As our programs grow, having an Industry Advisory Board (IAB) allows us to tap into industry expertise to seek advice on curriculum and strengthen the connection to a diverse group of successful business leaders in specific fields related to the majors. This IAB will primary support the Bachelor of Science in Engineering Management and Bachelor of Science in Management with concentration in Supply Chain and Operations Management. The reason these two programs are linked together is because of the overlap in some of the job opportunities available to students.
The objectives of this IAB are to:
- Tap the expertise of the members to advise the faculty and staff on current industry trends and skills needed by graduates to position them to be successful in their careers;
- Increase exposure of Engineering Management and Supply Chain and Operations Management to STEM students;
- Connect with specific companies;
- Raise the level of awareness about these programs;
- Promote the mission and strategy of the College;
- Provide a critical link between business education within the College and practice within the business community to promote academic excellence and curriculum changes through continuous improvement efforts;
- Suggest and identify opportunities for students to interact with businesses, public, and nonprofit organizations that will enhance their knowledge, provide internships, provide employment, or enrich their education through other experiential learning endeavors;
- Provide access to the business community for the Dean and our faculty;
- Interface with the Dean’s Advisory Council; and
- Become financial self-sustaining.
Any questions, please contact Ulrich Schmelzle, schmelzle@mtu.edu
Current Members
Thomas Bryant, P.E.
President/CEO - Team Sundance LLC
Tom graduated from Michigan Technological University in 1979 with a degree in civil
engineering-structural, and then went on to earn an MBA from the University of Detroit
Mercy in 1984. He has Professional Engineering licenses in Michigan as well as Nationally.
After graduation, Tom held several leadership/executive positions at General Motors
Corporation.
This international supply chain expert has over 40 years of broad experience in enterprise
scale purchasing. Tom was proactive co-architect of a full-scale Worldwide Purchasing
process for GM, and was also involved in subsequent process improvements. Tom has
automotive experience in manufacturing, engineering, product development, operations,
cost engineering, and supplier development.
He has specialized in Supply Chain Management buying and/or approving the purchase
of parts and services in the automobile industry and has overseen the purchase of
$5.6 billion per year in vehicle electrical/electronic and powertrain parts. He spent
time in Brazil as Director for General Motors do Brasil Worldwide Purchasing with
responsibilities over Machinery and Equipment, Indirect Materials, and Services covering
Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East (LAAM) and focused on growth in those regions.
Tom is extremely familiar with the automotive industry’s top 100 suppliers and has
reviewed, negotiated, and implemented supplier contracts, calculated damages upon
contract termination, and visited supplier facilities globally. In Materials Management
and Logistics, he has initiated “cost based pricing” to identify future reductions
while maintaining supplier profit margins and negotiated contracts that include risk
reward clauses. Tom directed the cross-functional Delphi Automotive Focus Team for
Global Sourcing and Advance Purchasing.
Since retiring from General Motors, Tom has started two businesses and is President/CEO
at Team Sundance LLC that specializes in engineering/consulting and Six Degrees Pro
specializing in an expert witness. These businesses located in Eagle River, MI interface
with the leadership at Michigan Tech.
Neil Hawke
Project Leader - Milwaukee Tool / Techtronic Industries
Neil Hawke is a Project Leader in Global Electronics Sourcing for Techtronic Industries, a $14B global business with products across consumer and professional tools, outdoor power equipment and floorcare, including brands Milwaukee Tool, Ryobi, Hart, Hoover, Vax and others. He leads an international project team spanning the U.S., China, and Hong Kong SAR, and is responsible for the development of strategic and data solutions to build intelligence for the procurement of electronic components in a purchasing category exceeding $1B USD. Mr. Hawke is the Founder and Creative Director of Great Lakes Coastal, the premier Great Lakes beachwear brand. He guided the business from startup to cash-flow positive, building global manufacturing partnerships and distribution / design partnerships with regional organizations.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in Engineering Management from MTU, is pursuing his MBA,
and
is based in Milwaukee, WI.
