Alumni named to Co-op Hall of Fame

Five honorees were nominated by Kettering University and will be part of the ceremonies when the National Commission for Co-operative Education celebrates its 2005-06 Co-op Hall of Fame later this year. They are:

Lawrence D. Burns
Class of 1975, Kettering University
Mechanical Engineering

Image removed. Dr. Lawrence D. Burns is vice president of Research & Development and Strategic Planning at General Motors Corp. (GM), where he leads the GM Research and Development Center. He joined GM in 1969 as a cooperative education student and has served in many leadership capacities related to engineering and planning during his illustrious career. In 1996, he took over responsibility for the company's North American operations planning. GM awarded him the Chairman's Honors Award twice and the Charles L. McCuen Achievement Award three times. He is a board member of many organizations including the GM Automotive Strategy Board, Intelligent Transportation Society of America, and the United States Council for Automotive Research. He received his bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Kettering University/GMI in 1975, master's degree in Engineering and Public Policy from the University of Michigan and a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley.

Jacqueline A. Dedo
Class of 1984, Kettering University
Electrical Engineering

Image removed. Jacqueline A. Dedo is president of the Automotive Group for Timken Company, located in Canton, Ohio, where she oversees the company's $1.4 billion business. She has served in several important positions for a number of major companies, including roles as vice president and general manager of Worldwide Market Operations for the Automotive Communications and Electronics Systems Group at Motorola Inc., and in senior level positions at Robert Bosch Corp. She is a board member of several organizations, including Kettering's Board of Trustees, Convergence Transportation Electronics Association and a member of the Automotive Women's Alliance. She is only the fourth woman to reach the title of president among the top 150 North American automotive suppliers. She began her career as a Kettering/GMI cooperative education student with Cadillac Motor Car Co. in Flint, Mich., in 1983, and received her bachelor's of Electrical Engineering degree from Kettering/GMI Engineering and Management Institute.

Ivan A. Deveson
Class of 1959, Kettering University
Industrial Engineering
Honorary Doctor of Management, 2002

Image removed. Ivan A. Deveson is the former Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Australia, the former national president of the Australian Institute of Management and an international automobile executive. In a career of 40 years, he worked with General Motors in Australia, the United States, Europe and Africa. In 1987, he joined Nissan Australia as managing director/CEO until retiring from the automotive industry in 1991. He was chairman of the Seven Network from 1991 until 1995. He was named Victorian of the Year in 1991 and received an Order of Australia (AO) in the same year for service to the automotive industry and to business. He was foundation chancellor from 1992-95 and chairman of the Graduate School of Business in 1996-97 at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. His service includes membership on the boards of several community-based associations. He and his wife have five children, including Greg Deveson, who graduated from Kettering in 1984.

Major G. Horton
Class of 1984, Kettering University
Mechanical Engineering

Image removed. Major G. Horton is the vice president and general manager of the commercial group of Dell Financial Services and manages annual originations of more than $1 billion. He has offices in Austin, Texas, and Bangalore, India. He joined Dell Financial Services in 2002 and Dell Inc. in 1997, where he served as vice president of Finance and Segment Controller for the Fortune 500 Customer Segment in Austin, Texas. Prior to joining Dell, he was the business development leader and general manager of the Corporate Jets Environmental Control Systems business at AlliedSignal in Tempe, Ariz. and director of Financial Planning & Analysis for AlliedSignal Corp. in Morristown, N.J. Additionally, he has held positions of increasing responsibility at Deloitte & Touche Management Consulting and General Motors. After completing his Mechanical Engineering degree at Kettering/GMI, he earned a master's degree in management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is a member of Kettering University's Board of Trustees.

Joseph D. Spielman
Class of 1968, Kettering University
Mechanical Engineering

Image removed. Joseph D. Spielman has integrated his education and his career since enrolling at Kettering/GMI in 1963. He has maintained his connection to the university in many ways. Currently vice president and general manager of vehicle manufacturing for General Motors Corporation-North American Operations, Spielman has also served GM as general manager for the Metal Fabricating, the Midsize Car division, and the Rear Drive Automotive Division in addition to various other supervisory positions. An avid Corvette enthusiast, Spielman has been instrumental in keeping the Corvette in production at GM and is credited for adding more powerful engine options. He was inducted into the National Corvette Hall of Fame in 2001. He is considered one of Kettering's most important corporate friends, serving since 1999 as Kettering's key executive at General Motors. His other campus involvements include Student Alumni Council, Bulldog Breakfasts, Sobey Golf Outing, President's Council, and his ever-popular campus lecture on the history of the Corvette.

Written by Patricia Mroczek
(810) 762-9533
pmroczek@kettering.edu