Engineers as CEOs
Richard J. Puerzer, PhD (Industrial Engineering) Department of Engineering Chairperson and Associate Professor
Richard.J.Puerzer@hofstra.edu
Over the last several years it has been regularly reported that there are more Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of major corporations with an educational and career background in engineering than from any other area of study, including business. Some of the most prominent CEOs in the world are engineers, including Mary Barra at General Motors, Jeff Bezos at Amazon, Lisa Su at AMD, and Apple’s CEO Tim Cook. There are a number of qualities that engineers have that make them successful corporate leaders, and many of these characteristics build upon knowledge and skills imparted, both in and out of the classroom, in an engineering education.
Some of the attributes of engineers that also prepare them to be successful CEOs include: systematic problem-solving skills, attention to detail, analytical thinking, training in technology, and adaptability. Here at Hofstra, we teach and instill these skills in our students throughout their education. We begin the teaching of systematic problemsolving in the very first semester in ENGG 15: Designing the Human-Made World, highlighted by the Grand Design Challenge at the end of the semester We continue to teach this approach in courses such as Statics, Engineering Economics, and in upperlevel courses in all of the majors. Attention to detail and analytical thinking are taught directly and indirectly throughout the curricula, especially in laboratory courses. In these courses and experiences, our students are taught critical-thinking skills and how to make data-based decisions. The use of hardware and software tools are an important part of any engineering education, and we have a wide array of engineering teaching laboratories, including new bioengineering and industrial engineering laboratories along with a state-of-the-art makerspace in the new Science and Innovation Building. Although these tools are representative of current industry standards, they are employed with the knowledge that technology will change, and that engineers must be able to adapt to new and different tools, technologies, and standards. What engineers learns as undergraduates will serve as a framework for a life of learning and growth.
The engineering programs at Hofstra prepare our students to be engineers. At the same time, our programs support our students in achieving their highest aspirations in their careers and lives. Therefore, training as an engineer also prepares our students to be entrepreneurs, innovators, visionaries, leaders, and perhaps one day, CEOs As we begin the Fall 2023 semester here at Hofstra, I look forward to teaching and preparing the next generation of engineers and leaders.