The Kettering University Alumni Association will honor nine alumni for successes in their careers, entrepreneurship, community service, philanthropy and other endeavors during the 2017 Alumni Awards Ceremony.

“We are continuously inspired by the accomplishments of Kettering University graduates and the impact they make on the world,” said Susan Davies, Kettering University Vice President for University Advancement and External Relations. “We are proud to honor these nine outstanding individuals who truly exemplify what it means to be ‘Kettering Built.’”

The 2017 Alumni Awards Ceremony will take place from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on October 26 at the Troy Marriott. Those wishing to attend can register online.

Below are this year’s alumni award recipients:

Distinguished Alumni Award
Raj Nair '87: Nair is Ford Motor Company's Executive Vice President, and President, North America. In this role he is responsible for leading all aspects of Ford's North American business units. Among his many awards and recognitions, Nair was named the Fortune Automotive Businessperson of the Year in 2014.

Outstanding Achievement Award
Jeri Ward '95: Ward, Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer for Audi of America, is leading the company's public relations efforts in the United States. Ward assumed her role on May 1, 2015, becoming the first female VP at Audi of America.

Outstanding Achievement Award
Grace Lieblein '83: Lieblein, Director; Honeywell International and Southwest Airlines, has over 20 years of experience in senior executive positions in the automotive industry. When Lieblein retired as Vice President Global Quality of General Motors in 2015 after a career that spanned 37 years, she was the highest ranking Latina in the Auto Industry.

Management Achievement Award
Elizabeth Griffith '77: Spanning over 44 years in the automotive industry, Griffith's career has been diverse. In her role as the Director of Engineering for Faurecia Interior Systems, Griffith supports a team of 14 people on the GM Global account. Beyond her professional accolades, Griffith was named one of the "100 Leading Women in Automotive" by Automotive News in both 2005 and 2015.

Engineering Achievement Award
Robert Wiltse '67: Wiltse spent 45 years with General Motors in the Powertrain areas retiring in 2007. He served as a member of the GM - Stanford University Relations Team as Lead Executive to the School of Engineering. Wiltse also supported the SAE Motor Vehicle Council as Chair of the Powertrain Systems Group.

Entrepreneurial Achievement Award
Randy Brodzik '85: Brodzik is President and CEO of RedViking with locations in Plymouth, MI, Raleigh, NC, and Corpus Christi, Texas. Brodzik helped to successfully integrate two organizations under the RedViking name and has grown the company to more than 200 employees across three cities.

Alumni Service Award
Vince Bandurski '64: Bandurski is retired from General Motors North American Product Development (NAPD) after 44 years of service. He was a member of the Kettering/GMI Alumni Board for eight years and has spent countless hours volunteering at University admissions and alumni events. He continues to be a strong advocate for Kettering University.

Civic Achievement Award
Alfred Mansour '83: Mansour, currently Business Planning Director at Dura Automotive Systems LLC., has held leadership positions with global responsibilities in Product Line Management, Sales, Marketing, and Planning in addition to leading Program Management, Quality, Purchasing, and Operations teams. He has held board positions at the Rotary Club of Flint and Flint institute of Music.

Young Alumni Award
Kayla McDonell '12: McDonell, Design Release Engineer in Exterior Lighting for General Motors, has been with the company for nearly three years. She is involved in a number of STEM outreach programs, following her passion to encourage young minds to be ambitious and follow their dreams. In 2017, McDonell was recognized as one of Forbes' '30 under 30 Young Engineers And Entrepreneurs Reinventing Manufacturing And Industry.'

Those wishing to attend the 2017 Alumni Awards Dinner and Ceremony can register online.