The Missouri Western State University Engineering Technology Advancement Committee presented awards to a student and a community leader at their annual banquet Monday, April 4. Brenten Davis, a senior manufacturing engineering technology major from St. Joseph, Missouri, was presented with the Student Excellence Award. Tom Richmond and Wade Wetlaufer received the Engineering Technology Excellence Award.
The Engineering Technology Student Excellence Award recognizes a current student in Missouri Western’s engineering technology program based on academic excellence, leadership and service. Davis has an overall grade point average of 3.39 and is currently an intern at Herzog. He co-authored a paper with Dr. Shensheng Tang, associate professor of engineering technology, which was published in International Journal of Wireless and Mobile Computing.
Brenten Davis accepts his Student Excellence Award.
Davis has recently accepted a position at Black and Veatch after graduation.
The Engineering Technology Excellence Award recognizes a member of the engineering technology industry who has shown outstanding and continuous commitment to advancing the field as well as support for Missouri Western’s mission, vision and legacy.
For the first time ever, this award was given to two individuals: Richmond and Wetlaufer, both from Altec Industries. For more than 10 years, the Department of Engineering Technology has worked with Altec to place interns within their company.
Richmond has served on the Missouri Western State University Foundation Board since 2012, serving on the Special Allocations Committee and as Chair for the Budget Committee. He has been instrumental in creating a bridge between Altec Industries and Missouri Western engineering technology students as interns and eventually, full-time employees
Richmond earned his Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Missouri. He has been with Altec in various positions since 1981. Currently, he is the manager of parts and distribution and sales at Altec.
Wetlaufer is currently responsible for the coordination of the off-site interviews of Missouri Western students for internships and employment at Altec. He has been at Altec since 1996, when he graduated from Iowa State with a degree in industrial engineering. He is currently the company’s strategic procurement manager.
Wetlaufer currently sits on the Business Advisory Council at the Craig School of Business. Wade was instrumental in bringing together a group of Altec employees to review the proposed Supply Chain curriculum that has been approved by the Coordinating Board for Higher Education and will begin next fall.
The Engineering Technology Advancement Committee was created in 2009 to provide private industry support to Missouri Western’s department of engineering technology. Members of the committee raise funds for scholarships, endowments, specialized equipment and other needs; provide internship opportunities to current students; make guest speakers available; promote construction-related careers in northwest Missouri; and provide funding and support for Missouri Western’s Association of General Contractors Student Chapter.
Missouri Western State University is a comprehensive regional university providing a blend of traditional liberal arts and professional degree programs. The university offers student-centered, high quality instruction that focuses on experience-based learning, community service, and state-of-the-art technology. Missouri Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit www.missouriwestern.edu.