Kenneth E. Case has been and continues to be a source of inspiration to the entire IEM family. Since his college days at OSU, Ken has made significant contributions to the teaching, research, service, and advancement missions of IEM. He is a graduate of OSU (BSEE, MSIE, and Ph.D.) and retired from OSU as a Regents Professor after thirty years of selfless service.
Ken is a member of the National Academy of Engineering. He served as President of both the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE) and the American Society for Quality (ASQ). He is a Fellow of the IISE and was President in 1986-87. In 2002, he became the 29th person since 1962 to receive the Frank and Lillian Gilbreth Industrial Engineering Award, the highest honor presented by the Institute. He is also a Fellow of the American Society for Quality which he served as President in 2003-4. He received the ASQ Distinguished Service Medal in 2014, the highest honor presented by the Society. He is also an active Academician Emeritus in the International Academy for Quality, a worldwide group limited to 100 quality experts.
Ken was named the Outstanding Engineer in Oklahoma in 1987. He holds five ASQ certifications, and is a Six Sigma Black Belt. He was a Senior Examiner on the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award from 1988 to 1990, and on the Panel of Judges from 1991 to 1993. He received the Quality Oklahoman Award from Governor Brad Henry in 2003 and the Oklahoma Medal for Excellence in College/University Teaching from the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence in 2005. He received the Melvin R. Lohmann Medal from the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology (CEAT) at OSU in 2013 and was inducted into the CEAT Hall of Fame in 2015.
Ken has received over 25 recognitions for teaching, including multiple receipt of National Technological University's Outstanding (Satellite) Teacher Award. He is also the proud Founding Director of OSU's highly successful Master's program in Engineering and Technology Management (MSETM). In addition to providing hundreds of graduates the skills, tools, and the opportunity to grow in their careers, this unit brings in much needed resources to IEM, CEAT, and OSU.
Ken's primary interests are in quality and reliability engineering, and economic analysis. He has been the Project Director on over 25 sponsored research projects, published over 100 articles, and has co-authored five books (14 editions), two of which won the Joint Publishers--IIE Book of the Year Award. As a consultant, he has assisted 60 organizations over 45 years.
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Lynn Case has been a true participant in the School of IEM at OSU. She has known all of the IEM School Heads, and has been an active partner of the School in many ways. Over the years, she has proofed and edited an untold number of documents such as recommendation letters, award nominations, scholarship applications and recognition documents. She has even read some homework and tests as a "second reader." As a School Head's wife, she hosted lunches and dinners for visitors and spouses, as well as IEM staff and advisory board members. She still attends all IEM functions.
For many years, at Christmas, Lynn would host sets of graduate students, mostly international students, in her home. Quite a few became good friends with Lynn and she has stayed in touch with numerous graduates over decades through Christmas cards/ letters and a blog. She now also focuses on the children of these students who were either toddlers or not yet in the picture when their parents were students here. She has named a couple of these "grand students" and many are now completing college or well into their adult life and work. Now, Facetime, What's App, emails, and texting make it all easier. She laughs and brags that the students have always called her "Lynn" while referring to Ken as "Dr. Case."
