About Don DaSaro

Don DaSaro of Klamath Falls, Oregon, assistant professor of management at Oregon Tech University, earned a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from S&T in 1967. Before college, he served four years in the U.S. Marine Corps as a combat engineer and explosives expert. An assignment to design and build a running track for the Kaneohe Bay Marine Base in Hawaii, sparked his ambition to become a civil engineer. DaSaro joined Caterpillar after graduation, and spent 41 years with the company in various management roles in international marketing, sales, labor relations, management development, leadership and human resources. The majority of his career was spent in the Asia-Pacific region, but he also traveled extensively in Latin America and spent time in the Caterpillar World Trade Group. DaSaro spent significant time working with and training engineers from different disciplines and encouraging their management skills. He developed and implemented a management training program for Asian-born personnel focused on strategic and soft skills tied to each candidate’s long-term career path that would fit with Caterpillar’s succession plan. DaSaro spent five years Washington, D.C., working with the World Bank, U.S. EXIM, the United Nations and other multilateral lending institutions serving as liaison with the worldwide Caterpillar dealer organization and Caterpillar. The focus was on major hydroelectric dams, irrigation and major highway projects around the world. He testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, including former U.S. Sen. John McCain, on lifting our embargo and opening Vietnam for business in 1991. His work contributed to the lifting of the embargo in 1994. While in Washington, he completed an MBA from Marymount University. He was awarded a 4th degree black belt from the World Tae Kwon Do Federation of South Korea. After retirement, Don and his wife, Amy, moved to Oregon from Singapore to be closer to family. They have five children and six grandchildren. After relocating DaSaro began teaching general business, marketing, leadership, international business and engineering management courses at Oregon Tech.