David Matter

by Kathleen Hedges

The New Mexico Tech Alumni Association presented its Distinguished Achievement Award to David Matter, a 1950 graduate with a degree in metallurgy.

After receiving his degree, Matter went on to a distinguished career in metallurgy. After six years in the manufacturing research department of International Harvester Company in Chicago, Dave went to work in 1956 for Ohio Ferro-Alloys Corporation in Canton, Ohio, where he served as manager of the foundry service, vice president for sales, and until his retirement in 1992, senior vice president and president of a subsidiary engineering company.

For his technical contributions to metallurgy, Dave was honored in 1976 with the highest award of the American Foundrymen's Society, the Penton Gold Medal, "for outstanding technical contributions to the Industry, especially in the fields of gray and ductile iron metallurgy and related production practices." The Society also made Dave an honorary Life Member and presented him with an Award of Scientific Merit in 1966.

Throughout his career, Matter was active in technical society affairs, serving on and frequently chairing, committees involved in setting standards for the production and use of metals. In addition to the American Foundrymen's Society, these included the American Society for Metals, the Society of Automotive Engineers, the American Society for Testing and Materials, and the Ductile Iron Society. In addition to his service on behalf of technical standards, Matter was active in education, serving on the board of directors of the Foundry Educational Foundation and chairman of its college evaluation and scholarship committees.

Dave came to the New Mexico School of Mines a decorated veteran of World War II, his decorations including the Belgian Croix de Guerre. At Tech, he was very active in student affairs, serving on the student council and on the editorial staffs on the Porphyry yearbook and the Gold Pan student newspaper, and in intramural athletics.

Dave and his wife Pat reside in Kernersville, N.C.