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The University of Tennessee College of Engineering 120 Perkins Hall Knoxville, TN 37996-2012 |
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| Newsletter
of the UT, Knoxville College of Engineering |
Investing In The Future
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Alumni Profile
Although he was born in Knoxville in 1913, for most of his childhood, Henry lived in Jellico, Tenn., where his father worked as a railroad engineer. Henry's family returned to Knoxville in 1929 on the brink of the Depression. His love for "tinkering" spurred him to enter the electrical engineering program at the university following high school. Although Henry described himself as a "less than stellar student,"
he attributes his engineering classes with helping him learn how
to think creatively. This joy for creative thinking still has Henry
investigating improvements to infuse int Tracking the evolution of the automotive industry has been a hobby for Henry since he was a young man seated behind the wheel of a Model T Ford. One aspect of modern transportation of interest to Henry is research and development of battery-powered automobiles. "Mr. Henry is extremely knowledgeable and interested in the feasibility of electric vehicles," said Dr. Jeff Hodgson, mechanical and aerospace engineering and engineering science professor and director of the Graduate Automotive Technical Education program. "He has several forward-thinking ideas about how the limited range of electric-powered transportation could be overcome." Although Henry's engineering career included a number of facets of the electrical engineering industry including owning his own business, he described one of his first jobs, a position with the Knoxville Power Company (now the Knoxville Utilities Board), as one of his most fruitful work experiences because there he met Velma LeBow. Three years later she and Henry began 49 years of marriage together until she passed away in 1991. Mrs. Henry, a musician, was active in civic activities near their home in Bristol, Tenn. In 1942, Henry entered the Navy for four-and-a-half years of service. Later that year, the Henrys' wedding was sandwiched between two military electronics and RADAR training courses at Harvard and MIT. Near the end of his professional engineering career in the late 1970s, Henry continued his involvement with military equipment in a position in Bristol with Raytheon, a major producer of defense products, where he was director of reliability and quality assurance. One aspect of his job included directing test research for the Dragon missile, a shoulder-fired weapon. During his retirement years, Henry has expanded his interest in the stock market into virtually a full-time endeavor. The problem-solving and strategy skills he developed in the engineering industry have allowed him to successfully direct his investment portfolio. "One of my favorite electives in college was economics," he said. "I guess that class sparked a long-term interest in the economy and investment." Henry shares his investment profits with his alma mater. Last year, he established a trust that in the future will benefit engineering students in the form of the Robert L. Henry Jr. and Velma LeBow Henry Scholarship Endowment Fund. Henry's gift will support students interested in engineering as it relates to the automotive industry. "Many individuals invested their talents in my experience at UT," Henry said. "I'm happy that my funds will help deserving youngsters get an opportunity to learn some of the lessons in engineering that have helped me throughout my life." Story by Jacque Branson |
Robert
L. Henry Jr. (BS/EE '35) remembers the people and personalities
many current UT, Knoxville students only associate with the names
of buildings. Almost 65 years after graduating from the university,
Henry still fondly recalls those who influenced his education including
Dr. Charles E. Ferris (Ferris Hall), the first dean of the College
of Engineering; Dr. Charles A. Perkins (Perkins Hall), electrical
engineering professor; and Dr. John C. Hodges (Hodges Library),
English professor. 
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daily activities.