Business and philanthropic leader Dick Schul to be 2025 commencement speaker
February 14, 2025
Longtime business leader and philanthropist Mr. Richard “Dick” Schul will be Indiana Tech’s commencement speaker during the university’s annual commencement celebration on Saturday, May 10, at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne.
Mr. Schul is a longtime organizational leader who conducted business in over 60 countries worldwide throughout his career. Born and raised in Niagara Falls, New York, Mr. Schul holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Indiana Tech and an MBA from the University of Dayton. Mr. Schul has served on Indiana Tech’s board of trustees since 2012, currently serving as the board’s vice chair.
After graduating from Indiana Tech in 1969, Mr. Schul began his career at Westinghouse Electric, where he held positions of increasing responsibility in engineering, quality assurance and marketing. He then moved to Emerson Electric, where his 32-year career, from 1981-2013, saw him rise quickly from product manager to director, vice president, and then president in 1990 at Emerson’s ALCO Controls Division.
Mr. Schul was promoted to president of air moving motors in 1996, and group vice president over several motor divisions in 2000, overseeing 6,500 employees and annual sales exceeding $700 million. In 2004, he was named group vice president of Emerson Climate Technologies, the role in which he served until his retirement in 2013.
Mr. Schul’s international business experience includes managing Emerson’s P&L in the Middle East and Africa, with headquarters in Dubai, UAE, and a call center in Manila, Philippines. At the same time, he led Emerson’s corporate sales functions. He developed and implemented a mentoring program called LEAD, through which he mentored high-potential managers at Emerson, preparing them for career success and future promotions. After retirement, Mr. Schul created his own management consulting group, mentoring emerging leaders and companies.
Throughout his career, Mr. Schul has given back to his industry and community through volunteering and charitable work. He served on the board of directors of the Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) for more than 25 years, receiving AHRI’s Richard Schultz Award in 2008 and its Distinguished Service Award in 2011 for his dedicated service to the industry.
Mr. Schul is an active member of Ascension Catholic Parish in Chesterfield, Missouri, and a board member of St. Joseph Educational Ministry. He has served on the boards of the Maryland Heights Chamber of Commerce, the North County Boy Scouts of Greater St. Louis, and the St. Joseph’s Institute for the Deaf. He served on the board of the Make-A-Wish Foundation in Missouri and Kansas for 12 years, and as a mentor for underprivileged young adults at Boys Hope Girls Hope. In 2013, he was honored with the Outstanding Volunteer of the Year Award in the greater St. Louis area the from American Philanthropic Foundation.
Mr. Schul’s passions include his family, faith, charitable work, traveling and golf. He and his wife Geri have been married for nearly 55 years and have two children, Brad and Angela, and four grandchildren.
“Dick Schul is one of Indiana Tech’s most distinguished alumni. His highly successful business career took him around the world, and his lifelong commitment to giving back to his community has benefited the lives of so many individuals and organizations over the course of decades. His service and leadership on Indiana Tech’s board of trustees has helped our students, faculty and staff in countless ways,” said Indiana Tech President Dr. Karl W. Einolf. “All of us at Indiana Tech are grateful for the impact of his work on the students we serve and look forward to welcoming him to our commencement celebration in May.”
Mr. Schul will speak during the university’s commencement ceremonies honoring undergraduate and graduate degree recipients on Saturday, May 10, at 12:30 p.m., at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. The ceremony is free and open to all Indiana Tech students, families, alumni and the public—no tickets are required.