OREANDA-NEWS. Brian Ruestow, president of the SME Education Foundation, was recently honored with the Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his longtime commitment to SME and ongoing efforts to prepare youth for advanced manufacturing careers.

Ruestow has a long history of involvement with SME and has been recognized on numerous occasions for his work. Since becoming a member in 1975, Ruestow received SME’s Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award in 1988 and the Joseph A. Siegel Service Award in 2009. His support and engagement with the Foundation began in 1985, first as a member of the Student Development Committee, which later became the Scholarship Review Committee. He subsequently took over as chair and continues to serve on this committee today.

"Brian's impact on our organization through the years has been immense and we are extremely fortunate and grateful to have benefited from his leadership, his vision and his commitment to excellence in advancing our mission to inspire and prepare students for skilled careers in manufacturing," said Brian Glowiak, director of the SME Education Foundation.

Ruestow joined the SME Education Foundation Board of Directors in 2009, served as vice president from 2010-12, and became president of the Foundation in 2013, a position he currently holds. He is also a generous contributor to the Foundation with monetary gifts to the Directors Scholarship Fund, youth programs, general scholarship, and general enrichment.

“My entire career has been spent in manufacturing and I can’t think of another industry that is as important to the American economy,” said Ruestow. “I am proud of the work we do to help create new opportunities in manufacturing and I look forward to many more years helping my colleagues stimulate growth in this industry.”

Ruestow received his Lifetime Achievement Award at the annual SME International Awards Gala on May 15.

About the SME Education Foundation
The SME Education Foundation is committed to inspiring, preparing and supporting the next generation of manufacturing engineers and technologists. Since its creation by SME in 1979, the SME Education Foundation has provided grants, scholarships and awards through its partnerships with corporations, organizations, foundations and individual donors. Each year, the Foundation awards several hundred scholarships to students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees in engineering and technology disciplines closely related to manufacturing. The organization also administers scholarship awards on behalf of major corporations connected to manufacturing. Additionally, the Foundation’s PRIME initiative was created to provide high school students with a tailored advanced manufacturing /STEM education.

About SME
SME connects all those who are passionate about making things that improve our world. As a nonprofit organization, SME has served practitioners, companies, educators, government and communities across the manufacturing spectrum for more than 80 years. Through its strategic areas of events, media, membership, training and development, and the SME Education Foundation, SME is uniquely dedicated to the advancement of manufacturing by addressing both knowledge and skills needed for the industry.