Faculty and Administration

Frank was a very good student in high school and when he decided to go to Ranken his college counselors tried to dissuade him, but he knew what he wanted to do. It is clear that Frank made the right choice. After graduating from Ranken he went to work for a St. Louis based machine shop and after a time started working at the shop he now owns, Elite Tool in Moscow Mills, MO. “I firmly believe in the Ranken Model,” says Roth. “With the skills I’ve learned and the opportunities I’ve had in industry to further my training, I was able to run a machine and fabrication shop and become the plant manager of Elite Tool when I was just 26 years old. We purchased the business and have owned Elite Tool since 2008.” In 2020 Frank gave a generous gift to the Ranken West Endowed Scholarship. “I received scholarships when I went to Ranken,” says Roth IV. “The money that I was awarded paid for my entire first year and part of my second and I ultimately graduated with zero debt for my education.”

He added, “I’ve been very successful in my career, thanks to the start I got at Ranken. It’s time to give back — to Ranken and to the community in which I live.  As the demand continues to rise for more skilled workers in the region, we all need to step up and support this collaborative partnership in the community and help students on their way to successful tech careers.”

Roth’s father, Frank III (pictured with Frank IV), is also a Ranken graduate, earning his associate degree in Gas and Diesel engines in 1974. He now works for his son at Elite Tool.

Learn more at https://ranken.edu/find-your-career-path/
https://elite-tool.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Elite%20Tool%20&%20Machinery/151127868262324/

After graduating from the Machining program Dale worked for 47 years in a variety of positions and for a variety of companies. He was a tool room machinist, a tool and die maker, and built die casts and plastic molds. He spent twenty years with Mueller Machine and also worked at Standard Machine along with a few other shops. Dale said that “Ranken opened doors for me. If I mentioned that I graduated from Ranken in an interview it definitely helped.” He also met his wife through a friend at Ranken and has been married for 46 years. Dale has one son who is a Ranken alumnus as well and two grandkids. Now Dale and his wife spend their time collecting antiques and like to take long trips in their RV. His favorite memory of Ranken is his classmates.

As a student in the Machining program, Dave worked in the tool crib for the evening program and as a night watchman. One of the classmates he remembers being friends with was Bill Flanigan from Automotive. After graduating, Dave went to work for American Railcar Industries where he was employed for 45 years. The company was located on The Hill before moving to St. Charles. For his first 35 years, he was a machinist then switched to Environmental Health Safety for his last ten years. The safety training, he coordinated for employees came in handy when one of the secretaries had a heart attack and Dave used CPR to save her life. “I never thought I would need to use that stuff,” Dave said, “but I am glad I knew what to do.” Dave was honored by the City of St. Charles for this selfless act. Dave says, “I highly recommend Ranken” and remembers it “being very strict and challenging which was good [for building character].” Dave has three kids, Kia, Kurt, and Holly, and six grandkids.