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Ferris State professor emeritus Robert Speirs III honored by the Society of Plastics Engineers Automotive Division for service to students, industry

Ferris State Plastics Professor Emeritus Robert Speirs III honored
Ferris State University Professor Emeritus Robert Speirs III has received a lifetime achievement award from the Automotive Division of the Society of Plastics Engineers.
BIG RAPIDS, Mich. — 

Robert Speirs III, professor emeritus and former chair of the Ferris State University Plastic Program, has been named the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award winner by the Automotive Division of the Society of Plastics Engineers.

Speirs’ academic program leadership, professorship, and personal guidance motivated students to pursue successful careers in plastics engineering, growing the industry today and into the future. The organization says many leaders in the automotive plastics industry today were educated, encouraged and mentored by Speirs and are grateful for his inspiration.

“Bob’s leadership and mentoring students within the plastics program at Ferris State have made a significant impact on the automotive plastics industry,” said Mark Lapain, senior business development manager at Advanced Composites and SPE Lifetime Achievement Award Chair.  “There are Ferris State graduates all across the industry in technical, leadership and commercial positions. Bob’s personal success, and by extension, the success of all his former students, makes him a really deserving candidate of the Lifetime Achievement Award.”

First given in 2001, the SPE Automotive Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes the technical achievements of individuals whose work in research, design, and/or engineering has led to significant integration of polymeric materials on passenger vehicles.

Speirs’ roles at Ferris State’s Plastics Program included assistant professor, associate professor and professor and coordinator of Plastics, Rubber and CAD Programs.

For almost 40 years, Speirs educated plastics professionals by teaching and mentoring 1,500 graduates, inspiring 250 students to obtain Master of Science degrees, motivated 50 to obtain doctorate degrees, led 75 legacy students -- sons and daughters of Ferris State Plastic Program graduates. Many of the graduates established successful careers in automotive industries.

A number of Speirs’ graduates are in key leadership positions in the industry advancing automotive plastics today, including Scott Kushion, president, Asahi Kasei Plastics Mexico; Kevin Chase, CEO at Chase Plastic Services; John Hobson, president, RPM Plastics; Corey Childs, NA director of Operations, Dana Incorporated; Joe Fulsher, co-owner WAK Plastics Machinery; Crystal Searle, Global Resin Commodity manager, Molex; Casey Camp, Engineering Group manager – Exterior Lighting, General Motors; Lane Lindstrom, senior manufacturing engineer, General Motors; Tom Miller, senior account manager, Celanese Engineered Materials; and Tom Van Pernis, professor in Ferris State’s Plastics and Rubber Program.

Spires was nominated for the honor by Dan Fuller, a graduate who is now senior applications and development engineer, Celanese Engineered Materials.

Prior to his tenure at Ferris State, Speirs worked in the plastics industry as senior application development engineer at Dow Chemical in Midland, principal engineer at Baxter Travenol Labs in Round Lake, Illinois, and market development engineer at Kay Fries Chemical in Fairlawn, New Jersey.

Speirs earned a Bachelor of Science degree, a Master of Science degree and an ABD (All But Dissertation Doctoral program status) in Plastics Engineering at University of Massachusetts at Lowell.  He completed his research at Army Materials and Mechanics Research Center, Watertown, Massachusetts.

“I am so incredibly honored and grateful to be recognized with this Lifetime Achievement Award from the SPE Automotive Division,” Speirs said. “Thank you SPE, Ferris State University, and especially the students I have had the honor to work with and who have earned their successes due to their individual achievements, perseverance, and dedication. Thank you to my family and friends, whose support over the years, make this award possible as well.”

A number of Speirs’ graduates are in key leadership positions in the industry advancing automotive plastics today, including Scott Kushion, president, Asahi Kasei Plastics Mexico; Kevin Chase, CEO at Chase Plastic Services; John Hobson, president, RPM Plastics; Corey Childs, NA director of Operations, Dana Incorporated; Joe Fulsher, co-owner WAK Plastics Machinery; Crystal Searle, Global Resin Commodity manager, Molex; Casey Camp, Engineering Group manager – Exterior Lighting, General Motors; Lane Lindstrom, senior manufacturing engineer, General Motors; Tom Miller, senior account manager, Celanese Engineered Materials; and Tom Van Pernis, professor in Ferris State’s Plastics and Rubber Program.

“For as long as I can remember, Bob has brought his students to the SPE Automotive Innovation Awards Gala to assist with setting up our part displays and more offering them hands on experience and a close-up view of innovation in automotive plastics,” said Jeffrey Helms, global automotive director, Celanese and SPE Automotive Innovation Awards Gala Chair. “This also provided his students with great networking opportunities and our industry with an educated workforce and continued leadership, which we are very grateful for.”

First given in 2001, the SPE Automotive Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes the technical achievements of individuals whose work in research, design, and/or engineering has led to significant integration of polymeric materials on passenger vehicles.

Speirs III is planning to receive the award at the 54th annual SPE Automotive Innovation Awards Gala on Nov. 5.

SPE’s mission is to promote scientific and engineering knowledge relating to plastics worldwide and to educate industry, academia, and the public about these advances.

SPE’s Automotive Division is active in educating, promoting, recognizing, and communicating technical accomplishments in all phases of plastics and plastic-based composite developments in the global transportation industry. Topic areas include applications, materials, processing, equipment, tooling, design, and development.