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common sense, and
 conservative fiscal discipline
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About David Pheanis
Overview
  • Professor Emeritus of Computer Science and Engineering, Arizona State University (retired)
  • Taught Computer Science and Engineering at ASU for 30 years
  • Served as an officer in the United States Air Force, 1969-73, attained rank of Captain
  • Founder and Principal of Western Microsystems, a company that designs and develops custom computer software, especially for microprocessors and embedded systems
  • Personally arranged professional jobs for more than 300 students while teaching at ASU
  • Author and presenter of dozens of technical papers at international conferences around the world and in scientific journals; winner of multiple Outstanding Paper awards
  • Completed significant engineering projects for US Air Force, Sperry Flight Systems, Motorola, Inter-Tel, General Motors, Allied Signal, Mitel, and others
  • Husband and Father:  Married (36 years and counting) to Judith, a now-retired electrical engineer who worked for Motorola; father of Charles, an ASU graduate and now a detective with the Tempe Police Department, and Melanie, an ASU graduate and currently a homemaker with two young children
  • Resident of Tempe since 1970
  • Missed only three ASU home football games in the last 44 years

Education
  • PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Arizona State University, 1974
  • MS in Electrical Engineering from Arizona State University, 1973
  • BS with Honors in Math from Case Institute of Technology, 1969
  • Valedictorian of Edward Lee McClain High School, Greenfield, Ohio, 1965

Memberships and Honor Societies

  • Life Member of IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers
  • Inaugural-Class Senior Member of ISCA, International Society for Computers and their Applications
  • Master Mason in Masonic Lodge
  • Eta Kappa Nu, Electrical Engineering Honor Society
  • Tau Beta Pi, Engineering Honor Society
  • Upsilon Pi Epsilon, Computer Science Honor Society
  • Arnold Air Society, USAF Honor Society

Awards and Honors

  • Winner of Burlington Foundation Faculty Achievement Award while at ASU
  • Corporate Leaders Program Professor of the Year
  • ASU School of Engineering Teaching Excellence Award
  • Associated Students of ASU Outstanding Teacher Honor Roll
  • Outstanding Honors Disciplinary Advisor, Barrett Honors College
  • IEEE Teaching Excellence Award
  • Motorola M68HC11 University Design Award
  • Outstanding Honor Graduate, US Air Force SAGE School
  • US Air Force Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Medal
  • US Air Force Vietnam-Era Service Medal

Early Background

  • Grew up and went to high school in Greenfield, Ohio, a small rural community
  • State-wide Scholarship Exam in Advanced Algebra, First place in the state of Ohio
  • State-wide Latin Scholarship Exam, 12th place in the state of Ohio
  • State-wide Physics Scholarship Exam, 14th place in the state of Ohio
  • Glenn L. Cox Newsboy Award, 2nd place in the state of Ohio
  • Student Council President, Edward Lee McClain High School
  • Organized and led Youth for Goldwater in Greenfield, Ohio
  • Student Senator in college at Case Institute of Technology

Items of Personal Interest

  • Arizona Cardinals season-ticket holder continuously since inaugural year
  • Attended the Super Bowl in Tampa Bay to watch the Cardinals in a heartbreaker
  • Organizer of a group sharing season tickets for the Arizona Diamondbacks since the inaugural year
  • Attended Game 7 of the 2001 World Series to watch the Diamondbacks beat the Yankees and clinch the World Championship
  • Holder of ASU basketball season tickets for over 30 years
  • Holder of ASU football season tickets for over 40 years
  • Attended both ASU Rose Bowls, one great and one heartbreaking
  • Instrument-rated private pilot (now lapsed since flying is expensive!)
  • Lifelong dedication to physical fitness with over 50 years of daily aerobic exercise

Paid for by David Pheanis for Arizona Legislature