This year’s executive-in-residence for the industrial and manufacturing systems engineering (IMSE) department did not plan on being so busy and having so much fun during his stay at the university.

Edward J. McDevitt, corporate director of electronic manufacturing technology at the Eaton Corporation, has been on campus this week as the second executive-in-residence the IMSE department has hosted.

“I’ve not had a minute of free time and I love it,” McDevitt said.

During his stay, McDevitt has given class lectures, met with industrial engineering staff and toured the campus facilities.

McDevitt gave a seminar Tuesday on the manufacturing success he achieved while working at the Tellabs Corporation in Lisle, Ill.

From 1978 until 1992, McDevitt was a key member of the team that enabled Tellabs to grow from $8 million to $400 million over a 14-year period, according to a press release.

Today, McDevitt will meet with graduate students and summarize his week’s experiences with IMSE faculty and staff.

McDevitt met with both undergraduate and graduate students during his stay.

“I can’t explain how much I’ve enjoyed it,” McDevitt said. “The student’s inquisitiveness is delightful.”

McDevitt stressed the importance of having a mentor.

He said he became interested in electrical engineering when a high school teacher showed him how fun math and science could be.

He said he had several mentors that changed his life because they taught him to be unselfish.

“It’s important to know you gain exceptionally by giving all of yourself the best way you know how,” McDevitt said.

McDevitt said he likes the diversity of his job at Eaton, which has 155 different plants that each produce different products.

As corporate director, McDevitt said he goes to each plant and tells employees about important manufacturing methods, while trying to help them improve their daily work.

McDevitt graduated from Rose Hulman College in 1968 with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering.

He also obtained a master’s degree in electrical engineering from John Hopkins University in 1975.

As today marks the last day of his stay, McDevitt said he would come back if invited.

“It’s a blast,” he said.