Michael Hauswirth
Executive VP – COO Superior National Bank
As Chief Operating Officer of Superior National Bank Mike provides the leadership, management and vision necessary to ensure that the bank has the proper operational controls, administrative procedures and people systems in place to effectively grow the bank, and to ensure continued financial strength.
Prior to his current role, Mike was the CEO of Aspirus Keweenaw and Ontonagon hospitals. Mike was responsible for the overall performance and stability of two Aspirus Hospitals and their six clinic locations in the Western Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Mike earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (Accounting) from Michigan Technological University. He lives in Hancock, Michigan and is an active member of the community, serving on the board of directors of numerous community-based organizations.
Michael Held
Vice President - Belcan, LLC (A Cognizant Company)
President - SolarGuard, LLC
Manager - Linares Spinal Devices
As Vice President of Belcan, Mike leads growth activities for a group of industries called “Land”. These include automotive, commercial, agriculture, construction, mining and emergency vehicles, forklift trucks, robotics, energy and other industrials. Belcan is a global leader in Engineering Services, Manufacturing and Supply Chain, and Workforce Solutions. Cognizant is a $20B enterprise that helps companies modernize technology, reimagine processes and transform experiences so they stay ahead in a fast-changing world.
As President of SolarGuard, Mike leads company activities in Southwest Florida with a vision to revolutionize commercial lighting solutions, especially for commercial buildings, hotels and resorts. Southwest Florida has suffered severe damage from recent hurricanes, and SolarGuard has become synonymous with innovation, reliability, and eco-consciousness during rebuilding activities.
As Manager of Linares Spinal Devices, Mike leads engineering, quality and marketing activities as its primary orthopedic device moves from development through FDA approval and patient applications. The Riser device is intended to relieve debilitating pain from spinal stenosis.
Mike earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Cornell University and a Master of Business Administration from The University of Michigan. He is a married father of 4 accomplished children, lives in Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan and Fort Myers, Florida.
Heath A. Nunnemacher
Vice President Global Electronics Sourcing - Techtronic Industries
Executive Chairman - Galland Henning Nopak
Heath A. Nunnemacher is Vice President of Global Electronics Sourcing for Techtronic Industries, a $14B global business with products across consumer and professional tools, outdoor power equipment and floorcare, including brands Milwaukee Tool, Ryobi, Hart, Hoover, Vax and others. He leads a team spanning the U.S., Mexico, China, and Hong Kong SAR, and is responsible for strategy development and procurement of electronic components in a purchasing category exceeding $1B USD. He has held various positions across TTi and Milwaukee Tool in purchasing, engineering, supply chain, and marketing.
Previously at Apple, Inc., he held global system-level product quality management responsibility within the desktop (Mac) operations group where he led quality oversight at contract manufacturing sites on three continents. Prior to Apple Inc., he managed new product launches and development engineering across facilities in the USA, UK, and China for Charter Automotive, a Tier 1 supplier of engine and transmission components and held P/L responsibility for a facility in Anhui, China.
Mr. Nunnemacher is the executive chairman and an owner of Galland Henning Nopak, Inc., a privately-held manufacturer of high-density balers and hydraulic and pneumatic valves and cylinders. He advises the leadership committee on company vision, strategy, and long-term growth goals with a focus on ownership and management alignment. He is an expert on family business governance structures and was named by Family Business Magazine as a NextGen to Watch in 2018.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and a MBA from MTU and is currently living in Hong Kong.
Scott Raffaelli
Vice President and General Manager - Pettibone Traverse Lift
Scott Raffaelli is the Vice President and General Manager of Pettibone Traverse Lift, headquartered in Baraga, MI.
Scott joined Pettibone in 2010 as the General Manager for the Pettibone Traverse Facility in Baraga. Since then, he was promoted to the Director of Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement, and eventually the Vice President of Operations for the Pettibone Heavy Equipment Group, prior to his current role. This group has manufacturing facilities located in Superior, WI and Baraga, MI, producing heavy equipment for the forestry, construction, and oil and gas industries.
