Success Stories
Our Alumni
Breanna Trovillion (Whitley) (2019) - US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Rend Lake Project
Breanna Trovillion is a lead Natural Resources Specialist for the US Army Corps of Engineers at Rend Lake. Breanna has worked for the USACE since 2015, when she began her career at Rend Lake as a student intern. After completing her M.S. in Plant Biology at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Breanna was selected as the lead Natural Resources Specialist for the Interpretive Services and Outreach Programming department at Rend Lake. Breanna's career at Rend Lake has focused on educating Rend Lake's 1.4 million visitors about Rend Lake's diverse natural resources and the importance of water safety. Breanna and her team educate people of all ages and backgrounds in the local communities and beyond. Today, in her leadership role, Breanna is responsible for cultivating partnerships with local community organizations and businesses, employing creative strategies to leverage resources to address flatlining budgets and rising operational costs, and building a robust outreach campaign to promote the Corps' mission.
Breanna is a Southern Illinois native, enjoying the outdoors with her husband Drew and her 3 boys.
"My experience in LDP allowed me to develop my leadership philosophy, core values, and mission-driven mindset before even entering the workforce! Today, this helps me lead my team with empathy, compassion, and clarity! It feels good to know I've developed the skills to help people I care about also become successful!"
Roberto Garza Lazo (2016) - Product Engineer, Spartan Light Metal Products
Roberto’s area of focus with Spartan Light Metal Products is to keep his assigned production lines running at optimum performance. Roberto hopes to become a working team leader within the engineering department at Spartan LMP in the next ten years. He hopes to achieve this through dedication, constantly learning, and relationship building throughout the manufacturing plant. When asked how he’s been able to use his LDP training in his career, Roberto responded:
“The LDP taught me organizational and time management skills. I have applied these every day, and they have helped tremendously me thus far. Being organized allows you to work at a smooth pace rather than scrambling to find the necessary things to get the job done. As far as time management goes, knowing how to prioritize your day is a huge skill considering there is always something to do. At the end, getting the job done right the first time can definitely help with how much you can achieve.
Austin Caldwell (2016) - Design Engineer, American Buildings Company – Nucor, El Paso Illinois
Austin designs building systems to meet specific customer needs. In 10 years, Austin hopes to see himself in middle management within Nucor. He feels that every successful company needs leaders who care about their people. Austin enjoys building relationships, learning about others, and working in a high-performance team. When asked how he’s been able to use his LDP training in his career, Austin responded:
“Public speaking is huge. I gave multiple presentations during my first year and LDP prepared me to do this effectively no matter who the crowd is. I have also been able to apply the soft skills when working with others. Getting to know the people you work with is key and the LDP prepared me to be proactive about developing these relationships. Also, learn how to sacrifice personal time for the success of your team. If you want to be the best, you have to work like it.
Austin Lewandowski (2014) – Integris Engineering
Austin Lewandowski has worked as a successful project manager in some of St Louis’ harshest heavy industrial work sites, and most recently transferred into an engineering design role.
“I attribute 90 percent of my successes in the real world to the lessons I learned while pushing my limits in the LDP safety net. As a graduate of the Leadership Development Program, I can tell you one thing for certain; this program will change your life and allow you to be as successful as you want to be. It enabled me to land multiple once-in-a-lifetime career opportunities through the development of my soft skills, and has allowed me to excel using the technical knowledge I gained, as well as a certain “grit” I developed while learning under Dr. DeRuntz.”
Logan McNear (2011) – Digital Manufacturing Program Lead, The Hershey Company
Logan McNear is a dynamic leader driving digital transformation in manufacturing at The Hershey Company. Currently serving as Digital Manufacturing Program Lead at The Hershey Company, Logan spearheads initiatives that connect people, processes, and technology to create smarter, more agile operations. Logan’s leadership style emphasizes collaboration, adaptability, and mentorship—empowering teams to embrace change and deliver measurable results. Throughout Logan’s career, he held pivotal roles shaping operational excellence and digital transformation. Starting in Lean and Manufacturing Reliability, Logan led major initiatives to advance reliability, maintenance, and engineering maturity across multiple manufacturing plants, driving strategic initiatives and reducing supply chain risk. Logan is recognized for strategic thinking, technical depth, and a people-first approach—qualities that make him a trusted partner in shaping the future of manufacturing. Logan currently lives in PA with his wife and 3 children; enjoying activities involving his faith, family, and business adventures.
"My experience in LDP helped springboard my impact in the workplace and life. LDP positions aspiring leaders to achieve excellence through hard work, strategic vision, aggressive goal setting, and having a go-getter attitude.”