Five Armour College of Engineering Alumni Among 2016 Illinois Tech Alumni Awardees
Five Armour College of Engineering Alumni were announced among the winners of the 2016 Illinois Institute of Technology Alumni Awards. Overall thirteen Illinois Tech Alumni and one civic leader were named awardees. The tradition of awarding alumni who have shown dedication to the university through service and support or to their field through hard work and outstanding contributions began in 1946.
These awardees will be honored on April 29, 2016 at the 2016 Alumni Awards Luncheon and Ceremony in Hermann Hall. A reception will start at 11 am with the luncheon and presentation of awards beginning at 11:30 am. Tickets to the ceremony are $50 each and can be purchase here. The Armour College Alumni awarded are:
Alumni Medal
Bud Wendorf (ME ’71)
Bud Wendorf earned his degree in mechanical engineering from Illinois Tech in 1971. He is chairman of the Illinois Institute of Technology Board of Trustees and retired chairman and CEO of Sargent & Lundy. He has recruited many Illinois Tech graduates to work at Sargent & Lundy and has sponsored IPRO courses based on real industry challenges. He supports Illinois Tech scholarships and has given $1 million to the Ed Kaplan Family Institute for Innovation and Tech Entrepreneurship.
John J. Schommer Honor I Award
Ted A. Erikson (CHE ’52, M.S. CHEM ’59)
Ted Erikson, who earned his degree in chemical engineering from Illinois Tech in 1952 and his master’s in chemistry in 1959, became the first person to swim the channel from the Farallon Islands to the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge in 1967 and remained the only person to do so until 2014. He also set the world record for the fastest round-trip swim of the English Channel in 1965, a record he held until his own son bested him by three minutes in 1975.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Robert Bonthron (ME ’44, M.S. MECH ’52, Ph.D. MECH ’62)
Robert Bonthron served Illinois Tech for 44 years as a professor, dean of students, and director of placement and cooperative education, in addition to earning three degrees: mechanical engineering in 1944, master’s in mechanics in 1952, and doctorate in mechanics in 1962. He received two Clinton Stryker Distinguished Teaching Awards as well as an Excellence in Teaching Award, and both of his sons are Illinois Tech alumni.
Howard H. Kehrl (ME ’44)
Howard Kehrl earned his degree from Illinois Tech in mechanical engineering in 1944 and began a long career at General Motors where he held several positions, culminating as vice chairman. He was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in recognition of his contributions to automotive science and engineering.
Professional Achievement Award
Michael J. Graff (CHE ’77)
Michael Graff, who has 30 years of experience in the energy, chemicals, and polymers industries across the Americas, Europe, and Asia, serves as the chairman and chief executive officer of American Air Liquide Holdings, Inc. He is a member of Air Liquide Group's executive committee and heads Air Liquide's Industrial Gas businesses in North America, South America, and the Caribbean from its Houston headquarters. He is the global chairman of the Electronics World Business Line and has global oversight for Safety and Industrial Systems (SIS). He earned his degree in chemical engineering from Illinois Tech in 1977.
