Gerald L. and Florence Decker

Mr. Decker earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Physics from Alma College and a Master’s Degree in Nuclear Physics and Chemistry from the University of Michigan. He was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from Olivet Nazarene University of Kankakee, Illinois and was the Chairman Emeritus of Decker Energy International, Inc., a private power development company he founded in 1981. With 45 years of experience in every phase of industrial energy generation and utilization, hewas the Chairman and CEO of Decker International Development Inc., an international energy consulting firm.

He held leadership positions with both The Dow Chemical Company and Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical Corporation. Mr. Decker formed the Competitive Power Policy Forum and led teams to conduct energy and steam audits in Poland, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, and China. He was named Energy Executive of the Year in 1981 by the Association of Energy Engineers.

Mr. Decker and his wife, Florence, established the scholarship fund in 2002 to honor their daughters, Susan Decker Caudill and Mimi Decker Bartkowiak who received their undergraduate degrees from SVSU in 1973 and 1995 respectively. The Deckers wished to promote math and science education at SVSU.