At its quarterly meeting this week, the Kummer Foundation Board of Directors at Missouri University of Science and Technology welcomed four new members:

• R. Tim Bradley, of Austin, Texas, a retired energy executive
• Maureen E. Midgley, of St. Louis, Missouri, a retired chemical engineer who has held numerous executive positions with Amazon and General Motors
• Eric G. Politte, of Spring, Texas, an engineer, entrepreneur, business leader and investor with more than 40 years of experience in the oil and gas industry
• Richard F. Wacker, of Honolulu County, Hawaii, who has served as chief operating officer, president and CEO, and chair of the board of the Korea Exchange Bank since 2004

The board is responsible for fiduciary management of a $300 million gift from Fred and June Kummer to Missouri S&T in 2020. Members oversee investments of funds from the gift and establish budgetary guidelines and policy. They serve four-year terms with the possibility of one renewal.

“I am thrilled to welcome these four incredibly talented, insightful and dedicated individuals to an already dynamic board,” says Dr. Stephen Roberts, vice chancellor of strategic initiatives and chief operating officer of the Kummer Institute for Student Success, Research and Economic Development at Missouri S&T. “The entire S&T community is fortunate to have such a strong group of committed leaders overseeing how the gift from Fred and June Kummer is transforming our institution as well as our region.”

R. Tim Bradley

R. Tim Bradley, of Austin, Texas, earned a bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering from Missouri S&T in 1977. The retired president of Houston-based Kinder Morgan CO2 Co., Bradley began his career with Shell Oil in west Texas and held many positions with the company, including manager of Shell’s enhanced oil recovery operations and president of Shell CO2, a joint venture between Shell and Kinder Morgan. When Shell sold its stake in 2000, Bradley became president of Kinder Morgan C02. Under his leadership, the company grew into North America’s largest producer, transporter and marketer of carbon dioxide and the second-largest oil producer in Texas. A member of the Missouri S&T Board of Trustees, Bradley was inducted into the S&T Academy of Mines and Metallurgy in April 2013 and received an Award of Professional Distinction from S&T in May 2014. In 2019 Bradley delivered the commencement address at S&T and received an honorary doctorate. He and his wife, Kay, are members of the Missouri S&T Order of the Golden Shillelagh.

Maureen E. Midgley

Maureen E. Midgley, of St. Louis, Missouri, earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Missouri S&T in 1982. She earned a master’s degree in engineering management and operations from Kettering University and a master’s degree in environmental science from Green Mountain College. She completed Harvard Business School’s Senior Executive Program-Asia Pacific and holds honorary doctorates from Youngstown State University and Missouri S&T.  She retired from Amazon, where she was vice president of real estate, engineering, robotics, IT and lean. Prior to Amazon she was senior vice president of manufacturing engineering at Henkel. She worked for more than 30 years at General Motors, where the roles she held included plant manager and executive director of global paint and polymer engineering. She is a current member and past president of the Missouri S&T Academy of Chemical Engineers.

Eric G. Politte

Eric G. Politte, of Spring, Texas, earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Missouri S&T in 1982. An engineer, entrepreneur, business leader and investor with more than 40 years of experience, Politte has founded and co-founded more than 20 companies, spanning oil and gas, construction, and real estate, leading many of them through successful public and private exits. He currently owns and leads ATI Instrumental & Electrical, Colorado Mining Resources, and numerous real estate holding companies. He also co-owns downstream petroleum product logistics operations and invests in startups. He began his career as a mechanical engineer at Exxon before moving into leadership roles and embarking on entrepreneurial endeavors. Beyond entrepreneurship, he serves on a public water board, several volunteer boards and is a lifetime member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Politte has three children, each a successful engineer, and nine grandchildren.

Richard F. Wacker

Richard F. Wacker, of Honolulu County, Hawaii, earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Missouri S&T in 1984. After holding company officer and senior leadership positions with General Electric in the U.S. and Europe, he was named chief operating officer, president and CEO, and chair of the board with Korea Exchange Bank in 2004. From 2010 through 2021 he was president and CEO of American Savings Bank. Wacker has served on many boards of organizations focused on entrepreneurship, education, health and finance. He helped establish the Korea Exchange Bank Foundation, the first social welfare organization in the Korean financial industry. Wacker is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

About Missouri University of Science and Technology

Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) is a STEM-focused research university of over 7,000 students. Part of the four-campus University of Missouri System and located in Rolla, Missouri, Missouri S&T offers 101 degrees in 40 areas of study and is among the nation’s top 10 universities for return on investment, according to Business Insider. For more information about Missouri S&T, visit www.mst.edu.