“This splendid gift provides both continued momentum and improved resources for the transformation of student learning in our College of Engineering,” President Robert Wild, S.J., said. “It is an example of the long-lasting impact a Marquette education has on our alumni and emphasizes the importance the university places upon faculty recruitment and development.”
Bob Greenheck, a 1950 mechanical engineering alumnus of COE, made the endowment saying that his Marquette education was “a critical element in the success” of his company, which is America’s leading manufacturer of ventilation equipment. Greenheck Fan has sales in excess of $350 million annually, employs more than 2200 people, and has more than 1.4 million square feet of manufacturing space at facilities in Schofield, Minnesota, California, Kentucky, Tennessee, and China.
Dr. Stan Jaskolski, OPUS Dean of Engineering, said the endowed chair will launch new courses on how to develop market-driven products, build teamwork, and foster entrepreneurship. “Our goal is to ensure that Marquette graduates engineers who, in addition to their technical background, have the ability to bring solutions to the marketplace through effective teamwork, positive attitudes, and leadership.”
“We are now embarking on a global search for someone with academic and business leadership to fill the Chair – someone who has successfully brought numerous products to the marketplace,” Jaskolski said. The position will lead a multidisciplinary team of faculty members charged with creating active learning opportunities for students by applying traditional theoretical knowledge to real-world problems such as modeling, uncertainty, and resource constraints.
Jaskolski also emphasized the importance of the Greenheck Chair to further connect with the business community and strengthen COE’s connection to commerce.
“Today’s engineering managers want students who can hit the floor running – who can begin to contribute to the product and process innovation from day one. The impact of the Greenheck Chair will catch their attention, which we hope will also inspire increased research and grant opportunities,” Jaskolski said.
The Greenheck Chair is the second $5 million endowment for COE in the past three years. Opus Corporation, a Minnesota company providing architectural, construction, and real estate development services in 40 markets nationwide, previous endowed the Chair held by Dean Jaskolski. Your College is striving to create five additional chairs to fulfill an overall vision of transformational curricula.
Bob Greenheck and Dr. John Borg,
Assistant Professor in Mechanical Engineering, at the dedication of COE’s new Greenheck Energy Laboratory - also a gift from Greenheck
