Claud R. Erickson Distinguished Alumni Award

2026 - David L. Lamp

Receiving the 2026 Claud R. Erickson Distinguished Alumni Award is David L. Lamp, who has more than four decades of technical, commercial, and operational experience in the refining and chemical industries. He is former president and chief executive officer of CVR Energy, Inc.

The Erickson Award is the highest alumni honor presented by the College of Engineering. It recognizes professional accomplishments, volunteer service, and distinguished service to the college and the engineering profession.

David is past executive chairman of CVR Partners, LP, a position he held since December 2017. He was chairman of its board of directors from January 2018 until March 2023. Prior to joining CVR Energy, he served as president and chief operating officer of Western Refining, Inc. from July 2016 to June 2017. Previously, he was president and chief executive officer and a director of Northern Tier Energy LP from 2013 until its merger with Western Refining in July 2016. He also held senior executive roles with HollyFrontier Corporation (now HF Sinclair Corporation).

David retired in December 2025.

In 2014, he created the $2 million David L. and Denise M. Lamp Endowed Chair in Chemical Engineering to support faculty research. He has also funded an endowed scholarship and an endowed fellowship for undergraduate and graduate students in chemical engineering.

He served on the board of directors of the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers Association for 10 years and is a past chairman.

David earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from MSU in 1980. He is from a family of Spartan graduates, including his father (Ph.D.) and three sisters, who earned bachelor’s degrees.

His wife, Denise, is a 1978 psychology graduate of Oakland University. The couple lives in Dallas, Texas.

About the Award

Dean Lawrence Wayne Von Tersch established the Claud R. Erickson Distinguished Alumni Award in 1982. Claud Erickson, for whom the award was named, was the first recipient. Since then, it has been given annually to a College of Engineering graduate with a minimum of 15 years’ professional experience who has attained the highest level of professional accomplishment; provided distinguished and meritorious service to the College of Engineering and the engineering profession; and engaged in voluntary service at the local, state, national, and/or international level.

Nomination Form (.doc)