Scott began his career at Tyco International, working in their fire protection products division as a Manufacturing Engineer and Project Engineer, and eventually moved into Production Management, which included Six Sigma certification. In 2004, he was hired at Terex Corporation as a Lean Promotions Manager in their Aerial Work Platform division. The primary focus of this role was to utilize the tools of the Toyota Production System to facilitate continuous improvement activities, which included deployment of Kaizen events over a variety of product lines. Scott was promoted to Operations Manager in 2007, with responsibility for the Baraga, MI facility.
Scott holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan Technological University, with emphasis on manufacturing.
Ron Staley
Senior Vice President - The Christman Company
Ron has been with the organization for 33 years and is currently leading the reestablishment of a new construction management and general contracting office in the City of Detroit. He founded Christman’s Historic Preservation Group in 1992 providing construction services for high profile national historic landmarks across the US and foreign countries.
Ron earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (Industrial Management) and Associate of Applied Science in Civil Engineering Technology from Michigan Technological University.
He is on the Board of Directors of The Christman Company and multiple non-profit boards, and honored as a Fellow in the Association for Preservation Technology International and Honorary Affiliate of the Michigan Chapter American Institute of Architects.
Paul Stinson
Chief Growth Officer - Sunquest Information Systems
Stinson is an accomplished, seasoned executive with 35 years of experience in the field of Healthcare Information Technology. He has delivered hundreds of global products and services to the healthcare community from conception to commercialization. After completing his bachelor's degree in business administration from Michigan Tech in 1984, Stinson went on to hold multiple VP and C-suite positions at leading healthcare IT companies, including Sunquest, Sage and MediQuest. As a key member of the senior leadership team at Sunquest, he has implemented AGILE development techniques to improve product time to market, and delivered order intake above expectations and quota for eight straight quarters. Stinson is currently a member of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, Product Development and Management Association and Dean's Advisory Council.
Andy Storm
Co-Founder - Six Axis Capital
Andy Storm is the Co-Founder of Six Axis Capital. Six Axis Capital manages a diverse portfolio of assets with a focus on advanced manufacturing, warehouse distribution, digital technology, and industrial services targeting lead or control investments in businesses with enterprise values ranging from $5m to $75m.
Prior to founding Six Axis Capital, Andy was the CEO of Invio Automation, a leading advanced automation solutions integrator serving a variety of high-growth, durable end markets that include medical device, life science, alternative energy, mobility, and semiconductors.
Andy earned Bachelor of Science degrees in Business Administration (Industrial Management) and Mechanical Engineering Technology from Michigan Technological University and was an All-Conference defensive tackle on the MTU football team. As a Leaders for Manufacturing Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Andy earned an MBA from MIT’s Sloan School of Management and a Master of Science degree in Engineering Systems from the MIT School of Engineering.
Andy serves on the board of directors of Steelhead Technologies and Orbitform.
Michael Tomko
Vice President of Human Resources - Challenge Manufacturing
Michael is responsible for providing leadership, vision and strategy for all aspects of the human capital management process to ensure that the needs of internal and external customers are meet with quality services. Prior to joining Challenge Manufacturing, he was Vice President of Operations and member of Hastings Manufacturing Company, LLC where he was responsible for all aspects of the international manufacturing company.
Michael has a masters certificate in Human Resource Management from Michigan State University, he earned a 6-Sigma Black Belt from the University of Michigan and is a graduate of Harvard Business Schools’ program for leadership development.
Michael has served on several boards including Chairman of the brownfield redevelopment authority (BRA) and the land development finance authority (LDFA) for the City of Hastings, Michigan.
Aaron Troschinetz
General Manager - North America for Smithers Quality Assessments (SQA)
Aaron has over (20) years of various Operations, Quality and Program Management direct experiences supporting the Automotive-related industry. He has successfully managed implementations with ISO 9001/14001 and ISO/TS 16949 while in industry. In addition, he has directly led Automotive, Aerospace, Quality, Environmental and other 3rd party certification programs in both Technical and Operational leadership roles within the Certification Body (CB) industry.
Lastly, Aaron is an active Certified Quality Manager/Organizational Excellence (CMQ/OE) as well as Certified Quality Auditor (CQA) through the American Society of Quality (ASQ).