Spring 2011

Isn’t this a wonderful day?

It’s great to be up here speaking to all of you graduates and your families.

I was surprised, really astonished, that Dean Pines would ask ME to give the commencement address for the Clark School of Engineering. He certainly did not ask me because of my public speaking skills (as you’ll see), nor because of my perfect diction, or my lack of an Armenian accent. Hopefully you can understand me. And it was not because of my family connections or political contacts – I was an immigrant to this great country who washed dishes at Shakey’s pizza parlor to make my tuition payments to this great institution.

It also wasn’t because of my perfect record of success in business or life. I’ve made numerous mistakes in my personal, professional and business life. In the early 1990’s, I was in so much debt, and my companies were performing so poorly, that the only thing that stood between me and bankruptcy court was a miracle.

That miracle happened. But it happened for a reason. It happened because no matter how dark things became I remembered the lessons I learned right here at the University of Maryland.

I’m going to share a little bit of my experiences being with you here today, because life doesn’t just go in one direction. Some days, like today, it seems to leap ahead by years. And other days, darker days, like the early 1990’s were for me, it can be overwhelming; it can feel like you’ve lost all the ground you’ve ever gained and then some. You will have more of those dark days than you expect. Why must I warn you of this? Because life is competitive, because life can be cruel, because life is always finding a way around your plans, your dreams, your hopes, and looking for a way to humble you.

I don’t say any of this to dampen your spirits. On the contrary, I am explaining this because I want you to know the secret to overcoming these obstacles, which I assure you, await us all. That secret is not very complicated. In fact, it’s a lot easier to learn than most of what you’ve been taught here these last few years. That is correct, I said easier to learn, but I did not say it was necessarily easier to do.

And that lesson is: Don’t quit. I know it sounds like a bit of cliché, but you would be surprised how quickly people forget this fundamental truth. I learned very young: “Never quit, quitters never win and winners never quit.” Why do I mention this one point first?

Because I have achieved some remarkable things in my life, I hold or have pending over 50 patents, I have been involved with the creation and development of many successful companies and even entire communities, and along the way I have made virtually every mistake you can make except one – I never quit. I’m here today to hammer home this lesson. You are here today because you are the best. You are the ones who didn’t quit. You are the ones who have those keen minds that can solve the problems of today while raising the families that will solve the problems of tomorrow. Don’t forget that last part. A good engineer solves the problem. A great engineer solves the problem and leaves behind some more little engineers to solve more problems.

I was reading some old commencement speeches to gather inspiration for all of you here today, and I came across one that captured these ideas perfectly and was delivered less than 20 miles from here at Bethesda Chevy Chase High School by President John F. Kennedy 52 years ago.

“What we need now in this nation, more than atomic power, or airpower, or financial, industrial or even manpower, is brainpower.” Kennedy continued, “We need new ideas –new ideas to obtain an endless supply of fresh water, food and energy from the ocean depths – to expand the world’s arable land 7 times – to multiply the output per acre even more – to replace our dwindling supply of energy resources from the granite that lies beneath every continent – and, instead of beating our swords into plow-shares, to convert our bombs into power reactors that can electrify the frontier and the jungle. All of this we can do with new ideas.”

While searching for inspiration I found another example that was frankly just as uplifting because it happened here, on the ground under your feet today.

Right here, in 1912, this amazing and wonderful place burned literally to the ground. That fire, which began on Thanksgiving Day, destroyed all the school’s records and most of its academic buildings. Morrill Hall is the only academic building standing today that was untouched by that fire. Many people, including the University’s President – who resigned because he was so devastated by the damage the fire had done – predicted that would be the end of this college. Even the halls where the students had lodged were burnt completely to the ground. But something unexpected happened that next spring. All but 2 of the students returned to the campus and found lodging in people’s homes in every surrounding town.

They refused to quit.

They didn’t let the bad thing that had happened to them, had happened to all of them – poison their minds. They realized that the problem they faced – had a solution.

They all came back because they wanted to learn. They wanted to learn, and they trusted the higher power with their future. They trusted because they believed in this institution. They had faith in this place, and they had faith in themselves.

They had faith that if they displayed courage, that if they didn’t quit, that if they demanded that the institution survive, that it teach them what they expected it to – that somehow it would survive, that it would rise up, literally from the ashes and become what it is today, one of the greatest research and learning universities in the world.

They all came back because they were leaders, just like you are. Trouble will come, it will come at the worst possible moment. It will appear unbeatable and when it does come, many of those around you will lose faith, and will turn around. You won’t remember what I had to say here today when that moment comes – you’ll have many other things on your mind. But you will have your faith. And I hope you will remember just this one lesson. Don’t quit. JUST TWO WORDS. Don’t quit and you will overcome.

WHEN YOUR LUCK IS DOWN
AND YOUR WORLD GOES WRONG
AND LIFE’S ALL UPHILL
AND THE ROAD IS LONG
KEEP YOUR SPIRITS HIGH
FOR THROUGH THICK AND THIN
YOU MUST CARRY ON
IF YOU ARE TO WIN
NEVER MIND IF THINGS
HOLD YOU BACK A BIT
YOU WILL COME OUT ON TOP
BUT YOU MUST NOT QUIT.

I remember exactly what I felt like the day I graduated from this magnificent university, nearly 40 years ago and so I think I know how you feel here today. I was excited, anxious to get out into the “real” world and make my mark. I was sure the University had taught me all I needed to know and I was ready to get out there and show everybody how smart I was. And of course, I also had the opposite emotion; I was already nostalgic for my friends and my professors who had become my family in just a few short years on campus. I had all of these conflicting emotions rushing around inside me – before I even received my diploma. Which brings me to one final thought that I have for you today;

Don’t ever completely leave this wonderful place. Take your university experience with you in your heart and in your head. The world today requires constant learning, constant re-education, constant attention to continued development as a person and no institution, no job, no training course or even life experience can match what they have here for you, at your home, your university, your partner, your very own University of Maryland.

