Rod Kirkham ‘75 first discovered Kettering University from an unusual source - the morning announcements at his high school in Kansas City, Missouri. The announcement was about co-op opportunities with General Motors in Kansas City and eventually led to his post-secondary career at Kettering.

“It (Kettering) was much more intense than I thought it would be,” Kirkham said. “You are with the cream of the crop. I was in a high school graduating class of over 600 and I was among the top of my class and you get to Kettering and everyone was among the top of their class.”

Kirkham, who majored in Industrial Administration, rotated through a wide variety of tasks during his co-op at General Motors Assembly Division Leeds Plant, including: manufacturing, plant engineering, logistics, accounting, human resources and maintenance.

Following graduation in 1975, Kirkham accepted a position as a purchasing supervisor at American Hospital Supply where he continued exercising his skills in manufacturing and human resources. Returning to General Motors in 1976, he worked human resources and manufacturing. In 1980, he moved to the General Motors plant in Shreveport, Louisiana, to focus on administration and labor relations.

“It’s always challenging when you are negotiating a labor agreement because you have company objectives to meet,” Kirkham said. “You have to find a middle ground with your union counterparts.”

Kirkham transferred to the General Motors Truck Group in Linden, New Jersey, in 1993 where he operated as the industrial relations manager for five years. He was promoted to human resources director at the General Motors Powertrain Diesel Engine plant in Moraine, Ohio, in 1998, and quickly transitioned to a similar position at DMAX, Ltd. by the end of that year.

DMAX, a joint venture between General Motors and Isuzu, manufactured a 6.6 liter displacement diesel engine. The collaboration consisted of approximately 15 GM, 60 Isuzu, and 600-plus locally hired employees. Kirkham’s objective was to ensure that the joint venture was mutually beneficial for both companies. Kirkham retired from DMAX in 2008 and has since become a health insurance benefits counselor in Ohio.

Kirkham credits much of his career success to his early foundational experiences at Kettering. Specifically, the co-op experience allowed him to learn how to work within a larger structure.

“It was a foundational experience to work in an industrial environment even when you are a freshman,” Kirkham said. “You are exposed to an organizational structure. You see the social interactions that go on in a large corporate environment. You have to learn to work within the structure.”

Kirkham believes in Kettering’s co-op educational model and still supports it as a member of the Alumni Association. He hopes that the lessons he learned during his undergraduate career will continue to be passed down to future generations of Kettering students.

“Kettering gave me critical thinking skills and analytical skills that have served me well in anything that I’ve done,” Kirkham said. “It still serves me well to this day.”