Six Honored with Clarkson University’s Most Prestigious Alumni Award
Robert E. Empie ’68, MS’69 of Greenville, Ohio; Gregory C. Farrington '68 of Bradenton, Fla.; David K. Heacock ’83 of Los Gatos, Calif.; William H. Lane ’53 of Palm Bay, Fla.; Beth A. Moeller '88 of Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; and David M. Spatz '68 of West Lake Hills, Texas, have been honored with the Golden Knight award by their alma mater, Clarkson University.
Presented each year during the Alumni Reunion, Clarkson’s most prestigious alumni award is given to alumni who have distinguished themselves either by service to Clarkson through Alumni Association activities or have demonstrated outstanding career achievement, bringing distinction to themselves and to Clarkson.
Robert E. Empie received both his bachelor of science and master of science degrees in industrial management from Clarkson.
He joined Procter & Gamble in 1969 and served in many positions of increasing responsibility throughout the world. He retired as the director of manufacturing for the North American Paper Business, after a career of more than 33 years with Procter & Gamble.
Empie has generously served the communities in which he lives. He was a youth hockey coach and served as president of the Cincinnati Youth Hockey Association. He was also a member of the McMaster University Engineering Advisory Board, among other volunteer positions.
He was one of the most prolific forwards in Clarkson hockey’s history and received the Pilon Award for outstanding achievement as a student athlete. While in graduate school, he served as coach of the freshman hockey team
Empie received the Arnold H. Barben Award in 1994 and was inducted into Clarkson's Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008. He is a Leadership and Legacy donor in Clarkson’s Good Knights Guild.
He resides in Greenville, Ohio, with his wife, Becky. They have a daughter, a son, and three grandchildren.
Gregory C. Farrington received his bachelor of science degree in chemistry from Clarkson and his PhD in chemistry from Harvard University.
In 1998, after 20 years as a professor and dean at the University of Pennsylvania, Farrington was appointed the 12th president of Lehigh University. After Lehigh, he served as CEO of the California Academy of Sciences until retiring in 2014.
Farrington holds or shares more than two dozen patents, has authored or co-authored more than 100 technical publications and books, and has received several honorary degrees.
He is a former Clarkson trustee and continues to serve on the Honors Council. He is a Legion and Loyal donor in Clarkson’s Good Knights Guild.
Farrington resides in Bradenton, Fla., with his wife, Jean.
David K. Heacock received his bachelor of science degree in interdisciplinary engineering and management from Clarkson and his MBA in finance from the University of North Texas.
He has over 30 years in the semiconductor industry, serving as senior vice president of Texas Instruments’ Silicon Valley Analog Group before his retirement in 2017. He is currently involved in the Band of Angels, a Palo Alto angel investor group.
Heacock serves on the advisory board of the United Way Bay Area Tocqueville Society and is the board chair of Urban Works Santa Cruz, a nonprofit focused on special needs adults.
He serves on Clarkson's board of trustees, leading the financial affairs committee and serving on the facilities and investment subcommittees.
Heacock is a Legion, Loyal, Leadership, Legacy and Legend donor in Clarkson’s Good Knights Guild.
He resides in Los Gatos, Calif., with his wife, Sheryl.
William H. Lane graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1951, then received his bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from Clarkson.
He is the founder, chairman of the board and retired CEO of William H. Lane Incorporated, which specializes in healthcare, retail, commercial, educational and manufacturing construction projects throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.
Lane is an executive committee member of Broome County Community Charities and chairman of the Lourdes Hospital Foundation. He has been involved with both organizations for more than 25 years.
He has been actively involved in Clarkson’s Alumni Association and admissions efforts. Lane is a Loyal, Leadership and Legacy donor in Clarkson’s Good Knights Guild, generously supporting the Cheel Campus Center and Arena, and the Cora and Bayard Clarkson Science Center renovations and expansions.
Lane resides in Palm Bay, Florida, with his wife, Beverly.
Beth Moeller received her bachelor of science degree in physics and technical communications from Clarkson and a master of science in technical communication and a PhD in communication & rhetoric from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
She is the owner of Interactive Media Consulting, LLC, where she has spent more than 25 years researching the best way to organize and present electronic information for the greatest impact.
Moeller is a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and past president of the IEEE Professional Communication Society. Her latest project is the founding of the Innovation Center at Saratoga Inc., a makerspace, incubator and rapid prototyping center., where she serves as president of the board of directors.
She received Clarkson's Woodstock Award and the Charles S. Ehrlich ’56 Alumni Admission Award. She serves on the Leadership Council for the School of Arts and Sciences and is active in the Pep Band Alumni Association. She is a Legion, Loyal and Legacy donor in Clarkson’s Good Knights Guild.
Moeller resides in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., with her husband, Thomas Moeller ’88, and son, Benjamin Moeller ’19, MS’21, MS’23.
David M. Spatz received his bachelor of science degree in chemistry from Clarkson and his PhD in chemistry from the University of Michigan.
In 2000, Spatz took early retirement after 21 years at Chevron Corporation. He had seven positions during that time, ranging from research to phosphate fertilizer, refining technology marketing and finished lubricants. His last position was general manager of Chevron's North American lubricants business, with $1 billion in sales and 1,000 employees.
During that time, Spatz started a small-scale real estate development business, Spatz Development Company, that led to the development of more than $100 million worth of real estate. He and his wife, Anyi Lu, also started a women’s fashion footwear business, ANYI LU International Inc., which grew to sell in 55 Nordstrom stores.
Spatz is also a founding director of United Business Bank in Walnut Creek, Calif.
He is a Legion, Loyal, Leadership, Legacy and Legend donor in Clarkson’s Good Knights Guild and, in 2016, established the David M. Spatz '68 Endowed Chair to support the director of Clarkson’s Engineering and Management program.
Spatz resides in West Lake Hills, Texas, with his wife, Anyi, and their daughter, Fayen.
