Colorado School of Mines 1952
Hometown: Niagara Falls, New York
Inducted May 2017
Mr. Norman Zehr was a distinguished military graduate from the Colorado School of Mines and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers in 1952. Following commissioning, he graduated from the Army Aviation School in 1953. He then served in the Korean War with the 40th Infantry Division and the following year with the Korean Military Advisory Group as an Army Aviator and subsequently left the United States Army as a 1st Lieutenant. He became an honorary Colonel with the 115th Engineer Regiment in 1987. His numerous awards for military service include the Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, and the United Nations Service Medal.
Following the Korean War he worked for the Ingersoll-Rand Company from 1955 until his retirement in 1983. His distinguished career with Ingersoll-Rand Company began with the initial assignment as an Office Engineer and Sales Engineer. He held progressively more senior positions in sales and management within the United States and Peru, including President, Ingersoll-Rand International and Corporate Vice President, Ingersoll-Rand Company.
After retiring from Ingersoll-Rand, Mr. Zehr became the Colorado School of Mines Alumni Association Executive Director from 1984 until his retirement in 1995. While Executive Director, he worked tirelessly to expand the number of Alumni sections throughout the world and frequently visited them. He also established the committee to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Association in 1995. Throughout his tenure, he was highly regarded by the alumni and staff. He was awarded the Distinguished Achievement Medal by Mines in 1977 and the Legion of Honor from the Society of Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration in 2001.
Mr. Zehr has a distinguished academic history. He earned a Master of Science in Mining and Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines in 1956. Additionally, he received a Senior Executive degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1973. Mr. Zehr was the assistant editor for the Encyclopedia of the Korean War that published in 2000, and he was also a member of the planning and editing committee for the Colorado School of Mines history book titled ‘Rocky Mountains to the World.’
Mr. Norman Zehr is married to his wife Jan.