Alumni News

Combs, Sigman Join Rose-Hulman Board Chemical engineering alumni Tonya Combs and Chuck Sigman are providing insight to the Rose-Hulman Board of Trustees after becoming leaders in their career fields, each with an understanding and appreciation for development of higher education strategies. They began terms this spring. Combs, a 2001 alumna, has been vice president and deputy general patent counsel with Eli Lilly and Company since early 2019. Previously, she was senior director and general patent counsel for the company’s biomedicines business unit, and team leader and general counsel for the oncology business unit. Combs began her career as a chemical engineer at Lilly Research Laboratories after earning her RoseHulman degree. She received a law degree summa cum laude from Indiana University’s Robert McKinney School of Law. Sigman is joining the BOT for a full term after representing alumni on the group. He is senior budget analyst in the Office of the Chief Financial Officer for the Office of Administration within the Office of the President of the United States. He has received several federal government honors for the formulation and execution of systems covering multiple areas of the White House. Sigman graduated in 1980 and developed an interest in finance, earning a master’s degree in business administration from Indiana University. He received the Rose-Hulman Alumni Association’s Distinguished Young Alumni Award in 2000 and is a devoted Alpha Tau Omega fraternity chapter alumnus. Combs Sigman

Palmer Representing Alumni on Trustees

Paul Palmer Jr. II

begins a three-year term July 1 as alumni representative to the Board of Trustees, chosen by the Alumni Association’s advisory board. The 1989 mechanical engineering alumnus is a professor of marketing with Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business, and has earned a reputation as a leader in targeted marketing, licensing/partnership development and non-traditional marketing. Palmer has 30 years of experience in industry and higher education, and has had business and management success with Procter & Gamble Company, Hasbro Inc. and American Greetings Corporation. At Hasbro, he served five years as senior brand manager for Star Wars toy products, during the release of Star Wars Episode’s I and II movies. He also managed key licensor relationships with Lucasfilm, Walt Disney and Cartoon Network. The personable former RHIT football player developed highly successful partnerships with Muhammad Ali, best-selling author T.D. Jakes and comedian Ellen DeGeneres. His team earned the 2007 American Greetings Chairman’s Award for Innovation and 2002 Toy of the Year for the Star Wars Interactive R2D2. Palmer will replace Jeffrey Myers, president of Big 4 Enterprises of Louisville, Ky., who served three years. Still serving their terms are Ashvin Lad, vice president and co-founder of Breakwater Chicago in Illinois, and Jeff Papa of Zionsville, Ind., who is chief of staff and general counsel for the Indiana State Senate. Palmer

Trio Ready to Begin Alumni Advisory Board Terms Kameron Eisenhour, Steven Schmitz and Amanda (Austin) Stapleton are preparing to begin two-year terms July 1 on the Alumni Advisory Board, following their election at the group’s spring meeting. Eisenhour, a 2017 biomedical engineering graduate, wants to give back to Rose-Hulman after being actively involved in campus activities as a student, including being freshman class president. He is an assembly engineer with North American Lighting in Paris, Ill., and worked as an installation engineer with robotics and automation projects. Schmitz became senior manager of starship integrated products early in 2020 with SpaceX, where he had several key leadership roles since graduating as a mechanical engineer in 2007. He played a key role in development of Space X’s revolutionary Falcon 9 rocket. Schmitz received Rose-Hulman’s Distinguished Young Alumni Award in 2015 and has helped recruit several alumni to SpaceX. Stapleton has traveled throughout the world since earning her mechanical engineering degree in 2006. She currently is senior director of operations with Belcan in Cincinnati, Ohio, after being chief engineer for engine control systems with Collins Aerospace Systems and a controls hardware engineer with Rolls-Royce. She was president of Rose-Hulman’s Society of Women Engineers chapter and captain of the varsity soccer team. This trio will replace the expiring terms for Anthony Primozich, a 2000 mechanical engineering alumnus; David Sandborn, a 2011 mechanical engineering graduate; and Stefani Vande Lune, who earned an applied biology degree in 2006 and a 2008 master’s degree in biomedical engineering.

Moody Cited as Influential Black Corporate Executive Alumnus and trustee Darin Moody’s engineering and leadership skills have earned distinction as one of the 2020 Most Influential Black Executives in Corporate America, by Savoy magazine. The recipients were recognized for their executive and business leadership in national and global-leading corporations. Moody, a 1987 chemical engineering alumnus, is senior vice president for manufacturing with Eli Lilly and Company, where he has worked since graduation. In his current role, Moody manages people and production facilities throughout the world, along with coordinating a global network of external manufacturing partners He also has been vice president of corporate engineering, operations general manager and a production plant general manager, after starting as a process design engineer. Along the way, Moody has been a loyal supporter of Rose-Hulman. He became a member of the Board of Trustees in 2007 and has helped lead efforts to increase diversity within the student body, funding scholarships to attract talented underrepresented students. Moody was presented an honorary doctorate degree from his alma mater before presenting the Commencement Address to the Class of 2019. Moody

Homecoming October 2-4

rose-hulman.edu/homecoming