alumni stories
He Almost Left Engineering for Rock and Roll
Nearly 50 years after earning his electrical engineering degree from The University of Toledo, Don Warner, BSEE ’76, still credits one decision during college with changing the course of his life. While studying electrical engineering at UToledo, Warner became deeply involved with the Student Union Board, helping technically produce concerts and campus events —including sound, lighting and staging — for artists such as Queen, Kansas, Steely Dan, Hall & Oates and Genesis. At one point, Warner seriously considered leaving engineering school to become a sound engineer for a Cleveland-based band.
Then came some unexpected advice.
A member of the band encouraged him to stay in school, telling Warner that while they would be happy to have him join them as a sound engineer, he would eventually regret leaving engineering behind. Warner took the advice — a decision that shaped the rest of his career.
After graduating in 1976, Warner accepted a position at UToledo’s Centennial Hall, where he continued to technically produce concerts while beginning his professional career. After four and a half years and completing graduate coursework in power engineering, he left UToledo to join SSOE, where he built a distinguished 28-year career, advancing from an entry-level electrical engineer to principal shareholder and vice president.
Warner earned his first professional engineering registration (PE) in Ohio in 1983 and ultimately became registered as a professional engineer in eight states. During his time at SSOE, Warner led major automotive manufacturing projects for clients including Honda and Toyota while helping expand the company’s engineering co-op program, creating opportunities for future engineers to gain meaningful industry experience.
“My whole experience at The University of Toledo — in the classroom and through the Student Union Board — established a pattern of critical thinking, leadership and problem-solving that served me throughout my career and life,” Warner said.
Warner’s commitment to UToledo did not end with graduation. He has remained an active volunteer and philanthropist, serving on The University of Toledo Alumni Association Board of Trustees, including as president, and supporting initiatives across the College of Engineering, College of Medicine and Life Sciences and College of Business and Innovation.
Among his many honors are the College of Engineering Distinguished Alumnus Award, the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Outstanding Alumnus Award and the University’s Blue T Award. He also was recognized as the 2007 IEEE Toledo Area Electrical Engineer of the Year, the 2008 TSPE/TST Toledo Area Overall Engineer of the Year and, in 2026, was inducted into the Clay High School Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame.
Throughout his career, Warner also continued combining his engineering skills and passion for live events. He volunteered to help produce signature events including Toledo Fest (later River Fest) in 1983 and Toledo Jazz Fest in 1985. More recently, he has volunteered in elementary math classrooms at Lial School for the past five school years.
Today, Warner continues to give back through philanthropy and service, building on a lifelong commitment to the university that helped shape his career.
His advice to today’s engineering students?
“Follow your passion and don’t be afraid to make course corrections when appropriate.”
A Chance Encounter Shaped Larry Yonovitz's Career—and His Lifelong Commitment to UToledo
Sometimes, the most important moments happen when you least expect them.
For Larry Yonovitz, a chance meeting with physicians from the former Medical College of Ohio while attending an IEEE event as a University of Toledo electrical engineering student changed the course of his career. What began as a conversation led to a research assistant position, where he applied engineering principles to emerging medical technologies and discovered a passion for bioengineering long before it became a recognized academic discipline.
"I realized there was a real need for engineers in medicine," Yonovitz said. "That experience changed the direction of both my undergraduate and graduate studies."
After earning bachelor's and master's degrees in electrical engineering from UToledo, Yonovitz became the first bioengineer at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan. During his 33-year federal career, he helped modernize patient care through engineering, leading projects that introduced new cardiac monitoring technologies, improved intensive care unit design and supported the renovation and expansion of VA medical facilities throughout the Great Lakes Region.
When his Ann Arbor Regional VA office was slated to close, as Acting Regional Director, he personally placed all remaining 150 employees in new government positions before transitioning to the U.S. Federal Court system. He served another 12 years in the Judicial Branch of the Federal Government as the Deputy Clerk for the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Michigan. His engineering skills were not lost in this position when he developed a courtroom Electronic Evidence Presentation System unique to the Federal Court System at that time.
Long before entering the workforce, Yonovitz's leadership began taking shape on campus. While working as a student computer operator in the College of Engineering, he became known as the person classmates turned to when they needed help solving complex programming challenges. "I found a much higher level of satisfaction when I was able to resolve problems for other students, " he said. "Although I didn't realize it at the time, that's where my work ethic and leadership skills were forged."
Despite building his career in Michigan, Yonovitz has never lost his connection to UToledo. He established a scholarship to support engineering students, has served in numerous alumni leadership roles and remains an enthusiastic supporter of Rocket athletics. Living just a few miles from the University of Michigan's campus hasn't changed that loyalty—his personalized Michigan license plate proudly spells "TOL EDO."
Today, Yonovitz continues to volunteer his time with the College of Engineering Alumni Affiliate and The University of Toledo Alumni Association, believing that supporting today's students is one of the most meaningful ways to give back.
Looking back, he credits the encouragement of UToledo faculty with helping him reach goals he once questioned were possible.
"I wouldn't consider myself an outstanding student, " Yonovitz said. "I persevered. My professors believed in me, challenged me and encouraged me to pursue greater goals. My advice to today's students is simple: Never give up on your goals and trust your professors to help guide you.”
From UToledo Bioengineering to Medical Device Leadership
When Anthony Lipp visited The University of Toledo as a prospective student-athlete, he was looking for an opportunity to combine two interests: engineering and tennis.
He found something else that helped shape his future.
During his visit, Lipp learned about UToledo's bioengineering program, an emerging field that wasn't offered at the other schools he was considering. The opportunity to play tennis for four years while earning a bioengineering degree ultimately helped bring him to Toledo.
