Notable Alumni

Reagan DuBose, Jr., AS 1961, BS 1963 was the first graduate of Brevard Engineering College, carved a path for all the students who came after him at Florida Institute of Technology. A native of Dallas, Texas, he was able to transfer credits from Rice Institute in Houston and graduate with an associate of science in 1961, completing his coursework in only five semesters.

DuBose was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.” 

Before the Civil Rights Act made equal employment opportunity the law, Julius was making history in 1956 as the first black professional in the U.S. space program. It seems only natural that he would go on to integrate Florida Tech just a few years later.

Montgomery was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

Among the earliest students of Brevard Engineering College (BEC), the precursor of Florida Tech, Al earned his master’s degree in 1964 and also served as an undergraduate teacher.

Prior to Al’s enrollment at BEC, he joined RCA as a junior mathematician—even though his undergraduate degree was in social sciences, which he earned at the University of the Philippines while serving in Air Force intelligence. He soon learned senior scientists working at Cape Canaveral were setting up an engineering college offering graduate courses in the evening, and he enrolled in the applied mathematics master’s degree program in the fall of 1960. At the invitation of Ray Work, acting dean of BEC, Al also taught a general college chemistry course at what was to become Florida Tech. He then went on to earn his doctorate in political science from George Washington University in 1970.

Dr. Kaltman was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

King was one of thirteen initial members of the first full-time class to attend Brevard Engineering College, now Florida Tech. He became the first Student Congress President, formed the BEC Student Chapter of the American Institute of Physics and was a charter member of the BEC chapter of Blue Key, a national honor fraternity. King received an associate of science in electrical engineering in 1964 and earned a bachelor of science in physics in 1966. While taking graduate classes at Florida Tech during 1966 and 1967, he taught undergraduate classes in Thermodynamics and Theory of Powered Flight. During Homecoming 2011, King was awarded the Florida Institute of Technology Pioneer Award for leading the way for all of the Florida Tech students who would follow in his footsteps.

Barnard was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.” 

Terence served as a merchant seaman after World War II, as well as an aircraft and engine mechanic at Kimpo Air Force Base, Korea, until 1952. In 1966, Terence earned a master of science degree in applied mathematics from Florida Institute of Technology. As a graduate student, he developed and taught courses in linear algebra, matrices, and mathematics for managers.

Murdock was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.” 

Jim graduated in 1974 with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, and his time at Florida Tech had him involved in many student activities. His experiences here, including his technology-based curriculum, presidency of the Student Government Association, and leadership development in his fraternity bolstered an entrepreneurial spirit he describes as “embedded in Panther DNA.” With a keen eye for the next big thing, Jim led a host of fledgling companies across the globe, serving as chief operations officer, chief financial officer, and division president. He steered early-growth companies into successful business operations with value-based cultures. His vision as a business executive helped lead MapQuest through its initial public offering.

Thomas was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.” 

Heflich was attracted to Florida Tech for two reasons: its proximity to the beach and its connection to the space industry. While earning his bachelor of science in electrical engineering from Florida Tech in 1973, Chip worked for NASA at Kennedy Space Center on the Saturn V rocket. Chip especially enjoyed his coursework in solid state physics, and after graduation he decided to leave the space industry to pursue a career designing analog integrated circuits for Texas Instruments (TI). Here, his passion for invention and entrepreneurial spirit thrived.

Heflich was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.” 

For thirty- four years, David was one of the behind-the- scenes people in charge of the exhilarating shows at SeaWorld. He was involved with the development of training techniques for SeaWorld performances, animal/guest interactions, and scientific discoveries. Through his work directing the activities of trainers, curators, veterinarians, and biologists, he provided unparalleled contributions to our understanding of marine mammals and their ocean habitats. These contributions are still relevant today.

Force was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

Since he was seven years old, Leonard knew he wanted his career to involve the ocean. He earned his associate’s degree in oceanographic technology from Florida Tech in 1971 and his bachelor of science in oceanographic technology in 1973. He began his career on the submersible crew at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute where he supervised the first manned dives on the USS Monitor.

