Congratulations to our 2026 Alumni Wall of Distinction Inductees! These three outstanding MSOE alumni were honored in early November. Read their stories below.
Jump to: Randy Crump '77 | Gary J. Vroman ‘91 | Terrell "Terry" M. Williams ‘67
Randy Crump '77
A Journey of Quiet Persistence
For Randy Crump ’77, engineering was never just about building systems and figuring out how the world worked. It was a pathway to defying the odds and marking it for others to follow. Being recognized as a 2026 MSOE Alumni Wall of Distinction inductee, Randy’s journey has been defined by quiet persistence, a promise kept to his late mother and an unwavering belief that opening doors for others is the ultimate measure of success.
The youngest of three boys, Randy was raised in Milwaukee by parents who migrated from Arkansas during the Great Migration after working as sharecroppers. His father worked second-shift as an assembler at Allis-Chalmers and ran a barbershop from their home on Saturdays, while his mother worked as a custodian at an East Side Boys Club.
Randy showed an early knack for tinkering and electronics. His father bought him model trains and racetracks, where he would assemble, dismantle and rebuild into increasingly complex multimodal systems. He also helped set up sound and lighting for his older brother’s local R&B band drawing on concepts from Popular Science to create custom mood-lighting displays for performances.
In 1966, an encounter with a young Black woman who visited his sixth-grade class set Randy’s life on a trajectory. She told the students she had gone to college. A revelation for eleven-year-old Randy who had never thought about pursuing education after high school.
“My mother told me she wanted me to be the first person in our family to attend college, and I remember committing myself to that goal. Neither of us could have realized how significant that moment would become. She passed away less than two years later.”
After his mother’s passing, Randy enrolled at Bradley Tech and Trade, where an exploratory technical curriculum exposed students to a wide range of skilled trades. Randy gravitated toward electronics. Then, before his senior year, another turning point arrived: Randy learned he was going to become a father.
His own father urged him to focus on working to support his growing family, but his promise to his mother remained at the forefront of his mind.
He worked with school leaders to split his days between classes and a second-shift job as a grinder in Cudahy, Wisconsin. His hard work paid off. After graduation, his hands-on training and encouragement from his teachers earned him a place at MSOE.
A Focused Future
His freshman year in electrical engineering tested that resolve. Balancing MSOE’s quarter system with working third shift at a foundry, Randy found his demanding schedule beginning to take a toll on his grades.
“I reminded myself constantly that the sacrifice was necessary, but temporary. I stayed focused by keeping the mission in front of me: to earn my degree, support my family and build a better future for all of us.” Randy and his future wife, Joann, who was pursuing her degree at Marquette University, supported each other through college as young parents.
Before his sophomore year, Randy secured an internship at Eaton Corporation, then Cutler-Hammer, through INROADS, an organization that connects talented minority students with corporate internships.
At Eaton, Randy persuaded his supervisor to let him take lab equipment home so he could work on projects after hours. The internship allowed him to leave the foundry and focus on a demanding 21-credit course load, where he earned a 4.0 GPA.
In class, he was initially shy about asking multiple questions but was determined never to leave a room without an answer.
He also focused on expanding his communication and leadership skills. He joined Tau Omega Mu fraternity, tutored classmates in math and enrolled in communication courses, inspired by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s ability to move audiences through his speeches. Conversations with practicing engineers at Eaton convinced Randy that pairing business acumen with technical expertise was key to creating long-term impact. So when he had the opportunity to take an evening sales engineering course at MSOE alongside working professionals, he jumped at it.
After graduating from MSOE with honors in 1977, he stayed with Eaton as a sales and application engineer, serving and excelling in the role for nearly a decade. He continued that relationship as an independent wholesaler and systems fabricator for nearly another ten years.
A Commitment to Community
In 1995, Randy’s commitment to community-building culminated in the founding of Prism Technical Management and Marketing Services, LLC. The firm supports both small businesses and major companies on infrastructure projects, while integrating workforce development, inclusion and compliance into large-scale construction initiatives.
“Beyond helping shape Milwaukee’s skyline in ways that will endure for generations, we have helped connect thousands of adults, many of whom are mothers and fathers, with careers in the construction trades and engineering at major contractors and consulting firms. These family-supporting jobs provide a foundation for building stronger, healthier families for generations to come,” Randy said.
Through Prism, Randy has continued opening doors for local youth. In partnership with the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) through its RISE program, Prism helped more than 100 high school students secure paid summer engineering internships and launch careers. Prism also created the Dream Chasing initiative to mentor local teens and expose them to post-secondary opportunities.
“We have mentored, arranged travel for and escorted 107 teens from across Milwaukee County, helping them become masters of their own fates. Today, many are entrepreneurs and hold leadership positions around the world. At least three are MSOE graduates.”
Looking back, Randy recognizes the many obstacles he overcame and credits his steady determination with keeping him moving forward.
