What's Happening at Ranken Technical College

Students Show Off Skills at State Competition

Over the weekend of March 30 - April 1, Ranken students who placed first or second in the Regional SkillsUSA competition had the opportunity to go to Linn State in Linn, Mo. to compete in the Missouri State competition. As in the past, Ranken students fared very well and 10 of them will be moving on to the National competition to be held in Kansas City, Mo. the weekend of June 25 -26.

Congratulations to all of our students who competed and to the first place finishers who will be moving on. Thank you to all of the faculty and staff who made the trip to Linn State to participate and support our students!

Architectural Drafting

Bryan Sohn 2nd place

Alexander Carter 5th place

 

Architectural Drafting Technical Information

Bryan Sohn 2nd place

Alexander Carter 5th place 

Automated Manufacturing Technical Information

Ian Wille 1st place

Blaine Mescher 2nd place

Jeremy Franklin 3rd place

Scott Martin 4th place

Nick Goris 5th place

Ghreg Wellmaker 6th place

 

Automated Manufacturing Technology (Teams)

Scott Martin 1st place

Blaine Mescher

Ian Wille

Jeremy Franklin 4th place

Nick Goris

Ghreg Wellmaker

 

Automotive Refinishing Technology

Katie Beck 1st place

Shawn Brummet 9th place

 

Automotive Service Technical Information

Lucas Klinkhardt 1st place

Josh Myers 3rd place

 

Automotive Service Technology

Josh Myers 1st place

Lucas Klinkhardt 2nd place

 

　

Carpentry

Ryan Faust 1st place

Joseph Len 5th place

Carpentry Technical Information

Joseph Len 2nd place

Ryan Faust 5th place

 

CNC Milling Technology

Matthew Warnecke 1st place

Jared Cheatham 4th place

 

CNC Turning Technology

Andy Schaefer 2nd place

Aaron Farrington 3rd place

 

Collision Repair Technology

Stephen Hayn 2nd place

Ben McLean 7th place

 

HVACR

Chris Duwa 3rd place

Jeffrey Thompson 4th place

 

Precision Machining Technology

Nick Moutrie 5th place

Robert Bindrim 6th place

 

Welding Fabrications (Team)

Tyler Doerr 1st place

Jeff Pope

Robert Thompson

 

　

 (Blue indicates moving on to the National competition.)

 

Pictured L-R: Stan Shoun, Ranken’s president, Vince Holtmann, faculty project manager for Ranken’s Education and Manufacturing Cooperative and Pat Mickle, BSAM director

On Tuesday, April 3 the Lincense Collector’s Office of the City of St. Louis hosted a "Manufacturing Industry Briefing" at City Hall. The event included presenters and exhibitors all focused on the manufacturing industry. Stan Shoun, Ranken’s president, Vince Holtmann, faculty project manager for Ranken’s Education and Manufacturing Cooperative and Pat Mickle, BSAM director, all attended the event to represent the College.

Presenters included representatives from the U.S. Department of Commerce – U.S. Commercial Services, the U.S. Small Business Administration, St. Louis Development Corporation, St. Louis County Economic Council (Free Trade Zone), St. Louis Area on Training and Employment, the Missouri State Department of Economic Development and the Office of the License Collector.

Though the main focus was exporting, presenters also gave helpful tips on how to sustain and grow a business in these difficult economic times.

 

 

Machining Welcomes Students from Fort Zumwalt South High School

On the morning of Monday, March 26, 40 metal working students from Fort Zumwalt South High School in St. Peters, Mo. visited campus.

The event, which was coordinated by Admissions Counselor, Janet Ray and PMT Department Chair, Tom Ely, included a general tour of campus, a more in-depth tour of the PMT department and informational sessions with three local companies.

Ely invited representatives from local companies Patriot, Hydromat and Seyer to speak with the students about their companies and job opportunities in the manufacturing field.

"We invited these companies because they are all located close to the school and are big supporters of our program here," said Ely. "We wanted the students to have the opportunity to get some insight on the future of manufacturing as well as the career options that are available in their own backyard."

This is the second year that the PMT department has partnered with Fort Zumwalt South and there are plans to continue the event in the future.

 

Perpetual Chaos Competes in St. Louis Regional Competition

The robotics team at Gateway Institute of Technology was one of the first in the area to begin competing in the FIRST Robtics Competition when it made its way to the area in 2001. Gateway teachers, Frank Dressel and Charlie Blair have spearheaded Team 931 (Perpetual Chaos) for more than 11 years with support from Ranken’s PMT and Welding departments. Both programs provide materials as well as students who provide machining and welding services for parts and repairs. Tom Ely, PMT department head and PMT instructors, Gwain Marron and Wes Biermann all provide the team mentoring support and help to coordinate the creation of parts for the robots. Emerson Manufacturing is the team’s primary financial backer.

