About O. Morris Sievert

In memory of O. Morris Sievert

BSME 1944, MSM

Morris graduated in January 1944 during WW II and served two years in the U.S. Navy in the Pacific Theater. After being discharged in 1946, he joined The Elliott Company, a manufacturer of power plant equipment, as a field engineer. He worked in both the Cincinnati and Kansas City field offices until 1957, culminating as manager of the Kansas City Region. In 1957 he was hired by Solar Aircraft Company, San Diego, Calif., a manufacturer of component airframe parts and component parts for jet engines. International Harvester purchased the company in 1959. For the next 25 years Morris led the effort to put Solar in the industrial gas turbine business, the last eight years as president of Solar and vice president of International Harvester. In 1974 he took the company out of the subcontract business and changed the name to Solar Turbines International. Today Solar Turbines is a subsidiary of Caterpillar and has revenues of over three billion annually. In 1981 Morris left Solar and joined Nucorp Energy in the oil and gas business. In 1985 he was engaged to operate Deposition Technology. Morris was involved in many community philanthropies and activities including being President of the United Way of San Diego County twice, member of the boards of directors of Scripps Memorial Hospitals, San Diego Gas and Electric Co., San Diego Chamber of Commerce, California Chamber of Commerce and a trustee of University of San Diego and National University.