TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Team Penske President Tim Cindric will return to his alma mater May 29 to present the Commencement address at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in an in-person outdoor morning event on Phil Brown Football Field of Cook Stadium.
He also will be awarded an honorary doctorate in engineering from the institute.
Cindric, a 1990 mechanical engineering graduate, has overall management responsibilities for Team Penske’s racing operations, including teams racing at the top levels of the NTT IndyCar Series, Monster, the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series. He also oversees Penske Technology Group, Penske Restoration, the Penske Heritage Center, and Penske Racing Museum.
“I’m honored to have the opportunity to address Rose’s Class of 2021 as they embark on their next chapter in life,” Cindric said. “As I reflect on my career, it wasn’t until I went out into the world that I realized how much the Rose experience helped me to differentiate myself along the way.”
Under Cindric’s leadership, Team Penske has earned more than 300 race victories and 19 series championships. He has been in the winner’s circle for several of the most iconic events in motorsports, including eight Indianapolis 500-mile races, two Daytona 500 victories, and an overall win at the 12 Hours of Sebring.
On race days in the NTT IndyCar Series, Cindric has used his engineering and problem-solving skills as race strategist for IndyCar Series championship and Indianapolis 500-mile race winning cars driven by Josef Newgarden, Will Power and Helio Castroneves.
“Tim has been a faithful alumnus whose commitment to Rose-Hulman is evidenced in his time and resources,” RHIT President Robert A. Coons said. “He is invested in supporting the institution’s ongoing success as the nation’s premier undergraduate engineering institution. We’re looking forward to having him provide words of insight and encouragement to the Class of 2021.”
An Indianapolis native, Cindric’s skills as a four-year varsity basketball player (1987-90) and 1,081 career points earned him placement in the Rose-Hulman Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001. He earned the Alumni Association’s Honor Alumni Award in 2013.
After graduating from Rose-Hulman, Cindric worked as interim general manager and design engineer for the TrueSports IndyCar team. He then became team manager for Team Rahal from 1994-99 before joining Team Penske.
Cindric’s career achievements also include receiving the Herb Porter and Tom Carnegie memorial awards from the Indianapolis 500 Old Timer’s Club.
Cindric lives in Mooresville, North Carolina, with his wife, Megan, and their two sons, Tanner and Austin.