"Tom has been with this team from the very beginning," said Stan Shoun, Ranken’s president. "We can’t thank him and his department enough for the support they provide to this team."

The 2012 competition season began in January at a kickoff event where this year’s "game" was revealed. The team then had six weeks to complete the robot to play the game which met all of the weight and height requirements. On March 24, Perpetual Chaos, which is made up of 30 high school students from the St. Louis Public School District, competed at the St. Louis Regional FIRST Robotics Competition held at Saint Louis University. The team finished in 10^th place out of 43 teams and earned the Xerox Creativity Award for an innovative design highlighted by a weight transfer mechanism on their robot.

This year’s robotics challenge was Rebound Rumble_SM. Robots competed to shoot as many basketballs into hoops as possible during 2-minute, 15-second matches. The hoops were at three different heights each with different point values. Each round began with the robots operating independently of the drivers for 15 seconds. Each basket scored during this period was worth extra points. For the rest of the match, the robots were driver-controlled as teams tried to maximize their score by scoring more baskets. Each match ended with the robots trying to balance on pivoting bridges in the middle of the playing field, earning extra qualification points. After seeding matches, teams formed alliances prior to the quarterfinals, semifinals and the final round.

The FIRST organization’s mission is to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders, by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership.

Perpetual Chaos, which is open to all teachers, students and adults within the St. Louis Public School District, annually competes in two regional competitions, performs at the Science Center, and is the only Robotics Team in the St. Louis Public School District.

Ehrhardt Tool & Machine Company Employees Donate to Community Care Center

Ehrhardt Tool & Machine Company, Inc., recently completed their fourth annual food drive and delivered 10,035 food items and five pallets of clothing and household items to the Community Care Center in Granite City, Ill. This tool, die and special machine company with only 105 employees, conducted the food drive over a two week period and collected cash and food donations valued at over $5,000 from Ehrhardt employees.

"Our employees show their generosity every year and make this drive a huge success. They work hard to support their own families and know that others are still in need so they provide a helping hand to this community center," said Bob Roseman, president of Ehrhardt.

The employees formed teams and competed for the top spot with captain’s nicknames of Souperman, Soup Czar, Can Man and Soupenator. They got generous help from the local Schnuck’s and Wal-Mart in securing discount prices on food products that they purchased in bulk.

Debra Homyer, Community Care Center Manager, accepted the donation on behalf of the food pantry. "We are in such need. Our shelves were getting empty and when they showed up with the truck loaded down with cans of soup and clothing, we almost couldn’t believe it. We have come to rely on Ehrhardt’s annual drive to push us through the holidays and it will make a real difference right into the spring. These employees really care about others and it is a wonderful gift," Homyer said.

The Community Care Center began helping the local community in 1953 and now serves hundreds of families, individuals and children within the Quad Cities area who are in need of food, clothing, or special assistance.

Ehrhardt Tool & Machine Company has been a long time supporter of the College and also awards an annual scholarship to a Ranken student in the Precision Machining program.

"We are really proud to be associated with Ehrhardt," said Ken Meyer, Ranken’s director major gifts and planned giving. "They are a great company and obviously have very generous employees. They set an example in their community and we love when our graduates are able to work for a company like this."

 

"Rebuilding Day" Annual Community Service Event

Alumni and students are invited to participate in the national Rebuilding Day sponsored by St. Louis' Rebuilding Together organization. This day of giving back to the community by repairing, rebuilding and upgrading homes of the elderly, handicapped and low income in the St. Louis area will be held on Saturday, May 5 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 

Groups all over the country will be joining together to help others on this national day of service. This is the 3rd year for Ranken's involvement in this event and is a fun day supporting a good cause. Only a helping attitude, 25 workers and a house captain are required. Personal tools are a plus! Join us as we assist a homeowner near the Ranken campus and continue support of our neighbors.

Pictures of previous Rebuilding Days can be found at our Flickr Page.

Contact Kathy Fern, (314) 286-4895 or email ktfern@ranken.edu with your interest or questions.

Time To Nominate Distinguished Alumni!

It is time again for annual nominations for the Distinguished Alumni and Distinguished Young Alumni Award to be presented at Ranken's May 12 graduation celebration at the Chaifetz Arena. These awards honor Ranken graduates who have excelled in their career and given back to their community. The deadline for nominations is January 31, 2012. 

