Donald A. Davis (BSE EE ’47) is 88 years young and still talking about the good education he received and how it prepared him for his career. He’s so enamored of Michigan Engineering that he has supported the College with a gift to the Michigan Engineering Fund since 1975 – never missing a year.

Milton Meckler (MSE ChE ’55), president, Design Build Systems, reported that his firm collaborated with Dr. Amip Shah, senior research scientist, Hewlett Packard Laboratories in Palo Alto, CA, to publish “Probabilistic thermoeconomic risk assessment for evaluating climate change decisions.” The paper appeared in the International Journal of Global Warming.

Paul Gogulski (BSE CE ’60), president of Gogulski & Associates, Inc., is using a methodology developed and used by the DOD and NASA to develop programs for integrating systems engineering into the construction industry. Paul invites you to contact him at (702) 249-3350, paulg@construction-expert.com.

John H. Wilde (AB LSA ’60) has written his memoir, Michigan Days, and is willing to give a copy to alumni who want one. In return he asks that recipients consider contributing to the John H. Wilde Scholarship that he set up at the College of Engineering in memory of his father, Edward H. Wilde (BSE EE ’25). The scholarship benefits a deserving student from the Upper Peninsula. John invites you to contact him at 308 Hunting Road, Greenwood, SC 29646.

Jerry Bergler (BSE ChE ’62, MSE ’63) said that, after reading Michigan Engineer, it’s “good to know that others have used their engineering education as a foundation for launching careers in other fields of endeavor. He said that he’s “looking forward to reading future issues and keeping up with the people who are proud to call themselves Michigan Engineers.”

Herbert H. Dobbs (PhD ME ’72) has been named a fellow of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. He’s also a fellow of the Society of Automotive Engineers and the Michigan Society of Professional Engineers, a retired U.S. Army colonel, and secretary of the board of directors of Torvec, Inc., Rochester, NY.

Steve Holdaway (BSE ME ’77), head of sales and founder of Academy Solar, a residential and commercial solar energy company, has been named president.

John Batchik (BSE IOE ’80) has been elected chairman of Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG), a not-for-profit, member-supported organization that works collaboratively with a wide range of manufacturing companies, suppliers and service providers. He joined the AIAG board in 2006.

Robert T. McGrath (PhD NE ’80) has been installed as the new director of the Georgia Tech Research Institute.

Paul Berger (BSE EngPhys ’85, MSE EE ’87, PhD ’90), a professor of electrical and computer engineering and physics at Ohio State University, has been named a fellow in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). He’s one of only 36 people worldwide elevated to fellow status within IEEE’s Electron Devices Society for 2011.

Carla Bailo (MSE ME ’86) has been named senior vice president, Research & Development-Nissan Americas. She’ll be responsible for all of Nissan’s vehicle engineering and development operations in Michigan, Arizona, Mexico and Brazil. She’ll retain her current position as a member of Nissan’s MC-A, the company’s highest-ranking decision-making body in the Americas region covering the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil and 37 other Latin-American and Caribbean countries.

William Kroppe (BSE ME ’89, MSE ’98, MBA ’95) wrote to say two things: 1) “The latest edition of Michigan Engineer was great.” (Thank you.) and 2) He has joined Vestas Wind Systems in the roleof vice president Technology R&D Colorado.

Kim Hammonds (BSE ME ’90) has assumed the positions of chief information officer and vice president of Boeing’s Information Technology organization, responsible for the IT strategy, operations, processes and more than 8,500 IT people. Hammonds was formerly vice president of Boeing’s Information Technology Infrastructure unit.

Anup Jain (BSE CO ’90, MBA ’96) has become vice president, strategic planning and corporate development for PPG Industries.

Jon Schram (BSE IOE ’90) founded a company called “The Purple Guys” in 2001. It was recently recognized as a “Best of Kansas City Business” in the Computer/IT Consulting category.

Brad Buecker (BSE ME ’94) is the supervising producer of “Glee,” the hit musical comedy-drama television series that airs weekly on Fox. After pursuing a career in mechanical engineering in Colorado, Buecker started dabbling in documentary filmmaking. He moved to Los Angeles to earn a master’s degree from the American Film Institute, then moved on to projects such as editing “The Bachelor,” “Nip/Tuck” and the Julia Roberts film “Eat Pray Love” before meeting “Glee” creator Ryan Murphy and becoming part of the “Glee” team.

Neil Weissman (BSE MSE ’95), director, Telemus Capital Partners LLC, hit the “40 Under 40” list, the Crain’s Detroit Business annual roster of 40 of the community’s high achievers under the age of 40. More than 300 people were nominated.

Patrick Somerville (BSE AERO ’03) has won the 23rd District seat in Michigan’s state house of representatives, besting the incumbent for a two-year term. His campaign slogan: “fresh face, fresh approach.”

Adrian Walker (BSE IOE ’04) wrote and produced “The Art of Power,” his first feature film, for First Element Productions. It premiered at Ann Arbor’s Michigan Theater, November 20, 2010.

Michael Rose (BSE ME ’07) has received the U.S. Army’s Greatest Invention Award for his work as lead design engineer on the Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected (MRAP) Overhead Wire Mitigation (OWM) kit. The V-shaped hulls and high ground clearance of MRAP vehicles help protect soldiers from Improvised Explosive Devices. However, due to their height, MRAPs were frequently knocking out voltage lines, putting crews and equipment at risk in addition to aggravating locals and damaging infrastructure. Rose’s invention guides low-hanging wires safely up and over MRAP vehicles. The OWM kit adapts easily to newly integrated vehicles, requires no modification and can be installed without special tools.

Roy Goodman (BSE MSE ’10) and Dallas Manning (BSE NERS ’10) became the first two graduates from Focus: HOPE’s pilot partnership program with the College of Engineering. Based in Detroit since 1968, Focus: HOPE has become a nationally renowned civil and human rights organization.

Jerome Singleton (BSE IOE ’10) upset Oscar Pistorius to win the International Paralympic World Championship 100-meter race in New Zealand. Pistorius hadn’t lost a 100-meter event in seven years.