Leaders in a variety of fields visit Purdue University once a year for the Old Masters program, where they have the opportunity to interact with students and talk about their professional experiences. 

The Old Masters program, which is sponsored by the Office of the Dean of Students, got its start in 1950. Since then, more than 500 Old Masters have visited campus and shared their ideas and experiences with the student body. 

Here are some past Old Masters from the College of Liberal Arts. 

2009

Ronald "Ron" Carpinella II
BA 1991 History, Purdue University
MBA 2005, Duke University

Vice President of Identity Management, Equifax, Inc.

Before Ron worked for Equifaz he was director of sales at Veoh Networks in Atlanta, Georgia.  Before Equifax and Veoh, Ron set the strategic direction for advertising and sponsorship at AllConnect. He is also a past manager at Google, where his responsibilities included leading sales for the Southern USA, managing advertising solutions for marketers and opening and managing the company's Atlanta and Dallas offices. During his nearly six year tenure at Google he grew the customer base to over 500, including partnerships with Fortune 500 companies including Office Depot, Lowe's, Home Depot, UPS, Delta Airlines, Coca-Cola, Wal-Mart and Georgia Pacific.

With over a decade of advertising and sales experience, Ron has an extensive background in online media and marketing, providing leadership at Internet media visionaries such as Engage Media, Flycast Media and Relevant Knowledge. Ron began his career in media and advertising working for J.Walter Thompson and Foote Cone & Belding. An authority on internet marketing, he was one of the founders of the Atlanta and the South Florida Interactive Marketing Associations and is sought out to speak on e-marketing opportunities.

Ron is also Lieutenant in the United States Navy Reserve, where he serves as a Public Affairs Officer for the Chief of Navy Information. In this role he has traveled the world serving as far away as S. Korea, Turkey, Alaska and most of Europe. His military decorations include the Navy Achievement Medal, the Navy Overseas Service Ribbon, Global War on Terrorism Service, National Defense Service, and marksmanship awards.

Ron has served leadership positions in numerous charities and community program, including two terms as the Chairman of the 5th Congressional District for the Georgia GOP. He was appointed to the “Keep Atlanta Beautiful” Commission & the Fulton County Public Access and Cable Board, and he currently serves on the City of Sandy Springs Board of Zoning Appeals. He acts as a technology advisor for the Georgia Security Council and was selected for the Coverdell Leadership Institute.

Rear Admiral Carol Pottenger
BA 1977, History, Purdue University
HDR 2007, College of Liberal Arts, Purdue University 
Commissioned as an ensign through Purdue NROTC          

Commander, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command, United States Navy

One of the first women selected for sea duty, Pottenger reported aboard USS Yosemite (AD 19), as engineering division officer and completed a Mediterranean deployment. Subsequent sea tours included assignment as operations officer aboard USS Yellowstone (AD 41) and executive officer aboard USS Kiska (AE 35). Pottenger assumed command of USS Shasta (AE 33) in 1996, completing several deployments in support of Commander, 5th Fleet and Commander, 7th Fleet. She took command of USS Bridge (AOE 10) in 2001, and during an extended deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, re-supplied 10 battle groups, amphibious groups and dozens of coalition ships; receiving the Battle “E” and the 2002 Arleigh Burke Fleet Trophy.

Shore tours have included assignment to Commander, Service Group 2 as staff communications officer; assignment to USNA as the 25th company officer; commanding officer of two Navy Operational Support Centers in Mare Island, Calif., and San Diego. She also served as COMNAVSURFRESFOR deputy chief of staff for Manpower, where she implemented a national automated selection board system for Reserve unit command positions.

During several tours in the Pentagon, Pottenger served as executive assistant for Director, Surface Warfare (OPNAV N86); executive assistant to Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Resources, Requirements & Assessments) (OPNAV N8); executive assistant to Vice Chief of Naval Operations. Upon selection to flag rank she served as deputy chief of Navy Reserve for one year. In November 2005, Pottenger established a new Navy command, creating a type commander for over 40 Combat Logistics and Special Mission ships. She served for one year as the first commander, Military Sealift Fleet Support Command. In November 2006, Pottenger became the first female admiral to command a forward deployed operation command when she assumed command of Amphibious Force 7th Fleet at White Beach, Okinawa, aboard USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49).

Pottenger assumed command of Navy Expeditionary Combat Command on September 12, 2008 at Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek.

2008

Charles L. Jones  
BA 1961, Industrial Design and Human Factors Engineering

Vice President of Global Product Consumer Design, Whirlpool Corporation

Charles “Chuck” Jones is the current Vice President of Global Product Consumer Design at Whirlpool Corporation, and oversees a global staff of industrial designers, project engineers, anthropologists, interaction designers, designer strategists and human factors engineers.  He attended Purdue University and was the first student to graduate with degrees in Industrial Design and Human Factors Engineering. Mr. Jones has also completed his MBA and a Management training program when first initiating his career at Xerox Corporation. Additionally, Mr. Jones has authored numerous academic publications surrounding the field of cognitive psychology and human engineering. He was appointed to the Academy of Fellows by the Industrial Designers Society of America in 2001, their highest form of professional recognition. In late 2004, Jones was named a Fellow with the World Technology Network in recognition of his accomplishments in linking brand strategies to design strategies with resulting positive business impact and in 2005 was named ‘Design Impact Player’ by Fast Company Magazine. He considers his children his ‘best design work yet’ and in his nonworking hours enjoys vintage race car restoration and racing. 



Mary Pat Moeller, PhD.
BA 1972, Speech Pathology/Audiology
MS 1973, Audio and Speech Science

Director of the Center for Childhood Deafness, Boys Town National Research Hospital

Dr. Mary Pat Moeller is the Director of the Center for Childhood Deafness for the Boys Town National Research Hospital. Within this position Dr. Moeller participates in a variety of longitudinal studies of infants with impaired hearing and also serves as the administrator for the Center for Childhood Deafness. She has also been active in conducting health communication/dissemination research and helps create innovative resources on newborn hearing screening. Dr. Moeller graduated from Purdue University with a B.S. in Speech and Hearing Sciences and continued on to earn her M.S. in Audiology/Aural Rehabilitation. She then went on to obtain her Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in Psychological Studies: Child Language/Deafness. Throughout her career Dr. Moeller has received many honors including the Fellow of American Speech & Hearing Association, Outstanding Educator Award and Advisory Committee Member for the ASHA Advisory Committee on Evidence Based Practice. Dr. Moeller is a native of Indianapolis, IN who enjoys swimming, spending time with her grandchildren and cycling. She currently resides in Omaha, Nebraska with her husband

In this section

• Old Masters
• Past Old Masters CLA