Michael Durbahn was born on July 22, 1950 in the Minnesota Iron Range town of Buhl, MN. He was the middle child of 5 born to David and Lillian Durbahn. Mike’s grandfather was an Industrial Arts teacher at the Buhl High School and his father was a mechanic in the mining industry.  Growing up, every day involved a do-it-yourself project out in the shop with Grandpa, Dad, and his two brothers.

After graduating from high school, Mike attended Mesabi State Junior College receiving an Associate of Arts degree and completed his Bachelor of Science Degree in Industrial Arts at St. Cloud State College. He started teaching at Waldorf-Pemberton in 1973, then completed his Master of Science Degree at Mankato State University in 1978.  Throughout his teaching career, Mike kept studying at MSU and South Central Technical College. He added a license in Construction Occupations and taught building trades at Waldorf-Pemberton and St. Clair. He also, took classes in CNC programming, Electricity/Electronics, and computer programming.  Mike was active in the International and Minnesota Technology Education Associations.  Keeping current with changes in industry and careers was very important to him. 

He is proud to have been a part of the JWP Middle School the year (1992) it was nominated for and received the Program of Excellence Award.  The criteria for winning was based on the standards established by the International Technology Education Association. JWP was the only middle school to meet those standards that year, and by far the smallest school being considered for the award.  This recognition came about because of the families, students, and school board who backed the program by providing curriculum, facilities, equipment, and staff education.

  As much as he loved teaching at JWP, working with the families, and developing curriculum for 22 years, Mike felt he couldn’t pass up an opportunity to keep growing his own interests in new technologies.  He accepted a position at Mankato West High School developing and teaching computer-assisted drafting and computer-assisted machining. He worked with other Mankato Technology Education teachers introducing a program called Project Lead the Way to add classes in architecture and engineering.

Mike retired after 36 years and lots of changes in his career.  Now he is back to his first love of woodworking. He’s busy making cabinets, furniture, the art of marquetry, and carpentry projects on the house he designed and built.

Mike’s family includes his wife of 52 years, two daughters, two son-in-laws, and four grandkids.  A granddaughter-in-law was welcomed to the bunch last summer. Luckily, all are living nearby and stop by the shop for tool borrowing and project consulting.