This is a list of notable people associated with Kettering University.
Alumni NameGraduation yearOccupationMary Barra1985CEO and chairman, General Motors CorporationLarry BurnsLarry Burns1975Vice president, General Motors CorporationDon Chaffin1962Professor of Industrial & Biomedical Engineering, University of MichiganEdward Nicholas Cole1933Former president, General Motors; former chairman, Checker Motors CorporationIvan DevesonIvan Deveson1959Retired lord mayor of Melbourne, AustraliaElliott M. (Pete) Estes1938President, General MotorsPam FletcherPam Fletcher new CEO of Sion Power1989CEO, Sion PowerDavid Hermance1970Executive engineer, Advanced Technology Vehicles, ToyotaHenry Juszkiewicz1974CEO, Gibson Guitar CorporationBob KagleBob Kagle1978General partner, Benchmark CapitalDavid KennyDavid Kenny1984Managing partner, VivaKi, Publicis GroupeAaron KyleAaron Kyle2002Professor of the Practice in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke UniversityRyan Mathews2001NASCAR driverF. James McDonaldF. James McDonald1944Former president, General Motors Corporation John Thomas MentzerChancellor's Professor and Vivienne R. Bruce Chair of Excellence in Business, University of TennesseeDane Miller1969Chairman, president, and CEO, BiometRaj Nair1987CEO, singerRodney O'NealRodney O'Neal1976Former president and CEO, Delphi AutomotiveStan O'Neal1974Former CEO, Merrill LynchWilliam H. Osborne1983President and CEO, Federal Signal CorporationJeffrey Owens1978Former chief technology officer, Delphi AutomotiveThomas SnyderThomas Snyder1967President, Ivy Tech Community College of IndianaSonia Syngal1993Former CEO, The GapTim Willis1988VP of Business Operations, NVIDIAQasar Younis2004Co-founder of Applied Intuition
Honorary degree recipients NameDegreeAwardedOccupationCarol BartzHonorary Doctor of ManagementJune 1997Chairman, president, CEO, AutoDeskDave BingHonorary Doctor of ManagementJune 2000NBA playerCurtis CarlsonHonorary Doctor of ScienceJune 2008President, CEO, SRI InternationalBen CarsonHonorary Doctor of Humane LettersJune 1997Neurosurgeon, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MarylandJaime EscalanteHonorary Doctor of HumanitiesJune 1989Mathematics teacher, Garfield High School (Los Angeles County, California)David Hermance '70Honorary Doctor of Engineering (posthumous)June 2008Executive engineer, Advanced Technology Vehicles, ToyotaDean KamenHonorary Doctor of EngineeringDecember 2001President, DEKA Research and Development; founder, FIRST; inventor of Segway(external link and photos)David A. KennyHonorary Doctor of ManagementJune 2014CEO and chairman, The Weather ChannelDale E. KildeeHonorary Doctor of Humane LettersDecember 2007Member, United States House of RepresentativesCarl LevinHonorary Doctor of Humane LettersJune 2011United States senatorRobert LutzHonorary Doctor of ManagementJune 2003Chairman, General Motors North AmericaJohn H. McConnellHonorary Doctor of ManagementDecember 1998Founder, Worthington IndustriesScott McNealyHonorary Doctor of EngineeringJune 1994President, chairman, CEO, Sun MicrosystemsRodney O'NealHonorary Doctor of EngineeringJune 2015Retired CEO, Delphi Automotive Stan O'Neal '74Honorary Doctor of ManagementDecember 2002CEO, Merrill LynchPaul F. OrefficeHonorary Doctor of ManagementJune 1987Chairman, president, CEO, Dow Chemical CompanyStanford R. OvshinskyHonorary Doctor of EngineeringDecember 2010InventorL. Brooks PattersonHonorary Doctor of Humane LettersDecember 2006County executive, Oakland County, MichiganJohn F. Smith, Jr.Honorary Doctor of EngineeringJune 1998President, CEO, chairman, General MotorsRoger Bonham SmithHonorary Doctor of ManagementJune 1986Chairman, General MotorsFrank StronachHonorary Doctor of ManagementDecember 1997Chairman, Magna InternationalArthur L. TuuriHonorary Doctor of Humane LettersDecember 1994Pediatrician, Mott Children's Health Center, Flint, MichiganMaliVai WashingtonHonorary Doctor of Humane LettersJune 2002Professional tennis playerMichael M. WoodHonorary Doctor of Humane LettersJune 2009Former United States ambassador to Sweden; Chairman, Redwood Investments LLCSteve WozniakHonorary Doctor of EngineeringDecember 2005Co-founder of Apple ComputerChester A. Huber '77Honorary Doctor of EngineeringJune 2006Former President and CEO, General Motors OnStarL. Brooks PattersonHonorary Doctor of Humane LettersDecember 2006Oakland County ExecutiveJoseph B. AndersonHonorary