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 Engineering is the practice of using natural science, mathematics, and the engineering design process to Problem solving#Engineering, solve problems within technology, increase efficiency and productivity, and improve Systems engineering, s ...

firms. He was also a well-known

philanthropist Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives for the public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private good, focusing on material ...

Early life and education

Anderson was born in

Harrodsburg, Kentucky Harrodsburg is a home rule-class city in and the county seat of Mercer County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 9,064 at the 2020 census. Although Harrodsburg was formally established by the Virginia House of Burgesses after Boo ...

, in 1923. He served as a

B-29 The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is a retired American four-engined Propeller (aeronautics), propeller-driven heavy bomber, designed by Boeing and flown primarily by the United States during World War II and the Korean War. Named in allusion to ...

flight engineer A flight engineer (FE), also sometimes called an air engineer, is a member of an aircraft's flight crew who is responsible for monitoring and operating its complex aircraft systems. In the early era of aviation, the position was sometimes referr ...

in the

United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. He earned a bachelor's degree in

mechanical engineering Mechanical engineering is the study of physical machines and mechanism (engineering), mechanisms that may involve force and movement. It is an engineering branch that combines engineering physics and engineering mathematics, mathematics principl ...

from the

University of Kentucky The University of Kentucky (UK, UKY, or U of K) is a Public University, public Land-grant University, land-grant research university in Lexington, Kentucky, United States. Founded in 1865 by John Bryan Bowman as the Agricultural and Mechanical ...

in 1950.

Professional life

After earning his degree, Anderson began work as an engineer for

General Electric General Electric Company (GE) was an American Multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in 1892, incorporated in the New York (state), state of New York and headquartered in Boston. Over the year ...

General Motors General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. The company is most known for owning and manufacturing f ...

, 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, 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 at the University of Kentucky, he was also a perennial sponsor of the University of Kentucky Solar Car Team, and provided a scholarship
The Ralph G. Anderson Scholarship, School of Dynamic Systems,

University of Cincinnati The University of Cincinnati (UC or Cincinnati, informally Cincy) is a public university, public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. It was founded in 1819 and had an enrollment of over 53,000 students in 2024, making it the ...

for engineering students at the

. 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

* *

External links

Ralph G. Anderson's 19 Points {{DEFAULTSORT:Anderson, Ralph G. 1923 births People from Harrodsburg, Kentucky 2010 deaths Engineers from Kentucky United States Army Air Forces personnel of World War II 20th-century American engineers United States Army Air Forces soldiers University of Kentucky College of Engineering alumni