The University of Missouri-Rolla will award the UMR Chancellor Medal to its commencement speaker, Dr. Calvin Cobb, during graduation ceremonies Saturday, May 12, at UMR’s Gale Bullman Multi-Purpose Building.
The Chancellor Medal is give to individuals who have contributed to the well-being, growth and development of the university.
Cobb is president of Calvin Cobb & Co., a management and consulting firm established in 2005. He earned a bachelor’s degree from UMR in 1964, a master’s degree from UMR in 1965 and a Ph.D. from UMR in 1968. All of his degrees are in chemical engineering.
Cobb began his career with Monsanto, where he worked in engineering, software development and marketing roles. In 1974, he joined The Pace Co. Consultants and Engineers. A senior group of consultants from Pace formed Wright Killen & Co. and named Cobb president in 1982. He engineered the sale of Wright Killen to Ernst & Young in 1996. He stayed on with Ernst & Young as a partner until 2003, when he left to form a new consulting business for Invensys Process Systems. At Invensys, Cobb led the firm’s global hydrocarbons business. Upon his retirement, he formed his own consulting firm, Calvin Cobb & Co.
UMR awarded Cobb a professional degree in 1986 and an honorary doctorate in 2001. In between, he was recognized with an Alumni Achievement Award in 1995. In addition to serving as UMR’s commencement speaker this spring, Cobb previously delivered a commencement address at UMR in 2001.
Cobb is active in the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and was the 2001 president of the organization. He currently serves as chairman of the board for the Pearl Fincher Museum of Fine Arts in Houston.
On May 12, Cobb will deliver two speeches at UMR – one to bachelor’s degree candidates during a ceremony that starts at 11 a.m. at the Gale Bullman Multi-Purpose Building, 10th Street and Bishop Avenue, Rolla; and one to master’s degree and doctoral degree candidates during a ceremony that starts at 3 p.m. in Leach Theatre of Castleman Hall on campus.