An Alumnus Remembers
The Wingerter Awards for Excellence in Engineering Scholarship is the highest honor an engineering student can receive and only the top students are selected. Most people affiliated with the college recognize the name and the image of Wingerter, which often appears in college publications in articles announcing the award winners. But few people know the man himself.
After graduation in 1938, Mr. Wingerter joined Timken Roller Bearing Company in Canton, Ohio as a trainee engineer for sales and moved up through the ranks over the next 20 years, culminating as director of sales for four years. He then went to Rockwell-Standard Corporation, serving as executive vice president, director and president of the automotive division. His last career move took him to Libbey-Owens-Ford Company, where he served first in the position of executive vice president, then president and chief executive officer, and finally, chairman of the board.
This coming October, Wingerter will celebrate his 90th birthday. He and his wife, Dorothy, a Wayne State education graduate (1939), live in Perrysburg, Ohio. In August, they will celebrate their 67th wedding anniversary.
Student years at Wayne
"In the 1930s when I was in high school, my father's business had failed and finding work was almost impossible. My mother prepared food for several grade school lunchrooms to bring in a little money. Life was tough. At that time, the Detroit Board of Education awarded one tuition scholarship to what was then Detroit City College, the precursor to Wayne State University, to each high school graduating class. When I graduated from Denby High School in January 1934, I was the fortunate recipient. That was the way I was able to enter college.
"I was good in math and mechanical challenges and had an early interest in studying engineering in college. I did well academically and I also enjoyed sports. I pitched baseball for my high school team and also played on the high school golf team. I was introduced to golf as a caddy. Wayne didn't have a baseball team at that time, but I did make the varsity golf team, which put me on crowded streetcars from the east side, toting an armful of books and a loaded golf bag. I was captain of the Wayne golf team for two of the three years I played varsity golf and was able to arrange my classes to leave afternoons available for golf matches.
"At the end of my sophomore year and early in 1936, the city of Detroit converted from manufactured gas to piped-in natural gas. That meant all gas appliances throughout the city had to be converted to accommodate the new service. A number of college students took advantage of the opportunity for the good-paying work. I became a trouble-shooter, handling difficult conversions, and was earning as much as $60 a week, depending on overtime opportunities, which seemed a small fortune during the mid-30s. I worked at that job for eight months until the conversion was complete, and I returned to my academic studies. Then I bought a 1933 Ford V8. No more golf bags on the streetcars. Being able to drive to school was a dream-come-true, but parking was a problem. The only place to park was on the street. With the bumpers on the Ford, I developed a handy skill -- nudging parked cars front and rear just a bit until there was room for mine.
Establishing the awards
"A long-time friend from my grade and high schools, Ray Hayes was active in the leadership of the university's alumni association in the mid-1960s, and he urged me to sponsor some new support for the university. I was motivated to recognize superior scholastic performance in the engineering college.
"I established the awards in December 1967 to reward senior students for their outstanding scholarship, character and leadership. Back then, the awards were $250, and I gave $1,000 each year to fund the four annual awards. Today, each awardee receives $1,000, and my hope is that the endowment I created will support some future increases to parry the erosion of inflation.
"Since 1968, 130 awards have been presented, and it is gratifying to receive photos and occasional notes of thanks from the students. Reading about past Wingerter award winners who are succeeding in business also is a great pleasure for me. Although it is difficult now to attend the award ceremonies as I occasionally used to, I still feel connected to the College of Engineering and am proud to stimulate students through this award recognition."