Mentors

Mentors are the driving force behind Team RUSH. They inspire, teach, instruct the students. There are many mentor positions available. Including robot build, electrical systems, chaperones, programming help, and business positions. Mentors make many of the important decisions concerning the build of the robot and the make up of the team.

Photo of Ken Barch
 Name: Ken Barch
Favorite Color: Blue
Rookie Year in FIRST: 2008
Rookie Year on RUSH: 2008
Favorite Moment: Watching my son, Eric, catch a Dolly Varden Trout in Alaska.
Favorite Quote: "There are no problems, only opportunities to find solutions." -Henry David Thoreau
Personal Hero: Henry David Thoreau
Company: US Fabricating Inc.
Employment Length: 14 years as machinist
Sub team: Machining
Mentors Photo of Austin Duggan
 Name: Austin Duggan
Favorite Color: Red
Rookie Year in FIRST: 2002
Rookie Year on RUSH: 2003
Favorite Moment: Being the first ever FIRST student to receive the Phil Clancy Scholarship in 2005.
Favorite Quote: "Try not to become a man of success but a man of value." -Albert Einstein
Personal Hero: My Dad
Company: Arvin Meritor
Employment Length: 2 years
Sub team: 12 Volt
What do you want to accomplish? : Someday I hope to be able to support and improve the life of those around me.
Photo of Tim Flickinger
 Name: Tim Flickinger
Favorite Color: Blue
Rookie Year in FIRST: 1999
Rookie Year on RUSH: 1999
Favorite Moment: Winning Midwest Regional in 1999.
Favorite Quote: Oh, yeah, this just keeps getting better.
Personal Hero: None
Company: Chrysler
Employment Length: 16 Years
Sub team: Electrical
What do you want to accomplish?: Get a unique feature on the robot that will win us an award and greatly assist the drivers in winning all matches we play in, with an ultimate goal of winning a national title.
Photo of Fred Fox
 Name: Fred Fox
Favorite Color: Blue
Rookie Year in FIRST: 2007
Rookie Year on RUSH: 2007
Favorite Moment: Seeing the ramp robot deploy and lift two other robots in our first competition.
Favorite Quote: "Fail Faster!" -Mrs. Hughes
Personal Hero: Dad
Company: Schenck Rotec
Employment Length: 14 years
Sub team: Charlie Co.
What do you want to accomplish?: Help students to have fun and see them apply math in the everyday world.
Photo of Jimmy Holmes
 Name: Jimmy Holmes
Favorite Color: Green
Rookie Year in FIRST: 1997
Rookie Year on RUSH: 1997
Favorite Moment: The finals at the West Michigan Regional in 2002
Favorite Quote: “ As far as you seek, you will go”
Personal Hero: My Parents
Company: Detroit Testing Laboratory
Sub team: Charlie Company
What do you want to accomplish? : “Through mentoring I want to make a difference in the lives of young people, for they are the future.”
Photo of Dennis Hughes
 Name: Dennis Hughes
Favorite Color: Blue
Rookie Year in FIRST: 1997
Rookie Year on RUSH: 1997
Favorite Moment: 1. 2003 Championship Quality Award. 2. 2004 Great Lakes Regional chairman’s award
Favorite Quote: There are thousands of ways to skin a cat.
Personal Hero: Wife
Company: Daimler Chrysler
Employment Length: Too long
Sub team: Chassis
What do you want to accomplish?: To be competitive and have fun
Photo of Kyle Hughes
 Name: Kyle Hughes
Favorite Color: Green
Rookie Year in FIRST: 1997
Rookie Year on RUSH: 1997
Favorite Moment: Winning the Woodie Flowers Award.
Favorite Quote: Attitude's a choice, choose yours!
Personal Hero: Grandma Ruth, Mom, & Dennis
Company: OSMTech Academy - Clarkston Schools
Employment Length: 16 Years
Sub team: Business/Leadership
What do you want to accomplish?: To change the culture of the Clarkston community to be a robotics world!
