• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content

MarionMade

People, Places, Products, Programs

Visit Us On FacebookVisit Us On TwitterVisit Us On YoutubeCheck Our FeedVisit Us On Instagram
We Are Presidential!We Are Having Fun!We Are Generous!
  • Get Involved
  • About
  • Events
    • MarionMade! 5k Sign Up
  • People
  • Places
  • Products
  • Programs
  • Links
  • Contact

Tad Douce

By MarionMade! on March 29, 2017

EMBRACING THE FUTURE OF TECHNOLOGY ONE GENERATION AT A TIME
Having an interest in technology as he grew up, Tad Douce always found a way to tear something apart to see how it worked. Of course, taking shop class in school was a given. Throughout high school, his teacher, Ed Goodwin, introduced Tad to diversity within the realm of technology.
“There are no limits to what creations you can make unlike the restrictions in an engineering workplace,” Tad says.
With technology on the rise, Tad followed in his mentor’s footsteps and became a teacher to continue giving students the opportunity to learn a unique skill, to be hands-on, and to be creative thinkers. As Tad continues to teach, he’s noticed that the younger the student, the more ingenious their ideas; defining why we as a community should embrace the robotics and technology industry more than ever.
In 2004, Tad, Ed, and their good friend Ritch Ramey put together a grassroots initiative called the National Robotics Challenge (NRC) in the hopes of continuing a robotics event much like the SME/RTEC robotics challenge their late predecessor, James Hannemann, founded in 1986. These three men saw the potential in Marion for this industry to continue being innovative and flourish, in turn gathering overwhelming support from the community, our businesses and organizations. The NRC is nationally known and includes over 350 robots and 1000 students representing nine states as well as international interests. The 2017 National Robotics Challenge will be at the Marion Fairgrounds April 6-7-8.
As a native of Marion and River Valley alumni, Tad Douce considers himself to be in a prime position to help create diverse opportunities for his students in his hometown and beyond.  “Planting seeds in my students and watching them grow up to become colleagues of mine or finding out they’re now judging at robotics competitions encourages me to continue striving to make Marion into the friendly and supportive community that we are,” he said.
#MarionMade #WeAreRobotics

Recent MarionMade! Stories

  • John Keggan

    LEAVE WHATEVER YOU DO BETTER THAN YOU FOUND IT. John Keggan is a Marion supporter and collaborative, get-it-done kind of man.  Known for years as the (now former) owner of Marion Flower Shop and a local realtor, Keggan has put his all into making Marion wonderful. In 1968, he was among a select group who […]Read More »
  • Cody Higley Shares Love of Local History

    Cody Higley grew up on Whetstone River Road in eastern Marion County. His grandfather, Robert W. Higley, worked at Marion Power Shovel and nurtured Cody’s love of local history. “My grandfather was very much into history. He would take me up on his knee and tell stories of his childhood. He grew up in Marion […]Read More »
  • We Are a Better Block

    There’s going to be a block party in downtown Marion. On Thursday (August 15), South Main Street, between Center and Church streets, will be temporarily transformed into a pedestrian mall replete with pop-up stores, an art gallery, and local restaurants spilling out into the street. The event is part of a national effort known as […]Read More »
  • Baby Boxes

    THE BABY BOX PROGRAM The WIC (women, infants, and children) program, through Marion Public Health, has brought Scandinavian innovation to Marion, Ohio, through their Baby Box program. Baby Boxes are modeled off a Finnish government program that provides all newborns with a safe place to sleep in the early months of life, and essential education […]Read More »

Share Your MarionMade! Story

Click Here to share your story about MarionMade! people, places, products, and programs!
  • Get Involved
  • About
  • Events
  • People
  • Places
  • Products
  • Programs
  • Links
  • Contact

Marion Area Convention & Visitors Bureau Downtown Marion Love INC Marion Public Library Marion Area Chamber of Commerce Marion CANDO! Marion Community Foundation United Way of Marion County Marion Technical College

© 2025 · MarionMade! is a community initiative led by Marion Technical College · Website is powered by Neighborhood Image