JANESVILLE — KANDU Industries Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization that provides programs and services to people with disabilities and disadvantages, welcomes Dr. Tracy Pierner to the KANDU board of directors. Dr. Pierner has served as the president of Blackhawk Technical College since 2016.
During Dr. Pierner’s tenure, Blackhawk Technical College (BTC) has fostered a solid partnership with KANDU through fundraising sponsorships, staff training and development, student internships, and collaboration between BTC’s advanced manufacturing training center and KANDU’s production staff, including involvement in the upcoming 2023 redesign and renovation of KANDU’s production facilities.
“I am honored to serve as a KANDU board member and the opportunity to help support an organization that is so critical to our community and dedicated to creating life-changing experiences for their clients. KANDU’s work with the community is closely aligned with our focus at Blackhawk Technical College and their vision and mission resonate with the same tenors of innovation and service that is at the core of our efforts at the college. I look forward to working with and learning from the talented leadership team and board members of KANDU Industries. I can’t wait to get started,” said Pierner.
Pierner holds a Ph.D. in technology management — manufacturing systems from Indiana State University, a master’s degree in engineering from Case Western Reserve University, and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Wisconsin. The years he spent in the engineering sector served as groundwork for his accomplishments in higher education, including the development and implementation of technical education and engineering programs at several institutions.
In addition to lending his extensive knowledge of business education and industry, Pierner explains his personal connection to organizations that support people with disabilities, “I am very familiar with the services organizations like KANDU provide since I have two family members who utilized Curative Connections in Green Bay and a family member who worked for Curative Connections. The services provided to my cousins established the skills for them to become semi-independent.”
Joel Chappelle, president of KANDU’s board of directors said, “KANDU is thrilled to welcome Dr. Pierner to our board. His extraordinary talent, depth of experience, and dedication to community service will be immensely beneficial to KANDU and the people we serve. We are looking forward to working with Dr. Pierner during this incredibly exciting time for KANDU.”