Jack Helmboldt, president and chief executive officer of the largest DENSO operation in North America and executive director on DENSO’s global board of directors, has received the Accomplished Alumni award from UT’s Haslam College of Business.
A Knoxville native and Haslam College of Business graduate in industrial management, Helmboldt has been with DENSO Manufacturing Tennessee in Maryville for twenty-five years, helping establish the company prior to its 1990 production startup and serving as a member of its executive committee throughout his career.
DENSO Manufacturing Tennessee is a $1.3 billion investment featuring four manufacturing plants producing starters, alternators, instrument clusters, electronics, and body electronics.
Helmboldt joined DENSO’s Maryville location shortly after it opened in 1989, becoming a vice president in 1996. Under his leadership, the instrument cluster division won the 2007 Shingo Prize for Manufacturing Excellence, the nation’s top lean manufacturing award. In 2013, he was the first American to be named president and CEO of Maryville operations for DENSO.
The Accomplished Alumni award recognizes notable alumni for success and distinction within their field. A variety of alumni have been featured through the program, including CEOs of major corporations, Olympians, authors, artists, musicians, US ambassadors, and civic leaders.
“It is always a special occasion to welcome alumni back to campus and provide our students the opportunity to hear firsthand about their career experiences,” said Stephen L. Magnum, dean of the Haslam College of Business and Stokely Foundation Leadership Chair. “We are fortunate to have a number of successful alumni who are leaders in their respective industries.”
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CONTACTS:
Karen Simsen (865-974-5186, ksimsen@utk.edu)