Jeffrey Peterson ‘00 and ‘04, engineering group manager, full-size & mid-size truck bumpers/fascias/grilles, General Motors, received the Modern-Day Technology Leader Award at the 2016 Black Engineer of the Year Awards (BEYA) STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Conference held in Philadelphia in February.

Peterson’s work on key GM vehicles including the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra has distinguished him among his peers in the automotive engineering community.

“This award is a great honor, and I couldn’t have done it without the strong support of my team,” said Peterson. “GM has been a great place for me to grow and flourish in my career, and I owe a special thank you to all of my mentors, especially Jeff Scramlin, Scott Moore and Tim Asoklis.”

Peterson’s career at GM began in 1995 when he joined the company as a co-op student. Over the past 20 years, Peterson has held multiple leadership roles in quality, design and project management.

Peterson, a Swartz Creek native, earned a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering with an automotive specialty at Kettering. He also received his master’s in Manufacturing Operations from Kettering in 2004. He chose Kettering, in part, because of his family’s connections to General Motors and the auto industry.

“I grew up in a GM family,” Peterson said. “My dad worked at Buick City.”

Kettering’s cooperative education program was also an appealing draw.

“You are applying what you learn in class directly into the workforce,” Peterson said. “Co-op gave me the opportunity to learn on the job and also to help pay for my education.”

The BEYA Modern-Day Technology Leader Award recognizes industry leaders who are shaping the future of engineering, science and technology.

“There is a deficit of skilled STEM workers in the U.S. to support our economy, and minorities continue to be significantly underrepresented in those high-value, high-paying jobs,” said Tyrone Taborn, CEO of Career Communications Group. “BEYA's movement to reinvigorate STEM education efforts has just begun to build momentum. We’re extremely proud to be pioneers with a rich decades-long history and distinguished reputation for promoting and celebrating multiculturalism in STEM fields.”