Chaiken Leadership Award

Conrad M., ’74 Pre-Law, and Susan M. Bessemer are owners of Novatec Incorporated, a U.S.-based manufacturer of industrial equipment for the plastics industry. Conrad serves as CEO for Novatec; Susan serves as the firm’s executive vice president. Before that, Conrad served as president of the North America Division of Conair – a position culminating his 20 years with the firm – while Susan spent 25 years teaching. Conrad and Susan also own MachineSense LLC, a company with employees in the U.S. and India that uses electrical and vibration inputs to detect and predict machine anomalies. Conrad and Susan are long-time supporters of the College and the Department of Political Science. Conrad is a member of the college’s Campaign Planning Committee and currently chairs the Political Science Board of Visitors. The couple made the lead gift that enabled the Board of Visitors to create a graduate fellowship in political science, and they have generously supported the Paterno Fellows Program and the McCourtney Institute for Democracy. The also regularly host dinners and gatherings for alumni and students in the Washington metro area.

Conrad and Susan currently reside in Millersville, Maryland and Naples, Florida.