Whitlock was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

Deborah was a woman driven to succeed. Her childhood love of math and science led her to Florida Tech where she put her passions to good use. It wasn’t until her second year that she realized her interest in engineering. She earned her bachelor of science in ocean engineering in 1974. After graduation, Deb returned home to New Jersey and landed her first job as a civil engineer. From there, her career only blossomed.

Ayars was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.” 

Road trips and automobiles are part of Rob Phebus’s DNA. His father did not like to fly, and his mother did not like boats, so family life revolved around the car. Ford vehicles were the transport of choice—the two occasions his family did not drive a Ford are exceptions that left less than favorable impressions.

Phebus was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

For most people, the thought of living off $100 for an entire year sounds impossible, but for Joe, this was his reality when he arrived on campus in 1969 with $100 in his pocket. Learning to budget and make ends meet provided a valuable lesson that he has applied throughout his career.

Caruso was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.” 

Jeff’s career has taken him through many exciting adventures and journeys. Beginning with twenty-one years of service at the United States Central Intelligence Agency, he held positions in the Directorate of Intelligence, the Directorate of Science and Technology, and the National Reconnaissance Office.

Grant was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.” 

Gene is the founder and chief executive of ForensicPathways, Inc. For more than thirty years, he has been involved in the study of organizational culture, governance, and compliance. He is the author of sixteen books and frequently speaks on the topics of effective human resource management, workplace culture, and unethical behavior in the workplace, as well as complex internal investigations. He reminds us, “The truth is only theory until proven otherwise.”

Gene was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.” 

Randy is all about business and baseball. His love for both started at Florida Tech. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business in 1978, and he went on to earn his MBA in 1980. As a four-year letterman in baseball, Muns’s love for the game was evidenced by his generous support for the new baseball field, Andy Seminick-Les Hall Field, and his lead gift that helped Florida Tech reach its fundraising goal to light the baseball field. Randy also serves on Florida Tech’s Board of Trustees. Randy began his career in the aerospace and defense business at Bell Helicopter, TEXTRON, and General Dynamics. He became a principal/partner with Author Young in their special services and technology consulting group.

Muns was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.” 

Jeanne is nothing if not dedicated. During her time at Florida Tech, she learned exactly what it takes to become an Olympic athlete. She graduated with a bachelor of science in biological sciences in 1979. During the year of her graduation, she also competed in the World Rowing Championship as a member of the women’s eight crew and won a bronze medal. She qualified for the 1980 U.S. Olympic team, but she was unable to compete due to the U.S. Olympic Committee’s boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, Russia. She was one of 461 athletes to receive a Congressional Gold Medal.

Flanagan overcame her disappointment about the 1980 Summer Olympics and continued her training. Four years later, she was a member of the American women’s eight team that won the gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California.

Jeanne was the first inductee to the Florida Tech Sports Hall of Fame, which was established in 1986. She reflects, “my experience on Florida Tech’s rowing team was inspiring. The camaraderie of the team and the encouragement of the coached taught me what it means to persevere. This led me to continue to pursue my Olympic dreams.”

Mike credits Florida Tech and his rowing coach, Bill Jurgens, for helping to develop the leadership skills he’s taken with him throughout his career. His professional endeavors began at Newport News Shipbuilding in 1980 as a nuclear test engineer. Mike spent the first half of his career working on submarines, later moving to aircraft carriers. He has held various positions in engineering, program management, and business development.

Shawcross  was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

Wadad, raised in Brevard County like her sister Catharina, graduated from Florida Tech in 1981. She had her first exposure to military service while participating in Florida Tech’s Army ROTC program two years prior to graduation. Wadad went on to earn her MS and PhD in electrical engineering and applied physics from the University of California, San Diego. She accomplished all of this while working full-time at the U.S. Navy’s Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific (SSC Pacific), where she has spent her entire career as a Navy civilian. “Florida Tech provided the rigorous academic program I needed to set the stage for my successful career and my doctorate. I learned leadership skills and discipline that have helped me my whole life,” she said.

