Six professionals were inducted into the Academy of Chemical Engineers at Missouri University of Science and Technology during its annual induction ceremony on Thursday, April 21. The academy honors chemical engineers for contributions to their profession, leadership and involvement with Missouri S&T. It serves as an advisory group to the Missouri S&T chemical and biochemical engineering department.

The new members are listed below:

Dr. Arthur Bell of Cincinnati, a retired physician at Urgent Care Medicine, earned a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering from Missouri S&T in 1975. He earned a doctor of osteopathic medicine degree from the Kansas City University College of Medicine in 1997. Bell began his career working for E.I. DuPont in 1973 as a plant engineer. In 1974, he worked as a process design engineer for Monsanto Industrial Chemical Co. In 1978, Bell transferred to Monsanto’s plasticizer division as a national account manager in Cincinnati. In 1981, he joined Exxon’s chemicals and plastics group as a national account manager. Bell’s last engineering position was as a technical support manager with Exxon. From 1997 to 2000, he completed his residency in family medicine at the University of Illinois and Methodist Medical Center. Bell was board certified in family medicine in 2001 by the American Board of Family Medicine. For 16 years, he worked as a physician in urgent care. He retired on Jan. 1, 2016. Bell was inducted into the Academy of Miners Athletes in 2013.

Martin Berutti of Ellisville, Missouri, president and chief operating officer of MYNAH Technologies LLC, earned a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering from Missouri S&T in 1984. Berutti joined Munger Co., as a director of performance technology in 1990, where he was responsible for system sales, new product introduction and technology adaption. In 2002, MYNAH Technologies was formed as a division of Munger, and Berutti was made a business director. In this position, he wrote business plans and managed the division as an independent software company. In 2010, he became the president and chief operating officer of MYNAH, the strategic simulation partner for several major automation suppliers. Under Berutti’s leadership as business director and president, MYNAH has experienced 20-times revenue growth. He has driven marketing campaigns that allowed MYNAH to receive international recognition from the readers of Control Magazine and Automation World. MYNAH’s Mimic Simulation Software is a next-generation dynamic process simulation software and is used in the Virtual Unit Ops and Process Control Lab in Missouri S&T’s chemical and biochemical engineering department. Berutti has twice received the Emerson Process Management Sales Excellence Award and a global sales leader in DeltaV System introduction in 1996-1997.

Steven Block of Chicago, global business development manager at Elevance Renewable Sciences, earned a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering at Missouri S&T in 1982, and a master of science degree in engineering management from Wichita State University in 1985. Block began his career as a process engineer for Vulcan Chemicals, where he was responsible for chlor-alkali process design supporting capital expansion. In 1985, he joined Dow Corning, holding positions such as production supervisor, quality engineer, application engineer, global science and technology manager, global business development manager, and associate industry scientist. After nearly 30 years at Dow Corning, Block joined Elevance. In his current role, he is responsible for leading business development and creating strategic relationships in North America, Western Europe, Southeast Asia and Japan. Block has earned numerous industry and professional distinctions, including four technical achievement awards the Construction Industry Outstanding Achievement Award, Supply Chain Excellence and U.S. Public Service Award. He has 22 publications, 19 conference presentations, 24 internal Dow Corning research reports, 11 invention disclosures and one patent pending.

Rick Eklund of Austin, Texas, director of strategic supply chain for Flextronics, earned a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering from Missouri S&T in 1986. Eklund began his career at the IBM Process Development Laboratory, where he worked as a new technology development engineer focused on new manufacturing processes for printed circuit board assembly. He later moved to Motorola Semiconductor Products, where he managed the FSRAM Module manufacturing operations and furthered his technology deployment efforts by leading the Flip-Chip packaging technology group. In 1998, Eklund joined the procurement team at Dell as senior manager of supplier quality engineering and in 2001, he became senior manager and director of product platforms. In 2010, Eklund moved to Advanced Technology Materials to serve as director of supply chain. In his current position, Eklund leads a team of supply chain management professionals to develop and implement world class supply chain strategies. He is a professional engineer in Texas, a member of the International Microelectronics and Packaging Society, a member of the Central Texas Electronics Association and the Institute for Supply Management.

David Sextro of Florissant, Missouri, vice president of engineering at MYNAH Technologies LLC, earned a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering from Missouri S&T in 1982. Sextro has worked in the process automation industry for over 27 years in the positions of lead systems engineer, senior technical manager, director of engineering and director of sales and operations planning at companies that include Dow Chemical, Dial Corp., Munger Co. and Emerson Process Management. His areas of expertise include dynamic process control, project management and services management. Sextro is involved with a number of groups at Missouri S&T, including Omega Chi Epsilon, American Institute of Chemical Engineers, Student Advisory Board and Alpha Chi Sigma. He actively promotes co-ops, internships and full-time positions at MYNAH to S&T students.

Linda Wright of Spring, Texas, manager of strategy and planning for ExxonMobil Research and Engineering, earned a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering from Missouri S&T in 1988, and was awarded a professional degree from Missouri S&T in 2009. As strategy and planning manager, Wright’s responsibilities include overall coordination of strategy and competitive intelligence, program analysis and reporting, research guidance and valuation, and technology acquisition for ExxonMobil. She has held a wide range of positions during her 27 years of service with ExxonMobil, including business planning, supply, technology, marketing, business development and operations. Prior to her current position, Wright was the specialties elastomers global vice president in Houston. She has also served as the adhesion industry global vice president, the global director of the marine fuels business and a senior advisor supporting two senior vice presidents. Prior to joining ExxonMobil, Wright worked as a research engineer at the Linden Technology Center.