Daniel Ruffin, a Bradley University Professor of Aerospace Engineering

Ruffin, Bradley’s fifth-year senior and team’s leading scorer, has been honored three times as Valley Conference Player of the Week. Under his tutelage, Bradley has recorded consecutive 22-win seasons and made it all the way to an NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearance in 2006.

He often seeks advice from both his father, Dan, and former Peoria High School coach Chuck Buescher for guidance.

Early Life and Education

Ruffin was born in Montgomery, Alabama to parents who worked in lumber mills and grocery stores respectively. His great-grandfather served with 14th U.S. Colored Heavy Artillery Regiment during American Civil War.

Ruffin played both background vocals and shared lead singing duties with Eddie Kendricks in The Temptations. Smokey Robinson, Motown Records executive and co-founder of the group, once described Ruffin as a “sleeping giant,” due to his unique blend of gruffness and softness in his voice.

In 1985, Ruffin and Kendricks (then just Kendricks) formed an immensely popular duo act and recorded a live medley of Temptations hits that was released as a single by Hall and Oates and featured prominently in four-hour TV miniseries The Temptations. For Ruffin, it marked one of only a few opportunities he would get to perform alongside another singer as his throat surgery continued its recovery process.

Professional Career

Ruffin is an associate professor in the School of Aerospace Engineering (AE). Additionally, he serves as associate dean for academic affairs for Tech Professional Education – leading efforts in creating new degrees, certificates and credential pathways designed for lifetime learning.

He is also actively working to foster diversity within AE. He has spearheaded multiple institute-wide initiatives dedicated to this goal.

Dan Ruffin, his father and former Peoria High School coach, and Jim Les, his Bradley coach who helped mold him into an elite point guard player are often sources of guidance and advice for him in life after basketball; Les also provided him with a roadmap for life after sports – though his unpredictable behavior, often attributed to cocaine abuse, ultimately led the Temptations to release him in 1968.

Achievement and Honors

Ruffin rose to fame with the popular Temptations group, writing hits like “My Girl” and “Ain’t Too Proud to Begin.” However, his drug use eventually forced him out. Unfortunately he died shortly thereafter of a cocaine overdose in 1968.

Last season, former Peoria High and Bradley star guard Tyler Hession earned an 4-4 record as coach of Champaign Swarm of the Mid-Peninsula Basketball Association (MPBA), taking over midseason. Now Bloomington, Pontiac, Eureka and Jacksonville all boast MPBA teams in central Illinois.

Ruffin is particularly proud to see his Aerospace Engineering (AE) students flourish professionally, personally and academically. One challenge Ruffin has worked to overcome is making sure junior faculty find senior collaborators like Sankar from Rotorcraft Center of Excellence to assist their success as early as possible – something Ruffin credits to other AE professors such as Sankar as well.

Personal Life

Ruffin has lived his entire life in Peoria and currently operates a barbecue restaurant and tavern called Que For You in the city. Additionally, he coaches Peoria High School boys basketball team which won Class 3A state title under his leadership in 2012.

Ruffen initially provided background vocals for the Temptations while Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams shared lead singing duties. Otis Williams believes Ruffen was their “sleeping giant”, providing their distinct sound by lending their unique voices to make up what became known as their sound.

Ruffin has two sons who play college basketball; Daniel was instrumental in leading Bradley to reach the 2006 NCAA Sweet 16 as co-captain with him as co-captain of Peoria High head coach Chuck Buescher’s traditional coaching approach. Ruffin often consults his father for basketball advice while also seeking advice from former Peoria High head coach Chuck Buescher for advice.

Net Worth

Ruffin also designed the four-headed microphone stand used by the Temptations, which allowed each member of the group to sing into his or her own microphone. Ruffin and Kendricks returned to perform live medley of Temptations songs together alongside Hall and Oates after an absence of three years in 1985.

Ruffin-Pratt’s current estimated net worth stands at $5 Million, an estimation determined by various social factors and may vary significantly. Furthermore, this number should only be seen as an estimation. You can follow her on Instagram and Twitter for regular updates regarding her net worth; additionally you can explore more about her family, age, height, dating relationships records salary income cars lifestyle if desired! Please share this article if it helped!