I remain friends with faculty members like the great Bill Fourney who is up here on this stage with me here today. My experience here on this campus changed me in ways that I can never forget and that still drive me today. Thank you to all of the great professors past and present who challenged me to think, who believed in me, who showed me love – and who I still love to this day. I know each and every one of you has similar experiences here and I urge to keep them going after today’s celebration.

I hope after today is over, after the party tonight has died down, after you have gotten comfortable with the idea that you came here, you met the challenge and you succeeded, you will also come to realize that this institution is more than a stepping stone on your life path. This institution is a resource that you should utilize everyday for the rest of your life. Remember those students from 1912; they knew that if they believed there was still a college here, then there was one. And they were right. There is a college here, a great college.

I’m standing here, looking at a room full of people that I know have that same spirit and share that same belief. And I repeat, the reason is sitting in front of my eyes. I have faith in you. I have faith in this country, and I have faith in God.

The diploma you are leaving here with today is the least important thing you will need to have successful and fruitful life. The important things are what you learned here, how to think, how to learn, how to lead, how NOT to quit, and finally: how to believe, first in yourself and secondly in your fellow students, professors and country men and women – those are the things that you learned that will be the difference between success and failure, between accomplishment and wasted effort, between knowledge and useless information, between courage and dangerous pride.

In closing, I just want to say that although I don’t have the speaking skill of a John F. Kennedy – I have something he didn’t have – and that something has served me well all my life – the staunch support of the greatest University in the United States – the University of Maryland!!

MAY GOD BLESS EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. AND MAY GOD BLESS THE USA.

DREAM ON GRADUATES, BUT DO NOT LET YOUR DREAMS BE IDLE.

Aris Mardirossian
May 20, 2011

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Winter 2010

Good afternoon colleagues,

Exactly 29 years ago on a December afternoon here at College Park, I sat quietly in my cap and gown among new graduates just like you, day dreaming, with all the excitement and nervousness of someone about to sail on to a new world.  I wondered whether I had chosen the right path.  I knew I was ready for the world; the question was whether the world would welcome me.  Today, 29 years later, I am happy to report that yes I did pick the right path, yes I still love being an engineer, yes I have been having a hech of a sail and I am still dreaming of my next journey with the same excitement and nervousness of 29 years ago.  The only difference is nowadays I am a bit better at anticipating the undercurrents, the storms and even the pirates along my journey.  As such, Dean Pines asked that I would share some of my observations with you, as you are about to start your sail on to the world.

Well, the first question is where to, right?  In what direction should you start your sail?  My suggestion?  Follow your heart.  Ask yourself what you are passionate about and navigate in that general direction.  If you happened to glance at my biography, you already knew that I came to the United States 35 years ago as a refugee, penniless and homeless.  But I met so many kind and generous Americans who were more than willing to lend me a hand in my darkest moments.  It was their compassion that restored my faith in humanity and inspired me to public service. I chose my career path because I wanted to pay back, because I wanted to serve Americans – especially those who continue to protect our freedom and security.  If you love what you do, chances are you will be quite successful at it too.  That’s why I said just now that I’ve been having a hech of a sail.

Now that I’ve talked about the direction of your sail, here are some thoughts on your sailing skills and techniques.  The good news is you are already armed with the best tool kit that Maryland could offer: your engineering degree.  So what are some basic qualities that will help you stand out immediately from your peers at work?

First, not surprisingly, is the quality of your work.  As a green engineer, you usually will be assigned to assist more senior staff.  By the way, this means doing anything and everything that you are asked, and doing it well, regardless of how boring or insignificant the task might be.  Young professionals in entry-level positions often expect to be given interesting work right away, and when they aren’t, they might get restless or unhappy.  A fact of life is a part of everyone’s work day is often spent on non-interesting but necessary activities.  A test engineer for example does not get to design new experiments and think great thoughts on science all day long.  He also has to clean out tools, order equipment, write reports, xerox data, etc.  A new employee often lacks experience and therefore is often given “busy” rather than meaningful work at first. It would be a mistake is to think that a trivial task is a task not worth doing well.  If you as an employee do not demonstrate that you can or are willing to accomplish a small task well, your boss might be reluctant to trust you with anything more substantial. Oh, and pay respect to the technicians on your team, by the way.  They might not have a college degree but they usually possess a wealth of practical on-the-job experience that a green engineer can certainly learn from.

Second is the quality of your physical appearance.  It is one important metric others use to judge us and how we judge ourselves subconsciously.  As you already know, our appearance reflects our self-respect, and one must respect oneself before being capable of respecting others.  I am not talking about looking pretty, handsome or dressing expensively.  I am talking about looking respectable and presentable and dressing appropriately.  
Next is the quality of your communication to others, verbal and written.  Modern societies such as the U.S. tend to over-value communications skills, to the extreme extent that anyone who is a poor communicator is automatically cast aside as a poor performer at best and a dim wit at worst.  In my career, I have seen many competent scientists and engineers with poor communication (especially oral presentation) skills being by-passed by less technically competent colleagues when it comes to promotion, especially to leadership positions. As such, one cannot overlook the importance of being able to write well and speak well.

Fair or unfair, people tend to form opinions about us based on the way we dress and communicate even without knowing about the quality of our work, or despite our work. For example, if you aspire to be an executive in your company, dress like one and talk like one. Don’t come to work in jeans and T-shirts, don’t hang around the water cooler gossiping and don’t write e-mails full of spelling and grammar errors.

