Zachary Hachmeister is a Chemical Engineering alumnus from the University of Iowa. He is currently working as the President of Fauske & Associates. Learn more about Zachary and how he has utilized his ChemE degree throughout his career!

Graduating Class: 2009

How did you choose the University of Iowa?

I grew up a Hawkeye fan as a kid and had friends and family enrolled at Iowa. I actually started my collegiate journey at a different university but didn't really have the right level of focus to be successful. These experiences and failures helped me gain perspective which enabled me to embrace the opportunities the ChemE program provided.

Describe your career path and the work you are currently doing.

I started my professional career at Fauske & Associates which is a process safety consulting firm as an individual contributor working in the Combustible Dust Testing & Consulting department. This was a pretty fast-paced work environment that offered a high volume and large variety of projects. I also had direct access to world class experts in their respective fields. This combination really accelerated my professional development. During this time I was able to get involved in a variety of more business administration related tasks as well. Doing the technical work and being exposed to the business side provided a good connection with how we deliver our services, why what we do is important, and what it means for our customers. These experiences were really the building blocks which unlocked my next few roles; Manager, Combustible Dust Testing and Consulting Business, Operations Manager, Director of Business & Services, Chief Operating Officer, and my current role as President of the Fauske business.

How did the CBE Department prepare you for your career?

The ChemE program is challenging. At the time I was attending the class sizes were relatively small, maybe 20 students or so and there was a good mix of lectures and hands-on learning. I think the challenging coursework coupled with a more intimate environment helped me learn how to be a good teammate, how to ask for help when I/we needed it, and how to navigate intense workloads. After finishing the program I left with a feeling of accomplishment and some really great relationships with both classmates and professors.

What advice would you want to share with current or future ChemE students?

College is a really fantastic period of your life where you're exposed to a variety of opportunities and experiences. My advice is to utilize this time to really invest in yourself. Obviously, your education is a key area but more broadly speaking, take advantage of all the opportunities that are around you. Get involved with different organizations, take some risks, try some things that put you outside your comfort zone, embrace the lessons that accompany failure, and enjoy the experience.