In October, Ralph G. Anderson, a 1950 UK mechanical engineering graduate and founder of Belcan Corporation, was posthumously inducted into the Kentucky Aviation Hall of Fame at the Aviation Museum of Kentucky at the Bluegrass Airport.
Ralph G. Anderson, a self-proclaimed engineer and farmer from Harrodsburg, Kentucky, was a trailblazing engineer, entrepreneur and philanthropist. After serving approximately two and one-half years as a B-29 flight engineer in the U.S. Air Force, he began his formal education in engineering at the University of Cincinnati. Anderson went on to earn his Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from UK in 1950, working during his two years at UK in the Engineering Machine Shop. He spent the next seven years at General Motors and General Electric Company as a test engineer, and at Kett Corporation in analytical analysis and design.
With years of knowledge and expertise in aerospace, Anderson founded Belcan Corporation in October of 1958, headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. In the early 1960s, Belcan obtained several major contracts to do the engineering work for all gas turbine engine firms in the country. Since then, Belcan has become a global leader in a variety of technical needs for the industry including testing, development, and execution; architectural and facilities engineering; process engineering and design; equipment development; and more. Belcan has partnered relationships in diverse industries like paper making, lighting, pharmaceuticals and chemical processes, to name just a few. Anderson's leadership philosophy, emphasizing relationship-building and empowering employees, and focus on innovation remains central to Belcan’s success.
Throughout his life, Anderson remained committed to education, donating generously to engineering at the University of Kentucky and establishing scholarships for future engineers. He donated $2 million, the largest gift ever given by an alumnus to the UK College of Engineering at the time, to help build a new mechanical engineering building. He was inducted into the University of Kentucky’s Hall of Distinguished Alumni and the Pigman College of Engineering's Hall of Distinction.
Since October 1996, the Kentucky Aviation Hall of Fame has honored Kentuckians who have made significant contributions to aviation and aerospace. To see photos from this year's enshrinement or for more information, visit https://aviationky.org/default.asp?content=Past%20Enshrinees.
Video from the Aviation Museum of Kentucky
