Heads of Harley and Rockwell Automation to deliver
| Published: 05/13/2003 |
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The chairmen and CEOs of centenarian companies Rockwell Automation/Allen-Bradley and Harley-Davidson will speak to graduates at the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) Spring Commencement.
MSOE, Rockwell Automation/Allen-Bradley and Harley-Davidson are all celebrating their 100th anniversaries this year.
Both Don H. Davis Jr., chairman and CEO of Rockwell Automation, and Jeffrey Bleustein Ph.D., chairman and CEO of Harley-Davidson, will give keynote addresses and receive honorary doctor of engineering degrees at the ceremony, slated for 10 a.m. Saturday, May 24 at the U.S. Cellular Arena in Milwaukee.
Both men are longtime supporters of the university. Davis joined the Board of Regents in 1990 and became Regent Emeritus in 1999. Bleustein served as an MSOE Corporation member beginning in 1988, joined the Board of Regents in 1993, and became Regent Emeritus in 2002.
MSOE and Rockwell Automation
Rockwell Automation/Allen-Bradley’s ties to MSOE span nearly a century, as Lynde and Harry Bradley were among the first supporters of MSOE’s Cooperative Education agreements – an innovation by MSOE founder Oscar Werwath that is now a common practice wherein employees attend college part-time. The company went on to support and fund MSOE’s research facilities, help fund its Allen-Bradley Hall of Science and Fred Loock Engineering Center which house classrooms and laboratories, and the Bradley Foundation has supported scholarships including a $6 million grant made in 2000. More than 300 current Rockwell Automation employees are MSOE graduates.
MSOE and Harley-Davidson
MSOE’s history with Harley-Davidson also is lengthy, with 73 alumni currently employed at the company in a variety of positions, including MSOE Alumni Association President Kim Pettiford (1993 and 1999 alumna), who is an organizational development specialist in the product development center. Other Harley-Davidson leaders include Earl Werner, vice president of continuous improvement, who serves on the MSOE Corporation.
In 1998 Harley-Davidson sponsored a major computer design laboratory on campus that is used by mechanical engineering students, by faculty for seminars and high school teachers and their students – all of whom regularly utilize the design tools that would otherwise be unavailable to them.
Don H. Davis Jr. has been chairman and CEO of Rockwell Automation since 1998, previously serving as executive vice president and COO with responsibility for Rockwell International’s automation and former semiconductor systems and automotive components businesses.
Davis, who joined Allen-Bradley in 1963 (acquired by Rockwell in 1985) as an engineering sales trainee, brought deep industry experience to Rockwell Automation. He has held a series of key corporate and business unit executive positions, culminating with his appointment in 1995 as Rockwell’s president and chief executive officer.
As president of Allen-Bradley, Davis provided the leadership for significant growth outside the United States, as well as the establishment of a number of successful commercial initiatives, which created the foundation for what has become Rockwell Automation, the world’s leading automation supplier.
Davis earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and an M.S. degree from Texas A&M University. Davis serves on the boards of directors of Illinois Tool Works, Apogent Technologies, the Medical College of Wisconsin and CIENA Corp. He is also a member of the Business Council, the Business Roundtable and The Conference Board, and is past chairman of the board of governors of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association.
An active supporter of education and community programs, Davis became an MSOE Regent in 1990 and a Regent Emeritus in 1999, and serves on the board of the Business Committee for the Arts. He also is a member of a number of educational and civic councils, including the Greater Milwaukee Committee and the board of trustees for the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, and he serves as both a national trustee and a member of the National Board of Governors for Boys and Girls Clubs of America. Davis was co-chairman for the 2002 United Way Campaign of Greater Milwaukee and co-chairman for the 2000 United Performing Arts Fund (UPAF) campaign.
Jeffrey L. Bleustein is chairman of the board and CEO of Harley-Davidson Inc. Since joining the company in 1975, Bleustein has served as vice president of engineering, vice president of the company’s Parts and Accessories Division, executive vice president, president and chief operating officer.
Under Bleustein’s leadership, Harley-Davidson developed belt drive, vibration-isolated powertrains and anti-dive suspension. New motorcycle designs for the Tourglide and Softail and a total redesign of the V-Twin engine, which resulted in the critically acclaimed Evolution engine, were all developed during his tenure. He also modernized the company’s engineering practices and led a major expansion and improvement of its testing and product development facilities. His primary engineering challenge was to preserve the distinctive styling of the motorcycles while incorporating new technology, and the results of this work contributed significantly to the company’s survival and subsequent prosperity.
Additional highlights of Bleustein’s accomplishments include contributions to the marketing arena. He transformed the dealer-owned retail stores into modern retail establishments, and launched an aggressive licensing program that, combined with tighter trademark control, reduced infringement and improved the company’s image while establishing a new and successful profit center.
As one of 13 executives who purchased Harley-Davidson from AMF in 1980, Bleustein helped the company recaptured its position as the leading heavyweight motorcycle manufacturer in the United States.
Prior to joining AMF, Bleustein was an associate professor of engineering and applied science at Yale University. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Cornell University, and Master of Science and Ph.D. degrees in Engineering Mechanics from Columbia University.
In 2002, Bleustein was appointed by President George W. Bush to serve on the President’s Council on the 21st Century Workforce. In Milwaukee, he is active in his community on the boards of the Milwaukee Florentine Opera, The Greater Milwaukee Committee, the Milwaukee Jewish Federation, The Boys and Girls Clubs and the Brunswick Corp. Bleustein became an MSOE Corporation member in 1988, a Regent in 1993 and a Regent Emeritus in 2002.
Founded in 1903, MSOE is celebrating its first 100 years. MSOE is an independent university with about 2,600 students. MSOE offers 16 bachelor’s degrees in areas such as engineering, nursing, business, management information systems, technical communication, engineering technology and construction management. Graduate study includes engineering, engineering management, environmental engineering, structural engineering, medical informatics and perfusion.