Texas Tech University

Distinguished Engineer Citations

                 
Distinguished Engineer Photo: Rene Hatten Wade
Rene Hatten Wade

Rene Hatten Wade

Distinguished Engineer

2015

Degree

Chemical Engineering – 1983

 

Citation

At Time of Nomination in 2015

Rene Hatten Wade graduated from Stratford High School in Houston, Texas in 1979. She was accepted to several outstanding universities, and chose Texas Tech for its reputation of producing graduates with solid technical skills and strong practical work ethics.

While in college, she worked summers with the Amoco Oil Company in Brownfield, Texas at their Gasoline Plant and Field Operations office and she met her husband Glenn A. Wade, who earned a Bachelor of Science in petroleum engineering.

She earned a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering from Texas Tech in 1983, and shortly after graduation, she joined 3M Company in Brownwood, Texas, where she applied her process engineering skills to complex manufacturing operations. Her responsibilities centered on manufacturing optimization and process development of products, including optically retro-reflective ScotchliteTM for fire fighters, mining and pedestrian safety, and identity management security laminates for passport and driver’s license validation by law enforcement agencies. She was chosen as the first female engineering production supervisor at the manufacturing site and also received the Circle of Excellence Award at 3M during her 10 year tenure there for innovation in new product development.

Wade is currently vice president of Product Quality with Mary Kay, Inc. in Dallas. In this role, she oversees global quality for the company, managing product quality for multiple manufacturing sites and the distribution of effective skin care and color cosmetic products in 35 countries and growing. She has been with Mary Kay for 18 years. One aspect of Mary Kay’s business model that attracted Wade to the company was the vision of “Enriching Women’s Lives,” which includes a mission to bring awareness to the public about domestic violence, as well as fighting cancers that affect women. Wade has championed these causes through awareness campaigns and fundraising for the Mary Kay Foundation.

She is also active in the company’s Habitat for Humanity annual build, and with an organization in Dallas, Citizen’s Development Center, which provides vocational training and employment support for adults with disabilities. Finally, she has a passion for: developing the next generation of women leaders and has been an active mentor and mentee through Menttium Corporation, educating young teens about STEM careers, providing Texas Tech engineering students with informational interviews, and participating in Mary Kay’s internal mentorship program for the past 10 years. Wade is also an American Society for Quality Certified Quality Engineer, and was chosen as Mary Kay’s inaugural Leader of the Year.

Wade and her husband Glenn reside in Fort Worth and are avid Red Raider fans. Their son Carter is a junior at Texas Tech and – in the family tradition – is also pursuing petroleum engineering. Their daughter Elizabeth is currently living in Amman, Jordan studying Arabic, and son Tyler will be working in Africa with the Peace Corps starting in 2015.

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