Carolyn Brandsema of Renton Receives Clarkson University's Top Alumni Honor

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Left to right: Clarkson University President Tony Collins, Brandsema, and Associate Vice President for Alumni Relations Steve Newkofsky.

POTSDAM, NY (07/26/2010)(readMedia)-- Carolyn A. Brandsema of Renton, Wash., vice president of 737/767/777 engineering at Boeing Company, Airplane and Production Systems, has received the Golden Knight Award from her alma mater, Clarkson University.

Presented each year during Reunion Weekend, Clarkson's most prestigious alumni award is given to alumni who have distinguished themselves either by service to Clarkson through Alumni Association activities or have demonstrated outstanding career achievement, bringing distinction to themselves and to Clarkson.

Brandsema received her bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering from Clarkson in 1980. In 1988, she received a master's of business administration from Seattle University.

Prior to assuming her current position, Brandsema was named vice president of engineering for the 737 Program. In addition, she served as vice president of airplane and production system development activity for the Single-Aisle Replacement Study, a position she held since March 2006. From July 2003 to March 2006, Brandsema was the director of engineering for the 737 and 757 programs, where she led a team of 1,200 design, manufacturing, and tooling engineers responsible for all phases of configuration, design, manufacturability and support of 737 and 757 airplane models.

In 2001, Brandsema was named chief project engineer for the Next-Generation 737. Prior to that, she had management positions in the payloads engineering, commercial airplanes continuous quality improvement development and manufacturing research and development organizations. Brandsema started her career at Boeing in July 1980 as a manufacturing research and development engineer.

Brandsema has served on Clarkson's Wallace H. Coulter School of Engineering Council, advocating for the Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering. She currently serves on the College of Science and Engineering Advisory Board for Seattle University.

She lives in Renton, Wash., with her husband, Jeff.

Clarkson University launches leaders into the global economy. One in six alumni already leads as a CEO, VP or equivalent senior executive of a company. Located just outside the Adirondack Park in Potsdam, N.Y., Clarkson is a nationally recognized research university for undergraduates with select graduate programs in signature areas of academic excellence directed toward the world's pressing issues. Through 50 rigorous programs of study in engineering, business, arts, sciences and health sciences, the entire learning-living community spans boundaries across disciplines, nations and cultures to build powers of observation, challenge the status quo, and connect discovery and engineering innovation with enterprise.

[A photograph for media use is available at http://www.clarkson.edu/news/photos/brandsema.jpg .]

Photo caption: Carolyn A. Brandsema of Renton, Wash., vice president of 737/767/777 Engineering at Boeing Company, Airplane and Production Systems, has received the Golden Knight Award from her alma mater, Clarkson University. Left to right: Clarkson University President Tony Collins, Brandsema, and Associate Vice President for Alumni Relations Steve Newkofsky.