March 21, 2014
Trine University students, faculty members and area residents quickly filled the 320 seats in Fabiani Theatre on Thursday morning to listen to Keith Busse.
The co-founder of Steel Dynamics presented his speech "Entrepreneurs Success vs. Failures" to share the story of the company's founding in 1993 and how he built it into one of the largest steel producers and metals recyclers in the United States. Steel Dynamics, headquartered in Fort Wayne, had net sales of $8 billion in 2011.
Busse, of Fort Wayne, joined Trine's Board of Trustees in 2003. He is chair of Trine's Committee on Trustees and a member of the Executive Committee. On Trine's campus, the Keith E. Busse/Steel Dynamics Athletic and Recreation Center is named in his honor. Busse is known for sharing his talent and resources with Trine and other organizations.
His expertise in the steel industry extends beyond his company as he is the former chairman of the American Iron & Steel Institute and the Steel Manufacturing Association. In addition, he has served in many other professional capacities, including chairman of Tower Financial Corp., a director at Accuride Corp. and a trustee for the University of St. Francis.
He holds a Bachelor of Science in accounting from International Business College, a Bachelor of Arts with a major in business finance from St. Francis College and a Master of Business Administration from Indiana University. He also holds an honorary Doctor of Business Administration from Trine, an honorary doctorate degree in business from St. Francis College and an honorary Doctor of Engineering from Purdue University.
Photos: Julie Howenstine, Ph.D., Trine marketing professor, shares the stage with Trine University trustee and entrepreneur Keith Busse after his speech. More than 300 individuals listened to Busse, the Ketner School of Business distinguished speaker, on Thursday morning.
The Trine Sales and Marketing Association held its third annual KSB Collegiate Sales Cup on Nov. 12. The event gives students from all majors the chance to showcase their sales skills.
Students in Trine University’s Capstone in Sport Management class won their second National Collegiate Sports Sales Championship (NCSSC) showcase event of the fall, then went on to place in the national Super Showcase.
Trine University chemical engineering graduate Parker Reichhart has earned national recognition, receiving two awards in the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) Annual Student Design Competition. The awards were presented during the 2025 Annual Student Conference, held Nov. 1–4 in Boston, Massachusetts.