“The challenge of passing on the ‘wisdom of experience’ is that experience comes with context—and that context is often hard to convey. You must live it to truly appreciate it. The successes, and especially the setbacks, are what shape your perspective.”

When alumnus Brian Casey ’88 returned to campus as a guest lecturer at the Rader School of Business in February, he wasn't there to deliver a corporate career retrospective. Instead, he delivered a compelling lesson on how an engineering mindset can become a powerful foundation for executive leadership. His presentation, “An Engineer’s Approach to Strategy,” explored practical tools for developing and executing strategy insights he learned throughout his own career journey leading organizations through growth, change and complexity. While this was not Brian’s first time speaking to students, it marked another meaningful chapter in his enduring connection to MSOE.

Brian’s passion for electronics began growing up in Wauwatosa, where his father repaired tube televisions as a side business.  Surrounded by circuitry and gadgets from an early age, he developed an interest in how things worked and chose to pursue electrical engineering. Although he applied to several universities, MSOE stood out both for the strength of its program and the financial support it offered.

As a student, Brian embraced MSOE’s hands-on, problem-solving approach to education. “Of course, we covered the key theory,” he said, “but the focus was always on how to apply that knowledge—to build something real and create value. That mindset has stayed with me throughout my career.” In addition to his studies and working full-time, Brian made several life-long friends as a student. To this day, he and his friends who lived on the sixth floor of Margaret Loock Residence Hall, affectionately called “Sixth Avenue”, get together in Milwaukee every year for Oktoberfest. As a student, he was also a DJ and engineer for WMSE radio, which he still tunes in to and supports today.

After graduating in 1988, Brian launched a career that would take him from the factory floor to the executive suite. He began at Schneider Electric as a senior application engineer before transitioning into the company’s business operations, eventually rising to manager of strategic planning and market research. Over the course of his executive career, Brian became known for closing the gap between strategy and execution, demonstrating how an engineer’s analytical mindset, combined with a deep investment in people, can drive lasting innovation and growth.  

Over a career spanning global industry leaders such as Eaton Hydraulics (formerly Vickers, Inc.), Rockwell Automation and Honeywell International, Brian developed a reputation for transforming underperforming business units into high-growth, high-margin operations. Among his many accomplishments, he helped build Rockwell Automation’s Kinetix brand from the ground up into a major market success, led global operations for Honeywell and concluded his career as vice president and general manager at Celestica, where he oversaw an $850 million smart energy business before retiring in 2025." My early career was about building things—designing and deploying control systems and developing new products," Brian said. "The second phase was about rebuilding things. At the end of each project, there was tangible and measurable value created. If building things isn’t the 'self-actualization' of an engineer, then I don’t know what would be!"

Equally important to Brian is helping cultivate the next generation of engineering leaders. His continued engagement with MSOE reflects that commitment. Beyond returning to campus as a guest lecturer, he is also a familiar face each summer at the President’s Golf Outing, which supports student scholarships.

In 2024, Brian expanded his impact by establishing the Brian Casey Scholarship to support future electrical engineering students, creating opportunities for others to follow the same path that shaped his own career.

“I thrived at MSOE because of financial support,” he said. “Without it, attending would have been difficult for me. I want to make sure that opportunity continues to exist for students who want it and need it.”

The scholarship serves as a bridge between Brian’s formative years at MSOE and the legacy he hopes to leave behind. It reflects not only his commitment to innovation and leadership, but also his philosophy on growth and lifelong learning.

“Be open to change and always make the time to step back and think deeply. Success belongs to those who master the process of asking the right questions at the right time—and letting the answers emerge.”