Dubbelday was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

Rear Admiral White’s passion for oceanography and the Navy began before the age of seven, thanks to the influence of his mother and a Navy diver who lived next door. He earned his bachelor of science in oceanographic technology from Florida Tech and a master’s degree in oceanography and meteorology from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School.

R. Adm. White was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

Catharina, a Brevard County native, was appointed by President George W. Bush to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in April of 2008. Prior to taking the federal bench, she served eight years as a Texas state district judge in Dallas. In addition to her judicial service, Judge Haynes spent thirteen years in private practice, including more than five years as a partner and six years as an associate in the trial section of Baker Botts, LLP’s Dallas office.

Judge Haynes was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

Born and raised in Mozambique, Africa, and of Portuguese descent, Jorge is a true global citizen. He has lived and worked in several countries, including Venezuela, Mexico, Brazil, and the United States.

Spending more than forty percent of his time abroad in global leadership roles, Jorge speaks Portuguese, Spanish, and English fluently.

Jorge was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

Julian has always loved technology, which is why he was involved in creating FITV, the student-run and operated TV station at Florida Tech. These days, he lends his expertise to many start-up companies. He is a senior advisor working with businesses on their ecommerce strategy and implementation. Currently, Julian is founding chairman of a start-up that is developing solar-powered vehicles and director of an education services business. “My time at Florida Tech when I helped create FITV really planted the seed for my future career. It cultivated my love for technology and my entrepreneurship,” he said.

Field was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

Huntley A. Lawrence’s love for flying began when he was just a child. After moving from London to Queens, New York, with his family, he attended the aviation program offered at his school and learned firsthand about flight. Lawrence earned his pilot’s license shortly after graduating high school and chose Florida Tech for its aviation program. He received his bachelor of science degree from Florida Tech and went on to earn his MBA from Dowling College. Lawrence is an accredited member of the American Association of Airport Executives.

Lawrence was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

His Excellency Khaled Al Kamda, pictured here sailing during his down time, has contributed to major advancements in banking, cargo, airport development, air travel, real estate, and world capital that benefited the development of Dubai. He has extensive experience with strategic growth planning in vital public and private sector organizations. He has held several senior positions with major companies and institutions during his three-decade career.

Khaled Al Kamda was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

Tom didn’t just receive an education at Florida Tech, he received life lessons that helped him become who he is today. Bohrer graduated from Florida Tech in 1986 with a bachelor of science in environmental science. His path to rowing was accidental. During orientation at Florida Tech, he stopped at the first table he approached. It was the rowing table. Destined or not, Tom felt the impact of rowing almost immediately. The more discernible his results, the more he was driven to improve. He went on to row for the U.S. Olympic team in the 1988 and 1992 Olympics, winning silver medals in the men’s fours both times.

Bohrer was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

Jonathan Zung, PhD, knows what it takes to grow professionally. He began his career as an analytical chemist with Pfizer in 1991 and over the last twenty-five years has held a variety of executive leadership positions in the pharmaceutical and pharmaceutical services industries. Each of his roles has exposed Jonathan to new challenges and allowed him to operate outside his comfort zone. Jonathan currently serves as advisor to the CEO of WCG clinical and president of one of their operating divisions. Prior to that he served as group president for clinical development and commercialization services for Covance Drug Development, a LabCorp company. In that role he led a global organization of over 8,000 employees in sixty countries spanning all phases of clinical development and market access services.

Dr. Zung was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

Ann Dunwoody, a fourth-generation Army soldier, grew up understanding what it meant to serve her country. As America’s first female four-star general and former commanding general of the U.S. Army Materiel Command, she truly learned that leaders never stop learning, refining, growing, and adapting.

