November 02, 2021
2021 Inductees Steve Welker, Doug Distelrath, Robert Schreiber, Jeanie Knuth and Lee Marshall (not pictured: Gordon Hill)
The Department of Biomedical, Biological and Chemical Engineering inducted six members into the Chemical Engineering Academy of Distinguished Alumni in a ceremony on Oct. 23.
The 2021 inductees included Doug Distelrath, BS ChE ’87; Gordon Hill, BS ChE ’86 and BS ME ‘88; Jeanie Knuth, BS ChE ’98; Lee Marshall, BS ChE ‘81; Robert Schreiber, BS ChE ’72; and Steve Welker, BS ChE ‘84.
“Our new inductees are outstanding examples of the kind of engineers Mizzou strives to produce, leaders both in their careers and communities,” said Kevin Gillis, professor and chair of the Department of Biomedical, Biological and Chemical Engineering. “We’re excited to have them join the ranks of our Academy of Distinguished Alumni.”
The Academy of Distinguished Alumni aims to honor chemical engineering graduates from the University of Missouri who are outstanding in their field, leaders in community affairs and worth of emulation. The first banquet recognizing academy members was held in October 2013.
Information on each recipient can be found below:
Doug Distelrath, BS ChE ‘87
Doug Distelrath currently serves as a procurement manager at CRB in St. Louis, where he supports projects in biotechnology, pharmaceutical and food and beverage industries. After college, he served as an Industrial Hygiene Office in the U.S. Navy before working for Boeing and Emerson. Distelrath has been a member of the Mizzou Chemical Engineering Industrial Advisory Board since 2008 and is a Captain in the U.S. Navy Reserve assigned to the Navy Medical Forces Support Command in San Antonio, Texas.
Gordon Hill, BS ChE ’86, BS MAE ‘88
Gordon Hill, who earned BS degrees in chemical and mechanical and aerospace engineering from Mizzou, is the president and general manager of Pacific Forge, Inc., a leading aerospace forging company. In his career, he also held executive positions with Dart Aerospace, Potters Industries and ARCO Chemical Company.
Jeanie Knuth, BS ChE ‘98
Since Jeanie Knuth started at Procter & Gamble following graduation from Mizzou, she has worked in a variety of research and development roles with the company. She currently serves as vice president of research and development for Fem Care, leading the global product development for Always and Tampax. She is actively involved in efforts to support and develop diverse female talent both with P&G and externally in the greater Cincinnati area.
Lee Marshall, BS ChE ‘81
Lee Marshall serves as vice president of research and development information security and global innovation center management for Proctor & Gamble, where he has worked since he graduated from Mizzou in 1981. In his current role, Marshall is responsible for research and development information security for 7,000-plus employees and 13,000-plus devices.
Robert Schreiber, BS ChE ‘72
Robert Schreiber, who graduated from Mizzou in 1972, founded Schreiber, Yonley & Associates (SYA), an environmental firm with expertise in air, hazardous waste, alternate fuels and cement kilns, in 1985 after years of work at Illinois EPA and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources Air Program. He was a founding member of the Missouri Waster Control Coalition and the Cement Kiln Recycling Coalition and served on the Board of Directors of a number of organizations.
Steve Welker, BS ChE ‘84
Steve Welker has spent over 30 years across a wide spectrum of companies, including DuPont, Monsanto Chemical, Solutia and Land O’Lakes following graduation from Mizzou in 1984. After a year-long fellowship in the Distinguished Careers Institute at Stanford University in 2019, Welker now serves as an operating partner at Lewis & Clark Agrifood in St. Louis, a venture capital firm focused on advancing agriculture and food technologies.
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