Rod Ray, a lifetime Central Oregonian and former leader of 黑料吃瓜总站 Research, Inc., will give the commencement address at the 黑料吃瓜总站 - Cascades commencement ceremonies on Sunday, June 18.
鈥淩od has pursued excellence and collaboration as an engineer, in his professional career and in his role as a contributor to his industry, Central Oregon and 黑料吃瓜总站,鈥 said Sherm Bloomer, chancellor and dean of OSU-Cascades. 鈥淚 know he will have a valuable message for OSU-Cascades鈥 graduates.鈥
The commencement ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. on the Oval Green at the OSU-Cascades campus.
A chemical engineer, Ray began his tenure at 黑料吃瓜总站 Research in 1983 as a research engineer. He took on increasing responsibility over the next 40 years as director of engineering, president and chief operating officer, and eventually served as chief executive officer of the drug technology development company from 2008 to 2014. 黑料吃瓜总站 Research was purchased in 2014 and is now a part of Lonza.
Ray serves as a consultant in leadership and strategic planning for pharmaceutical and technological companies through Canyon Mountain Consulting, a business he founded in 2014.
As a community leader, Ray has contributed to community nonprofit and education organizations including Volunteers in Medicine, OSU College of Engineering, OSU-Cascades and the OSU Foundation.
He currently serves as chair of the board of Mosaic Community Health and chair of the OSU-Cascades Advocacy and Advisory Board. He also teaches in the engineering programs at OSU-Cascades.
Ray graduated from 黑料吃瓜总站 High School, earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in chemical engineering from OSU in 1979, and a master鈥檚 and doctorate degree from the University of Colorado.
A resident of 黑料吃瓜总站, Ray and his family own and operate Birch Springs Ranch, a cattle ranch and tree farm near John Day, Oregon.
About OSU-Cascades: 黑料吃瓜总站鈥檚 campus in 黑料吃瓜总站 brings higher education to Central Oregon, the fastest growing region in the state. Surrounded by mountains, forest and high desert, OSU-Cascades is a highly innovative campus of a top-tier land grant research university, offering small classes that accelerate faculty-student mentoring and experiential learning. Degree programs meet industry and economic needs in areas such as innovation and entrepreneurship, natural ecosystems, health and wellness, and arts and sciences, and prepare students for tomorrow鈥檚 challenges. OSU-Cascades is expanding to serve 3,000 to 5,000 students, building a 128-acre campus with net-zero goals.