General Dunwoody was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

What does it take to find your path in the world? According to Vik, it is a simple, four-step process. Currently the chief executive officer of Silicon Valley-based 8x8, Inc., Verma is a frequent speaker who shares how four defining moments in his life have translated into this four-step process: (1) take a chance; (2) give your best, and the results will come; (3) be honest with yourself, and know your limitations; and (4) when you find your calling, go for it, and don’t let go.

Vik was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

Through an active public speaking schedule and community leadership, Duane is changing public perception about the value of ocean and coastal research and conservation. His numerous public presentations and workshops have a central message: “Our oceans and coasts are an engine that drives the economy and quality of life for both Florida and the nation. I’m at home on the water and want to ensure that it continues to sustain lives to come.”

Dr. De Freese was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

Scott had a distinguished career in the U.S. Air Force. He was commander of both the 45th Launch Group and the 2nd Space Operations Squadron with the mission of command and control of the GPS satellite constellation, as well as management of the Milstar satellite communications system for the Air Force Space and Missile System Center. Scott joined SpaceX in 2009 where he led the launch safety and mission assurance team charged with launching the first Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft.

Henderson was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

A native of Cyprus, Fahri Diner came to the United States on an academic scholarship to Florida Tech. He earned his bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering and went on to become a modern-day renaissance man, currently holding five patents in the field of fiber optics and wireless communications. Fahri is the founder and CEO of Plume, the inventor of Adaptive Home WiFi. He is also managing director of early-stage venture capital firm Sigma Partners, and the proprietor of Skipstone, an organic and biodynamic winegrowing estate.

Diner was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

After a twenty-five- year career with NASA that began in 1983 at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Dave played key roles in more than 100 space shuttle missions. His retirement from NASA in 2009 as director of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, where he served as center director overseeing 7,000 onsite employees and contractors with a $2.7 billion budget, simply opened the door for new opportunities in space system development and operations in the private sector.

King was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

For Tim Wakefield, Florida Tech was a springboard to his successful baseball career. In 1988, he was drafted in the eighth round by the Pittsburgh Pirates out of Florida Tech as a power-hitting first baseman. The records he set while at Florida Tech still stand.

Wakefield was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

Student, athlete, coach, alumni association board member, athletic booster, donor, volunteer, university trustee, and administrator. Bino has been part of Florida Tech in one role or another for thirty-two years and has arguably the most diverse experience of any member of the Florida Tech family. A two-time graduate, Bino wrote his name in Panther folklore when he helped lead the soccer team, as co-captain, to the university’s first ever NCAA II National Championship in 1988. He did it again as part of the coaching staff as the Panthers won their second national title in 1991. He is a member of the Florida Tech Sports Hall of Fame, the Sunshine State Conference Hall of Fame, and the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame. Bino was also selected for the Sunshine State Conference Silver Anniversary soccer team.

Bino spent seventeen years in the corporate world after graduating from Florida Tech working in the architectural, engineering, and construction industry. He served as the chief executive officer of Cape Canaveral-based Stottler Stagg & Associates Architects Engineers Planners, Inc., whose projects included The Scott Center for Autism Treatment and the Emil Buehler Center for Aviation Training and Research performed for Florida Tech.

In 2010 Bino decided he needed to change his career path, and Florida Tech was calling his name. He accepted a position with the Office of Alumni Affairs and currently serves as its vice president. He has focused on reaching out and connecting with alumni and increasing the visibility of Alumni Affairs on campus through new initiatives. FIT Homecoming Fest, the Jerome P. Keuper Distinguished Alumni Award and Homecoming Awards Gala, Panther4Life Grad Bash, Real World 101, Florida Tech’s Day of Giving, as well as national and international alumni receptions have all contributed to an increase in alumni awareness and participation.

As he always says, "You may have been here for only a few years, but you will remain a Panther for life."