In the early stages of your career, your success mainly depends on you.  As you begin to rise through the ranks and begin assuming management and/or leadership positions, your success and therefore career advancement will increasingly depend on others such as your partners, your subordinates, your employees, etc.  They have to succeed as owners of the various parts in order for you to succeed as the leader of the whole.  The larger your leadership or management responsibility, the more you will depend on others and the more you will need to rely on something else; many call that “something else” emotional intelligence.  It is the ability to perceive, assess and positively influence one’s own and other people's emotions in order to motivate and lead.  I recommend that you start building your EI or “soft skills”, now that you have possessed a good amount of “hard skills”.  And the start is oneself.  The first thing is to build your resilience and self motivation. What differentiates a tennis ball from an apple when both are thrown on the floor?  The apple gets smashed immediately while the tennis ball bounces back as if nothing happened, right?  I would like for each of you to think of yourself as a resilient tennis ball, always bouncing back and ready for the next opportunity, no matter how many times you get thrown on the floor.  Failure is what we often choose to label a disappointing outcome, like not getting a result that we desire, a job that we want, but true failure only happens when we learn nothing from a disappointing outcome to better prepare us for the next opportunity.  And there will always be a next opportunity, if you are resilient enough to hang on to your dream.

Last but not least is the quality of your character, your ethics.  It guides your decisions, motivates your actions and gives the proper context to all the previous qualities. Hitler, for example, might be someone who excelled in the first 4 qualities but without proper ethics, Hitler became the essence of evil.

So, let me repeat the 5 fundamental qualities that I believe will help you stand out immediately as you start out professionally: the quality of your work, your physical appearance, your communication skills (verbal AND written), your emotional intelligence and your ethics.  As an executive, they are what I look for among my staff, in order to gage someone’s potential for increased responsibilities and promotion.

So go do good work, and remember you are a resilient tennis ball.  Happy sailing and Bon voyage!

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Winter 2008

I am sorry that you missed the opportunity to hear from such a distinguished engineer and alumnus as Gordon England, and I am sure we all wish him a speedy recovery. He has been a great public servant for our nation.

However, I can bring you 45 years of talking with engineering seniors and with probably hundreds of employers over these years. So my advice to the graduating class will focus on things you might do to have a satisfying and successful career.
I would like to talk about the four Ls.

• LEADERSHIP
• LITERACY
• LIFETIME LEARNING
• LOYALTY

You probably haven’t thought about it but you are graduating into a very elite group, the roughly 5 per cent of the US population that has a strong education in science and technology. It is scary to realize how much the economic future of our nation depends upon developing and commercializing technology-and how poorly the general population has been educated to understand technical issues. This of course presents you with great career opportunities- but it also presents you with awesome leadership responsibilities. Leadership means moving outside of your comfort zone as you keep learning and growing. And remember, leadership like respect must be earned. Someone may appoint you to a leadership responsibility but it is not yours for long unless you earn it. The only way to earn leadership is by returning service to those you are responsible for. Leadership means giving personally and professionally more than you ever get as the rewards of leadership.

Since you can’t expect the science and technology illiterate 95% of the population to learn enough about math, science and engineering to function responsibly in society regarding technology it is your leadership responsibility to learn enough about the non-technical side of society to serve as a mentor, guide and spokesperson. This is where literacy comes in. Please take the time freed up by not having to do homework or studying for exams to broaden your intellectual horizons. Read those novels you missed, learn about foreign countries and cultures, study a foreign language, read about business and economics and begin to follow politics. Above all, start to read at least one good daily newspaper and one weekly current events magazine so you will be aware citizens. You will find that becoming a culturally literate person makes you more aware of the world around you, but also improves your career advancement opportunities on the job.

Another area of literacy or leadership opportunity is in international affairs. We hear everywhere about NAFTA, world trade, and losing jobs overseas. But most U. S. corporations are moving strongly to develop markets overseas. This means that engineering jobs are becoming more international. At the start of your career think about this and do something like learning a second language and planning for an overseas assignment.

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Winter 2005

Good Morning.   I am extremely pleased to address the graduating engineers at the University of Maryland, one of the finest institutions of higher learning in the world.  You have sought one of the most challenging undergraduate degrees, and you should be proud to have completed this important milestone.   Nicely Done!

As you build your professional career after completing a degree in Engineering, you will greatly benefit from the foundation it has provided by honing your critical thinking and problem solving skills, enhancing your curiosity about the world in which we live and work, and providing a strong platform to pursue higher learning in a technical, financial, or  managerial field.

The United States is facing some powerful and disturbing trends in the area of higher education.   Our economic leadership in the world has been built on our ingenuity, technical abilities, creativity, scientific research, and entrepreneurial spirit that flourishes in our democracy.  However, nations around the world are now producing far more technically trained college graduates in the field of engineering and the sciences.   China graduated 500,000 engineers last year, and India 200,000, compared to 70,000 in the United States.

Globalization of the world has occurred as a result of the international ubiquity of high speed fiber and satellite communications, shrinking the world, as chronicled in Thomas Friedman’s book the World is Flat.  Friedman has documented a major foundational shift that is creating opportunity for companies in India and China to enter these technical fields from their local offices in such a way that the virtual interconnectivity now makes possible.

New video games are being developed in Bangalore, Microsoft is establishing a center in China, and the 64 slice CT scan or MRI you had yesterday was read by a radiologist last evening in Dehli.   This will create even greater challenges for our newly trained engineers and scientists that enter the workplace in the U.S.   What gives me encouragement and hope is the high quality of graduates like yourselves, from a stellar institution, the University of Maryland, that is investing in leading edge technologies while at the same time instilling the values of hard work, commitment, and integrity into its students.   Given these global changes, I strongly recommend you set your goals high, constantly looking for challenging opportunities to invest your talents and abilities in the pursuit of excellence.   In this way, you assure your long term success and make an important contribution to the future success of our Nation.