Doctor of ManagementJune 2007Chairman and CEO of Tag Holding Companies in Troy, MICongressman, Dale E. KildeeHonorary Doctor of Humane LettersDecember 2007Congressman (D), representing 5th District in the State of MichiganGary L. Cowger '70Honorary Doctor of EngineeringDecember 2007Chairman and CEO, GLC Ventures and Former Global Group Vice President, General MotorsCurtis R. CarlsonHonorary Doctor of ScienceJune 2008Former President and CEO, SRI InternationalDavid W. Hermance '70Honorary Doctor of EngineeringJune 2008Executive Engineer for Advanced Technology Vehicles, Toyota Technical Center, USADr. Russell J. Ebeid '62Honorary Doctor of ManagementJuly 2008Former Chairman and President, Guardian Glass Group, Guardian IndustriesMichael M. WoodHonorary Doctor of Humane LettersJune 2009Former U.S. Ambassador to Sweden and Chair, Redwood Investments, LLCMarissa T. Peterson '83Honorary Doctor of ManagementJuly 2009President and CEO, Mission Peak Executive ConsultingHenry Juszkiewicz '76Honorary Doctor of ManagementDecember 2009Chairman and CEO of Gibson GuitarStanford R. OvshinskyHonorary Doctor of EngineeringDecember 2010Deceased, Noted Inventor, scientist, and entrepreneurSenator Carl LevinHonorary Doctor of Humane LettersJune 2011Former United States SenatorRobert C. Kagle '78Honorary Doctor of EngineeringJune 2013General Partner and Co-Founder Benchmark CapitalDavid Kenny '84Honorary Doctor of ManagementJune 2014The Weather CompanyRodney O'Neal '76Honorary Doctor of EngineeringJune 2015Retired CEO, DelphiSonia Syngal '93Honorary Doctor of ManagementJune 2017Global President and CEO for Old NavyLatondra Newton ’91Honorary Doctor of ManagementJune 2018Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer of The Walt Disney CompanyBrady Ericson ’94Honorary Doctor of EngineeringJune 2022Vice President of BorgWarner Inc. and President and General Manager of Fuel Systems and AftermarketPaul Bascobert '87Honorary Doctor of Business AdministrationJune 2023President of ReutersSean McBurney '03Honorary Doctor of Business AdministrationJune 2024Regional President at Caesars Entertainment, Inc.Frank Perna, Jr. ‘61Honorary Doctor of EngineeringJune 2025Retired CEO, MSC SoftwareSherry Ann House ‘94Honorary Doctor of Business AdministrationJune 2025CFO Ford Motor Company
Board of trustees NameOccupationHenio Arcangeli '86President, Motorsports Group Company, Yamaha Motor Corporation USALizabeth A. ArdisanaCEO, ASG RenaissanceCarla J. Bailo '83Jane E. Boon '90 Walter G. Borst '85President and CEO, GM Asset ManagementDon Chaffin '61R.G. Snyder Distinguished University Professor (Emeritus), Industrial & Operations Engineering and Biomedical Engineering, University of MichiganBruce D. Coventry '75Vice president, Operations, ElectrovayaGary L. Cowger '70 (former chair)Retired group vice president, Global Manufacturing and Labor, General MotorsJacqueline A. Dedo '84 (secretary)President, Piston GroupNeil De Koker '67President & CEO, Original Equipment Suppliers AssociationPhillip Dutcher '74COO, Downtown Naples Campus, NCH Healthcare SystemDavid S. Hoyte '71President, Transformation Management LLCCharles F. Kettering III President, Ridgeleigh Management CompanyJesse LopezCEO, BAE Industries Inc.Robert K. McMahanPresident, Kettering UniversityMichael MansuettiPresident, Robert Bosch LLC, Farmington Hills MIJohn MoyerPresident, Asahi Kasei PlasticsCindy NiekampSenior vice president, Automotive Coatings, PPG IndustriesChris Nielsen '87President, Toyota Motor ManufacturingJeffrey Owens '78President, Electronics & Safety, Delphi CorporationPaul S. PeabodyCIO, Palomar Pomerado HealthRaymond ScottSenior vice president and president, Global Electrical Power Systems, Lear CorporationMarjorie SorgeExecutive director, Detroit Regional News HubLyn St. JamesLyn St. James Racing LLC, Lyn St. James FoundationRandy StashickVice president of Engineering, United Parcel ServiceDiana Tremblay '82Vice president, Manufacturing & Labor Relations, General Motors
Presidents
The following persons have served as president of Kettering University or its predecessors:
PresidentTerm startTerm end1Albert J. Sobey191919502Guy R. Cowing195019603Harold P. Rodes196019764William B. Cottingham1976June 30, 19915James E.A. JohnJuly 1, 1991June 30, 20056Stanley R. LibertyJuly 1, 2005July 31, 20117Robert K. McMahanAugust 1, 2011present
References Honorary degree recipients Board of trustees Presidents