Campanini was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

Davon learned lessons of teamwork and sportsmanship during his time on the basketball courts at Florida Tech. He has since taken these lessons with him into the business world. He shares the lessons he learned on the court in his book, From Courtside to the Boardroom: A Legacy in the Making. Kelly believes in the importance of mentoring the next generation by exposing them to new ideas and experiences. Because of this belief, he founded The 13th Man organization to provide training, mentoring, leadership development, and enrichment activities to equip young men with the necessary tools to move from feelings of inadequacy to being in the “starting lineup.” All proceeds from his book sales are donated to The 13th Man.

Davon was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.” 

It is every scientist’s dream to be the first to discover something. Max’s moment came in 2005 while working at the Space Telescope Science Institute. As he was cleaning and inspecting some Hubble Space Telescope images, two blips on the screen caught his attention. They were faint satellites moving around Pluto in the same direction as Charon, Pluto’s moon that was discovered in 1978. After Max worked with other scientists to verify the discovery, it was officially announced. Later Hubble observations in 2011 and 2012 revealed two more moons of Pluto. Asteroid “6815 Mutchler” was named in honor of Max’s role in these discoveries.

Max was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

Mike' career began at the Johnson Space Center as a flight controller in the Mission Operations Directorate in 1995 as a contractor, converting to be a full-time NASA employee in 1998. He was a member of the Space Shuttle Propulsion Systems Group, becoming the Lead of that group in 2001, He also served as the Lead for the Shuttle Electrical Systems Group. In 2005, Mike was selected to become a Flight Director, overseeing mission planning and operations for Space Shuttle missions. He was the lead flight director for the STS-123/ 1JA mission in February 2008.

Mike was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

Tino Alavie, PhD, can’t help but create his own business ventures. He has been directly or indirectly responsible for creating, managing, and growing seven technology start-ups in North America and Europe from start to financial exit.

Currently, as president and chief executive officer of Qvella Corporation, Dr. Alavie is the driving force behind the innovative research being conducted by the company. Qvella’s mission is to improve septic patient outcomes and save lives. “The confluence of emerging and disruptive technologies presents incredible opportunities for improvement in the delivery and management of healthcare that will ultimately benefit patients, providers, and payers. It is my hope and aspiration to continue the development of technologies and products that help transform human health,” he explains.

Tino is a seminar leader and guest lecturer with the faculty of Applied Science and Engineering at the University of Toronto. He has been awarded fourteen patents with an additional six pending. Widely published with over fifty articles in journals and conference papers, Dr. Alavie received his bachelor’s degree (1986), master’s degree (1988), and doctoral degree (1992) from Florida Tech in electrical engineering. He also holds a post-doctorate in fiber optics sensing from the University of Toronto. He was recently awarded Florida Tech’s College of Engineering Outstanding Alumnus Award for 2013.

Dr. Alavie was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

It was his hustle on and off the basketball court that Tom was really known for. After graduating from Florida Tech, Tom worked as an auto broker and caught the attention of some business executives looking to diversify their retail business. These executives were in the beginning stages of creating CarMax, which began as a test concept by the corporate parent of Circuit City. Folliard joined CarMax in 1993 as the company’s very first buyer. CarMax spun off from Circuit City in 2002 during restructuring, and its business boomed. Since then, CarMax Inc. has grown to be the largest used-vehicle retailer.

Tom was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

Fitzgerald “Fidgi” Haig arrived at Florida Tech from his native Haiti in the fall of 1987. Fidgi was part of a new wave of international soccer players recruited to turn the soccer program into championship contenders. He played four seasons for the Panthers, helping to win Florida Tech’s first-ever NCAA National Championship in 1988. During his stellar career he earned all-region, all-state, and all-SCC honors. To this day, he remains fourth in career goals (43) and fifth in career points (105) in the Panthers record book.

Fidgi was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

The Spanish native followed in the footsteps of his father who was an aerospace engineer and successful businessman in the aerospace industry, his companies serving as the Spanish representative for U.S. firms such as McDonnell Douglas, Boeing, and Lockheed Martin.

