SAB Hosts Alumni Panel Discussion
4/27/2006 --

TMI alumni provided insight on "The Future of US Manufacturing" from 3 distinct industry perspectives.

Ann Arbor, Mich.—The Student Advisory Board (SAB) of the Tauber Manufacturing Institute (TMI) hosted a panel discussion on March 10, 2006 featuring three invited alumni speakers.  Representing different industries, the TMI alumni addressed an audience of over 60 graduate students and shared their insights on the "Future of US Manufacturing and TMI Graduates."  The format was a casual group lunch held on North Campus.  The presentations were followed by a lively Q&A period.

SAB President Pedro Vaz, MSE '06, (pictured above right) opened the event and introduced the speakers.

TMI ALUMNI PANELISTS:

Robert Bruning (MBA/MC '97)
Principal, PRTM Management Consultants
Bob has over eight years of experience with PRTM and has expertise in supply chain transformation, strategy development, and new product development. Bob has experience in performing global supply chain assessments, developing strategies and plans to improve supply chain operations, and implementing complex programs to reduce costs and improve supply chain performance. He has conducted client engagements at 15 companies in various industries, resulting in over $250 million value creation in his career with PRTM.

Prior to joining PRTM, Bob worked for Mobil Oil Corporation as a process engineer, advanced control engineer, and special projects participant. Bob earned his Masters of Business Administration from the University of Michigan Business School, where he majored in corporate strategy and was a fellow in the Tauber Manufacturing Institute (TMI). He graduated with distinction from Clarkson University with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering.

View an online video of Bob Bruning's Presentation.

Katherine (Kennedy) Pearce (EGL '03)
Business Operations Analyst, Beaumont Hospitals
Katie is a Business Operations Analyst at Beaumont Hospitals Information Technology Center in Troy, MI since 2005.  Prior to her current assignment, she worked for three years from 2003 - 2005 as an Associate Industrial Engineer at General Motors Flint Truck Assembly Plant.  Katie also completed an Internship at Kamax-Tusa S.A. in Valencia, Spain in 2001 and held several internship positions with General Motors from 1995 - 2002.

Katie earned her BSE in IOE in 2002 and MSE in IOE in 2003 from the University of Michigan.  She was a fellow in the EGL program at the Tauber Manufacturing Institute.

Dean C. Degazio (MBA/MEM '99)
Lead Performance Engineer, General Motors Corporation
Dean is a Lead Performance Engineer for Vehicle Dynamics, Future Architectures at the General Motors Global Advanced Vehicle Development Center in Warren, MI.  Assigned to this position in June 2004, Dean is responsible for project management and technical oversight for the Vehicle Dynamics performance area on future car and truck programs.  Prior to his current assignment in the Vehicle Performance department and through a 12-year career at General Motors, Dean has held several business and engineering positions within Manufacturing, Product Planning, and Engineering.

Dean graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan in 1993.  In 1998, Dean was awarded a General Motors Fellowship to return to campus to complete graduate school and graduated again from the University of Michigan with an MBA/Master of Engineering dual degree through the Tauber Manufacturing Institute.

View an online video of Dean Degazio's Presentation.

TMIers John Adams (MSE '06) and Justina Chiang (MSE '06) share a "high five" during a break.

Taoufik El Khazzani (EGP '06) gets in a few last-minute questions with alumnus Bob Bruning.

Project lead and SAB member Nitin Sharma (MEng in Mfg '06) took a hands-on approach in organizing this event from start to finish.  "The Donald" would be impressed.  Kudos to Nitin!

TMI, a joint program of the University's College of Engineering and Stephen M. Ross School of Business, offers a career-building operations management and manufacturing component that complements select degrees from both schools. For more information about TMI, visit http://www.tauber.umich.edu.

Tauber media contact:
Paula A. Baker
Phone:(734) 647-0308
Email: bakerpa@umich.edu