Engineering Hall of Fame Class of 2020

Gino DiClemente, DIT – BSEE’62

Born and raised in Italy, Gino DiClemente started his career as a schoolteacher. Ambitious and determined, DiClemente moved to Detroit at 21 years old. He became a U.S. citizen and served in the Army, stationed in Austria during the Korean War.

Drive and focused ambition characterize DiClemente’s life. He opened his own engineering consulting firm with General Motors and Ford as the main clients. In 1969, his firm continued to expand when mechanical engineer Ed Siegel joined and the company became DiClemente Siegel Engineering – offering both electrical and mechanical engineering consulting. In 1996, his company added architectural services, and now has over 45 employees working on projects throughout Michigan including universities, schools, hospitals, manufacturing facilities, municipal government buildings, and more.

DiClemente’s achievements have been recognized by Crain’s Detroit Business, among others. His philanthropy has extended to many. A longtime supporter of Lawrence Tech, DiClemente created the Gino and Luciana DiClemente Endowed Scholarship in 2015 to support architectural engineering students.

In addition to his degree from Detroit Institute of Technology, DiClemente also earned an Executive MBA from Michigan State University.

Rajeev Batra, BSEE’90

Alumni Achievement Award, 2017

Rajeev Batra is president of Digital Industries for Siemens USA, where he oversees all development, marketing, sales, R&D, vertical industry, and manufacturing aspects. Batra is also a member of the Board of Directors for the Siemens Foundation.

Batra has held a wide range of high-level management strategy and sales positions since joining Siemens in 1993. Those positions range from vice president, general manager, and global account executive to the founding member and director of the Automotive and Aerospace Vertical Market Organizations. Prior to his tenure at Siemens, Batra managed technical sales and automation solutions for discrete manufacturing and process industries.

In 2019, Batra was appointed chairman of the Board of Governors of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, an organization responsible for guiding technical standards, providing advocacy for industry policies in the areas of digitalization and automation, and enabling the dissemination of crucial industry data. In addition, Batra serves as a member of the Executive Committee of Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation. He is also a member of the board of directors for two global manufacturing companies, MKS Instruments, Inc. and Amsted Industries.

Batra has furthered the University’s mission and helped enable student work with nearly $300 million worth of in-kind software. His generosity and vision helped create Lawrence Tech’s Siemens Electro-Matic industrial engineering laboratory.

Batra also earned an MBA from U of M.

Donna Bell, BSEE’89

Alumni Achievement Award, 2017

Dr. Donna Bell has been with Ford Motor Company for more than 25 years. She is director, Technology and Feature Strategy & Planning. Bell has held various technical and leadership roles in product development, purchasing, quality, and research and advanced engineering. She was an influential electrical leader launching key Ford vehicles and technologies. Bell led the team in launching the first-to-industry award winning Sync in-vehicle infotainment system and the first-to-industry ambient lighting on the 2008 Ford Focus. Her role as Electric Vehicle Infrastructure and Smart Grid Technology manager in Ford’s Sustainability and Environmental Organization ensured the launch of new technologies and concepts that support improvements in greenhouse gas emissions.

Bell gives back to the community through mentorship and serving in various roles of many professional organizations such as National Society of Black Engineers, Society of Women Engineers, Society of Automotive Engineers Foundation, and National Action Coalition for Minorities in Engineering among others. She is co-vice president of operations of Ford’s African Ancestry Network Employee Resource group. Bell has received many notable honors including the 2018 Women of Color in STEM Technologist of the Year award and the 2019 NSBE Outstanding Technical Contributions award.

Bell was the president of the LTU Alumni Association Board of Directors where she established alumni programs and events, and scholarships for LTU students. In addition to her BSEE from LTU, Bell holds two master of science degrees and a doctorate from Wayne State University.

David Darbyshire, BSME’87

As co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer, David Darbyshire leads engineering market development for DASI Solutions LLC; Cyb Llings, Inc.; and Revitalize IT, Inc. Governor Rick Snyder recognized DASI Solutions as being one of “Michigan’s 50 Companies to Watch” in 2014.

Darbyshire has a passion for bringing the latest technologies to emerging industries to create thriving communities through economic and workforce development. He is involved in business and educational organizations such as Automation Alley, SAE Society of Automotive Engineers, National Defense Industry Association, SME Society of Manufacturing Engineers, and Aerospace Industry Association of Michigan. Darbyshire serves on the Michigan steering committee for welcoming 40,000 competitors to the annual National FIRST Robotics Championship in Detroit.