“I recognize that statistically, none of this was supposed to happen. The odds were against me. Fortunately, I’ve never felt hopeless and I have been truly blessed.”
He says his induction into the MSOE Alumni Wall of Distinction honors a career focused on using engineering as a catalyst to help elevate others.
“It is an unexpected and tremendous personal honor, especially because I’ve used my engineering education to improve the lives of ordinary citizens in our community. I hope my story will inspire other professionals to pause and ask, ‘Why not?’ Because if we all do a little more, no one has to be overburdened.”
Gary J. Vroman ‘91
Guided by Servant Leadership
“I believe some of the most important qualities of a good leader are being able to communicate effectively, show empathy and have self-awareness. Emotional intelligence is something we can all develop; good leaders should learn these skills.”
This servant leadership philosophy has guided Gary J. Vroman ’91 throughout his career and life. Whether leading a global manufacturing firm or teaching the next generation of engineers, Gary has always believed that leadership begins with the well-being of others. This guiding principle deepened his connection to MSOE and ultimately earned him a place among the university’s most distinguished alumni as a 2026 Alumni Wall of Distinction inductee.
For Gary, the importance of helping others learn was instilled early. Growing up in East Peoria, IL, he was surrounded by educators. His parents and three siblings chose careers in teaching. Gary’s passion for math and science led him toward a slightly different path. He earned his engineering degree with a business administration minor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Shortly after becoming a sales engineer in 1982 at Ladish Co. in Cudahy, Wisconsin, he quickly realized his technical skill was only part of the equation. Becoming a good leader requires continuous learning.
Furthering the Future
A few years into his Ladish career, Gary began exploring graduate programs to broaden his business acumen and discovered MSOE’s master’s in engineering management program.
“When I explored the pros and cons of a traditional MBA versus the MSEM degree I decided the more focused and more practical choice was MSOE. The list of classes looked more interesting, many instructors had ‘real world’ experience, and the thought of going to graduate school classes alongside other young engineers really appealed to me.”
At MSOE, Gary experienced servant leadership in action through professors including alumnus Gene Wright ‘77, ’79, ’87 who brought active industry challenges and experiences into the classroom.
“Sharing war stories with my classmates and comparing battle scars for three hours a week in a classroom was a real eye-opener. Once you appreciate how much the people around you have to offer, all you need to do is listen and take advantage of everyone’s skills and expertise.”
Those lessons in collaboration, humility and lifelong learning would become defining characteristics of Gary's leadership style.
Over the next three decades, Gary rose through the executive ranks at Ladish Co., becoming vice president of Sales & Marketing in 1994, company president in 2007 and CEO in 2009. When Allegheny Technologies, Inc. (ATI) and Ladish merged in 2011, Gary continued to lead ATI Ladish as president of Ladish and ATI’s executive vice president of High-Performance Forgings and Castings until his retirement in 2013.
Yet some of Gary's most meaningful contributions occurred beyond the boardroom, creating opportunities for others to succeed.
As a Trustee of the Ladish Co. Foundation, Gary helped establish the Ladish Co. Foundation Scholarship in 2004 to support students pursuing mechanical engineering at MSOE. The scholarship reflected a connection that was both personal and purposeful.
For more than two decades, the scholarship has helped MSOE students overcome financial barriers and pursue an education that prepares them to make their own mark. Gary and the Ladish Co. Foundation see this as an investment in people and the future.
“We employed a lot of engineers and interns from MSOE because they always worked out so well for us. It made sense for the Ladish Co. Foundation to encourage and support more MSOE students,” Gary said.
Commitment to Education
His commitment to MSOE extended well beyond financial support. Gary served on the university's Board of Regents, helping guide important conversations about MSOE's future and lending his expertise to the institution that had played such an important role in his own professional journey.
His commitment to education came full circle when he returned to MSOE as an adjunct professor. Teaching on subjects such as management principles and sharing leadership courses with faculty like Dr. Kelly Ottman, Gary approached the classroom not as an expert lecturing down, but as a CEO eager to keep learning.
“That exposure to young people’s perspectives on work and life while still being a CEO provided a great reminder to me on the importance of staying tuned in to generational differences in thinking. It’s easy to forget what twenty- and thirty-year-olds are going through when you’re in your fifties! Spending time with younger MSOE students perhaps benefited me even more than it did them.”
Humility and genuine curiosity in others have remained hallmarks of Gary's leadership.
Although he retired from teaching in 2022, his impact as a servant leader continues to be felt across the MSOE community. His story serves as a reminder that leadership is not defined by titles but by the lasting impact we have on others.
Reflecting on his induction into MSOE’s Alumni Wall of Distinction, Gary remains characteristically humble.
“I will be forever grateful to MSOE for years of great memories and experiences. Thank you for this kind recognition, it’s truly an honor.”
For MSOE, the honor is mutual.
Terrell "Terry" M. Williams ‘67
Exploring Excellence
“Learn from your disappointments and your successes. Discover who you are and what drives you. Success builds strength and confidence. It's a learning process that, with time, will serve you well throughout your career.”
