Benjamin Thorp is being inducted into the Hall of Fame for his leadership and accomplishments in career and community volunteerism.
Ben is an alumnus of the class of 1956. In high school he was in Honor Society, Student Council, played Intermural football and basketball, was in the Hi-Y club, on Library staff and won the World History Scholastic Prize.
Post high school, Ben attended RPI from 1956-61 nights until he could afford to go to the University of Maryland where he graduated in 1964 with a BS in Physics. In 1966, he did post graduate work in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Bridgeport, CT., in 1968, he returned to RPI for graduate degree work in Management and went on to the University of Tennessee for more graduate work in Marketing in 1971. He attended school while working for Huyck’s Fornex Division in Greeneville, TN, from 1964-73.
From 1973-75, he was Vice President & General Manager over 500 employees in three plant locations. He was Vice President & Director of Research at Huyck Corporation at various locations, including Rensselaer until 1981. For the next 25 yrs or so, Ben held high ranking managerial positions throughout the south working for companies such as Georgia Pacific Paper and Chesapeake Corp. and as a Renewable Products Consultant. He is a certified expert witness in Federal District Court and holds many patents, honors and awards in the field of paper technology and has authored many articles, and a book.
Ben’s accomplishments do not stop at his career. He belongs to many civic organizations and is on the board of directors of many associations and committees mostly related to the paper and bioenergy industry. For all his achievements, Ben was selected to be in Marquis “Who’s Who in America” and in the 2018 edition was selected to be an Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award winner. Ben currently is the Vice President and Co-Founder of the Bio-renewable Deployment Consortium (BDC) in Richmond, VA. Ben was nominated by his childhood friend and neighbor, alumnus Rodney Schroeder. He and his wife Diane live in Richmond, VA. Ben had a son who passed away and left a grandson.
Ben Thorp '56 accepts his award with his nominator Robney Schroeder