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The Lifetime Achievement Award is bestowed posthumously on an individual who has recently passed away and who, during his or her life, achieved personal success, made an outstanding contribution to his or her chosen field of endeavor, and achieved recognition by his or her colleagues.
B.S. Mechanical Engineering (’44), Illinois Institute of Technology; Naval Officers Training Program (’44), M.S. Engineering Mechanics (’48), University of Notre Dame; M.S. Industrial Management (’60), Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Kehrl’s childhood love of cars and all things mechanical informed his career path, and he spent 38 years rising through the ranks at General Motors. After joining the research laboratories in 1948, he became a research engineer a year later and went on to posts at Cadillac, Chevrolet, and Oldsmobile. He held positions as manager of quality control, chief engineer, general manager, group executive, and executive vice president, among others, and also served on the Board of Directors. He also served on the finance committee. He was elected vice chairman in 1981 and held the post until his retirement. Additionally, he worked on the Dodrill-GMR Mechanical Heart project, built by GM Research Laboratories and used in the first successful open-heart operation.
Natacha DePaola, Carol and Ed Kaplan Armour College Dean of Engineering and professor of biomedical engineering, nominated Kehrl for his successful corporate career and achievements in the auto industry. “I can think of no better representative of Illinois Tech’s commitment to teaching the highest-quality engineering than Howard Kehrl, someone who personified both academic and real-world excellence,” she says.
Kehrl was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the advancement of automotive science and engineering. General Motors sponsored him as a Sloan Fellow at Massachusetts Institute of Technology while he earned his master’s degree, and he later served on the board of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, in addition to several other boards.
After leaving Wayne State University to enlist in the U.S. Navy during World War II, Kehrl was commissioned an Ensign after completing the Naval Officers Training Program at the University of Notre Dame’s Midshipmen’s School in 1944. While receiving his master’s degree from Notre Dame, he also taught engineering courses in the Midshipmen’s School.
“Make your moves count” was Kehrl’s personal philosophy. Love of family and hard work made up the foundation of his life.
Learn more about the 2016 Alumni Awards.