Chemical Engineering

Dr. Donald B. Anthony has 45 years of executive and technology management experience from energy, chemical, engineering, construction and manufacturing industries. He has worked for large multi-national corporations, including Standard Oil, BP, Bechtel, Bailey Controls, and ABB; small entrepreneurial companies, including NineSigma and GreatPoint Energy; and a nonprofit, the Council for Chemical Research. His roles have included President, CEO, COO, CTO, and Vice President, and his career has taken him to seven different states and Singapore.

The unifying theme of his career was a strong focus on technological and commercial innovation. His work included a novel carbon-based material, an oil tanker optimization program, a novel automotive fuel, horizontal drilling for gas and oil, gas gathering centers, low-cost liquefied natural gas and delayed coking technologies, the engineering, procurement, and construction standard plant concept, proprietary open innovation tools, an econometric model confirming the value of fundamental chemical research, and a third-generation catalytic coal gasification process. Dr. Anthony received his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from The University of Toledo and his S.M. and Sc.D. from MIT. He currently lives in North Venice, Florida, enjoying golf, travel, and photography.

L. Robert (Bob) Deardurff began his engineering career during his senior year at UToledo, joining Owens-Illinois at the recommendation of Professor Millard Jones. That opportunity launched nearly a decade at O-I focused on polyethylene terephthalate package and process development.

Bob then transitioned to Plastic Technologies, Inc., where he spent 35 years working with an exceptional team to advance PET technology and pioneer PET recycling innovations. After a long tenure as Executive Vice President at PTI, he served 14 years as CEO of PTI subsidiary Phoenix Technologies International, LLC, which manufactures recycled PET pellets from post-consumer plastic flakes. Bob retired in 2019, leaving a legacy of innovation and sustainability in the plastics industry.

Dr. Ron Fournier received his B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering with honors from The University of Toledo in 1976 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army through the ROTC program. He worked for two years as a process engineer at SWS Silicones. He then returned to The University of Toledo and received an M.S. and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering.

After that, Dr. Fournier served as a Captain in the U.S. Army at Edgewood Arsenal in Maryland, working in research and development on chemical weapons demilitarization. After the Army, he returned to The University of Toledo to serve as a professor in Chemical Engineering. During his career at the University, he was also the founding chair of the Department of Bioengineering and served as Dean of the College of Engineering.

His research interests focused on biotransport, with applications geared toward bioartificial organs and bioprocessing. He has numerous research publications, several million dollars in research grants, six patents, and a textbook, Basic Transport Phenomena in Biomedical Engineering, now in its fourth edition.

He also enjoys playing the oboe, painting, fly fishing, amateur radio, and he wrote two novels, Once Upon a Year and The Sun Never Sets.

Tony G. Howell has built an impactful career spanning research, sustainability, and operational leadership. His published graduate work included a highly cited theoretical boundary layer study and an experimental plume impingement project at NASA Glenn Research Center. After earning his graduate degree, Tony began his career in R&D at Owens-Illinois, starting with numerical modeling and later driving ISO-9001 certification for Global Glass Technology and leading sustainability initiatives.

He earned Lean Six Sigma Green and Black Belt certifications and developed a Life Cycle Assessment tool, validated by AMR Research, to compare carbon footprints of aluminum cans, PET bottles, and glass containers. He presented those findings globally. As O-I North America Continuous Improvement Manager, he led a $10 million project installing hot-end inspection systems across 15 facilities.

Tony's leadership continued in production and operations roles at Fresenius, Ferro Corp, and Ultimate RB as Plant Manager, and most recently as VP of Manufacturing and VP of Operations at Formlabs Ohio, Spectra Photopolymers. At Spectra, he improved quality and efficiency, implemented advanced automation, and pivoted resin production during COVID to swab production to support critical healthcare needs. Through Spectra, Tony has also supported the UToledo Chem-E-Car team for the past three years, donating engineered resins and 3D printing hardware to help students design and compete at the highest level.

Donald King, P.E., is a Chemical Engineering graduate from The University of Toledo and President of DHK Engineers, Inc. With over 40 years of experience and licensure in three engineering disciplines, Mr. King offers a unique interdisciplinary approach that consistently delivers practical, high-impact solutions to complex environmental challenges in the water, wastewater, chemical, and renewable energy sectors.

Rooted in The University of Toledo figure-it-out mindset, Mr. King has tackled issues ranging from odor and noise mitigation to high-risk environmental hazards. One standout project was leading a joint technical, military, and State Department team to eliminate a toxic air hotspot near an overseas U.S. airbase, restoring safe air quality for families and earning a Department of Defense International Award.

