Alumni to be honored in Purdue Polytechnic Institute ceremonies

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue Polytechnic Institute will honor nine alumni during award ceremonies on (Friday) April 21.

The awards are presented to Purdue alumni who have harnessed the power of their Purdue degrees to enhance and change how today’s technology will improve the world tomorrow.

Les Abend, Rodrick Glass and Steven Habben are this year’s recipients of Distinguished Technology Alumni awards.

* Abend, of Milford, Connecticut, is a captain at American Airlines and an author. He also serves as an aviation analyst for CNN and contributing editor of Flying magazine. He earned his bachelor’s degree in professional flight technology in 1979.

* Glass, of Atlanta, is the executive vice president of business development for Allure, a Christie company. He earned his bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership and supervision in 1992 and master’s degree in industrial technology in 1994.

* Habben, of West Lafayette, is the president of Kettelhut Construction Inc. He earned his bachelor’s degree in building construction technology in 1984.

David Hetrick, Shanna Morrett, Jennifer Rider, and Matthew Young are this year’s recipients of Outstanding Technology Alumni honors.

* Hetrick, of Chicago, is the executive president of Executive Construction Inc. He received his bachelor’s degree in building construction technology.

* Morrett, of Smyrna, Georgia, is a VDC manager at Holder Construction Co. She received her bachelor’s degree in computer graphics technology and master’s degree in construction graphics communication.

* Rider, of West Lafayette, is the CEO of Lafayette Instrument Co. She received her bachelor’s degree in computer graphics technology.

* Young, of Arlington, Virginia, is the vice president for identity solution at Salus Analytics. He received his bachelor’s degree in computer and information technology.

Derek Kultgen and Karen Waldenmeyer will receive the Early Career Award.

* Kultgen, of Chicago, is the lead engineer for the Mechanisms Engineering Test Loop (METL) at Argonne National Laboratory. He received his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering technology and master’s degree in technology - sustainable energy systems.

* Waldenmeyer, of Maineville, Ohio, is a staff software engineer for technical architecture at GE Aviation. She received her bachelor’s degree in computer graphics technology and her master’s in technology. 

Writer: Cat Dillon, dillon16@purdue.edu

Source: Jacqueline Hills, jfhills@purdue.edu