Alvaro was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

Elizabeth Webbe Lunny’s passion for marketing and advertising began while she was a student at Florida Tech where her father, Dr. Frank Webbe, is a professor and the former dean of the School of Psychology. Elizabeth cultivated strong relationships with her professors while earning her bachelor’s degree in humanities. She credits her Florida Tech family—Dr. Gordon Patterson, Dr. Rudy Stoeckel, Father Doug Bailey, and others—for giving her the self-confidence that would ultimately catapult her career into the big leagues.

Webbe-Lunny was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

There is a lot in the cloud—just ask Dr. Steven Atkin, chief technology officer and distinguished engineer at IBM. Steven has been working on globalization issues at IBM for over twenty years. He serves to address the challenges developers encounter in their work transitioning to the cloud. In his current role, he is focused on the overall client experience and enabling clients to obtain the skills needed to fully utilize IBM cloud-based products.

Dr. Atkin was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.” 

Teachers can have a profound impact on the lives of young people, and the best teachers are those who care deeply and work hard to truly engage students. Tracey Bailey has spent years striving to improve public education. He also served as board member for the Florida Tech Alumni Association in 1994. For Tracey, improving public education requires accountability and a drive for higher student achievement. In 1993, he was recognized as the National Teacher of the Year for the entire United States because of his dedication to improving education for both students and educators. He was selected for this honor out of 2.7 million teachers nationwide.

Tracey was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

Captain Williams has accrued an impressive amount of spacewalk time: she spent 50 hours and 40 minutes outside of the International Space Station (ISS); and in completing two missions to the ISS, she has spent over eleven total months orbiting Earth. Back on the ground, Captain Williams has continued her career in the space industry as a member of NASA’s Commercial Crew Transportation Capability, a group of veteran astronauts who work with privately-held companies to develop spacecraft. Her contributions have helped to build the Boeing CST-100 Starliner and SpaceX Dragon. She is among four veteran astronauts chosen by NASA to fly the first commercial space vehicles.

Sunita was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

Svafa Grönfeldt, PhD, has built parallel careers in academia and entrepreneurship. A member of a founding team of Alvogen, a global life science company, Svafa serves on the executive team where she has led the company’s organizational development, communication, and strategic planning initiatives from the start. She is also a founding member and chair of the advisory board for SA+P DesignX, an innovation accelerator at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and serves as the senior advisor to the dean on entrepreneurship. She is a member of the board of directors for Ossur, a Nasdaq Copenhagen listed orthopedic company, as well as the Florida Tech Board of Trustees and International Advisory Board.

Svafa was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

After earning his bachelor of science in electrical engineering from Florida Tech in 1996, Gene has spent more than two decades working with and managing early-stage ventures. Gene currently serves as the co-founder and chief executive officer of Launch That, LLC, an online marketing firm based in Orlando, FL.

Launch That is a marketing venture company that specializes in building online brands for driving traffic and generating customers. Apelado coaches the executive management team and fosters loyal relationships with clients and partners. He has held his executive role since he co-founded the company in 2003.

Of leadership, Gene says, “Emotional intelligence is one of the most important character traits you can possess. It has helped me understand, not only my customers, but also helped me build a strong team throughout the years.”

Prior to founding Launch That, Apelado worked as account manager for global sales at Triton Network Systems. He later worked at TriQuint Semiconductor as a sales account manager for CDMA network accounts. While a senior sales engineer for MeshNetworks, he performed product demonstrations and training for a start-up company that conducted a successful exit to Motorola.

Gene sits on the board of venture acceleration firm venVelo. Also an entrepreneur in the nonprofit sector, Gene co-founded the charity Figtree Foundation in central Florida, which strives to provide aid to youth in need throughout the region.

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, (center) joins the grand opening ribbon cutting to welcome Gene and his companies into their new downtown offices March 2019. Launch That and Lunar’s office space just received the 2019 Orlando Business Journal’s Coolest Office Spaces award.  

