Caterpillar (Peoria, IL) revealed a plan last night to start two FRC teams and 10 FLL teams for the 2005-2006 season. At a dinner with FIRST founder, Dean Kamen, Caterpillar executives entusiastically announced the plans to begin involvement with Peoria area high schools and middle schools. Caterpillar also plans to jump start the program in central Illinois by bringing other industrial sponsors on board with the FRC and FLL programs, in coming years. Please join me in welcoming Caterpillar to the growing list of FRC sponsors.
At the dinner, guest speaker Dean, was presented with a prototype “free piston” engine developed by Caterpillar engines division.
This is awesome news! Thanks for sharing, Al 
How exciting!
At the Boilermaker Regional in Indiana, Cat brought over I think it was almost 100 members of the schools anticipating to be involved along with possible Cat mentors. I was a Student Ambassador at the Boilermaker Regional to 5 of their students and 1 mentor, and were really nice people!
Picture of my Cat group testing out our human interactive arm…
http://www.the-moat.net/robostangs/albums/userpics/10005/20050319_0038rev.jpg
How awesome.
And cool that the Boilermaker Regional (as a rookie event) might have helped influence their decision!
I would hope there was at least a little influence there, since there was a billion (ok, maybe just a million) yellow vests walking around… SOMEbody in that group had to of been convinced…
Tammy,
You will be happy to know that the lady in your picture will be one of the first students on a Peoria team. Just about every student who attended Boilermaker was present for Dean’s speech last night.
Thanks to all for making the Boilermaker regional a memorable experience for Cat mentors and Peoria students. The whole group is so charged up they could build a robot today. IRI may have more visitors, Chris. More to follow…
This is great news! I know that 461 has been trying to get the local CAT plant to help, to on and off success throughout their time in FIRST, so it is great news to hear that CAT is jumping in head FIRST! (haha couldn’t resist the pun)
I hope that CAT’s enthusiasm for FIRST spreads across the border into Indiana, and i cant wait to have more visitor at IRI
That’s great! Now just if I can convince 648 to help out. Now all of the major tractor makers are represented (Case IH closed here in the QC last year 
)!
this is great. Its great to bring on more major sponsors. Has anyone heard any more on google’s commitment?
Wonderful, Caterpillar is a very good company to have on board, I look forward to seeing their teams around!
Now lets get them competing among each other over who can support more teams! 
Wetzel
HA! yes… maybe they will attend midwest or maybe we will go to boilermaker. Wouldnt it be cool to have an all tractor company alliance?
Oh yay! I’m so excited!
The people that came to BMR (student ambassadors represent) were really nice and seemed awed by what highschoolers can do.
Welcome Caterpillar!
Wow! That’s really exciting! She was a really sweet girl although, regretfully, I can’t remember her name. If you know her, tell her I said hi!
thats awesime…i mean its Caterpillar!!! whoo!
heh, im lookin forward to seeing some of their teams next year!
Hey thats really cool…