Alumni News

On October 25, Michigan Technological University launched Innovators in Industry, a project connecting students with MTU alumni in industry. The aim is to give students direct access to industry experts, leaders, and influencers to help shape students’ paths.

The initial three-part series consisted of virtual sessions where featured alumni gave short presentations with Q&A from students and others in the audience.

Recordings of each of the first three sessions are available below.

Future plans for the Innovators in Industry series include in-person sessions and on-location visits for students to industry hubs.

October 25 • The Future of Autonomous Vehicles & Mobility
Co-hosts: Janet Callahan, Dean of the College of Engineering, and Jeremy Bos ’00 ’12, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering.

Featured alumni: Sean Kelley ‘86 of the Mannik & Smith Group, Inc., an engineering and environmental sciences consulting firm; Mark Rakoski ‘95, of Mitsubishi Electric Automotive America Inc.; and Birgit Sorgenfrei ’91 of Ford Motor Company.

Play Innovators in Industry: Future of Autonomous Vehicles and Mobility video

Innovators in Industry: Future of Autonomous Vehicles and Mobility

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November 1 • The Computing Revolution
Host: Dennis Livesay, Dean of the College of Computing

Featured alumni: Dianne Marsh ’86, director of device and content security, Netflix; Austin J. Noronha ’87, managing director, Sony Innovation Fund; Stuart Pann ’81, senior vice president at Intel Corporation; Christine Roberts ’91, senior vice president and general manager, software and services solutions, Poly.

Play Innovators in Industry: The Computing Revolution video

Innovators in Industry: The Computing Revolution

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November 8 • Entrepreneurship, Startups, and Venture Capital
Host: Dean Johnson, Dean of the College of Business

Featured alumni: Kanwal Rekhi ’69, managing director of Inventus Capital Partners; John Rockwell ’79, president, CEO, and director of Accelergy Corp.; Chang Park ’73, president, CEO, and founder of Universal Remote Control, Inc.; and Rebecca Ufkes ’87, president of Ufkes Holdings.

Play Innovators in Industry: Entrepreneurship, Startups, and Venture Capital video

Innovators in Industry: Entrepreneurship, Startups, and Venture Capital

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Chris ‘63 and Jan Guzdial made a gift of a granite bench and bronze Husky statue, which is placed just outside the McAllister Welcome Center in the Memorial Union Building.

The location will be a magnet for students—both current and prospective—to sit next to the husky and snap a photo.

“We want to put smiles on students’ faces,” said Chris. “It was a struggle to get through Michigan Tech as a student, but Tech really helped me. I wanted to do something for Michigan Tech and the students here.”

Chris, a chemical engineering graduate, claims he “learned how to learn” at MTU, citing a couple of his instructors. “Mr. T.E. Vichich said in his class that you couldn’t just cram the night before an exam and expect to pass. You needed to do your homework daily. That proved to be true for me.

“Another instructor was my chemical engineering advisor, Dr. G.M. Machwart, who taught me lessons that stayed with me my entire career.”

The Guzdials were inspired in their gift by William Bernard and family and their role in adding the Bernard Family Clock Tower to the west end of campus in 2018.

“We were going to contribute to that project, but it was already taken care of,” said Jan. “This bench was an opportunity to further add to campus. Universities need these extra things to enrich campus life.”

The bench was dedicated July 26 at a small ceremony with the Guzdials and their friends in attendance. 

“I look forward to seeing the photos of students sitting on this bench, hugging the husky, and having a good time.”

William P. Francis, age 81, died Friday, September 3 at his home surrounded by the love of his family following a year long struggle with complications from heart disease. Bill was born March 15, 1940, in Columbia, Missouri.

Bill spent his early years living in many different places both in and outside of the United States during his father’s service in the Air Force, graduating from Ramsey Abbey Grammar School in England in 1957. He received his bachelor of science degree in physics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and his Ph.D. in theoretical physics from Cornell University. He was briefly employed at Bell Labs in New Jersey prior to working at the University of Windsor in Ontario as a post-doctoral researcher. Bill joined the faculty of Michigan Technological University in the department of mathematics in 1970 where he taught math, physics and computer science for 35 years retiring as professor emeritus in 2005. While a member of the math department, Bill served as acting department head, coauthored a calculus textbook still used in classrooms today, and was instrumental in the establishment of the math department computer lab. He served on many department and university committees, and received numerous academic and service awards, including the state of Michigan Teaching Excellence Award. He was the principal investigator on a government contract at the Keweenaw Research Center conducting mathematical modeling of laser reflection imagery of military vehicles.

During his teaching career, Bill tutored and counseled thousands of students, many who have reached out with gratitude. He was always willing to meet with students to assist with math problems, or discuss their career goals. He is especially remembered for encouraging students to pursue the career they envisioned for themselves and not what was expected of them by others.

Bill stayed active following his retirement working part time as vice president of Shafi, Inc, a company specializing in vision guided robotics programming solutions at the Houghton Innovation Center. He was also involved with many of the volunteer programs through AARP, receiving the President’s Volunteer Service Award for his work as an AARP Tax-Aide volunteer for 19 years.

Throughout his life Bill enjoyed participating in sports including handball, racquetball, squash, tennis, softball and hockey. He received the intramural distinguished athlete award from Michigan Tech in 1998. He worked out on a daily basis and played handball several times a week until the age of 80.

Bill’s great passion was music. He was a member of the Michigan Tech Concert Choir, Copper Country Choral, Studio North Opera, Pine Mountain Music Festival, Maple Sugar Folk, and the Copper Country Chords barbershop quartet. He performed for many charity events and enjoyed singing the “old” songs at senior homes.

Bill performed with the MTU concert choir on international tours of Mexico, Eastern Europe, Russia, China, the Baltics, South America and the Adriatic coast. Bill and Cindy cherished the memories and friendships developed during these trips.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents Justin and Marjorie (Oliver) Francis and a sister, Serrye Roy. He is survived by his wife Cynthia (Pike) Francis, his children Catherine (Todd) Wielinski, David Francis (fiance Casandra Nuques), Laura Francis (Myckey McNutt), as well as stepsons B.J. Whipple and Terry Bartlett. Bill is the proud grandfather of Victor, Quinn and Stryker McNutt, John Santiago, and Matthew Bartlett. He was previously married to Judy (Davis) Spahn, the mother of his children.

The family would like to thank the dedicated medical personnel at Marquette ICU and Cardiac Rehab, the Covenant LTAC Hospital of Saginaw, and Portage Health Systems. We will be forever grateful to the nurses, staff and volunteers at Portage Home Health and Hospice who were our constant companions in providing compassionate care for Bill.

Bill requested that in lieu of flowers contributions be made to the Milton Olsson Endowed Scholarship at The Michigan Tech Fund.

Obituary courtesy of O’Neill Dennis Funeral Home