One of the key industries that will be critical for our economic and societal future is Energy, the same field I have chosen for my career.   The correlation of economic growth with the growth of electricity usage is well-documented.   Our economy literally runs on electricity.   We have made great strides in the past 100 years, improving the efficiency of electricity production, investing in new technology to improve the reliability and efficiency of the electric grid, and developing equipment, appliances, and computers that operate on electricity.

The energy efficiency of air conditioners, heat pumps and motors has also improved significantly in the past 30 years.   However, even with these efficiency improvements and new energy sources, we are experiencing unprecedented increases in the cost of energy that is posing a real threat to economic growth and affordability for businesses and homeowners.

The bad news is that the global demand for oil, gas, coal, and electricity has been increasing, particularly in China and India, whose economies are growing at double digit rates.   Our local energy costs are being driven by these global markets as supply is not keeping up with demand.   The recent hurricanes that hit the Gulf Coast have also impacted the supply of natural gas and refined oil products.  

There is more bad news!   Our domestic electricity production is not keeping up with growing demand, and we are seeing increasing environmental regulations that are resulting in the decommissioning of older generating units that can not be economically remediated to meet these new environmental standards.

There is more bad news - the threat of global warming as a result of the long term rise of greenhouse gasses, mostly carbon dioxide.   Countries are grappling with how to arrest this troubling rise in greenhouse gasses, which will demand that production of electricity from fossil fuels be altered to sequester CO2 or be shifted to other fuel sources that do not produce carbon emissions.

There is more bad news – our nation’s electric grid will need to have major investments to reinforce its capacity to assure continued reliability as the load grows, while facing resistance from local communities.

I wish I could tell you that is all the bad news, but there is more.  Utilities are one of the top three industries with an aging work force, along with healthcare and government.   In the next 10 years, the Baltimore Gas & Electric Company will see nearly 50% of its employees retire, and 65% of our leadership team, all at a time when there will be an increasing demand for new infrastructure to meet growing demand.

However, there is some great news, especially for you as engineers – there will be incredible opportunities to ply your trade in the energy industry, to participate in the development of new, environmentally friendly sources of energy, to develop new technologies to improve energy efficiency, while at the same time making a key contribution to the communities that we serve.

The field of electricity is unique – almost every engineering discipline is needed to make it work.  Obviously, electrical engineering tops the list.

But we need mechanical engineers to design generators

• systems engineers to develop complex systems modeling
• chemical engineers for feedwater chemistry
• computer engineers to design real time computer systems that operate and control the grid, some of the most complex computer applications in the world
• industrial engineering to improve business processes
• environmental engineers to design solutions for waste disposal, air and water quality
• construction  and civil engineers to build power plants and transmission lines
• Nuclear engineers to design and operate nuclear plants
• Even aerodynamic engineers work on the development of new wind turbines

Need I go further?   I have always found the energy business to be so fascinating because of the diverse challenges and variety of technical, financial, and managerial issues that we face.

However, with all of this opportunity to attract you to the industry, there is another dimension that also makes it rewarding to join a company like Constellation Energy and BGE – our special relationship with the community we serve.

Ever since I joined BGE, I have been encouraged to become involved with community service functions.   It begins with our leadership role in contributing to the United Way, not only in financial terms, but I participating on activities that allow us to give back some of the bounty we reap.

I also have become involved in serving on the Board of Directors of various non-profit organizations, such as the Maryland Food Committee, the St. Joseph Medical Center, and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.   Not only has it been personally rewarding, I have learned so much from these experiences.  It has broadened my understanding of the societal problems we face, and has helped to develop leadership, communications, and interpersonal skills.

If you are looking for a way to make a real difference in your career, you would be hard pressed to find another industry that not only challenges your technical problem solving and creative thinking, but also creates such special outlets to genuinely make a positive impact on the community.

So there you have it.   Energy is critical to our future – it needs new talent like you to find new solutions to improve the supply and reliability, while at the same time improving the environmental impacts.   It provides a wonderful opportunity to get involved in the community and to genuinely make a difference.   And it is critical to the long term health of our Nations economy.  I hope you will consider a career in energy.

I thank you for this very special opportunity to address the engineers graduating from the University of Maryland.   I wish you all the best of success in your careers ahead.   In some ways, I envy you because you are just at the beginning of an exciting and fulfilling adventure.   Make the most of it, for yourself, for your family, for your country, and for the generations that will follow you.

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Remember Your Clark School Commencement?

Below, we have begun to create summaries for Clark School commencements.  Is yours included?  And are photos available?  If not, please help us by providing the necessary information, and any high quality photos of your event, to Josey Simpson, Director of Clark School Alumni Relations.  We’d love to have an entry for every Clark School commencement.

Spring 2011

Winter 2010

Spring 2010

Winter 2009 - This ceremony was cancelled due to inclement weather.

Spring 2009

Winter 2008

Spring 2008

Winter 2007

Spring 2007

Winter 2006

Spring 2006

Winter 2005

Spring 2005

Winter 2004

Spring 2004

At the May 2011 commencement, the Clark School celebrated Golden Terp Engineers from the classes of 1961, 1956, 1951, and so on, including Phillip Cooper, a civil engineering alum from the class of 1931, who is 100 years old.

