Ralph G. Anderson

Ralph G. Anderson (July 19, 1923 – February 13, 2010) was an American engineer, farmer, and the founder of Belcan, one of America's largest engineering firms. He was also a well-known philanthropist.

For other people named Ralph Anderson, see Ralph Anderson (disambiguation).
Ralph G. Anderson
Born(1923-07-19)July 19, 1923
Harrodsburg, Kentucky
DiedFebruary 13, 2010(2010-02-13) (aged 86)
Cincinnati, Ohio
NationalityAmerican
OccupationEntrepreneur
Years active1950–2010
Known forFounder of Belcan
Spouse(s)Ruth M. Tucker
ChildrenCandace McCaw

Early life and education

Anderson was born in Harrodsburg, Kentucky in 1923. He served as a B-29 Flight Engineer in the United States Air Force during World War II.[1] He earned a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Kentucky in 1950.[2]

Professional life

After earning his degree, Anderson began work as an engineer for General Electric, General Motors, and the Kett Corporation. He founded Belcan, an engineering services corporation, in October 1958.

Personal life

Ruth and Ralph Anderson had one daughter, Candace McCaw of Cincinnati. They had three grandchildren. When away from Belcan, Anderson spent much of his time curating Anderson Circle Farm,[3] an Angus cattle farm in Mercer County, Kentucky.

Philanthropy

Anderson was an ardent supporter of engineering education. In addition to donating funds for the Ralph G. Anderson Mechanical Engineering Building[4] at the University of Kentucky, he was also a perennial sponsor of the University of Kentucky Solar Car Team,[5] and provided a scholarship[6] for engineering students at the University of Cincinnati. Mr. Anderson also contributed significantly to his home community of Harrodsburg, Ky., including state park development, historic building renovations, community development, and upgrading site knowledge of an important Shaker village including satellite mapping.

Death

On February 13, 2010, Anderson died in Cincinnati, OH at the age of 86.

References
  • Joseph, Massie (1995). Anderson's Way. ISBN 0-697-24156-4.
  • Lane, Margaret (2008). Anderson's Legacy. ISBN 0-9793431-8-6.
  1. Hall of Distinction Profile, University of Kentucky College of Engineering "Ralph G. Anderson" Archived 2010-05-31 at the Wayback Machine, University of Kentucky, Retrieved on 2010-11-06.
  2. University of Kentucky Alumni Association Distinguished Alumni profile
  3. Anderson Circle Farm website
  4. Ralph G. Anderson Building at the University of Kentucky
  5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-06-06. Retrieved 2010-11-06.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Sponsors, UK Solar Car Team
  6. The Ralph G. Anderson Scholarship, School of Dynamic Systems, University of Cincinnati
  •   Ralph G. Anderson's 19 Points
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