Edward Raether to speak at MSOE Fall Commencement
| Published: 11/06/2012 |
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Nearly 100 undergraduate and graduate students in engineering majors, the Rader School of Business and the School of Nursing will receive their bachelor’s or master’s degrees at Milwaukee School of Engineering’s Winter Commencement, which will be at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 17, at the Kern Center.
The ceremony will feature a keynote address from MSOE Regent Emeritus Edward W. Raether ’68. Raether also will receive an Honorary Doctor of Engineering degree.
James Franke is the class respondent. Franke is graduating with high honors and will receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. Hannah DiPalomares will receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering and the Alumni Association Award. The award which is given to a student who has made time in his or her hectic schedule to serve as a leader in university and community activities in addition to achieving academic excellence. Recipients are first nominated by faculty members in their respective academic departments and then the entire graduating class selects from among its peers the student who is most deserving of this prestigious award.
About Edward Raether:
Raether earned a degree in industrial management from MSOE in 1968, but that just started his involvement with the university. He served as president of the Alumni Association Board from 1976-77, became an MSOE Corporation member in 1979 and a Regent in 1985. Currently a Regent Emeritus, he has also served on the Regents’ Facilities and Student Life Committees and on the President’s Golf Outing Committee. He was given the Outstanding Alumnus award and inducted into the Alumni Hall of Fame in 2006. Raether and his wife Arlene have been long-time supporters of scholarships and other programs at MSOE through annual and lifetime contributions.
In 2008, Raether retired as vice president and managing director from American Appraisal after 40 years of service. Raether began his career in valuation in 1968, after two years in the U.S. Navy, and 10 years with a manufacturer of welding equipment. He assumed management of the Industrial Valuation Division of American Appraisal in 1973. He was elected assistant vice president in 1977 and vice president later that same year. In 1990, Raether relocated to Budapest, Hungary, where he became the deputy managing director of Central/Eastern European Operations and played a key role in starting valuation practices in Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland, Russia and Germany.
In his 40-year career, Raether managed/carried out valuation projects in 65 countries. With his extensive international skills and fluency in German, he had a reputation of being an effective “client handler” and worked for many major international clients on a repeated basis. “The applications-oriented approach in the MSOE curriculum laid the foundation for my business success,” said Raether. “The engineering and management skills learned at MSOE enabled me to serve thousands of clients with professional valuations.”
Raether’s professional affiliations include past president of Engineers and Scientists of Milwaukee; accredited member of the American Society of Appraisers; current chairperson of the Endowment Committee and member of the Finance Committee and past president of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, Waukesha, Wis.; and current president of the Lebanon Historical Society, Lebanon, Wis.
Raether and his wife Arlene will celebrate their 55th wedding anniversary in December and have three grown children, Renee, Scott and Jay, and five grandchildren, Alyssa, Jenna and 7-year old triplets Mira, Luke and Vincent.
MSOE is an independent, non-profit university with about 2,500 students. MSOE offers 20 bachelor’s degrees and nine master’s degrees in the engineering, engineering technology, building and infrastructure engineering, health-related engineering, computer, business and nursing fields. The university has a national academic reputation; longstanding ties to business and industry; dedicated professors with real-world experience; extremely high placement rates; and the highest starting and mid-career salaries of any Wisconsin university according to PayScale Inc. MSOE graduates are well-rounded, technologically experienced and highly productive professionals and leaders.