Front Row (L-R): Seymour Schwartz BS '51 Electrical Engineering, BS '90 Information Systems Management;
Jorge Valladares BS '61 Civil Engineering; Raymond Tate BS '56 Engineering; William Gannon BS '41
Engineering; Philip Cooper, BS '31 Civil Engineering.  Back Row (L-R): Dean Darryll Pines; Howard Pedolsky
BS '61 Chemical Engineering; Joseph Kammerer BS '61 MS '64 Civil Engineering; Ralph Rowland BS '51
MS '55 Electrical Engineering; James Shoemaker BS '56 Mechanical Engineering; Edward Moshang BS '61
Electrical Engineering. Photo by Al Santos

Mouse over thumbnail images to enlarge. All photos by Al Santos.

Bios

Philip C. Cooper, BS 1931 Civil Engineering
Mr. Cooper resides in Salisbury, MD. In 1932, Mr. Cooper helped design and build the Choptank River Bridge in Cambridge, which was dedicated to Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933, and went on to oversee the construction of the Cambridge Creek Bridge, the Severn River Bridge, and the Route 50 bridge into Ocean City. From 1943-1946, was called to serve in the U.S. Navy as an originating member of the unit known as Seabees.  He wrote a book titled, The Engineer in War and Peace: From Guadalcanal to Main Street, which is both an account of his World War II experience and a recount of the changes he saw as his hometown, Salisbury, developed from small town to small city. In 1950, he took on his role as city engineer and director of Public Works in Salisbury, where he served until 1978. He was accompanied by his daughter, Linda Riggin.

William F. Gannon, BS 1941 Engineering
Mr. Gannon resides in Lauderdale by the Sea, FL. After graduating from UMD, Mr. Gannon was called to active duty in the Army Air Corps and served for more than five years in their weather service, and retired as a LTC. He then joined Western Electric Company and assignments included manufacturing engineering, purchasing, equipment engineering and installation. After 35 years, he retired as General Manager of Operations in Colorado. He was accompanied by his daughter, Caroline Courtney.

Ralph Wilson Rowland, BS 1951, MS 1955 Electrical Engineering
Mr. Rowland resides in Silver Spring, MD. After graduating from UMD, Mr. Rowland was employed as an Electrical Engineer with Vitro in Silver Spring, MD for 36 years. From 1982-2004 he served as one of four editors of the Brain Ticklers column in The Bent of Tau Beta Pi, and tutored for the Mechanical Engineering department at UMCP mainly in Statics and Dynamics.

Seymour Schwartz, BS 1951 Electrical Engineering, BS 1990 Information Systems Management
Mr. Schwartz resides in Carroll Valley, PA (near Gettysburg). He was a Mechanical Engineer for the Department of the Navy, and worked for the Department of Defense until his retirement in 1983. Over the years, his job description changed from Mechanical Engineer to Electrical Engineer and then General Engineer when he retired from Fort Ritchie in Cascade, MD. After retirement, he worked for Kentron in Hagerstown, MD, then returned to UMUC and completed another BS degree in Information Systems Management. He was accompanied by his wife, Marie Schabb Schwartz. Mr. & Mrs. Schwartz have two sons and three grandsons.

James Shoemaker, BS 1956 Mechanical Engineering
Mr. Shoemaker resides in Burlington, NJ. He joined the Air Force from MD ROTC and retired after 24 years as LTC, then served as Director of Hospital Engineering for 18 years.

Raymond Tate, BS 1956 Engineering
Mr. Tate currently resides in Mt. Airy, MD. Mr. Tate is the CEO, President and founder of The Windermere Group, LLC, a Maryland company incorporated in 1998. Windermere is engaged in major information technology and security activities with facilities in Annapolis, Columbia and Largo, MD, as well as Reston, VA and Eatontown, NJ. Mr. Tate’s past career included high profile US Government service such as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the US Navy and Deputy Director of NSA where he served from 1952-1978. The Robert T. Tate Endowed Scholarship was established in 2004 by The Windermere Group, LLC in honor of Mr. Tate’s 80th birthday to provide support for Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Joseph Thomas Kammerer, BS 1961, MS 1964 Civil Engineering, MBA 1969 (University of Rochester, Simon Business School)
Mr. Kammerer resides in Vienna, VA. He is the former Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Department of Defense and Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force. He began his career with the government as a structural research engineer designing ships and submarines for the US Navy. His government career includes a number of senior executive positions with the Navy, NOAA, Department of Commerce, CIA and Department of Energy. His private sector experience includes Chief Financial Officer of the McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Company. Mr. Kammerer’s education includes a BS and MS in Engineering from UMD; doctoral studies in Engineering at the Catholic University of America; and an MBA from the Simon School of Business, University of Rochester. All degrees were obtained through scholarships. He was accompanied by his wife, Maureen Kammerer.

Edward Moshang, BS 1961 Electrical Engineering
Mr. Moshang resides in Towson, MD. His entire career was spent in weapons systems development from target detection to final intercept in all phases, bread design to final testing. Although retired from daily problem solving, he has consultant assignments in the investigations of Electromagnetic effects generated by IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices) on TBI (Traumatic Brain Injuries). Mr. Moshang enjoyed his entire career, and stated that Engineering has been both challenging and fun. He enjoys hunting and fishing, and spending time with his 11 grandchildren.

Howard Pedolsky, BS 1961 Chemical Engineering
Mr. Pedolsky resides in Rockville, MD. He worked for the US Navy doing R&D on advanced missile propellant systems for the military. In 1966 he was employed by NASA GSFC ultimately serving as operations director for all NASA communications satellites and NOAA weather satellites. His final effort for NASA was developing the mission and KSC ground communications and operations interfaces for space shuttle satellite and experimental systems. Mr. Pedolsky started his own space consulting business in 1978 and was mission director for several NASA research and military space missions; major Star Wars mission STS39 was his final mission. In 2000 he co-developed a cryogenic refrigeration system for commercial vehicles and until retirement in 2009 was CEO of Ukram Industries, which has been marketing and selling these systems worldwide. He was accompanied by his wife, Dorothy Pedolsky.

