The Woodward Alumni Hall of Fame Association
A. William Lingell III Inducted 1988 - Class of 1960
Bill Lingnell, Class of 1960, was born in Toledo on October 4, 1942. His parents moved from the Old West End to Point Place when he was five years old. After attending Kleis and Point Place Schools for his first eight grades, he expected to go on to Waite High School. However, in 1956, a district change in the Toledo High School system brought students from Waite and DeVilbiss to Woodward. Attending Woodward was something Bill felt was one of the most important parts of his life and was an excellent preparation for his future.
During his four years at Woodward, he played football, basketball, and baseball. He was a member of the freshman and junior varsity teams that won city championships in football and was captain of the varsity football team that finished second to DeVilbiss. He was also a member of the varsity basketball team that won the city championship during his senior year. He was a member of summer baseball and winter hockey teams that went on to national championships. Bill was president of his class during his sophomore and junior years and became student council president
in his senior year. He was a member of the National Honor Society, the Junior Engineering Society, Student Council, and the Boys' Literary Society.
After graduating from Woodward, Bill attended college at Ohio University, where he played baseball for two years and pursued an engineering degree. He obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering. He was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity, being historian and scholastic chairman, and was also active in the student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Upon graduation, Bill joined Libbey Owens Ford Company in Toledo as a junior engineer. He advanced through various engineering positions as structural and senior engineer and was involved in many of the building expansion programs. From 1965 to 1974, Bill's engineering responsibilities included major glass plant expansions. This meant designing special devices for glass making facilities and directing the construction scheduling of the largest float plant in the world in North Carolina.
After 1974, Bill became manager of technical sales services. This began his involvement in major building projects throughout the world. Some of his major projects include the Crystal Cathedral in California, the Citi-corp Building in New York, The IDS Tower in Minneapolis, the Hong Kong Shanghai Bank, and the Sun Life Building in Toronto. His many Toledo projects include the Owens Illinois Seagate One Project, the Toledo Trust Building, the Medical College of Ohio, and Raceway Park. In 1982, he became Director of New Products and Technical Services for LOF and helped develop the all glass wall system, a glass wall system held together with structural silicone, a method used throughout the world today.
During this time at LOF, Bill pursued graduate studies at the University of Toledo, obtaining a Master's Degree in Civil Engineering in 1967, a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1970, and a Master's Degree in Engineering Science in 1974. He has also completed all course work requirements for a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Engineering Mechanics. Bill has also been an adjunct professor in engineering structures and mechanics at the University.
In 1984, Bill became Corporate Vice President of Olden and Company in Dallas, Texas. In this position, he reports directly to the President and has responsibilities to direct the company's strategic business plan and the development of new business opportunities that compliment the existing corporate capabilities. His primary emphasis is on engineering, marketing, and fabrication of major building projects. He has helped the company expand their facilities to become one of the leading design contractors for exterior building construction. Recent projects completed by his company are high-rise building structures that have become a major focus of growth and development in Dallas.
Bill has been involved in the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and with task force work of the Association of Aluminum Manufacturers of America (AAMA). He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the National Society of Civil Engineers, and is a consultant at Texas Tech University.
One of the main reasons why Bill remembers Woodward is that it was there where he met his wife Sandy (Schnetzler). They were married in 1965 and have three daughters, Lesa, Lynette, and Lesley. Lesa is married and has one child, Jimmy, whom Bill and Sandy thoroughly enjoy as their first grandchild. Lynette attends Richland Junior College and Lesley is a senior at Rockwell High School. Bill and Sandy moved to Rockwell, a small town outside of Dallas, in 1984 but still enjoy coming back to Toledo to visit with friends and relatives.