Marietta’s Petroleum Engineering program is renowned globally for educating students who go on to become dynamic leaders in their field and in their community. When friends and former classmates were talking about Bob Toronyi ’68, who passed away in February, they agreed that he was a reflection of the best of Marietta College.
Toronyi was the co-founder, Chief Engineer, first Chief Technical Officer and thought leader of QRI, an artificial intelligence solutions provider for oil and gas operators, banks, investment groups and other data-driven industries. He held co-ownership of 10 U.S. patents, including RCAA®1, the foundational cornerstone of QRI’s SpeedWise® and all its trademarks.
As a student at Marietta College, he majored in Petroleum Engineering, met his wife, Cheryl Jakabetz Toronyi ’70, and was a member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. He also earned a master’s and doctorate degree from Penn State. Before co-founding QRI, he worked for Saudi Aramco and Chevron, and developed a love for exploring different cultures with his family and friends.
“Bob exemplified the best of what MC can provide in both his accomplishments and the way he lived his life,” said Emeritus Trustee Grant Callery ’68, one of Toronyi’s Lambda Chi brothers. “One of my former Board colleagues used to say that MC PE grads have an advantage over some of the larger programs because of the liberal arts, critical-thinking component of their education, which makes them more valuable as they ascend the ranks of their chosen organizations. I think Bob was a quintessential example of that point. His career was varied, both geographically and in its substance in places as far-flung as Colorado, California, and Saudi Arabia.”