Using a unique approach to IT security, Dr. Hugh Thompson has been helping organizations build more secure systems for more than a decade. Hugh studied applied mathematics at Florida Tech, earning his bachelor’s degree in 1998, master’s degree in 1999, and doctorate in 2002. Here, he learned the tools that influenced his current philosophy.

Dr. Thompson was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

Johnny M. Moore, PhD, remembers when it was time to enter college: the buzz was that computers were going to take over the world, so he chose computer science as his major. After realizing that his major would have him stuck in a computer lab, Moore, a standout athlete, switched his major to math. However, mathematics was an acquired taste, and he didn’t fully appreciate it until he taught the subject in graduate school. 

Dr. Moore was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

The most unique places inspire Dr. Sungjin Park. As the president and CEO of The Vine Corporation, he created technology that was inspired by an unlikely source: the bobcat. The Vine Corporation offers “Voice Improvement Neural Engine” software solutions that improve the audio clarity of cell phones and other electronic devices. When Dr. Park learned the bobcat has a keen sense of hearing and the ability to catch very small signals that other animals cannot detect, he went on to develop the “Consonant Restoration” filter. This catches very small consonant signals and restores them in real time. The filter has been patented and licensed to more than fifty million devices.

Dr. Park was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

Jennifer McCarthy combines business acumen and emotional intelligence to make sure the healthcare operations she oversees never lose sight of patient needs and satisfaction. As a healthcare executive with a passion for business and healthcare delivery, Jennifer has served in various c-suite positions within large health systems including, most recently, hospital CEO. Her time with Health First, Orlando Health, and Inova, Inc., has allowed her the opportunity to serve others, make sustainable, significant operational impacts to billion-dollar organizations, and improve the lives and health of the community in which she works.

Jennifer was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

Sean fell in love with aviation at an early age. While living in Ireland as a child, he would watch planes take off and land from his family’s home near the Dublin Airport. His passion for flying propelled McGeough to pursue a career in the clouds. He earned his MBA from Florida Tech in 2005. He is currently executive vice president of Wheels Up, a private aviation solution provider. He has also held key leadership and sales roles with Aerion, Nextant Aerospace, Hawker Beechcraft, Raytheon Aircraft, and Diamond Aircraft.

Sean was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

James Wong had a wide range of cultural experiences during his childhood, growing up in the United States, Canada, and Hong Kong. James held various positions as a lawyer on Toyota’s eDiscovery team and as a tax lawyer at Baker and McKenzie, as well as PricewaterhouseCoopers. In 2010, he joined Hon Kwok Land Investment Co. Ltd., where he is currently the executive director. He also serves as executive director for the Chinney Group, which includes four publicly-listed companies in Hong Kong focused on high-tech engineering, construction, trading, investments, and real estate. The businesses range from building an eighty-story Hon Kwok Tower in Shenzhen to installing the air traffic management radar at the Hong Kong Airport. 

James was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

With her larger-than- life personality, Daniela Iacobelli burst onto the collegiate golf scene as 2005 Sunshine State Conference Freshman of the Year. She graduated from Florida Tech in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, and she has continued to work the golf circuit ever since.

Daniela was the individual winner of the 2007 NCAA Division II Women’s Golf Championship, recording twenty-nine top-ten finishes, including eight wins. She was also named the 2007 Florida Tech Female Athlete of the Year.

“I have such a great opportunity to reach people, change lives, inspire people, and to get girls involved in golf. I’m looking to change the game,” she explains.

Daniela made ten cuts in fifteen events played with a win in the Symetra Tour Championship to earn her LPGA Tour card for the 2013 season. Her other professional victory came at the 2015 Tullymore Classic, earning her LPGA Tour card for the 2016 season. She had three top-ten finishes in 2017 on the Symetra Tour.