When not solving complex environmental challenges, Mr. King enjoys raising service dogs and backpacking.

Dr. Steven E. LeBlanc earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from The University of Toledo in 1976 and an M.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan in 1977. After three years at Toledo Edison, he rejoined UToledo as an instructor in 1980 and taught full-time while completing his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan in 1985. He has been a registered professional engineer in Ohio since 1982.

His academic career at UToledo spanned 38 years. He rose to Professor of Chemical Engineering and served 10 years as Department Chair. In 2003, Dr. LeBlanc became Director of Academic Affairs, followed by service as Associate Dean, Senior Associate Dean, Executive Associate Dean, and two stints as Interim Dean of Engineering. He was also named Interim Vice Provost for Student Success for the 2017-2018 academic year and served as chair of the Campus Beautification Committee for 17 years.

Dr. LeBlanc co-authored two influential textbooks: Strategies for Creative Problem Solving, which received the 1996 Meriam-Wiley Distinguished Author Award from the American Society of Engineering Education, and Process Systems Analysis and Control, which has had a lasting impact on Chemical Engineering education. He also served as PI or co-PI on grants totaling more than $4 million and was recognized with the University of Toledo Outstanding Teacher Award in 1982 and the ASEE North Central Section Outstanding Teacher Award in 2001.

He co-authored the 1992 AIChE National Design Contest Problem, advised the national championship team from UToledo in 1999, and was elevated to AIChE Fellow in 2010. A dedicated leader in accreditation, Dr. LeBlanc served as an ABET program evaluator beginning in 1998, with 33 visits through 2025, and one term as an ABET commissioner and team chair from 2017 to 2022. He retired from UToledo in 2018, leaving a lasting legacy in Chemical Engineering education and leadership.

Dr. Felecia M. Nave brings more than two decades of leadership experience in higher education. Dr. Nave serves as the President and CEO of the 1890 Universities Foundation, effective October 1, 2025. Prior to this appointment, she served as Division Director for the Division of Equity for Excellence in STEM within the Directorate for STEM Education at the National Science Foundation, where she guided a $212 million national investment to broaden participation and drive innovation in STEM.

She has also served as President of Alcorn State University, Provost and Vice Chancellor at North Carolina Central University, and held senior administrative roles at Prairie View A&M University. A chemist and chemical engineer by training, she is recognized for expanding student access and building partnerships that strengthen Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

L.D. Pierce has built a distinguished 34-year career across diverse industries, including oil refining, chemical production, environmental engineering consulting, tire and rubber, and consumer goods manufacturing. In 2014, he earned an M.S. in Environmental Engineering, followed by an Executive MBA in 2015, both from the University of Maryland.

Early in his career, Mr. Pierce focused on environmental compliance with major corporations such as BP Oil and ExxonMobil. Over the past decade, his work has centered on sustainability. At The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, he developed a Zero Waste to Landfill model that transformed waste disposal into a revenue stream and diverted millions of tons of waste from landfills.

Today, L.D. serves as Head of Environmental and Sustainability for Henkel of America, overseeing supply chain manufacturing and distribution across North and South America. His initiatives in circular economy recycling, energy and water efficiency, and factory decarbonization have delivered measurable results, eliminating over 150,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions and saving more than 230 million gallons of drinking water in the past five years.

Beyond his industry leadership, L.D. actively supports the College of Engineering through committee service, the Dean's Advisory Council, and guest lectures for student organizations such as AIChE and the American Society of Civil Engineers. He was honored as the 2018 Department of Chemical Engineering Outstanding Alumnus and continues to invest his time and expertise in shaping the next generation of engineers.

Dr. Michael T. Ponting is currently the Chief Scientific Officer at Peak Nano and has over 20 years of experience leading government and commercial R&D programs focused on advanced materials technologies for optics, energy storage, packaging, and broader applications of micro- and nanolayered polymer systems.

He has co-authored more than 50 peer-reviewed publications and holds 14 patents related to the production and structure-property relationships of multilayered polymer films. Beyond his technical contributions, Dr. Ponting has a Northeast Ohio focused entrepreneurial history that includes translating co-invented technology from Case Western Reserve University to the commercial market with Peak Nano.

A Cleveland native, he earned dual bachelor degrees in Chemical Engineering and Chemistry from The University of Toledo and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University.

Dr. Patricia A. Relue graduated with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from The University of Toledo in 1988 and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan in 1993. She was hired as an Assistant Professor in Chemical Engineering at UToledo, and in 1997 she transferred to the Department of Bioengineering as one of the founding faculty members.

