John Storm, President and CEO of Contour Hardening Inc. (CHI), passed away on May 13, 2018, at the age of 63. A member of ASM International, John studied Metallurgical Engineering at Purdue University and graduated in 1977 with a BSMetE degree. After a co-op with US Steel in Gary, Indiana, John started his career at the Detroit Diesel Allison (DDA) Division of General Motors.
While at DDA, John helped pioneer work with dual frequency induction hardening to strengthen gears and shafts by creating a uniform hardened case pattern. In 1986, his entrepreneurial spirit was sparked as he ventured out to co-found CHI with the goal of supplying the industry with innovative induction hardening systems.
Under his guidance, CHI has grown to be a leader in the field of induction hardening. The company has facilities in Indianapolis, Indiana, and Silao, Mexico, and has supplied equipment and heat treating services all over the world. He holds over 200 U.S. and International patents on a variety of processes and applications. In 2003, John formed the Real Power Division of CHI, which manufactures chassis-integrated electric generator systems for trucks. In 1998, he combined his love for Indy Car racing with the development of ultra-lightweight transmission gears heat-treated using CHI’s Micropulse technology. The CHI gearbox contributed to Arie Luyendyk’s 1997 Indy 500 win, and Scott Goodyear’s second place finish in that same race.
John received many awards and accolades in his life, but none he cherished more than the “Distinguished Engineering Alumni” award bestowed on him in 2004 from the Purdue University Materials Engineering department. John is survived by his wife, Mary Ann (Gibbs) Storm, daughter Emily Ann (Storm) Smith (Donald L.A. Smith), daughter Allison Ann Storm, and grandson Charles Storm Smith.