The criteria, nomination form and additional information can be found at  http://www.ranken.edu/alumni/honoring-our-alumni under Awards. Any questions can be answered by contacting Kathy Fern, (314) 286-4895 in the alumni office.

Recipients will receive a commemorative plaque and name inscribed on a perpetual plaque. 

Past recipients are Distinguished Alumni Earl Walker (2010) and Tom Wood (2011) and Distinguished Young Alumni are Andy Raines (2010) and Jeff Scott (2011).

Precision Machining S-STEM Students Visit Ehrhardt Tool & Machine

Photo: PMT S-STEM students tour Ehrhardt Tool and Machine. Students in photo include: Josh Chavez, Dan Day, Joe Castilleja, Steven Thomas, Vernon Winn, Ryan Kruckeberg, and Rob Harnack

On Friday, December 9 the PMT S-STEM recipients and Brian Austwick, PMT instructor participated in a presentation and tour of Ehrhardt Tool and Machine Company, Inc. in Granite City Ill.

Duane Moody, who has been employed at Ehrhardt fo 34 years, gave a presentation on the history of the company then Scott Stephan (1993 PMT), plant manager and Brandon Austin (2006 PMT) gave an excellent presentation on leadership. Their leadership values consisted of the following: employee attitude, vision, people skills, keeping an open mind, understanding that you always have more to learn, push yourself don’t just get by.

Seven PMT students attended the event and throughout the tour ran into many Ranken PMT alumini including Steve Biesk, Rich Dauphin, Scott Hunter, Sam Rauch, Dustin Vogoele, Mike Christy and Jason Medlock.

"The reason I chose Ehrhardt for the tour was to show current PMT students that there is a huge opportunity to advance in the machining trade," said Austwick. "We saw Ranken alumni working at all levels at the company from just starting out to running the operations."

Founded in 1937 by Willis Ehrhardt, Ehrhardt Tool & Machine Company, Inc., is a precision, contract, tool, die and special machine builder. The company is now employee-owned and is one of Alco Industries, Inc.’s operating companies.

The modern, fully air-conditioned 82,000 square feet facility is located on five acres in an industrial park setting. Operating on two shifts, Ehrhardt currently employees over sixty Tool and Die Makers, Machinists and Machine Operators, as well as seven Design Engineers, four Sales Estimators and a full office support staff. Ehrhardt boasts a weekly labor hour throughput in excess of 3,200 hours.

 

 

Alumni Remember the Past

William Boedeker (Machine Shop 1965) retired in 2001 from the Los Alamos National Laboratory and tells us he was recently evacuated from his home during the Las Conchas wildires. Luckily for him he was able to return after seven days without any loss. What Bill remembers about his Ranken education is "the personal attention I got from the instructors".

Rob Wirth (Architecture 1971) is the president of Wirth Professional Services, Inc. in Gillespie, Ill. He remembers "the only attitude that was acceptable at Ranken was that I was there to learn. All the instructors had a personal interest in me, our well-being and to give us a good education."

Dean Tepen (Automotive Maintenance 1986) remembers "the fact that I made it!"

Marshal Pinnix (Precision Machining 1999) wrote that his favorite memory of Ranken is "walking across the stage to receive my diploma. I'm proud to have gone to a college with zero tolerance for those who choose not to succeed. Ranken was hard and demanding. Thanks to all for the experience!"

Elizabeth Maue (Advanced Welding 2009) is a maintanance engineer at Dillard's. She says, "my favorite Ranken memory is meeting new people and having great teachers!"

Send your memories of your Ranken education to ktfern@ranken.edu to be posted or published. We are happy to hear from our alumni and look forward to seeing you back on campus in the near future. 

Recent Scholarships Awarded

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scott Martin, a second year Precision Machining student who was recently presented with a $5,000 scholarship from the St. Louis chapter of National Tooling and Machining Association (NTMA). Martin is from St. Charles, Mo. and graduated from Francis Howell High School.  

 

 

 
 
Shauna Wollmershauser,a second-year Automotive Maintenance student was recently awarded The Arnie Knepper Memorial Scholarship. This $500 scholarship is presented annually to a student in the Automotive division at Ranken who takes a particular interest in racing. It recognizes the winning student’s commitment to the motorsports industry and is based on grades, teacher recommendations and two essay questions. Wollmershauser is from St. Louis, Mo. and graduated from Cleveland Navy Junior ROTC High School. Last year she was the official photographer for Ranken’s Annual Car Show and recently had one of her photos published in Hot Rod Magazine.