Growing up in a small rural town in northern Indiana, Brad Morton had a narrow view of career possibilities. Pursuing a degree at Purdue University was a significant stretch for him. Once he was settled in the College of Technology, Morton found an outlet for his fascination with connecting innovation to practical applications. And with guidance and encouragement from professors, such S.L. Pritchett, and his future wife, Susan, he continued to stretch to meet new challenges and opportunities.
Chuck Goodrich
The product of a small town, Chuck Goodrich wasn’t sure he would be able to excel at Purdue, but with the guidance of Bob Kiger and others, excel he did, turning an internship at Gaylor Inc. into a full-time career. Starting as an engineering associate in 1996, Goodrich is now Gaylor’s vice president and branch manager for its Indianapolis operations.
Thomas DeLong
Family life and community were inspirations for Thomas DeLong’s 30-year career in organizational behavior. Watching family dynamics and groups, he says, helped create an interest in how organizations and groups function. After receiving his doctorate in industrial supervision from Purdue, DeLong embarked on a career full of teaching and research. His academic activities have helped countless students, colleagues, and practitioners learn more about how leaders at all levels can make a difference and enhance business practices and organizational outcomes.
Steve Easley
Steve Easley has a real passion for Purdue and the College of Technology, having earned two degrees in five years and spending another 10 as a professor of building construction and contracting.
Will King
An ability to make strong business relationships and leverage opportunity has been the hallmark of Will King’s professional achievements. It’s the lifeblood of his daily work today, and it has been key to his company’s global success.
James Hill
Whether it was learning from his grandfather’s life and business examples or “being born into a family of Boilermakers,” James Hill has benefited from the influence of those closest to him.
Hill joined the family business, The Hill Group, as a project engineer after earning his bachelor’s degree. In 2003, he earned his MBA, moving him up to senior project engineer. Two years later, he assumed his current position: vice president for strategic solutions.
Daniel Cunningham
A 21-year career in the U.S. Army provided Daniel Cunningham with a well- rounded resume. When he retired as a Lt. Colonel in 1989, he moved to the private sector as a production manager at Parish Manufacturing in Indianapolis. Within five years he was leading the company.
Joe Mack
An affinity for design and creativity runs in Joe Mack’s family: both of his parents are artists, while four of his five brothers have established careers as designers. While he acquired his family’s talent and desire for artistic expression, Mack also had an equally strong interest in computers.
Mack lists Gary Bertoline as an early influence during his time at Purdue and cites the college as instrumental in allowing him to hone his technical skills and his confidence. Both have been key in his success in a rapidly changing and competitive industry.
David Blackmore
David Blackmore wasted no time in his climb to success. He began his career in construction at the age of 17, where he worked summers for the J.L. Wilson Co. as a bridge contractor, laborer and estimator. He not only gained experience, but also earned money to help pay for his Purdue education.
James Stephens
James Stephens’s work has been front page news over the past year. As regional deployment manager for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), he has coordinated the launch of more than 150 Advanced Image Technology Body Scanners at 31 airports across the country since late 2009.