October 19, 2022
Trine University’s Board of Trustees has elected officers to lead the board for the next two years.
The trustees voted to retain Dr. Rick L. James as chair. James, a 1977 Trine business administration graduate and chairman and co-founder of Metal Technologies Inc. (MTI), has served as board chair since 2012 and has been a member of the board since 2010.
While he has led the board, Trine University has seen extensive growth in its enrollment, academic programs and facilities. James and his wife, Dr. Vicki L. James, have provided generous financial support for many Trine building projects as well as student scholarships.
“It’s an honor to lead this group of professionals who are dedicated to providing quality to education to northeast Indiana and beyond through Trine University,” said James. “I’m proud of the work and contributions of our entire trustee board and excited to see what we will accomplish in the days ahead.”
Keith E. Busse, co-founder of Steel Dynamics Inc., was elected vice chair. A member of Trine's Board of Trustees since 2003, Busse chairs the Campus Planning Committee.
On Trine's campus, the Keith E. Busse/Steel Dynamics Athletic and Recreation Center is named in his honor, and his company’s foundation provided substantial support for the new Steel Dynamics Inc. Center for Engineering and Computing.
Lynn A. Brooks, a 1975 Trine University graduate, was elected board Treasurer. Brooks retired as president and chief executive officer of Rieke Packaging Systems in Auburn.
He has served on the Trine University Board of Trustees since 2007 and is chairman of the audit/finance/investment committee.
Elizabeth Rooney, a member of Trine’s Board of Trustees since 2014, was elected secretary. Rooney is vertical marketing lead for Google and represents the third generation of her family to serve on Trine’s board.
Her grandfather, Dante Fabiani, was a 1938 Tri-State College graduate who went on to become president of the Crane Company. He was a member of the Board of Trustees from 1967 to 1985, serving as chair for several years.
Dante’s son Jim, founder and CEO of Fabiani & Co., a Washington DC-based government affairs and strategy consulting firm, has been a board member since 2001.
Rooney currently serves as vice chair of the board’s Enrollment and Marketing Committee and as a member of the Alumni Engagement Committee.
“Trine University continues to be blessed with strong board leadership, providing the vision that has propelled us to financial stability and record enrollment today, and will continue to guide us well into the future,” said Earl D. Brooks II, Ph.D., Trine University president.
Trine University’s first Associate of Science and Master of Science in nursing graduates, along with physician assistant and surgical technology graduates, received a welcome to the healthcare field from the leader of Cameron Health, herself a longtime nurse, during the university’s fall Commencement on Dec. 12.
Trine University’s Thunder Therapy Clinic, which provides pro-bono rehabilitation services to those in the Fort Wayne area with limited means, will offer occupational therapy beginning in January.
Six Trine University civil engineering seniors and two faculty members toured a cement plant and the Newburgh Lock and Dam, learned about the Ohio River Crossing project and traveled to bridge construction sites during a senior trip in November.