As a faculty member, she has served in a variety of departmental roles, including Undergraduate and Graduate Program Director for Bioengineering and Graduate Program Director for the College of Engineering online M.S. degree programs. Within the University, Dr. Relue is a long-time member of the Graduate Council and chaired the council in 2006 during the University of Toledo and Medical University of Ohio merger. She has also served multiple terms on the Faculty Senate, Research Council, and the University Assessment Committee.

In 2017, Dr. Relue was appointed Associate Dean for Research, and in 2018 her role was expanded to include Graduate Studies. In 2025, she was appointed Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the College, where she oversees recruiting, admissions, student retention, and student success initiatives for graduate and undergraduate students in the College of Engineering. At the undergraduate level, her efforts focus on curriculum modernization, pedagogical best practices, and implementation of AI as a learning tool.

During her 32 years at UToledo, Dr. Relue's research has included photodynamic therapy for cancer treatment, medical imaging for melanoma detection, tissue engineering of skin, and most recently conversion of biomass to fuels, chemicals, and polymer precursors. She has been an investigator on over $8.8 million in research grants. She has received University and College Outstanding Teaching awards and was inducted into the Tinora High School Academic Hall of Fame in 2024.

Karl P. Ronn is the Founder and CEO of First Mile Care, a Silicon Valley-based preventive health company that provides affordable, scalable, and sustainable solutions for reversing conditions associated with obesity and diabetes. First Mile Care was spun out of Health2047, the Silicon Valley venture studio launched by the American Medical Association to drive healthcare innovation.

Beyond First Mile Care, he advises Health2047 on venture investments, collaborates with entrepreneurs, and serves on multiple startup boards. He is also an active advisor to CEOs and top management at Fortune 500 companies, helping them build billion-dollar growth engines.

Previously, Karl spent over 30 years at Procter & Gamble, where he served as Vice President of R&D and General Manager of New Business and Healthcare. In this role, he led global R&D for pharmaceuticals and OTC healthcare, spearheading the company's disruptive innovation capabilities. His team created iconic brands including Swiffer, Febreze, and Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, each growing to over $1 billion in annual sales through strategic insights into consumer behavior.

He is also the author of The Reciprocity Advantage, a book on transforming disruption into growth through partnerships. Elizabeth Ronn, a retired P&G marketing VP, and Karl live in Palo Alto, California, with their two children.

Dr. Yu Shi earned her doctorate from The University of Toledo Polymer Institute and has since built a distinguished career in global research, innovation, and operational leadership. She began her industry career as a Polymer Scientist at The Coca-Cola Company, where she spent seven years advancing packaging and material technologies.

Dr. Shi then joined Colgate-Palmolive, starting as Director of Advanced Technology focusing on sustainable packaging, advanced technology, and supply chain solutions, and later becoming Worldwide Director focused on early research, identifying and building technology platforms to meet future business needs.

After eight years, she returned to Coca-Cola, where she held several leadership roles in research, leading global strategies for ingredient and flavor innovation, life sciences, food safety, and external technology acquisition. Her work included forging strategic partnerships with academia, research institutes, and startups to drive competitive advantage and long-term leadership.

Today, Dr. Shi serves as Vice President of Technical, Innovation and Supply Chain for Japan and Korea Operating Units at The Coca-Cola Company, overseeing end-to-end innovation execution, supply chain strategy, scientific and regulatory affairs, quality, safety, and environmental initiatives. Yu Shi is a co-inventor of over 50 U.S. patents and patent applications and previously served on the Future Food Tech Advisory Board, Managing Board of the FEED Institute, and the 2023 AIChE Annual Meeting Program Committee.

Brigadier General Lance A. Talmadge, M.D., is retired with an appointment as Emeritus Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences. After earning a degree in Chemical Engineering from The University of Toledo and his M.D. from the University of Michigan, Dr. Talmadge pursued parallel careers in medicine and the U.S. Army, ultimately achieving the rank of Brigadier General.

His military service included assignments in Germany, multiple command positions of hospital units in the Reserve, and service as Brigade Commander in the Ohio National Guard. His highest awards include the Legion of Merit, the Order of Military Medical Merit, and induction into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame in 2001.

In his medical career, Dr. Talmadge served as President of the Toledo Hospital Medical Staff, the Lucas County Academy of Medicine, the Ohio State Medical Association, and District V of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. He served on the Medical Board of Ohio and went on to serve as Chair of the Board of the Federation of State Medical Boards. Dr. Talmadge has received multiple awards for service from UToledo, ACOG, Army National Guard, Ottawa Hills, the State of Ohio, and others.

Today, Dr. Talmadge remains active as President of the University of Toledo Retirees Association and Commander of Post 335 of the American Legion. He resides in Ottawa Hills.