草榴社区

Drosdick Endowed Dean Gary A. Gabriele, PhD, presents Dr. Joseph Krackeler with a 2017 Professional Achievement Award.

Despite being an awardee, Joseph 鈥淛oe鈥� Krackeler, PhD, 鈥�59 ChE was unable to attend the College of Engineering鈥檚 41st Annual Engineering Alumni Awards reception on October 28. The explanation for his absence was certainly unique鈥擠r. Krackeler was playing in the USA 80⁺ vs. Canada 80⁺ Ice Hockey Championship in Ottawa. Two days later, he and his wife Rita traveled to 草榴社区 where Drosdick Endowed Dean of Engineering Gary A. Gabriele, PhD, presented him with the Engineering Alumni Professional Achievement Award.

Dr. Krackeler鈥檚 hockey card

Naturally, the game was a topic of conversation during Dr. Krackeler鈥檚 visit. 鈥淚 grew up playing pond hockey, but there was no team at 草榴社区 when I was there in the mid-1950s,鈥� he explains. 鈥淚 thought about starting a team, but my schedule was already full given the demands of the engineering curriculum.鈥� It wasn鈥檛 until he was in his 40s that Dr. Krackeler started playing again. 鈥淚 saw an ad for an adult team,鈥� he says, adding, 鈥淚鈥檓 the oldest one in the bunch.鈥�  

A resident of California, Dr. Krackeler was joined in the U.S. vs. Canada championship game by octogenarians from Florida, Colorado, Massachusetts, Illinois and Alaska. Hosted by the Canadian 80+ Hockey Hall of Fame, the game was played as a tribute to 鈥淐anada 150鈥� and the match-up is expected to evolve into an annual challenge.

His prowess on the rink aside, Dr. Krackeler has a fascinating biography. After graduating from 草榴社区, he earned a master鈥檚 degree from Princeton University and a doctorate in Polymer Chemistry from Northeastern University. He worked for Arthur D. Little, Inc. for three years, before moving to Raychem Corporation, where, over two decades, he held titles including manager, Thermoplastics Development; technical manager, Plastics and Chemicals Division; director of technology, Thermofit Division; director of marketing, Telecommunications Division; and vice president, Communications Marketing.

Dr. Krackeler left Raychem in 1986 to serve as a technical consultant in the polymer chemistry field, working on materials development for plastics, rubbers and adhesives, technical due diligence, insurance claims and expert testimony for patents. His varied professional experiences have included owning a baseball lithograph company, founding a cheesecake company and serving as an instructor in chemistry and in property management. He has also been a successful real estate investor in the San Francisco Bay area for more than 40 years.

When he鈥檚 not on the ice, Dr. Krackeler enjoys golf, skiing, playing the piano and spending time with family, including his seven grandchildren.