Life
Time Accomplishments: Gordon A. Hellman
Personal
Stats:
Born: November 04, 1920 in Dollar Bay Michigan
Last of 12 Children
Married 63 Years to Gertrude M. Decker (Deceased April 21, 2005)
4 Children, Gerald Hellman, Michael Hellman, Susan Hellman Lines
and Sharon Hellman Bauer
Deceased: May 25, 2005
Degrees & Professional Accreditation: BSME (1942 MTU), MSME
(1955 MTU), PE (Professional Engineer)
Academic
& Administrative Record: Michigan Technological University
Summer Term June 14, 1948 to 1949, Instructor in Mechanical Engineering
1949-1962, Assistant/Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering
1963-1964, Professor of Mechanical Engineering
1984 Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering by MTU Board
of Control
March 22, 1965-1983, MTU’s first Physical Plant Director
April 30, 1983, Assistant to Vice President for Operations &
Finance
April 30, 1984, Retired from MTU
Academic
Accomplishments:
Gordon is best remembered for his teaching of not only theory
but the practical application within industry of one’s learnings.
This is best noted by his actions in establishing the steam plant
labs, field trips with students to industry early on in the Engineering
curriculum and the on-going relationships that he had with his
students as they advanced in industry.
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While teaching in the Mechanical Department, supervised as an
engineer the construction and operation of the Central Heating
Plant and Steam Distribution System
-
Developed and Established the Production Engineering Option
in the Mechanical Department Curriculum
-
Supervised and taught the Power Plant Engineering Option in
the Mechanical Engineering Department
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Established student field trips to Industry & Power Generation
facilities for exposure and hands on learning experiences
-
Collaborated with E. J. Townsend, Controller in establishing
the first contract with the U. S. Army Tank Command for the
Keweenaw Field Center at the Houghton County Airport
-
Served as Secretary to the University’s first Faculty
Association
-
Served on the committee to develop a curriculum for Applied
Technology later instituted at the Sault St. Marie Branch of
the University. (Lake Superior State)
-
Served as a University consultant to Forest Products Research
in the early development of the Timber Debarking Machine
-
Served as a guest lecturer to the University of Wisconsin (1952-1960)
Engineering Institutes
-
Served on the Board of Sigma Rho Fraternity Administrative Accomplishments:
Gordon represented the “bridging” of academic learnings
to applied industry and educational institutes operations. This
is best noted through his overlapping services to the physical
development and operations of the University.
-
Served as an assistant administrator to the University Controller
while teaching Mechanical Engineering. During this period, Gordon
was involved in state legislative and administrative contracts,
budgeting, engineering and planning of physical facilities for
the following buildings on campus:
1949-1971 Central Heating Plant and Steam Distribution Systems
Construction and Expansion
1950 Central Heating Plant and Dock
1952 Storage and Service Building
1952 Memorial Union Building
1954 Ford Forestry Center
1955 Benedict Lab
1955 Wadsworth Hall (Original)
1957 Civil Geological Building
1958 Wadsworth Hall Addition I
1960 Daniell Heights Original
In
1961 appointed as assistant Director of Physical Plant with responsibility
for planning, engineering, budgeting, operations and development
of the administration of campus physical facilities. Contract
construction work and correlation of architectural and engineering
firm’s professional services was also included. In this
position, the development of the Physical Plant Department and
the Capital Outlay procedures were accomplished.
1964 served as the University’s first Physical Plant Director.
During this period administered the Physical Plant Department
and was liaison with the state’s Department of Management
and Budge, Building Division, Fire Marshall and Highway Department.
Capital Outlay procedures were implemented to continue the campus
development. Other accomplishments included:
-
1964-1965 Long Range Campus Development Plan and Study Completed
-
1964-1968 Chairman of the University’s Physical Facilities
Planning Committee
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1972-1974 Served as the University’s liason to the
Governor’s Special Commission on Architecture
-
1973-1974 Chaired the State of Michigan’s Ad Hoc Committee
on
-
Energy Crisis and Environment Study (Senate Resolution 45)
- 1964-1983
responsible for the planning, development, architectural,
engineering, construction, budge control and inspection
of the following campus facility projects:
1964 Fisher Hall
1965-1966 Library
1965 Volatile Liquid Gases Building
1965 Mont Ripley Ski Chalet
1965 Daniell Heights Addition I
1966 Wadsworth Hall II
1966 Coed Dorm I
1967 Forestry - IWR
1968 Coed Dorm II
1968 Golf Course Addition
1969 Campus Utilities I
1969 Settling Basin Benedict Lab
1970 Mechanical Engineering – Engineering Mechanics
Building
1970 Design of the University Logo
1971 Cliff Drive
1971 Campus Utilities II
1972 Winter Activities Instruction Area (Ice Arena)
1972 Ford Forestry Center Service Building
1973 Electrical Energy Resources Center
1973 Student Development Complex I-II
1975 Gates Tennis Center
1978 Ford Forestry Dorm
1983 Arts and Humanities Center
Community/Personal
Accomplishments:
Member of American & National Society of Mechanical Engineers
Chairman and Member of the Association of Physical Plant Administrators
Member of American Management Association
Listed in American Men of Science
Licensed Professional Engineer & Member of Michigan Soc.
of Prof. Engrs.
Chairman of University & College Capital Officers
Served on Local and Community Boards including Houghton County
Economic Development, Portage View Hospital Board, City of
Hancock Planning Commission, American Legion, St. Albert the
Great, Blue Key, Sigma Rho, Huskies Club, Alumni Association,
and MTU Faculty Senate
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