BENJAMIN FELDHAUSEN (Photo by Dan Weingarten, Michigan Department of Transportation)

HOUGHTON — Benjamin M. Feldhausen has been elected to chair the Professional Advisory Board for the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering at Michigan Technological University.

The board functions autonomously to represent and support a stable mission for the department while engaging alumni and friends to improve quality of the educational programs.

A graduate of Iron Mountain High School and dual baccalaureate honors graduate of Michigan Tech, Feldhausen is licensed as both a professional engineer and professional surveyor. While attending MTU, he spent several years as an undergraduate teaching assistant, a peer mentoring advisor, a tutor and was also a member of the National Civil Engineering Honor Society, Chi Epsilon.

He has been actively involved on the board for more than 15 years, served as an ambassador for the College of Engineering and was appointed by the provost to an international executive search panel during his tenure.

Feldhausen has volunteered countless hours and served in various capacities in community groups, youth sports, educational programs, professional affiliations, and civic affairs. He spent four years as chair of the Crystal Falls City Planning Commission, which was instrumental in modernizing zoning districts, ordinance language, site plan reviews and revitalization of a community recreation plan. He is a past officer and member of the board of directors for the Michigan Society of Professional Surveyors-UP Chapter and has also been a trustee at his church.

Feldhausen has worked in the construction industry, professional consulting and with the Michigan Department of Transportation as a traffic safety advocate. He is an action team member with the Governor’s Traffic Safety Advisory Commission and works regularly with law enforcement on strategic safety concerns. He has also served multiple terms as chair of the Upper Peninsula Traffic Safety Network, a group that involves hundreds of representatives who collaborate as professionals and elected officials to improve roadway safety.

Feldhausen has worked to develop corridor advisory groups in many U.P. communities, safety programs for elementary students, and an engineering-based presentation that emphasizes distracted driving dangers for young drivers.

He also facilitated a group recognized for one of 50 Smart Growth Case Studies in Michigan.

As an avid outdoor enthusiast, entrepreneur, and author, Feldhausen and his son are both Pro-Team/Pro-Staff ambassadors with CLAM Outdoors and JIFFY Ice Drills.

Feldhausen developed a program based on a children’s book he wrote that emphasized the importance of education, safety, conservation and respect for the environment.

He is the son of Mike and Sharon Feldhausen of Iron Mountain and lives in Crystal Falls with his wife, Jill, and two children.