[Mark McLeod]

We enjoy a nice mixture of parent and sponsor engineers.
Not too many of our mentors wear makeup.
(Most of the engineers are managers. We’re lucky if we remember how to do real work, but boy can we fill out the paperwork!)

We have one primary sponsor – FESTO
The mixture of FESTO engineers has changed over the years. The original company volunteers are still involved, but have moved on to other positions/depts within the company, primarily R&D, business & marketing, but they still have control of machine shops. We need to reengage the current engineering department.
(2) ME/pneumatics
(1) Marketing (okay, okay he's an ME too)
(1) Machinist

Parents (and other relatives) supply:
(1) Welder (runs his own shop)
(1) CS (Northrop Grumman)
(2) EE/techs (MRI company, AIL)
(4) science teachers (faculty) (we’re trying to recruit technology, computer, business teachers as well)
(1) school administrator
(lots) of other parents covering fundraising, travel, administration
These parents tend to be the community volunteers - school board president, PTA presidents, Boy & Girl Scout leaders, etc.

One parent works for a deli, so that’s where our weekend food supply gets donated from.
One parent supplies the team shirts from their company
One parent owns an automotive shop.

It can be hardest on the parents who own small businesses to donate time.

Interestly enough my second Team has no mentors from the primary sponsor, but has:
(4) Northrop Grumman engineers (one of them a parent)
(1) Jet engine mechanic
(3) really involved parents handling administration, etc.
(1) shop teacher (faculty)
We need to engage more school faculty & administrators