Curiosity and exploration have always been at the heart of Terrell “Terry” Williams ’67 story. As a young boy he embraced the challenge of tackling new things. It's what drove his pursuit of new ideas. Those ideas eventually led him into a field outside of his comfort zone, where his achievements would help shape biomedical engineering and enhance the capabilities of pacemaker technology as we know it today, ultimately helping save thousands of lives.
Growing up in Marquette, MI, Terry turned the geologically rich landscape around him into a hands-on laboratory. As a boy, he recalls making black gunpowder, mining veins of galena to craft crystal-set radios, building rockets and simple firearms, and even forging a commercial-grade hunting knife from a car leaf spring.
His innate curiosity found direction during a high school career day. “A visiting engineer convinced me that an education in engineering was the path to take if you enjoy innovation,” Terry said.
After high school, Terry enrolled at Letourneau University in Longview, TX, to study industrial engineering. Coming from a lower-income family, he worked part-time to fund his education while many of his classmates relied on family support. Seeking a more rigorous academic environment with a stronger focus on innovation, he transferred to MSOE after his first semester.
“I have a cherished, and very vivid memory of walking up the steps of the old building on north Broadway Street with my dad as a 19-year-old and turning right into President Karl Werwath’s office. We made our case, citing the grades I earned at Letourneau and my financial need, and asked him to consider me for a scholarship. President Werwath granted me a 50% scholarship.”
Engineering with Heart
At MSOE, Terry immersed himself in electrical engineering while taking electives such as private pilot ground school and continuing to work part-time including available engineering departments at four local companies between quarters, via MSOE’s industry-centric co-op program—an indispensable headstart. After graduating in 1967, he joined 3M as an electrical engineer. Soon afterward, his newborn son was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect—a pivotal, perhaps providential, moment that would redirect Terry’s career toward the emerging field of biomedical engineering.
“When my son was born with a heart defect I needed to understand all I could about his ‘congenitally corrected transposition.’ I wanted to apply my MSOE engineering foundation and the joy of innovation to support unmet needs in the new and growing practice of cardiac disease intervention, despite the empirical, rather than the deterministic, nature of discovery and engineering,” Terry said.
“Our son whom we were told ‘may survive until he was eight’ is now thriving in his mid-50s. That, along with gaining Insite and clarity during evenings of quiet contemplation and prayer for wisdom before falling to sleep, is suggestive to me, of a personal God.”
In 1969, Terry joined Litton Industries, where he designed circuit systems and developed the drive mechanism for an early implantable heart. Two years later, he joined Medtronic, beginning a groundbreaking 41-year career. As a program manager and technical fellow, Terry was named an inventor on 50 U.S. patents. Nine of his patents remain active on the market today.
“Physics and fundamentals of electrical and mechanical engineering, along with the chemistry that I learned at MSOE, provided the foundation for product innovation. I followed the advice of Medtronic’s founder to support visionary physicians through close collaboration, pairing their clinical insights with engineering expertise to drive breakthroughs,” Terry said.
Working directly with pioneering cardiologists, Terry revolutionized cardiac pacing. Notably, he developed conduction-system pacing technology designed to reduce pacing-induced heart failure. His patented Medtronic Model 3830 lead and delivery catheters have transformed the field. Today, roughly one-third of all pacemaker implanters use conduction system pacing. A remarkable figure Terry expects will eventually reach 100%.
Paying it Forward
Though Terry retired from Medtronic in 2012, his mission was far from over. That same year, he founded the Pacemaker Patient Advocacy Group (PPAG), dedicated to empowering pacemaker patients and improving outcomes. The volunteer organization equips patients and health care providers with resources to help individuals take an active, informed role in their heart health.
The organization’s website features more than 250 scientific papers on conduction system pacing and provides answers to frequently asked questions from patients and physicians.
Today Terry remains deeply connected to MSOE. In 2022, he was awarded the Alumni Achievement Award in recognition for his entrepreneurial spirit and groundbreaking contributions to pacemaker technology.
That same year, Terry and his wife, Betty-Mae, established the Terrell Williams Scholarship to support incoming MSOE engineering freshmen who aspire to create new things through invention, ingenuity or entrepreneurship.
“I can’t overestimate the importance of finding a life-mate and raising a family. For example, my amazing innovative wife was an effective economic contributor while raising three boys.”
“At a critical moment after high school graduation, when I was looking for a path to the future, I wanted to someday help open the door to an engineering career at MSOE. I wanted to return the favor to a student who, like me, had been given the same opportunity. A student who experiences the joy of making new things, has that same ambition, but has no money,” Terry said.
Terry’s work demonstrates how curiosity, paired with perseverance, can turn a single spark of ingenuity into innovations that change the world. His lifelong commitment to discovery and empowering the next generation of innovators, makes him a fitting inductee into the MSOE Alumni Wall of Distinction.
