Featured Alum: Ken Bruss
Background Information
*Date Graduated from UMM and other major(s) or minor(s)
• June 1978: Chemistry Major, Math Minor, Secondary Education Certificate
*Graduate or Professional Degrees
• Masters of Business Administration (MBA) Avila College, KCMO, May, 1991
Experience at UMM
What made you decide to come to UMM?
• My first visit was positive and was smaller and more personal.
• It was known for strong math and science.
• My older brother attended UMM.
• Two uncles attended UMM when it was the Ag school
Which activities were you involved in during your time at UMM?
• Men’s Choir
• University Choir
• Member of local Lutheran Church and Bible Study group
What influenced your decision to become a chemistry major at UMM?
• As early as 8th grade I wanted to be a chemistry teacher.
• My High School Chemistry teacher was terrific.
• My High School Counselor said “there were few jobs in biology so pick chemistry!”(true or not it was an influence.)
• One Uncle was a chemist.
• One Uncle was a pharmacist.
• My dad thought it was better to go into the sciences than to farm.
Which courses (chemistry or non-chemistry related) left a lasting impression on you and why?
• Organic Chemistry since it could truly explain how chemicals and compounds worked.
• Physical Chemistry because it tied all the disciplines of math, chemistry and physics together.
• Secondary Education Student Teaching experience in Morris: I really enjoyed teaching and I knew the material but had to explain it on their level.
Please share any UMM Chemistry stories that you may have.
• One lab experience sticks so fresh in my mind. Background: There was a student in the lab that was so brilliant and so intent in doing everything right. This individual had a pretty strong opinion of himself. I myself was more the middle ground (I had to work for my grades). Situation: We were using our organic chemistry kits and had a condenser set up as we were performing a reflux type of experiment. This student’s condenser hose slipped off and he panicked. As he tried to reattach the water pressured and spraying hose, it was squirting in every direction and the pressure itself would not allow it to be attached. He finally yelled, I can’t get it and backed away. I walked up, turned the water off for 5 seconds, attached the hose, and turned the water back on. It was then, that I thought, it takes more than brains to be successful.
• This same person a few months later demonstrated the downside of a closed reflux system. He accidentally placed the stoppered thermometer in the open part of the reflux system sealing it. It was until there was this big bang that shot the stoppered cork and thermometer directly into the ceiling tile. Fortunately the thermometer did not break as most of the chemists would have been rolling on the floor in mercury unfortunately in uncontrolled laughter. Sadly, I must admit we should not have been laughing but this person had quite the ego and this situation brought him back down to reality.
• As labs go, we were on our way to the lab and everyone was gathered around the glass cage in the science building entrance where our large python was kept. They had placed a live rat in the cage and everyone was gathered around to watch. Everyone was waiting to watch the python make short work of the rat. Needless to say, I had to leave to attend my lab. Many hours later after finally solving my organic “unknown” as I was making my way out of the lab I happened to walk by when the python decided to attack and kill the rat. A little reward for staying late to finish the lab.
Life after UMM
How did your experiences at UMM prepare you for your path after graduation?
• I met many types of friends who were far different than my high school and/or farming friends. They came from diverse backgrounds, some were from the big city, some students were rich, some were from different countries, different culture and varied from conservative to liberal. It was quite the change for me. Understanding differences has been essential in my path after graduation. This helped me review my own value system and gain respect for how divergent cultures or approaches can more adequately improve the business result.
What advice would you give to incoming UMM students?
• The same advice I gave my 3 sons. “You are who you hang with!”
o Realize that at that time the drinking age was 18. If you think you can pal around with the drinkers and not become one forget it. (note I had a few now and then but not in great excess..)
o Pick friends with similar study habits. Note: the smart ones have their place but they may pick it up a chemistry chapter in one read and that is depressing. Choose study partners that are more your intellect and have similar values.
o Establish study habits early. My freshman year I thought a couple of hours per day was pretty good. Later it became clear I needed more.
• There is a balance between your passion and where the jobs are. Being flexible and being open challenges is a great thing. My advice is to align your career with the potential of earning income.
• Sometimes your first job may pay you a low wage. Mine did. The experience I got as I worked hard more than offset my entry level wage. Hard work always pays off.
What did/do you find most valuable about your chemistry degree from UMM?
• First of all I got a job out of college.
• I learned the value of helping others knowing that my busy professors took time to help me.
• The “quality” of my degree was very high when compared to peers that attended other colleges and I worked along side.
Personal Information
Current and past employment history:
- General Nutrition Corporation: (9 years)
- 1978 1981: Chemist testing food and nutritional products
- 1981 1983: Lab Supervisor and Methods Development
- 1983 1987: QA/QC Manager in support of Tablet Production
- Sanofi aventis and predecessor companies: (23 years)
- 1987 1988: QA In-process Supervisor
- 1988 1989: Senior Process Engineer/ Production Supervisor
- 1990 1991: Manager: Packaging
- 1991 1992: Cardizem CD Expansion Team: Process Validation
- 1992 1997: Prod. Mgr. Beads, CW, Solution Prep, Blister Pkg.
- 1997 1999: Planning Leader for beaded (pellet) products
- 1999 2000: Training and Development: North America
- 2000 2002: Health Safety & Environment Leader
- 2002 2004: Director of Production Beaded (pellet) Products
- 2004 2005: Industrial Development Leader: Technical Transfer
- Current Role:
- 2005 2009: Head of Technical Operations: (HSE, Security, and Maintenance.
Family Information:
• Married 31 years to my wife Mary
• 3 great sons:
• Austin : Age 19, 2nd year at KState major in Chemistry and Teaching
• Paul : Age 24, 09 Graduate from KState in Civil Engineering, married and in graduate school.
• Steve: Age 26, 07 Graduate from KState in Business and Criminology. Manages a Store for Penske Trucking in Minnesota .
Current hobbies or non-science interests:
• Gun collection, Gun restoration, Gun History
• Carpentry: Designed and built lake home, enjoy building most anything.
• Current activity: Restoring old Chris Craft boat.
*Other additional information that you may wish to share:
• Each student alone must answer this question. How do you define success for yourself personally?
• During my MBA, I once had to create what my tombstone might read. It went something like this. Being remembered as a good husband and father, succeeded in business, never at the expense of others.
Current contact information:
• Kenbruss@aol.com or ken.bruss@sanofi-aventis.com
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