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Alumni Appreciation Dinner Honors Individuals Who Have Provided Significant Service to the College

Posted March 14, 2010

“Stan, for all you have done to develop clean renewable energy—and for all you have done for your alma mater, we salute you,” said Neville S. Bogle ’75/G’81 in presenting the Alumnus of the Year Award to Stan Kowalski III ’92 at the annual Alumni Appreciation Dinner. Pictured at the event, held at Rivers Memorial Hall on April 29, are (L-R) Alumni Association President Mat Nelson ’93, Bogle, Kowalski, and College President Anthony S. Caprio. View the photo album/slide show.

Kowalski is chairman of the board of FloDesign, Inc. in Wilbraham, MA. The company’s latest venture, FloDesign Wind Turbine Corp., “is promoting the next industrial revolution in clean energy with its innovative wind turbine,” said Bogle. Kowalski was able to secure $50 million in investments in under two years for the turbine, which is more compact and powerful than conventional wind turbines.

Kowalski, who earned a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering at the College, described his company’s efforts to develop technologies for “hot markets,” including a non-lethal weapon that uses advanced fluid dynamics for crowd control, shooting bursts of air. He illustrated the point by demonstrating a popular toy known as an AirZooka, which sends a surprisingly stiff wind at selected targets. He said that green technology, another rapidly expanding market, prompted his company’s venture into wind turbines.

FloDesign and Western New England College are inexorably linked, with FloDesign’s CEO being none other than Kowalski’s father, Stanley Kowalski Jr., dean emeritus of the Western New England School of Business. FloDesign’s founder and current chief technology officer is Dr. Walter Presz, professor of mechanical engineering at the College. The company’s wind turbine project has included dozens of Western New England College graduates as full-time employees, students as interns, and professors as consultants.

“It’s been a heck of a ride, there’s more to come,” said Kowalski III.

Also presented with alumni awards were Gary Cromack ’80/G’02 (Alfred A. LaRiviere Award for Outstanding Service to the Alumni Association Board of Directors, Alison Castellano ’03 (Raymond Meyers Award for Outstanding Service to the Alumni Association’s Volunteer Management Committee), Anthony Mancini ’95 (Alumni Association Special Projects Award). The Young Alumni Outstanding Achievement Award went to Aaron Kraus ’10, Peter DiNardo ’09, Michael Ormsby ’09, and Michael Melucci ’09 for their work with One-in-Four, a college rape prevention and awareness group.

Nelson, the emcee for the evening, also acknowledged Skookum Award of Excellence winners in attendance, as well as members of the Alumni Association Board of Directors, and faculty and staff present at the festivities. Special thanks were also given to senior communication major Beth Graham, who presented a musical slide show of alumni events over the past year.

President Caprio told those in attendance that what they do for the College “goes beyond boosting our reputation. You help this institution in countless ways, and your strong bond with the College is key to our success.”

To read about past alumni award winners, click here.