Faculty and Administration

Anthony Zinser graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Architectural Technology from Ranken Technical College in 2015. He describes his collegiate life with pride, “Ranken drove me in pursuit of my career and education. I always had a good work ethic before I started school at Ranken, but Ranken reinforced that attribute.” He recalls, “Some of my favorite memories of my time spent on campus are staying up late with my classmates in the architecture studio working on projects and our models.” Anthony was honored to serve as the Vice President of Phi Theta Kappa.

Anthony interned for Hilbolt Curtainwall Incorporated, a nonresidential building construction company in St. Louis, for a semester and then joined them full time after completing his degree. He worked for them about five years. He is currently a BIM (building information modeling) Design Technician at Archimages, Inc. Jim Huber, Principal at Archimages, tells us “Anthony Zinser has been a great addition to our team.”

Missy Borchardt, former Architecture Department Chair and instructor, commented “Anthony always came to class with a good attitude and ready to learn. He would take on additional projects that would stretch his ability.” David Graf, another Architecture instructor, tells us “Anthony was a good student. He was enthusiastic about architecture and always got along well with his fellow classmates.”

Anthony’s great grandfather, John Joseph Bryne, attended Ranken’s plumbing program in 1957.

Learn more at https://ranken.edu/find-your-career-path/
https://archimages-stl.com/

Dalton Nichols graduated Summa Cum Laude from Ranken Technical College in Spring 2020 with an Associate Degree in Application and Web Development (AWD).

As a second-year student, Dalton made an impression on prospective employers from across St. Louis as they gathered to view final projects. Evan Gudmestad, Information Technology Assistant Division Chair, was present when Dalton unveiled a web application that could be used to store headstone information from graveyards nationwide. Replacing an archaic paper filing system, the app was “modern, fast, and easy to use . . . Dalton’s presentation left [such] an impact on the employers that he was sought after before he even graduated. He considered dropping out of school to take a job offer but he made the right decision, to finish what he started and earn his degree,” Evan says.

Rachel Wilkins, in charge of tapping talented geniuses for UNCOMN, was one of the representatives that was impressed with Dalton’s talent and passion for software development. Rachel shares that among all the applicants she was considering “Dalton was well-prepared and had researched our organization’s cultures and values. He was work-ready.” In his virtual interview, he was able to demonstrate a digital mirror prototype – an outstandingly innovative and practical device able to display real-time weather conditions, appointment calendars, bills and utilities, and other information on demand. Dalton built the mirror using open-source software, applying the techniques he had learned at Ranken to ‘wow’ Rachel and her team!

Dalton recalls that “Evan Gudmestad had a huge impact. He invested in us in every way that a teacher should. I learned much from him about programming, but also about leadership.” His post-graduation career path has surpassed his expectations, and he reached out to the college to let us know that although he is employed by UNCOMN, he is currently contracted to the United States Air Force at Scott Air Force Base as a software developer. “I would not have the knowledge or career that I have without [Evan’s] leadership and the AWD program,” Dalton emphasizes.

Learn more at s://ranken.edu/find-your-career-path/
https://uncomn.com/

George completed his Electrical Construction Design and Management degree in 2019. He explains, “A few years ago I was teaching a CDL class . . . now I’m the head of safety for over 1100 organizations. It’s been a wild wonderful ride.”

Nick Weatherly, Electrical instructor, remembers George well. “George is super smart and a very hard worker. He works as a compliance officer for Underwriters Laboratories (UL), an organization that tests every electrical device in the United States to make sure they are safe. This includes ensuring manufacturers adhere to the mandated rules set forth by the National Fire Protection Association and National Electrical Manufacturers Association. Riley came to us out of the Military with superb work ethic, attending night school while carrying a full-time job to support his wife and children. He worked for Savvis Center as an electrician, before getting his job at UL.

“I hired George during his last semester at Ranken after recruiting at their annual job fair,” says Charles Lover, Field Engineer/Business Manager for Underwriters Laboratories. “George has proven to be a valuable asset to our team. He came to us with the foundational skills necessary to excel in our organization. Since joining UL, George has become a key player in several group initiatives. Two years later, he continues to strive to improve not only himself, but to develop the talents and skills of others. George has performed admirably over the past two years, positioning himself as a candidate for the next level promotion in April 2021.

