over the course of his career he held positions with Ingersoll-Rand Co., including general manager, vice president and director, president, chairman of the board and executive vice president. He was a member of the Canadian Government’s Oil and Gas Technology Exchange Program with former USSR (1972) as well as the Minerals and Metals Mission to China (1972).

Wendeborn served as a member of the Resource Fund International Development Committee, the Reunion Gift Committee and the President’s Council for the Colorado School of Mines; past president and director of the Town and River Civic Association; a member chairman of the board of directors of the Machinery and Equipment Manufacturers Association of Canada; a member and commodore of the Royal Palm Yacht Club; a member of the International Order of Blue Gavel, a member of Tau Beta Pi; and a member of the Stephen Ministry at New Hope Presbyterian Church in Fort Myers, Florida.

Richard Donald Wendeborn was awarded a Distinguished Achievement Medal by the Colorado School of Mines in 1973. He earned an Engineer of Mines degree from Mines in 1952 and graduated from the advanced management program at Harvard in 1974.

Wendeborn was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and is married to Dorothy Ann Munn; they have three daughters and two sons. The Wendeborns reside in Fort Myers, Florida.

 

J. Steven Whisler

J. Steven Whisler retired in 2007, as chairman and CEO of Phelps Dodge Corporation after a thirty-year career. His retirement from the Fortune 500 company based in Phoenix, Arizona, followed its merger with Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc.

Whisler is a director of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation, the US Airways Group, Inc., the Brunswick Corporation, the International Paper Company, Aleris International Inc., the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum and the C.M. Russell Museum. He is also a former member of the Business Council and the Business Roundtable.

J. Steven Whisler was honored with the Colorado School of Mines Distinguished Achievement Award in 1994. He was also awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science degree in engineering from the Colorado School of Mines. He holds a bachelor of science degree in business from the University of Colorado, a JD degree from the University of Denver College of Law, and a master of science degree in mineral economics from the Colorado School of Mines. Whisler also attended Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program. He is admitted to the bar of the state of Colorado, various federal courts and the United States Supreme Court. He is a certified public accountant in the state of Arizona.

He and his wife, Ardyce, have been married twenty nine years and are the parents of Kyle, 21, and Kristen, 17.

 

Joseph R. Wright '61

Joseph R. Wright recently joined Scientific Games as CEO effective January 1, 2009. He will serve, beginning immediately, as vice chairman of the board on which he has been a member since 2004. He was previously chairman of Intelsat, the world’s leading provider of satellite/fiber services with a global fleet of satellites servicing more than 200 countries. Prior to that Wright served as CEO of PanAmSat, a publicly listed satellite-based services business that was acquired by Intelsat in 2006. Before PanAmSat, he was chairman of GRC International Inc., a public company providing advanced IT, internet, and software technologies to government and commercial customers, which was sold to AT&T. Wright was co-chairman of Baker & Taylor Holdings, Inc., an international book/video/software distribution and e-commerce company, owned by the Carlyle Group. Wright served as executive vice president, vice chairman, and director of W. R. Grace & Company, chairman of Grace Energy Company and president of Grace Environmental Company.

In the 1980’s he was a member of President Reagan’s cabinet as deputy director, then director of the Federal Office of Management and Budget in the Executive Office of the President and earlier as deputy secretary of commerce. He was one of the few individuals who received the Distinguished Citizens Award from President Reagan. He was later appointed to the chairmanship of the Export Control Sub-Committee of the President’s Export Council by President H.W. Bush, and he was appointed to the President’s Commission on the U.S. Postal Service Reform and the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC) by President George W. Bush. Prior to the 1980’s, Wright was president of Citicorp Retail Services and Retail Consumer Services, credit card subsidiaries of Citibank; a partner at Booz, Allen and Hamilton; and held several senior economic and management posts in the Federal Departments of Commerce and Agriculture.

 

F. Dave Zanetell, Jr. '87

Dave Zanetell graduated from Mines with a bachelor’s degree in engineering–civil specialty. He subsequently received a master’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Colorado. Mr. Zanetell is the director of engineering, Central Federal Lands, for the Federal Highway Administration. From 2001 until late in 2010, he led the Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge project management team, which involved bringing together a diverse group of public and private stakeholders, as well as managing the numerous consultants and contractors involved in bringing this historic and complex project to fruition. The bridge was dedicated in October 2010 and has received national and international recognition. It is the largest concrete-arch bridge in the Western Hemisphere, the second-highest bridge of any kind in the United States and one of the most technically challenging bridges ever constructed.

 

Norm Zehr '52

Norm Zehr is retired from Ingersoll-Rand Co. and from the Colorado School of Mines Alumni Association. Zehr began a twenty-eight year career at Ingersoll-Rand as an office engineer and sales engineer and later held several executive positions including vice president, Ingersoll-Rand Co.; president, Ingersoll-Rand International; and vice president, Ingersoll-Rand International. At the Colorado School of Mines Alumni Association, he served as the executive director; a position he held for eleven years.

Zehr served as a 2nd lieutenant in the US Army Corps of Engineers. In Korea, he served as an army aviator, 40th Infantry Division, and in the Korean Military Advisory Group. His military honors include the Army Commendation Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal and the United Nations Service Medal. He is an Honorary Colonel in the 115th Engineer Regiment.

Norm Zehr was honored with the Distinguished Achievement Medal from the Colorado School of Mines in 1977. He earned his Engineer of Mines degree in 1952 and his master’s of science degree in 1956. He attended the senior executive program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. While attending Mines, he was a member of Sigma Nu Fraternity, National Society of Scabbard and Blade, and National Society of Pershing Rifles. Zehr is an honorary member of Blue Key. He received the Legion of Honor award from AIME/SME.

Zehr currently lives in Golden and holds a commercial pilot’s license. He is an assistant editor for Encyclopedia of the Korean War and served on the planning and editorial committee for the Colorado School of Mines history book project Rocky Mountains to the World. Zehr is listed in Who’s Who in Finance and Industry, in the West, in America and in the World.