Fayette

Penn State Fayette Advisory Board names Bell as Outstanding Alumnus

The Advisory Board of Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus, honored James R. Bell as Outstanding Alumnus for 2014 at a ceremony held Oct. 30 at Caporella’s Italian Ristorante in Uniontown.

Bell has more than 42 years of experience in the underground mining industry and currently serves as senior engineering specialist for underground product compliance with Caterpillar Inc., where he is responsible for compliance with various regulatory agencies involved in the operation of CAT’s underground mining products. 

Prior to his current role at CAT, Bell served as manager of underground technical support at Bucyrus America and as vice president of service and automation for DBT America Inc. Earlier in his career, he held various positions in underground equipment design and manufacturing, and worked underground in the planning, execution and management of maintenance for Republic Steel and Ingersoll-Rand Mining Machinery. 

Bell graduated from Penn State Fayette in 1972 with a degree in mechanical engineering technology, and in 2004 returned to his alma mater as a charter member of the Penn State Fayette Mining Industry Advisory Board, which he has chaired since 2006. He also serves on the National Mining Association's Underground Safety Subcommittee and on the Canadian Standards Association M421 Underground Mining Subcommittee. 

Bell has been married to his wife Patty for 36 years, and they have a small farm in German Township, where they have lived since 1978. Their son, Patrick, and his wife, Aileen, reside in New Stanton.

Last Updated October 31, 2014