A graduate of the Michigan State University College of Engineering has received the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, one of the country’s highest honors for achievement and leadership in science and technology.
Charles Bachman, who earned a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from MSU in 1948, received the medal from President Obama at a White House ceremony on Nov. 20.
He was honored for his fundamental inventions in database management, software engineering and transaction processing.
A native of Kansas and a World War II veteran, he spent his entire career as a practicing software engineer or manager in industry.
After graduating from MSU he worked for Dow Chemical in Midland before moving to General Electric.
In 1983, he founded Bachman Information Systems, which developed a line of computer-aided software engineering products.
In 1996, Bachman’s company merged with Cadre Technology to form Cayenne Software. He served as president of the combined company for a year before retiring to Tucson, Ariz.
The National Medal of Technology and Innovation was created by statute in 1980 and is administered for the White House by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Patent and Trademark Office. The award recognizes those who have made lasting contributions to America’s competitiveness and quality of life and helped strengthen the nation’s technological workforce.