Darbyshire was named Automation Alley’s Member of the Year in 2007 for his continued commitment to education, in part for the planning of Superhighway to Success/ MiCareer Quest, an event where 10,000 high school students explored careers in Michigan’s tech and skilled trade sectors. Darbyshire serves on various boards and professional committees. He was instrumental in the launch of the innovative Industrial Design Technician Professional Apprenticeship program in partnership with Focus Hope: Detroit that received a $3 million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Labor.

Darbyshire is involved in the Lawrence Tech Alumni Association and Phi Kappa Upsilon Fraternity.

Jason Hammond, ACET’05, BSCM’09

Jason Hammond is vice president at A.Z. Shmina. His other roles at the company include superintendent, project manager, and director of construction operations. From each position, he has learned valuable skills and wider understanding of the various aspects of construction management. A former U.S. Army Ranger, Hammond has worked for several companies with the goal of gaining broader experience in different areas of the industry.

While at A.Z. Shmina, Hammond has worked primarily on building projects for the University of Michigan including athletics and housing, along with medical school and hospital buildings. Hammond has been recognized by his peers for his work at the University of Michigan and has earned three Pyramid Awards from the Washtenaw Contractor Association. The awards honored his work on a mobile linear accelerator and a battery testing lab. He also received a Best Innovation award for his work on the Cooley Memorial Fountain.

Hammond is passionate about mentoring and helping students in their careers. He continues to give back to Lawrence Tech and shares his experience as a member of the adjunct faculty. He lends his expertise in construction management to Lawrence Tech’s Construction Advisory Committee and has helped shape the curricula for future students. He believes his Lawrence Tech education laid a strong foundation for his success in the construction industry.

Hammond is also scuba rescue certified and is a rescue divemaster. He has rescue dived around the world.

Nicole Kennedy, BSEE’95

Alumni Achievement Award, 2019

Dr. Nicole Kennedy is the section chief of vascular surgery at Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital. She began her career as an electrical engineer and continued her education in both electrical and biomedical engineering. Kennedy then made the jump into the clinical world. She has been in active clinical practice since 2012 and is board certified in both general surgery and vascular surgery. One of her goals is to find ways to combine her technical background and engineering experiences into everyday clinical life to improve both patient safety as well as healthcare efficiency.

Kennedy has worked as a consultant for startups in the healthcare field. She is experienced in device development, regulatory affairs and quality assurance. She is also a member of multiple surgical organizations including the American College of Surgeons, the Society for Vascular Surgery and the Academy of Surgery of Detroit.

Kennedy gives back to Lawrence Tech. She has been a panelist for the Women in STEM program. She is a donor to the University’s Campus Connections program and has also worked with Lawrence Tech’s Office of Career Services to help mentor and facilitate the placement of students at Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital.

Kennedy holds several degrees including master’s degrees in both electrical and biomedical engineering, an Executive MBA from the University of Michigan and an MD from Wayne State University.

Andrew T. Rener, BSCvE’99, MCvE’00, PE, DBIA

From an early age, Andrew Rener loved construction. He spent summers and school breaks working for his parents’ construction company as a laborer and carpenter. Rener followed in the footsteps of both his father and grandfather, becoming a third-generation alumnus of Lawrence Technological University. After graduation, Rener joined Barton Malow Company as a field engineer. He continued his education while working his way up to senior director.

In 2013, Rener joined Bouma and today serves as president. His vision and leadership resulted in a successful venture in offsite manufactured prefabricated building components. He leads the manufacturing business and self-perform and prime contracting efforts across the country.

Passionate about education and giving back to LTU, he taught as an adjunct professor for 15 years and received the Outstanding Adjunct Faculty award. He developed core curricula for the master’s degree program and often guest lectured for other construction- related courses. He has served on the Department of Civil Engineering advisory board since 2000 and has been granted emeritus status.

Rener is a peer-reviewed author, a trade journal corresponding editor, and serves on national committees for industry organizations in his field. He has served as both a chair and member on many national committees including the American Society of Civil Engineers, among others.

Rener is a licensed professional engineer in Michigan, and a licensed builder in eight states. He is also a Designated Design-Build Professional.