Rodney Delano Bagley of the Elmira New York Ward, Owego New York Stake, received the National Medal of Technology from President George W. Bush during special ceremonies in the East Room of the White House March 14. He was part of a Corning team whose work in the 1970s led to the first commercially mass-produced catalytic converters for vehicles.
"These are the most prestigious honors the president can bestow for achievement in science and technology," said President Bush.
Throughout his career, Brother Bagley earned many awards, including the 1980 American Society of Metals Engineering Materials Achievement Award, the 1985 Samuel Giejsbeck Award from the American Ceramics Society and the 1990 "Mountain Man of the Year" award from the University of Utah. He has also been inducted into the United States Inventors Hall of Fame.