Darvin chats with R. Andrew Schaffer, Associate Dean of the Purdue College of Technology.

Draper’s Darvin McGowan was doubly honored on May 10. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Industrial Technology from the Purdue University College of Technology at Richmond, and was selected by the College to deliver the Class Response at the school’s commencement program.

Darvin spoke eloquently of his eleven year quest to obtain his degree, the pressures of balancing family, work and school responsibilities and of the support he had received from family, friends and faculty.

Darvin joined Draper in 1994 when we acquired the O.C. Steele Manufacturing Company, and has been a key member of our gym equipment sales group ever since. In addition to inside sales responsibilities, he works with dealers and troubleshoots problems in the field. His travels have taken him as far as Qatar, where he supervised a gym equipment installation.

Darvin began working on his degree in 2002, and estimates he put 34,560 miles on his car attending classes in Richmond two nights a week. He took advantage of Draper’s employee tuition reimbursement program to help defray his college expenses.

Draper has benefited directly from the knowledge Darvin has acquired in pursuit of his degree. He has played a key role in the development of our overhead volleyball system and gym floor cover storage/transportation system in recent years.

Congratulations Darvin on a job well done!