Mr. Rossi graduated in 1962 with a Machinist Technology degree. After walking through the machine shop on campus, he recalls being told “this is the future,” and knowing in that moment that he wanted to become a machinist.
After earning his degree at Oregon Tech, Mr. Rossi worked at Varian Associates in Palo Alto, California, as a machinist for three years. At age twenty-three, he left Varian and became 30 percent partner in a small machining company. In a matter of four years, he bought out the other partners in the company, and started Master Precision Machining in Santa Clara, California, in 1969.
“As the president and owner of Master Precision Machining, I am excited to give back to Oregon Tech so that other students have the same opportunity as I was given,” said Mr. Rossi. “The school is a fabulous institution and as a result of the hands-on-education philosophy of the university, students graduate with a competitive advantage in the workforce. I firmly believe that students learn from hands-on training and I know my donation will go directly to enable this type of learning to continue and flourish.”
Today, Master Precision Machining is proud to have a team of 41 employees with an average tenure of 20+ years. Mr. Rossi is known among his employees as an incredibly generous individual, and his giving spirit permeates throughout the organization and his community. In 2008, Mr. Rossi was awarded the George Burdick Business Award, in which the Santa Clara Mission City Community Fund honors a local business that demonstrates the qualities of community service, philanthropy and contributions to a better way of life for the citizens of the community.
Master Precision Machining has built a reputation for close-tolerance machined components, which Mr. Rossi accredits to his strong team of dedicated employees. The company has 22 state-of-the-art high-precision CNC milling centers and over the last four years, has invested $4.2 million back into the business, also becoming AS9100 Certified.
“We are honored that an accomplished alumnus such as Mr. Rossi has chosen to invest in Oregon Tech’s Foundational Campaign for the Future,” said Oregon Tech president, Dr. Nagi Naganathan. “His journey from Oregon Tech to the successful business he has made of Master Precision Machining is an inspiration. Oregon Tech believes in the power of educating and preparing our graduates for professional practice and to nurture them to be the leaders of tomorrow. Mr. Rossi is a shining example. We are very proud of the upstanding businessman Mr. Rossi has shown himself to be and the success that he has created for himself and his employees over the last 50 years. We wish him and his company many more prosperous years.”
With the $4 million Foundational Campaign for the Future, Oregon Tech is making strategic investments in programs, projects, and people aimed at increasing enrollment by 1,000 students over a five-year period. Together, we are providing students with a truly distinctive experience that centers around an innovation ecosystem of entrepreneurial resources, modernized and integrated labs and facilities, exceptional faculty and professional mentors.
###
To learn more about the Foundational Campaign for the Future and how to support students at Oregon Tech, visit www.oit.edu/future, or contact Tracy Ricketts, associate vice president for Development and Alumni Relations, at 541.885.1118 or Tracy.Ricketts@oit.edu.
About the Oregon Tech Foundation
The Oregon Tech Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that promotes and funds the educational, cultural, charitable, and service functions of the Oregon Institute of Technology.
