WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Pennsylvania College of Technology presented honors to two alumni during Spring 2018 commencement ceremonies, held May 11-12 at the Community Arts Center, Williamsport.
Andrew S. Wisner, of Cumming, Georgia, formerly of York, received the Alumni Achievement Award on May 11, and Bradley G. Willis, of Harrisburg, formerly of Phillipsburg, New Jersey, was presented with the Volunteer of the Year Award during morning exercises on May 12.
One of the youngest specialists in North America working on rotary kilns – the world’s largest piece of process equipment – Wisner earned a Bachelor of Science degree in welding and fabrication engineering technology in 2008 and an Associate of Applied Science degree in welding technology in 2006.
Wisner is employed by Andritz Pulp and Paper, a global leader in pulp and paper technology, as a project engineer in the company’s Chemical Systems Division of North America. His job entails detecting equipment problems through diagnostic testing, performing mechanical audits and inspections, and on-site construction management for upgrades and replacement component installation. He utilizes state-of-the-art laser measuring devices and wireless diagnostic tools to record measurements on the rotary kiln. There are about 1,000 rotary kilns in operation in North America and only a handful of people performing the job Wisner does.
The Penn College alumnus is working on a research paper for the Technical Association of Pulp and Paper Industry, a nonprofit organization dedicated to pulp and paper, regarding maintenance practices and production cycles on rotary kilns in North America. He presented his first research paper at the TAPPI Pulping, Engineering, Environmental, Recycling and Sustainability (PEERS) conference in 2017 in Norfolk, Virginia.
Wisner and his wife, Katia, are the parents of a young daughter, Elsa. He is the son of Dennis and Linda Wisner, of York, and a 2004 graduate of Red Lion Area Senior High School.
The Alumni Achievement Award recognizes an alumnus or alumna of Penn College from the past 10 years whose postgraduate life includes noteworthy professional accomplishments or dedicated volunteer service to the college and/or community, and who has demonstrated the importance of his or her Penn College education.
The Volunteer of the Year Award is presented to a graduate of Penn College or its predecessor institutions (Williamsport Area Community College and Williamsport Technical Institute) who has significantly given of his or her time and talent by volunteering at college events and activities, and who has demonstrated the importance of his or her Penn College education.
Willis earned a Bachelor of Science degree in heating, ventilation and air conditioning design technology in 2016 and is employed as a system applications engineer at Johnson Controls.
During the past year, Willis has stood out with regard to both the quantity and quality of his volunteer experiences with his alma mater.
His contributions through his employment at Johnson Controls have included: securing nearly $1,000 to support the Women in Construction event at Penn College and coordinating his company’s product team in bringing a “road show” to the college to demonstrate for students the latest building automation system controls and hardware.
As the student activities chairperson for the Central Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Willis continuously interacts with ASHRAE students at Penn College.
He has worked with architectural technology faculty member Naim N. Jabbour and the “BE (Built Environment) Scholar” program, serving as a guest speaker discussing his job and how Penn College prepared him for his career.
Through a virtual presentation, Willis connected with Carol A. Lugg, dean of construction and design technologies at Penn College, and Paul Flor, a professor at Raritan Valley Community College, to discuss students transitioning from RVCC to Penn College.
In addition, Willis has volunteered at Open House and represented Johnson Controls at every Penn College Career Fair since his graduation.
He is the son of Gary and Penny Willis, of Phillipsburg, New Jersey, and a 2011 graduate of Phillipsburg High School.
For more about Alumni Relations at Penn College, visit www.pct.edu/alumni.
For more about Penn College, a national leader in applied technology education, visit www.pct.edu, email admissions@pct.edu or call toll-free 800-367-9222.