Jorge Valladares, BS 1961 Civil Engineering
Mr. Valladares currently resides in Bethesda, MD.  Mr. Valladares is a registered Professional Engineer skilled in land planning and development. After graduating from UMD, he joined La Consolidada, S.A. as a Civil Engineer, then later joined the Prince George’s County Health Department, Bureau of Sanitary Engineering, as a Public Health Engineer. From 1967-2008 he worked for the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, and served as Chief of Environmental Planning for 31 years. He was accompanied by his wife, Mary Rose Szoka Valladares, BA 1974 Anthropology, MA ’76 American Studies.

of the University of Maryland at College Park Alumni Association, Inc., Engineering Chapter

Article I: Name

The name of the Corporation shall be the University of Maryland Alumni Association, Inc., Engineering Chapter, hereafter called the "Engineering Chapter." The Engineering Chapter shall be organized as a nonprofit, non-stock corporation consisting of its general membership.

Article II: Mission

It shall be the mission of the Engineering Chapter to organize the membership to promote the welfare and advancement of the University of Maryland's A. James Clark School of Engineering, hereafter called the School of Engineering, by working towards the following goals:

• Foster and strengthen the role and presence of the Engineering Chapter
• Cultivate professional and social harmony between the students, faculty, staff and alumni of the School of Engineering
• Promulgate and promote achievements, programs and services that involve the School of Engineering
• Promote and recognize academic and professional excellence within the School of Engineering and among its alumni
• Encourage outside (private and government) support of the School of Engineering's activities and endeavors
• Preserve and proclaim the history and tradition of the School of Engineering

The Engineering Chapter exists to serve the common interest of the A. James Clark School of Engineering and its alumni constituencies.

Article III: Location

The principal office of the Engineering Chapter shall be the Office of the Dean, A. James Clark School of Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, Md.

Article IV: Membership

Any member in good standing of the University of Maryland Alumni Association, Inc., may elect to be a member of the Engineering Chapter.

Article V: Fiscal Cycle

Section 1. The fiscal year of the Engineering Chapter for the purpose of maintaining financial records and the annual audit shall be the twelve-month period from July 1 to June 30.

Section 2. Funds for the maintenance and operation of the affairs of the Engineering Chapter shall be derived from:

• A share of the dues paid by members to the University of Maryland Alumni Association as determined by the Association
• Voluntary contributions from alumni and friends
• Payments from the School of Engineering for services rendered
• Voluntary contributions from the University of Maryland Alumni Association itself or from any fund or organization affiliated with the School of Engineering
• Such other sources as may be approved by the Board of Directors

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Article VI: Meetings of the Membership

Section 1. The Engineering Chapter shall hold an annual meeting at such time and location as the Board of Directors may specify.

Section 2. Special meetings of the membership of the Engineering Chapter may be held through anyone of the following means:

• Upon the call of the President of the Engineering Chapter
• Upon the request in writing of at least one-third of the Board of Directors
• By demand in writing of active members representing in number, at least 10 percent of the total membership

Section 3. Notice of the annual meeting and of any special meeting of the membership shall be published as appropriate by such other written notice as the Board may specify. The notice, regardless of how given, must be mailed to the active membership at least thirty (30) days prior to the date of the meeting.

Section 4. Newly elected officers and members of the board shall be presented at the annual meeting of the members of the Engineering Chapter.

Article VII: Board of Directors

Section 1. The management of this Engineering Chapter shall be vested in the Board of Directors whose members shall be composed of the following active members in good standing and students:

    a. Officers. Officers shall be selected from current or past members of the Board of Directors.

1. President: shall serve as the Chair of the Board. In the absence of the President, the President-Elect will act in this capacity, if she/he is available, and if not, the Treasurer shall serve.
2. President-Elect
3. Treasurer
4. Secretary

     b. Board of Directors

1. A maximum of fifteen members in good standing of the Engineering Chapter shall serve as the Board of Directors.
2. Should a member of the Board leave the Board for any reason before her/his term expires, the President will select a member in good standing of the Engineering Chapter to complete the term.
3. The method of selection of officers and members of the Board shall be recommended by the Executive Committee and approved by the Board.
4. Members of the Board of Directors shall have prior active involvement in the Engineering Chapter through participation in at least one Committee.
5. Ex-Officio members: The Dean of the School of Engineering, members of his/her staff, and one (1) student representative shall serve as ex-officio members of the Board. The student member shall be selected by the Dean. Ex-officio members shall not have voting status.
6. Regular meetings of the Board shall be held at least bi-monthly at a time and place to be determined by the Board at any regular meeting.

    c. Terms of Office:

1. The President, President-Elect, Treasurer, and Secretary are each selected for a two year term. one-year, nonrenewable term. The time spent serving a term as an officer, shall not be counted in the determination of maximum director terms.
2. Directors shall serve three-year terms. Directors shall not serve more than two (2) consecutive three-year terms. If a director serves a full term as an officer, the term prior to the appointment and following it shall not be considered consecutive.

    d. Board of Directors Meetings:

1. Regular meetings of the Board shall be held at least b-monthly at a time and place to be determined by the Board at any regular meeting.
2. A quorum shall be defined as a minimum of 50% of the filled Director positions with at least two officers present.
3. A successful vote shall consist of a majority of the quorum.

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Article VIII: Term of Board Membership

The term of each member of the Board of Directors and each officer shall commence on July 1.