Iacobelli was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

Jen originally wanted to be a veterinarian, even taking courses to prepare her for that career. At some point, she found a higher calling and decided that wasn’t the life for her. She took her commission in the Air Force, and after graduation from pilot training, First Lt. Jennifer Gillette is flying the F-15E Strike Eagle fighter aircraft.

Jen was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

In 2016, just four years after joining Turkish Airlines, Mert became the company’s youngest captain candidate ever with more than 4,000 hours of flight time He achieved the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airmen Certification, given to pilots who have exceeded the FAA’s educational, licensing, and medical standards. Mert is currently a board member with Lens Yapi, a leading building and development firm in Istanbul. The firm is building the largest residential and commercial project in Turkey as well as building one of the tallest buildings in Europe.

Mert was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

Along her higher education journey, Chelsea Harms-Tuohy discovered she did not want to be stuck inside, sitting behind a desk. With a leap of faith in 2015, Chelsea took the plunge to establish Isla Mar Research Expeditions, making the turquoise waters of Rincon, Puerto Rico, her classroom. Weathering the challenges brought on by both hurricanes and budgeting for science-based programs,

Isla Mar has succeeded in acquiring federal research grants to further their unique projects and hands-on marine biology courses. Co-founded with her husband and fellow Florida Tech graduate, Evan Tuohy, Isla Mar combines the marine scientists’ love of the ocean and passion for teaching. The Tuohys both earned their PhD degrees from the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez.

Chelsea’s passion for protecting ocean reefs and oceans grew from some advice she received early on: don’t waste your time doing something you don’t love. Heeding that wisdom closely, Chelsea and Evan have created an educational environment that immerses students in a field-based experience in marine biology, including research methodologies to assess fish abundance and diversity, coral reef health and habitat composition, and complexity of the reef.

The couple’s ties to Florida Tech go beyond simply having both earned their degrees from the university’s marine biology program: each summer, Isla Mar hosts students for a two-week coral reef ecology field course in Rincon with professor Dr. Ralph Turingan, of Florida Tech’s Biological Sciences Department. “As alums, we are really excited for this ongoing partnership that allows us to network with current students and give back to our alma mater that helped shape our careers to what they are today.”

Chelsea and Evan were featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

Joe started as the lead engineer for recovery and landing operations, and he is now manager of offshore and landing operations engineering. Recovery, refurbishment, and reuse of orbital rocket boosters are critical to SpaceX’s goal of reducing the cost of access to space and ultimately enabling humans to live on other planets.

Joe was featured in Florida Tech’s 60^th Anniversary special edition book, “60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.”

Growing up on Florida’s Space Coast and watching shuttle launches inspired Kim Day to pursue a career that would place her at the forefront of cutting-edge technology. Before those rocket launches shaped her path, she was involved in For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), a leading, nonprofit STEM engagement program for children worldwide. More than robots, FIRST encourages students to pursue education and careers in STEM-related fields and prepares them to be leaders and innovators.

As the second Farmer Scholar to study at Florida Tech, Day excelled in her coursework with a double major in physics and computer science. In the summers of 2011 and 2012, Day interned at Northrop Grumman as a 2010 NextGen Engineers Scholarship winner. In 2013, she landed a summer internship at Google, where she worked on the Google Accounts team, managing the Google sign-in and account-creation pages. At the end of her internship, she was hired as a full-time employee. Today, she works on the Chromecast team and has embraced the Google culture, joining a yo-yo club, taking tango lessons, performing in the Google orchestra and volunteering to help children with Lego robotics.

Day says the research experience she gained at Florida Tech has proven valuable.

“My time as the administrator for the Tier 3 computer cluster has been surprisingly helpful,” she says. Having served as Association for Computing Machinery president from 2011 to 2013, she says, “our ‘stay-late-and-code sessions’ really did emulate what computer engineers experience in real life!”

[This article is an excerpt from 60 for 60: Celebrating Sixty Years of Alumni at Florida Institute of Technology.]