Advisory Board
Jeffrey Decker - Chair
Term 2011-2014
Mr. Decker is the Product Safety and Litigation Manager for The GSI Group, Inc. in Assumption, IL. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Technology from Eastern Illinois University in 1991. Jeff started with The GSI Group, Inc. upon graduation and has held positions of Design Draftsman, Engineering Product Manager, and Technical Sales Manager prior to his current position. He has been awarded two patents and has published a paper on “Aeration Systems Design”. Currently he is a member of the Grain Elevator and Processing Society (GEAPS), American Society of Agriculture and Biological Engineers (ASABE), and serves as Vice-Chairman of the Grain Bin Manufacturers Council.
Douglas Hettinger - Vice Chair
Term 2012-2015
Mr. Douglas Hettinger is the Manufacturing Engineering Team Leader-Machining for Hydro-Gear in Sullivan, IL. He has been with Hydro-Gear since 2002. He earned his BS in Industrial Technology with a concentration in Manufacturing Technology along with a minor in Business Administration from Eastern Illinois University in 2000. Doug is a member of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, CMfgT.
Kathy Rhodes - Secretary
Term 2010-2013
Kathy Rhodes, a native of Tuscola, Illinois, earned her Bachelor's degree in December 1997 (graduating summa cum laude) and her Master's of Technology degree in December 2003 from Eastern Illinois University. She's a past recipient of the Career Occupations Student Excellence Award (May 1995) and the Off-Campus Distinguished Graduate Student Award (May 2002). She is currently President of Tuscola Community Foundation and past Executive Director of Illini Community Development Corp. in Newman, Illinois. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center as well as two committees (Corporate Compliance and Market Share), on the Douglas County Board, as President of the AmerenCILCO Customer Advisory Council in Springfield, as Treasurer for the Tuscola Rotary Club, as a member of the
East Central Illinois Development Corporation Coordinating Council and
Chairperson of the Marketing Committee, and as a member of Illinois Development Council,
membership development committee.
Matt Davidson
Term 2012-2015
Mr. Matt Davidson is the Executive Director of The Associated General Contractors of Illinois in Springfield, IL. He received his Master in Science in Education in 1984 and BA in Speech Communications in 1982 from Eastern Illinois University.
John R. Elder
Term 2010-2013
Mr. John Elder is the Vice President at Hitachi Metals Automotive Components, Inc. in Effingham IL. He received his B.S. in Industrial Technology at Eastern Illinois University in 1991. From 1991 to 1992, John worked at B-Line Systems in Highland Illinois. He worked as a production supervisor in charge of press room operators. From 1992 to 1997, John worked at Mattoon Precision Manufacturing, Inc. in Mattoon, Il. as well as going to school to earn his M.S. in Technology from Eastern Illinois University.
Jonathan F. Gosse, Ed.D.
Term 2012-2015
Jonathan F. Gosse is the Editor in Chief for American Publishers, Inc. in Homewood, IL. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from the School of Technology at Eastern Illinois University in 1974, Master of Science in Education from Northern Illinois University, and Doctor of Education from Washington State University. His career has included instruction of graphic communications, administration of academic programs and publishing technical instructional material. After instructor positions at secondary and postsecondary schools in the Chicago metropolitan area, he served in faculty and administrative positions at Eastern Washington University and Rochester Insitute of Technology. In 1994 he founded American Tech West, and assumed the position of Editor and Chief in 1999. Dr. Gosse has written several books and has conducted research on the effectiveness of instructor-based versus computer- based training methods.
Leon Hinton
Term 2009-2012
Leon Hinton is President and COO of Soy Capital Bank & Trust in Decatur, Illinois. He received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree from Eastern Illinois University in 1983. In addition to the School of Technology advisory board he also serves on the boards of the Boys & Girls Club and High School of St. Thomas More as well as the Catholic Diocese of Peoria Finance Council.
Ross McCullough
Term 2009-2012
Ross McCullough is the Vice President of Marketing for UPS Supply Chain Solutions where he manages the global service portfolio for the $8.0 Billion UPS Supply Chain subsidiary. This enterprise includes Supply Chain Design and Planning, Transportation and Freight Services, Contract Logistics, Distribution Services, Reverse Logistics, Trade Consulting and Brokerage.
Ross started his career with UPS in 1984 as a loader in Mattoon, IL. Beginning with his promotion to Industrial Engineer after graduation from Eastern Illinois University in 1987, Ross advanced through the UPS organization over the course of the next nineteen years, including positions in several domestic locations, as well as Brussels Belgium. In the midst of his increasing responsibilities on the job, in 1996 he completed a Master’s of Business Administration from Emory University.
In 2004 The National Association of Industrial Technology awarded Ross with the
Outstanding Industrial Technologist Award.
Jon Randolph
Term 2012-2015
Jon attended Pre-Engineering at Eastern Illinois University and transferred to the University of Illinois for a BS in Mechanical Engineering in 1986. He joined RR Donnelley following graduation as an Engineer and held a variety of technical and manufacturing positions in Mattoon and two other Illinois plants over the next 20 years. He was named Director of Operations for the Mattoon plant in 2008. The Mattoon plant of RR Donnelley has approximately 1400 employees. The plant prints and binds a variety of magazines and catalogues including Better Home and Gardens, AARP, Redbook, Martha Stewart Living, and Ladies Home Journal.
Wendy Schauer Landwehr
Term 2012-2015
Wendy is a Fellow Engineer – Technical Advisor for Northrop Grumman Corporation in Rolling Meadows, IL. She has been with Northrop since 1985.
She obtained her MS in Computer Science in 1990 with the Illinois Institute of Technology and a BS in FCS with Eastern Illinois University in 1975. She is The Region H Governor for the Society of Women Engineers (SWE).
Robert Shamdin
Term 2011-2014
Robert Shamdin is the President of Mattoon Precision Manufacturing, Inc. in Mattoon, Il. He received his Bachelor of Science Mechanical Engineering degree from Iowa State University in 1986 and his Master of Business Administration from the University of Illinois in 2000. Robert was the General Manager of Technical Services at Mattoon Precision Manufacturing from 1993 to 1998. In 1998 Robert became the Vice President of Mattoon Precision Manufacturing, Inc. He served in that capacity until 2000 when he became the President of Mattoon Precision Manufacturing, Inc. and is still in that role. Along with his many duties, Mr. Shamdin also currently serves as the secretary to the Mitsubishi Motors Manufacturing of America Suppliers Advisory Council.
Jacob Chancellor
Jacob Chancellor is the Student Representative on the Advisory Board. He has the expected graduation date of May 2014 with a BS in Applied Engineering and Technology. Jacob's focus is both Construction and Energy. He is currently working as an Intern at Lester Builders in Charleston. He is planning to attend Graduate School at EIU in the Fall 2015. He hopes to study in Technology Management in the School of Technology graduate program. He is originally from Toledo, IL.