Article IX: Termination of Board Membership

The term of office of any member of the Board of Directors or of any officer who is absent for four (4) consecutive meetings of the Board or is not a member in good standing of the University of Maryland at College Park Alumni Association, Inc., shall automatically terminate, unless such is excused by the Board for good and sufficient cause.

Article X: Standing Committees

The standing committees of the Engineering Chapter shall be as follows:

• Executive Committee: Chaired by President
• Communications and Fundraising Committee: Chaired by a member of the Board

• Alumni Outreach Committee: Chaired by a member of the Board
• Student Outreach Committee: Chaired by a member of the Board
• Past Presidents Committee: Chaired by the immediate past president or another designated past president

Article XI: Amendment

The by-laws may be amended by a two-thirds vote either at a meeting of the Board or at a meeting of the membership of the Engineering Chapter, or by electronic vote, provided that at least thirty (30) days written notice is given to the membership regarding the time, the nature of the amendment, and the manner of taking the votes (in person or electronically), place and purpose of said meeting.

Article XII: Dissolution

Section 1. The Engineering Chapter may be dissolved at any time upon the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the Board of Directors and by two-thirds vote of the members in good standing who are present at any regularly called or special meeting of the Engineering Chapter, provided that the proposed dissolution has been submitted to the membership for their consideration at least thirty (30) days prior to the date of the meeting.

Section 2. All assets and net income current and accumulated, remaining after the payment of all just debts, obligations and claims shall be transferred to its successor organization provided that said successor organization is exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 as amended; otherwise, said assets shall be transferred to and become the property of the School of Engineering for use in its educational and school or requirements.

Article XIII: Adoption

Section 1. This Constitution was approved by the Board of Directors at its regular meeting on July 20, 1989.

Section 2. This Constitution was approved by the University of Maryland at College Park Alumni Association, Inc., on September 23, 1989.

Section 3. This former "College of Engineering Chapter, University of Maryland Alumni Association" Constitution last amended on December 5, 1979 was dissolved on September 23, 1989.

Section 4. This constitution was amended on July 20, 1999.

Section 5. This constitution was amended on October 8, 2002.

Section 6. This constitution was amended and approved by the membership and the Board of Director’s during the annual meeting on September 27, 2005.

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Alumni Board of Directors  | Strategic Plan |  Constitution and By-Laws

I. History of the Engineering Chapter

The Engineering Alumni Chapter was founded in the mid 1940’s by then University President, Harry “Curly” Byrd, a 1908 engineering graduate, and S. Sidney Steinberg, Dean of the Engineering School from 1936 to 1956. Alumni membership and activities were managed by the University of Maryland Alumni Association – International Inc. for the five campuses comprising the University of Maryland system. In 1988 with the passage of the Higher Education Bill by the Maryland General Assembly, authorization was given to the individual campus presidents to organize campus-based alumni associations and the current University of Maryland Alumni Association, Inc. was formed on the College Park Campus. The Engineering Alumni Chapter then became a part of the Association. In 1994, the College of Engineering was renamed the A. James Clark School of Engineering in honor of its 1950 alumnus and benefactor.

II. Mission of the Engineering Chapter

It shall be the mission of the Engineering Chapter to organize the membership to promote the welfare and advancement of the University of Maryland and the A. James Clark School of Engineering through the promotion of educational, social, alumni-focused, and/or student-focused activities, by working towards the following strategic goals:

• Foster and strengthen the role, presence, and image of the Engineering Chapter
• Cultivate professional and social interaction between the students, faculty, staff, and alumni of the A. James Clark School of Engineering
• Promulgate and promote achievements, programs, and services that empower and involve the A. James Clark School of Engineering
• Promote and recognize academic and professional excellence within the A. James Clark School of Engineering and among its alumni
• Encourage external (private and government) support of the A. James Clark School of Engineering’s activities and endeavors
• Preserve and proclaim the history and tradition of the A. James Clark School of Engineering
• Involve and reacquaint alumni with their alma mater
• Encourage alumni to support the University of Maryland and A. James Clark School of Engineering

III. Strategic Goals of the Engineering Chapter

The Engineering Alumni Chapter is constantly facing new challenges and opportunities that impact its strategic goals. It is our belief that our efforts to meet these goals will span a minimum of two years. The officer term limits are two year terms to reflect the need for continuity in pursuing these goals. This plan identifies how the following goals will be pursued in the 2008-2012 term:

• Ensure the survival and high visibility of Engineering-specific events, honors, and accomplishments with specific focus on supporting engineering student council events, the engineering alumni cup, the annual golf tournament, Maryland Day, mentoring program, and graduations.
• Increase membership in the Engineering Chapter of the Alumni Association by promotion of the Clark School and alignment with goals and objectives of the alumni association.
• Increase the visibility and positive brand recognition of the Engineering Chapter of the Alumni Association among alumni, faculty, staff, and students of the A. James Clark School of Engineering and of the University of Maryland as a whole
• Support engineering student scholarships with some of the proceeds from the annual golf tournament.
• Provide value added services to the current membership and improve alumni member retention

IV. Initiatives for Meeting the Strategic Goals

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V. Functions of Standing Committees

The standing committees serve to fulfill the strategic goals of the Chapter. Most of the work of the Chapter is conducted by and within the committees. The Initiatives from the Articulation Map are identified in the Activities section for each committee.

Executive Committee
Chaired by the Engineering Chapter President. Consists of the President, the immediate Past-President, President Elect, Treasurer, and Secretary. The Director of Alumni Relations serves as facilitator.

Purpose:

To provide guidance consistent with the Mission of the Engineering Chapter to the Board in accordance to the Constitution and Bylaws and to ensure the Board’s activities and functions remain focused and on task.

