Seven electrical and computer engineers with ties to Missouri University of Science and Technology were inducted into the Missouri S&T Academy of Electrical and Computer Engineers during the academy’s induction ceremony, which was held at the Comfort Suites Conference Center in Rolla, Mo., on April 24.

The academy is an advisory group to the Missouri S&T electrical and computer engineering department. Founded in 1980, the academy is composed of alumni and other electrical and computer engineers who have made outstanding contributions to their profession.

New members are listed below:

Michael J. Basler of Highland, Ill., engineering manager for Basler Electric Co., earned bachelor of science and master of science degrees in electrical engineering from Missouri S&T in 1979 and 1989, respectively. Basler began his career as an electrical engineer for the Emerson Electric Co. in 1979. From 1981 to 1986, he held various design engineering and engineering management positions at Basler Electric Co. In 1986, he was named to his current position. He served as vice chair of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Energy Development and Power Generation Committee and is an adjunct lecturer at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. He is a co-author of “Excitation Control Systems; On Site Power Generation: A Reference Book.”

Chris W. Bolick of Rogersville, Mo., manager of administrative services for Sho-Me Power Electric Cooperative, earned a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from Missouri S&T in 1986. Bolick began his career as a planning engineer with Associated Electric Cooperative. He was promoted to supervisor of transmission operations in 1997, and to manager of transmission planning and operations in 2000. From 2008-2014, he served as manager of systems operations. Bolick has been a member of the North American Electric Reliability Corp. operating committee since 2001 and has chaired technical committees on the operation of high-voltage power lines. He does mission work in Nicaragua and Mexico and helped build three schools and churches in Honduras. He also coaches girls’ basketball for Christian and homeschooled students.

Christopher L. Hamon of Branson, Mo., chief executive officer for White River Valley Electric Cooperative Inc., earned a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from Missouri S&T in 1984. He began his career in the transmission planning department of Iowa Southern Utilities and in 1988, began work at White River Valley Electric Cooperative as a chief engineer. He was named operations and engineering manager in 1997 and CEO in 1999. A licensed professional engineer, Hamon is registered in Oklahoma, Missouri and Arkansas. He serves on the board of directors of the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corp., Sho-Me Power Electric Cooperative and the Branson Chamber of Commerce. He is secretary/treasurer of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame and past president of the Table Rock Lake Area Chamber of Commerce and the Taney County Youth Life, and served as vice president of the Kirbyville School Board. He is a member of the Missouri Society of Professional Engineers, the Missouri Conservation Federation and the Missouri State Fair Foundation.

Theodore J. “Ted” Hilmes of Claremore, Okla., chief operating officer for KAMO Power, earned a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from Missouri S&T in 1992. He began his career as a planning engineer with Associated Electric Cooperative Inc. and then served as manager of engineering for Southern Illinois Power Cooperative Inc. until 2001, when he took his current position. Hilmes is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and has been published in an IEEE periodical. He is also a member of Eta Kappa Nu and Tau Beta Pi and serves on the board of directors of CPSF, a public-private school foundation in Claremore.

Michael T. Lemanski of St. Louis, an electrical engineer with The Boeing Co., earned a Ph.D. in electrical engineering in 2002 and a master of science degree in engineering management in 2008, both from Missouri S&T. He also holds bachelor of science and master of science degrees in electrical engineering from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. Lemanski began his career as an electronics engineer with Marsh Co. in Belleville, Ill., and joined Boeing in 1995. He volunteers with FIRST Robotics and is a guest lecturer at St. Charles Community College.

Lester C. Roth of Fairfax Station, Va., an analyst with Group W Inc., earned bachelor of science and master of science degrees in electrical engineering from Missouri S&T in 1969 and 1978, respectively. From 1969 to 1989, he served in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, training in Airborne, Ranger, physiological operations and operational research, and serving in Fort Bragg, N.C., Okinawa, Korea and Germany. He also served with the U.S. Army Engineer School and U.S. Army Analysis Agency. Since 1989, he has worked as a defense contractor working on on-site operational research, modeling and simulation, Joint Staff, J8-Warfighting Analysis Division, Potomac Systems Engineering, SETA Corp., Logicon and Northrup Grumman. He is a licensed professional engineer in Virginia.

Edward J. Wooldridge of Farmington, Mo., technical fellow for The Boeing Co., earned bachelor of science, master of science and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from Missouri S&T in 1981, 1983 and 1991, respectively. He began his career with McDonnell Douglas in 1979 as part of the cooperative education program. In 1983, he began work as an engineer at McDonnell Douglas. He served as technical specialist, senior principal technical specialist and associate technical fellow before taking his current position in 2001. Wooldridge serves on the Saint Louis University Electrical Engineering Department Industrial Advisory Board and is a foreign technology consultant for the National Air and Space Intelligence Center. He presented at the fourth Joint NATO International Military Sensing Symposium in Paris. Wooldridge is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Eta Kappa Nu and Knights of Columbus.