College of Engineering Honors Outstanding Alumni

Photo by Laura Fickett

The recipients of the College of Engineering Alumni Awards.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Arkansas College of Engineering honored 16 graduates with College of Engineering Alumni Awards at its annual banquet on Saturday, April 9, at the Fayetteville Town Center.

The awards recognize alumni of the college who have demonstrated exceptional professional and personal accomplishments and made important contributions to their professions and communities.

“Our alumni are among our college’s biggest strengths and their accomplishments speak directly to the quality of our academic program,” said John English, dean of the college. “We are proud of all our alumni, and this group shows how talented individuals use engineering education to benefit Arkansas and the world.”

At the banquet, Troy C. Alley Jr., David D. Foust and Stanley Reed were inducted into the college’s Hall of Fame, which was established in 1965 to recognize prominent graduates and leaders who have made outstanding contributions to the engineering profession and to society as a whole.

Alley, who lives in Desoto, Texas, received a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the U of A in 1969. He is the executive vice president and chief operating officer at Con-Real Inc.

Foust earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from the U of A in 1964. He currently resides in Boerne, Texas. He is retired from his position of vice president and general manager of the Americas with Bakaert.

Charlene Reed accepted the Hall of Fame Award for her late husband. Stanley Reed earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural engineering from the U of A in 1973 and a doctorate in law in 1976. He owned and operated the Reed family farm and served as president of the Arkansas Farm Bureau and chair of the U of A Board of Trustees.

The Distinguished Alumni Award honors College of Engineering graduates who have provided leadership in their communities and achieved distinction in their fields of endeavor. The recipients of the 2016 Distinguished Alumni Awards are:

• Sharon Booth McGee, B.S.Ch.E. 1987, M.S.Ch.E. 1988, vice president, corporate development and strategy, Albemarle Corp.
• David Humphrey, B.S.I.E. 1982, M.S.I.E. 1983, vice president of investor relations, ArcBest Corp.
• Michael D. Jones, B.S.Ag.E. 1967, M.S.Ag.E. 1968, principal, PQR Inc. (retired)
• Jerry W. Martin, B.S.C.E. 1967, M.S.C.E. 1968, chair, Engineering Services Inc. (retired)
• Jack Murders, B.S.M.E. 1986, vice president of Arkansas facilities, Marshalltown Co.
• Joseph Michael Roblee, B.S.C.S.E. 1990, chief information officer, U.S. HealthRecord Inc.
• Jon Michael Russ, B.S.M.E. 1986, director of power delivery, Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation

The Early Career Award recognizes exceptional professional and personal achievements of recent College of Engineering graduates. The 2014 recipients are:

• Keith Britton, B.S.C.E. 1997, M.S.C.E. 1999, chief executive officer, Iconic Consulting Group Inc.
• Jared Hornberger, B.S.E.E. 2002, M.S.E.E. 2005, Ph.D. 2012, director of manufacturing, Cree Fayetteville Inc.
• Steven M. Karp, B.S.C.S.E. 1999, senior systems engineer, Juniper Networks
• Matthew C. Loach, B.S.Ch.E. 1996, financial planning manager, ExxonMobil Chemical Co.
• Kevin Oden, B.S.I.E. 2007, M.B.A. 2011, partner, ImPro Advisors
• Chris Pixley, B.S.B.A.E. 2002, Ph.D. 2013, head of production, Novozymes

About the College of Engineering: The University of Arkansas College of Engineering is the largest engineering program in the state of Arkansas. Over the past decade, the college has experienced unprecedented growth. Undergraduate enrollment has doubled since 2007, and total enrollment in the college is now over 4,000 students. The College of Engineering offers graduate and undergraduate degrees in nine engineering fields, as well as incorporating distance learning and interdisciplinary programs. Faculty in the college conduct research in many key areas, including electronics, energy, healthcare logistics, nanotechnology, transportation and logistics.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio of 19:1 that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.