Strategic Focus and Goals:

1. Provide guidance and leadership to the Board to stay focused, move forward, and achieve results
2. Maintain a current and effective Strategic Plan
3. Track progress on the strategic initiatives and ensure alignment with the goals of the chapter

Activities:

1. Review the Strategic Plan annually, and update as needed, as a concise two-year roadmap
2. Advise the Board of the implementation of the Strategic Plan
3. Support the needs and recommendations of the Dean and Alumni Association, and communicate to the Board for consideration and implementation
4. Support the Board on maintaining the Chapter by-laws and procedures
5. Initiate and implement changes in the by-laws
6. Recommend a slate of officers to serve for the succeeding term of office to the Board for approval
7. Select one member of the Board to serve on the Innovation Hall of Fame selection committee
8. Coordinate information for the monthly alumni eNewsletter with Director of Alumni Relations

Past President’s Committee

Chaired by the Immediate Past-President or another designated Past-President. Committee members will be current members of the University of Maryland Alumni Association who have served in the position of President of the Engineering Alumni Chapter. The Chairperson of this committee, or at least one representative Committee member, shall represent the Committee on the Engineering Chapter Board of Directors.

Purpose:

To serve as a resource to the current Board of Directors providing historical information and context about the chapter’s activities as well as their time and skills where needed.

Strategic Focus and Goals:

1. Goal is for the former presidents of the Alumni Association, Engineering Chapter to continue to have a long term relationship with the A. James Clark School of Engineering and the University of Maryland Alumni Association that benefits all parties involved
2. The Past-Presidents will provide an ever-present foundation for initiating and sustaining long-term efforts to increase Alumni Association membership and widening alumni influence and networking

Activities:

1. Locate as many Past-Presidents as possible
2. Solicit feedback from Past-Presidents on proposed Alumni Association efforts and Engineering Chapter efforts
3. Support the A. James Clark School of Engineering Alumni Scholarship Golf Tournament
4. Regularly contact Past Presidents to notify them of upcoming Alumni events

Communications and Fundraising Committee

Chaired by a volunteer member of the Board of Directors. Members of the committee include Engineering Alumni Chapter member volunteers.

Purpose:

This committee was established to help the Engineering Alumni Chapter encourage membership, improve participation at events, seek out funding opportunities, and develop new approaches and materials to gain more visibility in the University and Alumni Communities.

Strategic Focus and Goals:

1. Use communications, programs and special events as a means to recruit new members of the University of Maryland Alumni Association.

Activities:

1. Golf Tournament
2. Young Alumni Mentoring Program
3. Maryland Day

Student Outreach Committee

Chaired by a volunteer member of the Board of Directors. Members of the committee include Engineering Alumni Chapter member volunteers.

Purpose:

Engage engineering students with Engineering Chapter members to foster relationship building and to provide a conduit for students to feel connected to the University and become active alumni following graduation.

Strategic Focus and Goals:

1. Increase student awareness of the Alumni Association and the benefits of membership
2. Maintain open lines of communication with students, primarily through student organizations, and promote information sharing
3. Support student activities and organizations in coordination with the A. James Clark School administration and staff
4. Provide opportunities for students to connect with UMD Alumni

Activities:

   1. Graduation Receptions (Dec. & May)
   2. Representative from the Student Outreach Committee attends the Engineering Student Council meetings as regularly as possible.
   3. Invite leaders of student organizations to attend Board meetings to discuss how we can integrate efforts.
   4. Coordinate the annual Alumni Cup Event.
   5. Conduct the Order of the Engineer (at least once per year).

Alumni Outreach Committee

Chaired by a volunteer member of the Board of Directors. Members of the committee include Engineering Alumni Chapter member volunteers.

Purpose:

Support the University of Maryland’s goal of “building the Maryland family” of alumni to create a network of allegiance and support for the University. Specifically, the Committee should strive to develop greater opportunities to engage engineering alumni with the Clark School of Engineering and communicate the School and University accomplishments.

Strategic Focus and Goals:

1. Promote University and Alumni Association membership.
2. Provide opportunities for professional networking
3. Provide opportunities for reconnecting with the University of Maryland

Activities:

1. Assist the Communications and Fundraising Committee in planning key events targeted for alumni outreach and professional development opportunities.
2.  Identify and nominate viable representative candidates for the Distinguished Alumnus Award. The Engineering Alumni Board of Directors recommends candidates to the Dean of Engineering for his selection.
3. Survey recent alumni. (e.g. Commencement Reception)
4. Reach out to Engineering Professional Society Chapters in the area to advertise the Chapter’s activities and collaborate on events.

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There are three service committees through which you can assist the Clark School in its mission:

• The Student Outreach Committee helps recruit students to the chapter, mentor students and coordinate student-related activities.
• The Alumni Outreach Committee helps recruit alumni to the chapter and build the alumni network.
• Communications and Fundraising Committee helps build membership in the Alumni Association Engineering Chapter, improves participation at events, seeks funding opportunities and develops new approaches and materials to gain more visibility for the Chapter.

There are two additional committees:

• The Past Presidents Committee mentors and assists the Board of Directors.  This committee also helps plan the annual Engineering Alumni Chapter Golf Tournament.
• The Executive Committee guides the Board of Directors, helps expand the chapter's focus from a regional one to a national one and helps to select entrants to the Innovation Hall of Fame.

Additional information about the above committees can be found in the Engineering Alumni Chapter Strategic Plan or contact Josey Simpson at (301) 405-2150 or josey@umd.edu.

Each year, the Clark School of Engineering is proud to present the Distinguished Engineering Alumnus or Alumna Award at the Alumni Association Awards Gala. Past recipients have included alumni from all areas of engineering. Nominate exceptional Clark School graduates for this prestigious award [doc].