PATH OF A WARRIOR Alumni Spotlight
Mo(u)lding a Future PAUL TRODER, BSCE 1951 Have you plugged your phone charger into a wall outlet today? Or, maybe flipped on a light switch walking into your home last night? If so, it’s probable you have come in direct contact with some of Paul Troder’s life’s work as founder and president of Allied Moulded Products. Paul graduated from Indiana Tech in 1951 with a degree in civil engineering. Allied Moulded Products, his company based in Bryan, Ohio, specializes in injection and compression molding, thermoset and thermoplastic, resin and fiber glass products in the do-it-yourself, residential and industrial markets. Paul’s journey from part-time student-employee at Perfection Bakeries in Fort Wayne to president of a nationally recognized and celebrated company is one that involved assessing risks, taking chances and finding a little bit of good fortune through word of mouth as he took advantage of opportunities when they presented themselves. Allied Moulded Products was born from humble beginnings as a fledgling side-gig from the cramped space of his garage, and has grown exponentially over the decades to include multiple facilities in the United States and one in India. Following a year-and-a-half military campaign in Korea, Paul found himself looking at the next stage of his life: a sustainable and profitable career. While searching for the right academic fit, he landed on Indiana Tech because it was not too big nor
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was it too small that a civil engineering degree wouldn’t have name recognition as he entered the workforce. “I chose civil engineering because I wanted to work outside and with my hands,” Paul said. It was during that time as an undergraduate when the idea of owning his own company, of being his own boss, was first conceived.
As it turned out, his degree wasn’t immediately helpful out of school. After graduation, he responded to a newspaper ad; ARO Corporation in Bryan, Ohio, needed engineers. “They were specifically looking for mechanical engineers, but I decided to apply, and they liked me, so I took the job. It was an easy transition into the professional world. They did a good job training me.” What Indiana Tech did prepare Paul for was industrial adaptability, personal confidence and professional initiative. In other words, he was prepared to think critically about challenges as they came and confront them head-on— skills that were immeasurable when building and maintaining a globally-renowned company. Those skills came into play after 13 years at ARO Corp when the desire to start his own business because undeniable. “I decided to look into the molding industry and I can’t even tell you why. Maybe it was just pure ignorance,” Paul said. “I had a connection with an ARO Corp sales rep and found an opportunity to purchase some porcelain production equipment.