Mentors Photo of Steve Hyde
 Name: Steve Hyde
Favorite Color: Blue
Rookie Year in FIRST: 2008
Rookie Year on RUSH: 2008
Favorite Moment: The demo at AMT
Favorite Quote: If you cannot change your mind you cannot change anything.
Personal Hero: Eric Liddell (from movie Chariots of Fire)
Company: Chrysler
Employment Length: 23 years
Sub team: Advanced Electronics
What do you want to accomplish? : Help students and people reach their full potential.
Mentors Photo of Shayna Kunz
 Name: Shayna Kunz
Favorite Color: Pink
Rookie Year in FIRST: 2005
Rookie Year on RUSH: 2008
Favorite Moment: Winning nationals in 2006.
Favorite Quote: Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift.
Personal Hero: My mom
School: Kettering university
Sub team: Photo/Video
What do you want to accomplish? : To be helpful
Photo of Anthony Lapp
 Name: Anthony Lapp
Favorite Color: Doesn’t believe in favorite colors
Rookie Year in FIRST: 1996
Rookie Year on RUSH: 2005
Personal Hero: Justin Ridley
Company: American Axle and Manufacturing
Employment Length: 1.5 years
Sub team: Above Chassis
What do you want to accomplish? : Inspire young minds
Photo of Jason Markesino
 Name: Jason Markesino
Favorite Color: Blue
Rookie Year in FIRST: 1997
Rookie Year on RUSH: 1997
Favorite Moment: Winning two regionals in 1999.
Favorite Quote: Shoot for the moon, even if you miss you will land among the stars.
Personal Hero: Dean Kamen
Company: Applied Manufacturing Technologies
Employment Length: 1.5 Years
Sub team: Chairmans/Charlie Co.
What do you want to accomplish?: Kick A$$ autonomous mode
Photo of Shannon Moegling
 Name: Shannon Moegling
Favorite Color: Blue
Rookie Year on FIRST: 1998
Rookie Year on RUSH: 2005
Favorite Moment: Dancing and cherring at Nationals
Favorite Quote: The world is before you and you need not take it or leave it as it was when you came in.
Personal Hero: My husband
Company: Johnson Controls
Employment Length: 2 years
Sub team: Charlie Co.
What do you want to accomplish? : Inspiring High School students to go into math and science fields and win National Chairmans Award.
Mentors Photo of James Slemons
 Name: James (Mufasa) Slemons
Favorite Color: Red
Rookie Year in FIRST: 2003
Rookie Year on RUSH: 2003
Favorite Moment: Driving at Nationals in 2006.
Favorite Quote: Never let your schooling get in the way of your education.
Personal Hero: Grandma
Company: Tower Automotive
Sub team: Business Team
What do you want to accomplish? : I want to be a stay at home dad
Photo of Mike Smith
 Name: Mike Smith
Favorite Color: Green
Rookie Year in FIRST: 2005
Rookie Year on RUSH: 2005
Favorite Moment: Joining the Air Force
Favorite Quote: N/A
Personal Hero: My mom
Company: General Motors
Employment Length: 22.5 years
Sub team: Machining
What do you want to accomplish? : N/A
Photo of Bruce Turner
 Name: Bruce Turner
Favorite Color: Blue
Rookie Year in FIRST: 1998
Rookie Year on RUSH: 1998
Favorite Moment: Coming in 4th at nationals in 1999.
Favorite Quote: Serenity prayer.
Personal Hero: Leonardo Da Vinci
Company: Retired
Employment Length: Retired
Sub team: Machining
What do you want to accomplish?: Make parts that work
Photo of Bruce Warden
 Name: Bruce Warden
Favorite Color: Blue
Rookie Year in FIRST: 2002
Rookie Year on RUSH: 2002
Favorite Moment: I.R.I. 2003
Favorite Quote: Excuses are for times when you don't have a reason
Personal Hero: Dad
Company: 3M Tool
Employment Length: 2 Years
Sub team: Machinist
What do you want to accomplish?: Be useful