Faculty
Wes Womack
Wes was born in Rigby and grew up a farm kid in Blackfoot, lettering in wrestling and football, and graduated in May 1971 from Blackfoot High School. He entered the Navy one step ahead of the draft where he became a certified welder and aircraft metal smith. Shortly after discharge in 1975 he met and married his wife, Jennifer. They returned to military life joining the U.S. Air Force where their two children were born. He learned electronic skills in the Air Force while exploring the world. During his military career he was stationed in Tennessee, Mississippi, Florida, North Dakota, Republic of the Philippines, Oklahoma, Panama, Utah, and California. He is a veteran of Vietnam, Desert Storm and President Bush's (Sr.) war on drugs. Retired in September, 1995, he returned to college where he earned a bachelor degree in Corporate Training and Vocational Teachers Education. He was hired by Idaho State University in 1996 as an electronics aid and moved into an instructor position in 1997 where he teaches first and second semester Math, Theory and Laboratory. He is now pursuing a master degree in Human Resources Training and Development while celebrating being a grandpa.
Rick Buffaloe
Rick started his electronics career in the United States Air Force. He graduated from Idaho State University in the Electronic Systems program with a certificate in Laser/Electro optics in 1990. He has had an excellent career working for Santa Clara Plastics as a robotics technician for two years, and for Hewlett Packard as an R&D engineering technician for eight years, with lots of experience in digital, microprocessor, and programming. He is teaching advanced analog and digital theory and lab for the systems program at ISU College of Technology. He is also the advisor for the Skills USA electronics club which has taken the gold metal for State Competition.
Don Shepherd
Don graduated from Idaho State University's Vocational Technical, three year Electronics program. He worked for E.G.&G. Las Vegas, for two years as a technician. He also worked for Argonne National Lab at the INEL for thirty four years, first as a technician, and later as a supervisor. He started teaching at Idaho State University, College of Technology, Electronics program in the fall of 2002. His hobbies include hunting, fishing, camping, golf, and traveling. Don teaches Applied Mathematics I (ELTR 141), Electronic Theory (ELTR 143), and Electronic Laboratory (ELTR 145).
John Fitzen
Biographical sketch coming soon!
Lawrence Beaty
Biographical sketch coming soon!
Ralph Durtschi
Ralph currently works at Idaho State University's School of Applied
Technology in the three year Electronic Systems Program. He teaches computer
programming in machine language, assembly language, and Visual Basic.net. He
teaches electronic automation, computer interfacing to sensors and output
devices, robotics, and control devices in the fifth semester of his program.
His classes are design oriented and each student designs and builds their
own computer based system.
Ralph graduated from ISU in 1972 from the same three year program he now teaches in. Upon graduation he was employed by Tektronix Inc. of Beaverton, Oregon and began as a production technician calibrating and testing test and measurement and electromechanical equipment. He also worked as a production and installation technician on Tektronix's 3200 Line of Automated Test Equipment. He worked in design engineering for two years on Tektronix's first X-Y plotter, as an Application Engineer writing integrated circuit test programs for Tek's automated testers. From there Ralph worked in Tektronix's Customer Training group teaching customers how to maintain and program Tek's automated systems. Ralph also worked as Sales Training Manager in the CAE group. He worked at Tektronix for almost 14 years before returning to ISU as a teacher.
Ralph was born and raised on a dairy farm in Alta Wyoming where he learned to work, to appreciate the outdoors, to enjoy many different sports, and how to get along with nine brothers and sisters. He's been run over by horses and farm equipment, experimented with many flammable and explosive materials and looks older than he really is.
Randy Norton
Before coming to ISU, Randy was employed at NASA’s Jet Propulsion laboratory as a technician, engineer, and manager. He worked on deep space missions to Venus, Mars, Saturn, and Neptune. Randy is a graduate of the Electronics Systems and Laser programs and holds BBA and MBA degrees. Randy’s hobbies are travel, golf, and collecting Lionel trains. He teaches calculus in the Electronics Systems program as well as the summer Laser option for that program.
Shane Slack
Biographical sketch coming soon!
Terry Snarr
Terry came to ISU from Wyoming where he was employed by FMC (Food Machinery Corp). He worked in chemical and power plants as technician, electrical and instrument foreman, planner, trainer, and chair of employee involvement management. As an Army Engineer Corps reserve officer, he served as platoon leader, intelligence officer, and completed four tours as a training consultant for Engineer Headquarters, Washington DC. He has AS degrees from UTC and Snow College, a BS from BYU, and a MED from ISU. Since joining ISU, Terry has worked as a trainer, consultant, and expert witness including over a dozen companies and colleges. Three of Terry’s sons have instrumentation degrees; number four plans to follow his brothers. Terry enjoys spelunking and hiking. Terry and wife Bonnie have backpacked through six countries in Europe. Terry is the Instrumentation Automation Engineering Technology and Industrial Controls program coordinator.
Kathy Buffaloe
Kathy is a native of the Pocatello area. She is currently the Program Coordinator/Instructor for the Laser/Electro-Optics Technology program. She graduated from ISU with an A.A.S. in the Laser Electro-Optics Technology program in 1992. Kathy has been at ISU since 1999 in the Electronics Department and in the Laser program since 2001. Prior to coming to ISU to teach she worked in the electronics field on both large and small electronics based equipment. Kathy’s hobbies are camping and participating in events with her seven children and one grandchild.
Steve Maclure
Steve has twenty three years experience as an electronics technician. He worked eleven years for AMI Semiconductor maintaining semiconductor testing systems and twelve years for the U.S. Postal Service maintaining mail processing electronic systems.
Steve is originally from Miami, Florida. He met his wife, Bonnie, in 1976, while stationed in Idaho with the U.S. Navy. He served for six years on active duty with the U.S. Navy as a shipboard electrician and he retired from the Army National Guard in 2002.
Steve has an Associate of Applied Science in Electronics Systems Technology (1984) and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy (1992), both from Idaho State University. He joined the ISU Electronics department in 2008, where he currently teaches electronics theory, lab, and math in the electronics core.
Steve Larson
Steve is the program coordinator for the Electronics Core. He teaches Applied Mathematics I (ELTR 141), Electronic Theory (ELTR 143), and Electronic Laboratory (ELTR 145). Steve graduated from ISU in the Laser/Electro-Optics Technology program in 1992. Before coming to ISU to teach Steve owned a consumer electronics repair business. He spent 6 years in the Army National guard. Steve’s hobbies include fishing, hunting, golf and travel.