Bocks provide endowment for biomedical engineering

A Trine University alumnus and his wife have provided an endowment for the university’s biomedical engineering department, which will be named in their honor.

The endowment for the Jim and Joan Bock Biomedical Engineering Department will provide equipment or other needs for the department. Jim Bock 1954 BSME and his wife Joan also financially supported the Jim and Joan Bock Center for Innovation and Biomedical Engineering, which opened in 2013.

Jim Bock began his career at Elkhart Welding and Boiler Works after graduating from Tri-State College. In 1978 he took a job as executive vice president and chief operating officer at Bock Industries, which was among the largest steel tube producers in the world. By 1989, Bock was the sole owner and president of the corporation, which he sold to begin Bock Engineering Company.

Jim Bock received the Pillar of Success award from Trine University in 2011 and Joan Bock was honored as the Woman of Distinction in 2013.

Photo: From left, Maria J. Gerschutz, Ph.D., chair and assistant professor of biomedical engineering; Jim Bock; Joan Bock; Melanie G. Watson, Ph.D., assistant professor of biomedical engineering; John Patton, Ph.D., assistant professor of biomedical engeering; and Ray Stuckey, executive director for university advancement. (Photo by Dean Orewiler)