Beauchamp Named Distinguished Departmental Fellow By UA College Of Engineering

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama College of Engineering recently named R. Harmon Beauchamp, of Lynchburg, Va., as a Distinguished Departmental Fellow for the department of industrial engineering.

Beauchamp received a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from UA in 1951. After graduation, he became an ordinance officer with the U.S. Navy, stationed at an explosive loading facility in Macon, Ga., and later attained the rank of lieutenant junior grade.

Starting in 1955, Beauchamp spent 40 years in increasing levels of responsibility in the paper industry, manufacturing linerboard and corrugating medium. He began with positions such as maintenance engineer and paper mill superintendent for Owens-Illinois and National Container Corp.

From 1966-75, Beauchamp was a paper mill specialist, paper mill superintendent, and production manager at the Orange, Texas location of Owens-Illinois, a Kraft linerboard mill built in 1965-66. He was intensively involved in training, hiring, start-up, and operations for this new facility.

He spent the last 14 years of his long career as general manager of the Big Island mill of Owens-Illinois, which is one of the oldest continuously operating paper mills in the country, dating from 1891.

Beauchamp has served as president of the Chamber of Commerce in Orange, Texas and Lynchburg, Va. He was also chairman of Central Virginia Industries in Lynchburg and has held positions on several charitable boards in that area. Since his retirement, he continues to assist the Lynchburg Chamber of Commerce and serves on the board of Miller Home, a home for girls who come from difficult family situations.