Major: Mechanical Engineering Technology
Class: 1975
Williams Controls President and CEO Pat Cavanagh ’75 (pictured center) was thrilled to ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange on Dec. 7, 2011. So thrilled, in fact, that he almost rang the wrong bell. “There’s a series of buttons you have to press in a particular order,” Cavanagh explained. “I was so excited to be there that I almost hit the wrong button.”
But getting to the NYSE was no accident for Pat Cavanagh. Since becoming CEO in 2004, Pat and his leadership team embarked on a strategy that transformed Williams Controls from a domestic supplier to a global leader in the design and manufacture of electronic pedals for heavy trucks, buses and off-road vehicles. He credits MSOE for preparing him for his career. “MSOE taught me how to focus and how to examine all aspects of a problem to come up with the best solution,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if the problem is technical, business-related, human resources-related or whatever. There are no short cuts to getting it right.”
Cavanagh and Williams Controls have been instrumental in supporting MSOE’s “Doing Business with China” program and establishing summer-long internships at their facilities in Suzhou, China. For Cavanagh, gaining international experience is an invaluable asset. “In a global economy, it’s critical you get the experience you need to succeed in this environment,” he said. “Today, many people seem more concerned about money than work experience. But if you view every experience as an opportunity to learn, the money will come.”
In offering career advice, Cavanagh also stressed the importance of learning from others: “Spend time with smart people, and always learn. I try to hire the smartest people I can, and it always pays dividends.”