Fall 2009 Commencement Speaker: Judy Dorsey

Judy is the founding President and Principal Engineer at Brendle Group. Her 16-year career has included developing a unique expertise in engineering, centered on demonstrating the business case benefits of sustainability. Since 1996, she has led Brendle Group on its quest for sustainability and climate protection.

As an example of Judy’s expertise and determination, she rallied a decade of business relationships in 2006 to help form the Northern Colorado Clean Energy Cluster, a mass-collaboration that is growing the regional economy around clean energy technologies. Judy now serves as the Executive Director of the Cluster and is one of the thought leaders behind Fort ZED, an initiative to transform an area covering downtown Fort Collins, Colorado and the campus of Colorado State University (CSU) into a zero energy district, the largest of its kind in the world.

Judy is a also recognized leader in climate protection efforts throughout Colorado and the Western U.S. In 2006 she received the Climate Change Hero recognition at the Aspen Climate Action Conference, and she served on the Colorado Climate Action Panel to provide her expertise and input to the state’s Climate Action Plan.

In 2008, Judy was selected from over 200 nominees for the Denver Business Journal’s Outstanding Women in Business award in the consultant category. In 2006, she received the distinguished alumna award from the Colorado State University Department of Mechanical Engineering. Finally, in 2004 Judy received the ’40 Under 40’ award, which recognized the top 40 entrepreneurs in Northern Colorado under age 40.

Judy holds a master's degree in mechanical engineering from Colorado State and a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Northwestern University. She is a registered professional engineer in the State of Colorado, a Certified Energy Manager, and LEED Accredited Professional.

Judy resides with her family in Fort Collins in Colorado’s first LEED-certified home.

Fall 2009 Faculty Speaker: Patrick Fitzhorn

Patrick Fitzhorn earned a B.S. in computer science from Old Dominion University and an M.S. in computer science and Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Colorado State University. He has taught nearly 30 different courses at Colorado State at all student levels, from freshmen to doctoral students; he is the 1995 recipient of Colorado State’s most prestigious teaching honor, the “Excellence in Undergraduate Education” award; and he is a 2006 co-recipient of the Provost’s N. Preston Davis Award for instructional innovation. Particularly important to him, Dr. Fitzhorn has had the privilege of being a freshman engineering instructor for most of his 25 years at Colorado State. As the associate department head for undergraduate studies in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, he is responsible for the academic success of the department’s 600 undergraduate students, their courses, and their academic progress.