The Arkansas Academy of Industrial Engineering held its 31st annual Induction and Awards Banquet on Friday, April 28, kicking off the annual Academy Weekend. On Saturday, April 29, the academy held its spring business meeting in the Bell Engineering Center, which was followed by an old-time catfish picnic.

At the banquet, the academy inducted 10 new members. Each new member is nominated by a current member and elected by membership vote. This year's inductees are from a diverse group of fields, including technology, business, transportation and logistics, manufacturing, and retail.

Inductees this year include:

• Dennis Anderson, B.S.I.E. 2002, chief customer experience officer for ArcBest
• C. Ray Asfahl, honorary, professor emeritus, University of Arkansas
• Jana Della Rosa, B.S.I.E. 2000, Arkansas state representative, District 90
• Michele Dime, B.S.I.E. 1993, M.S.I.E. 1995, director of PMO for Global Experience at Walmart's Global eCommerce
• Scott Hambuchen, B.S.I.E. 1991, executive with First Orion
• Stephen Jenkins, M.S.O.R. 1983, director of national planning and engineering, AT&T
• Pam McGinnis, B.S.I.E. 1990, president of global marketing, Phillips 66
• Malik Sadiq, M.S.I.E. 1991, Ph.D. 1993, senior vice president of poultry strategy and business development with Tyson Foods Inc.
• Ross Tompkins, B.S.I.E. 1990, M.S.I.E. 1994, plant manager with Sealed Air in Rogers
• Chris Wessels, B.S.I.E. 2002, M.S.I.E. 2005, senior director of support Ssrvices for North America in Walmart's Global Shared Services Division

During the banquet, AAIE recognized members whose scholarship donations have met milestones. New named scholarships added this year included the AAIE Dennis and Patti Abell Scholarship, AAIE Bill and Pat McKamey Scholarship, and the AAIE John McKuin Scholarship Honoring Phyllis and Barry McKuin. Three one-time scholarships were awarded this year donors include; the Faubel Family, Ron and Debbie Morris, and William and Kim Needy. In addition, donors who have reached the classification as Imhoff Fellows included Debra Rolfe Brown, Mary Kirby Iverson & Terry Iverson, the Malstrom Family, Brian and Ann Noland, Alvin and Dorothy Rhodes, Curtis and Jeannine Sawyer, and Michael A. & Veida Starks.

In addition to these new scholarships, two Memorial Scholarships were awarded. The first was the AAIE Scholarship in Memory of John Ballard former professor of industrial management systems engineering and associate dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Ballard received his B.S.I.E in 1971, M.S.I.E. in 1972 and Ph.D. in 1974, all from the University of Arkansas.

The second memorial scholarship was the AAIE Scholarship in Memory of Bill Meadows. Meadows received his B.S.I.E. in 1970 and his M.B.A. in 1974. A member of the Arkansas Academy of Industrial Engineering, Meadows was inducted in 1992.

Student scholars are invited to attend the banquet each year to be recognized and to meet personally with their donor. For the coming academic year 2017-18, the Arkansas Academy of Industrial Engineering provided AAIE and related scholarships to 52 students totaling $103,500.

The AAIE provides several awards to recognize faculty and staff of the department who have shown excellence and dedication in their roles. Professor Chase Rainwater was recognized as the AAIE Faculty Member of the Year. In addition two staff awards were presented, Richard Ham, associate director of the Master of Science in Operations Management program received the AAIE Administrative Staff Member of the Year Award, and Tamara Ellenbecker was the recipient of the AAIE Support Staff Member of the Year.

Next year's AAIE events are tentatively scheduled for April 20-21, 2018.

About the Arkansas Academy of Industrial Engineering: Since 1986, the Arkansas Academy of Industrial Engineering (AAIE) has recognized the achievements of University of Arkansas industrial engineering graduates and provided guidance and support to the Department of Industrial Engineering. The academy also provides assistance in areas of equipment acquisition, faculty recruiting, student placement, and curriculum review. AAIE members are accomplished industrial engineering alumni who support the department in many ways such as providing scholarships and global experiences, facilitating mock interviews, offering student mentorship and serving as guest lecturers.