George recalls fun times while at Ranken, including working with an instructor to link a Billy Bass to a Google home. He says, “I had time to kill in-between work and evening classes and we played with some silly stuff.”  George has two cousins who attended Ranken, as well as his grandfather, who is now retired after 62 years with the Electrician’s Union.

Learn more at https://ranken.edu/find-your-career-path/
https://www.ul.com/about

Photo taken pre-pandemic. Pictured (L to R): George Riley, Greg (co-worker), and Charles Lover

Katherine Bangert graduated Cum Laude from the Internet Web Based Technology program in 2012. While at Ranken, she was a Student Ambassador and Secretary of the college’s Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. In the field, Kate has earned both the Six Sigma Yellow Belt and Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certifications, globally recognized training of techniques and tools for process improvement.

Evan Gudmestad, IT Assistant Division Chair says, “Katherine was the type of student that not only performed well on all her own assignments, but she would help to raise the quality of her classmates’ work as well.  She would organize study groups outside of class, encourage others to put in more effort, and she had an all-around outstanding work ethic that made her a true leader in the class.”

Kate tells us, “Ranken provided the foundation for my career. Where I excelled at being book smart, Ranken ensured I would be ready for the rigorous work weeks and long hours that are demanded of us. The work ethic grade truly gives you a perspective for what to expect in an enterprise and provides the necessary feedback to becoming a professional in your field. Most individuals coming out of a four-year university are not set up for success and tend to not fully grasp what is needed in the field. To this day, I interview new prospective engineers and it shows how real hands-on training puts a candidate well above the rest.”

Kate’s supervisor, Ronnie Bailey, Information Technology Agile Delivery Manager for NextEra Energy/Florida Power & Light explains, “Katherine embodies the characteristics of someone who is dedicated to personal success. She takes personal pride in her work and does her best to ensure her team delivers projects on time. She is an ideal team member that makes others around her better because she continues to raise the bar.”

Learn more at https://ranken.edu/find-your-career-path/
https://www.facebook.com/nexteraenergy/
https://www.nexteraenergy.com/

Photos taken pre-pandemic: 2019 NEE Excellence Awards Ceremony Q1 in Juno Beach, Fla., on May 2, 2019

Ranken Technical College is a premier destination for many wishing to enter one of dozens of skilled technical professions. But the college is also a valuable method of course correction: a way for adults to change careers and steer themselves onto a more satisfying or sustainable path. One such story, and an extraordinary one, is Eric Bowman.

In 2008, Eric felt himself at a crossroads. “I lost my job and only had a high school diploma,” he says. “I decided to attend Ranken in hopes of starting a new career that paid well and provided good benefits.” Industrial Technology Department Chair Greg Presley remembers Eric well: “Very smart and [in the] top percentage of his class. . . He was a mentor to other students and a great problem solver.”

Eric’s course changed dramatically. He is now an NC (Numerical Control) Electrician working with two global leaders: Boeing and Anheuser-Busch. His fellow co-workers continually deliver accolades about his job performance, whether it’s leadership that promotes workplace safety, developing and verifying complex procedures for a Final Paint Oven, making an impact across an entire tooling center by ensuring 777x robots function correctly, or skillfully identifying deficiencies that result in cost avoidance. A reliability engineer co-worker stated that “Eric deserves commendations for his thorough efforts.”

Eric’s academic performance has been equally outstanding. At Ranken, he repeatedly returned to the well of knowledge to further his skills and career options. From 2009 to 2016, he earned Associate degrees in Electrical Construction Design & Management, Industrial Technology, and Electrical Maintenance; finally, Eric earned a Bachelor of Science in Applied Management in 2020. Eric achieved Magna Cum Laude or Cum Laude status in each case! He is one of many students who has reengaged in higher education at Ranken Technical College and found their true calling.

Learn more at https://ranken.edu/find-your-career-path/

https://www.facebook.com/Boeing

https://www.facebook.com/AnheuserBusch

Pictured (left to right): Tim Nixon, electrical lead man, Nathan Wegener, NC electrician, and Eric Bowman @ Boeing. Photo taken prior to Covid pandemic.