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Samuel Ariaratnam is a Waterloo, Ontario native that moved to Scottsdale, Arizona in 2001 from Edmonton, Alberta. Sam played his youth hockey in Canada and then played four seasons for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the ACHA as a goalie. He led the Illini to 3 National Tournament bids and was a 3-time league All-Star.

Currently, Samuel is a Professor and Chair of the Construction Engineering program at Arizona State University where he enjoys teaching future engineers. Samuel specializes in underground utility construction with a research and educational focus on horizontal directional drilling technology. This type of drilling is used for the installation of telecommunication, municipal and energy pipelines.

Sam is actively involved in many initiatives in China including recruiting engineering students for his program at ASU. He is also involved in various organizations including the Fiesta Bowl Committee as a Life Member. In 2006, he was named to the Phoenix Business Journal’s “Forty Under 40” list.

The game of hockey has deeply influenced Sam in many ways. He credits his experience in hockey with giving him the tools for his career success.

“Hockey has taught me many life lessons including teamwork, dedication, organizational skills, and a strong work ethic.”

Today, Sam enjoys watching his son Anton play hockey 4-5 times weekly.

Connect with Sam on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuel-ariaratnam-783332/