Lipp was among a small group of students who graduated from the program in 2000. Being part of an inaugural program appealed to his entrepreneurial spirit and gave him the opportunity to grow alongside a developing field.
"It was fascinating to be part of the program's inaugural class," Lipp said. "There was a lot of energy around starting something new."
His experience at UToledo also gave him skills that would prove valuable throughout his career. He remembers the emphasis on working in small groups, solving complex problems and learning from classmates with different perspectives.
After graduation, Lipp joined GE Healthcare through its Technical Sales Leadership Program, a 15-month rotational program that exposed him to leaders across the organization and gave him opportunities to work on complex business challenges.
He soon discovered that he was drawn to the fast pace of startup environments.
Lipp joined ev3, a medical device company focused on minimally invasive vascular therapies. Over the next 17 years, through ev3's acquisition by Covidien and Covidien's subsequent acquisition by Medtronic, Lipp took on leadership roles across multiple countries. His work eventually included leading large vascular business units throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
The experience taught him to embrace both the structure of large organizations and the innovation and risk-taking required in startups.
"Both times that I left very large companies to join startup organizations were two of the most rewarding moves in my career," Lipp said.
After Medtronic, Lipp returned to the startup environment. He joined Shape Memory Medical, where he has served as chief commercial officer for more than five years.
As a member of the company's senior leadership team, Lipp oversees worldwide commercial strategy and growth. He also works with his team to identify new markets and applications for the company's bioabsorbable polymer technology, which is being developed for minimally invasive vascular treatments.
For Lipp, the work represents the intersection of engineering and health care that first attracted him to bioengineering.
"As life expectancy around the globe continues to grow, the need to design innovations to support health care have never been higher," he said.
More than 20 years after graduation, Lipp is encouraged by the growth of UToledo's bioengineering program and the students continuing to enter the field.
"Engineering and health care are a natural pairing," he said. "There are so many opportunities that I'm not surprised to see the program thriving."
His advice for those students is to remain curious and flexible. Lipp encourages young engineers to ask questions, learn from their early experiences and be willing to take on new challenges—even when those opportunities lead somewhere unexpected.
He also encourages students not to rush through the experience.
Looking back on his own time at UToledo, Lipp wishes he had allowed himself to slow down and enjoy it more.
"Enjoy the ride!" he said.
How Deb Dauer Turned Opportunity Into a Lifetime of Giving Back
When Deb Dauer reflects on her career, she doesn't begin with the leadership positions she held or the awards she earned.
She begins with the people who believed in her.
As a student exploring her future, Dauer was encouraged to pursue engineering by Ray Huber, an alumnus of The University of Toledo College of Engineering and one of her instructors at Owens Technical College. After she completed her associate degree, Huber encouraged her to continue her education and helped her transfer to The University of Toledo. Later, Dr. Don Angelbeck connected her with an opportunity at Owens Corning following her junior year, launching what became a 37-year career with the company.
Those moments shaped more than her career—they shaped her outlook on life.
"UT completely changed my life," Dauer said. "They enabled me to have a life I never imagined I could have. I am forever grateful for what my professors did for me and for believing in me."
After earning her bachelor's degree in civil engineering, Dauer built a career that took her around the world and into leadership roles where she was often the first woman in the room. She became the first female plant manager in Owens Corning's Residential Roofing Division, built high-performing teams and championed employee development by helping members of her hourly workforce continue their education and advance their careers.
"I've always tried to give back because people helped me," Dauer said.
That philosophy has continued into retirement.
Today, Dauer serves as president of the College of Engineering Alumni Affiliate and helped establish and now co-chairs the Engineering Research Society and the Engineering Dean's Advisory Council. She also serves on the board of Aurora Project Inc., where she helps raise funds for women and children experiencing homelessness, and is treasurer of the Wood County Genealogical Society. Dauer mentors future engineers and established a scholarship at her alma mater to help students pursue engineering at The University of Toledo. Away from her volunteer work, she enjoys cheering on Rocket Athletics, golfing and raising and releasing monarch butterflies.
This fall, The University of Toledo will recognize Dauer during the Homecoming Gala for her outstanding career and lifelong dedication to the College of Engineering.
Looking back, she hopes her legacy won't be defined only by her professional accomplishments, but by the lives she has touched.
"I hope people remember that I cared about people, helped them realize their full potential and made a positive difference."
For Dauer, giving back has never been about recognition. It's about creating opportunities for others—just as others once did for her.
JJ Dai's Career Journey Fueled by Curiosity
Curiosity about how things work has guided JJ Dai’s 40-year career, which has taken the University of Toledo electrical engineering alumnus from software development into global industry leadership and federal energy planning.
Dai earned a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from University of Toledo in 1995, specializing in power systems. He said his time at UT required persistence and balance, completing his dissertation while working full time in California after leaving campus in 1992 with a job offer. “It was a very challenging time,” he said, reflecting on the demands of building a career while finishing his degree.
After graduation, Dai built a career in computer simulation software used for complex power systems, including applications supporting nuclear generation plants. He noted the high stakes of the work, where engineers must rigorously verify and validate tools used to support safe and reliable
Over the course of his career, he held roles across major industry and government organizations, including Eaton Corporation and later the U.S. Department of Energy. His work also included international assignments and leadership roles in Asia-Pacific operations, where he helped establish and expand regional offices.
Dai said he often volunteered for new challenges, seeing each transition as an opportunity to learn and contribute at a higher level. Curiosity, he said, remained the thread connecting each stage of his career.
Now serving in public-sector work focused on long-term energy planning and technology development, Dai encourages students to build strong technical foundations, stay open to opportunities and keep learning throughout their careers. “Keep learning, don’t complain and find something that fits your strengths,” he said.