Dale Gaerke

Dale Gaerke, P.E., has been honored by the engineering community of Toledo and Northwest Ohio with its highest distinction, 2013 Engineer of the Year.  The award, a longtime tradition of the Technical Society of Toledo and the Toledo Society of Professional Engineers, was made in conjunction with Engineers Week 2013, which runs February 17-23.  Each year the engineering community in the region area honors a local engineer for outstanding accomplishments and contributions to the profession.

The selection is based on a highly competitive peer-review process, and candidates are judged in several categories including technical knowledge, professional interests, personal character, leadership, civic spirit and contributions to the local community, state or country.

Dale is a senior member of ISA, and has more than 36 years of professional industry experience.  The ISA Toledo Section, which nominated him for the award, is a member of the Technical Society of Toledo.  Dale has served in a number of Section capacities including president in 1986, 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2011, as well other officer positions.

Dale is the director of R&D Controls & Electrical Engineering Discipline at Owens Illinois, Inc. (O-I), the world's largest glass container manufacturer and preferred partner for many of the world's leading food and beverage brands.  Dale joined O-I in 1976 where he has served in a number of capacities including engineer, project engineer, team leader, group leader and section head.  Dale was appointed director of R&D at O-I in recognition for his exceptional interdisciplinary technical background in glass furnace and bottle machine control and global leadership in managing project teams

Dale has advanced his technical knowledge in glass furnace process control technology and demonstrated significant product development leadership globally.  He has authored numerous O-I patents related to glass furnace control and has been instrumental in the development of new technologies related to glass furnace and bottle machine control, and modernizing these controllers using the latest computer and networked control systems.

Dale has supported educational institutions in Northwest Ohio by strengthening the ISA student sections at Bowling Green State University and the University of Toledo, and assisting students by supporting yearly ISA scholarships.  He has been serving as the Industrial Advisory Board member for the Electrical Engineering Technology program of University of Toledo for 30 years.  Dale also is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

Dale earned a bachelor’s degree in systems engineering from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, and a master’s degree in business administration from Bowling Green State University.

Congratulations Dale!