Alumni News
STARTING STRONG
Our first awardee of the Nelson Distinguished Young Alumni Award is Mr. Andrew Blatt, ’12. This mechanical engineering grad very quickly moved from college kid to career-maker. He spent a few years as laser engineer for North American operations at Gestamp. His work then took him to the Motor City, where he leads a team of engineers at ArcelorMittal Tailored Welded Blanks.
ALUMNI OF THE YEAR
Our Alumni of the Year honorees are engineering grad Mickey Reeves, ’78 and the late Reverend Roy Gene Crist, ’86.
Reeves, a chemical engineering program graduate, went on to build a powerful career in the oil and gas industry. He also helped established the Tech Golden Bear Alumni Association.
Crist wrapped up his RBA at Tech in 1986. He went on to become ordained as an Episcopal priest and built a celebrated reputation for his feeding ministries, flood relief efforts and mentoring programs in Southern West Virginia.
ATHLETIC HALL OF FAMERS
Forest Mann, ’60, Quinton “Que” Barnes, ’96 and Frank Spangler, Jr., ’75 may not have played in the same years (or even decades), but they were all part of the same team.
Mann rose to the rank of captain on the field. Then he became a lauded educator and administrator in Kanawha County, West Virginia. Now retired, he’s a family man and spends his days teaching Boy Scouts about the American Indian way of life.
Spangler – also a championship boxer and Army veteran – carried his love for football into his career. As the long-time head coach of the Fayetteville High School squad, he oversaw so many winning seasons that the school named its field after him.
Barnes wrapped up his football career with the Carolina Panthers after his standout days at Tech, but he never stopped moving. This go-getter built multiple businesses and a high school coaching career that produced dozens of talented college athletes.
Want to nominate an alumnus for one of our annual awards? Find out how at alumni.wvutech.edu/awards.