Six alumni inducted into 2021 CCEE Hall of Fame

The Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering Alumni Hall of Fame was established to inspire our current students and our alumni, and to celebrate the accomplishments of those extraordinary graduates who have used their education to excel in a profession, career or service. This honor celebrates the accomplishments and commitment of alumni to the professions of civil, construction and environmental engineering, or alumni who have advanced in other professions. Hall of Fame inductees serve as examples to students and alumni as to the role that they are expected to play in engaging with the university and society.

The six inductees of the 2021 CCEE Hall of Fame represent an inspiring, interesting and influential group of alumni. Membership in the Hall of Fame is limited to about 1% of CCEE alumni. 

This year’s Hall of Fame Induction ceremony was held on Oct. 29, 2021. 

Pam Townsend, senior vice president of WSP, was inducted into CCEE’s Hall of Fame in 2017. When speaking at this year’s induction ceremony, she said there is “no greater recognition or honor than having been inducted into this alma mater’s Hall of Fame.”

“My career has been touched by so many of the Hall of Fame inductees in some way,” Townsend said. “This group includes former professors, clients, industry colleagues who I have worked with in so many different ways, and trailblazers, who through the tremendous contributions to our profession and society have paved the way for others to follow. Each of the inductees has gone on to an amazing career after your formative years in Mann Hall. The contributions of this department to society have been invaluable. The role the department grads have had on the transformation of this state over the years to one of the top economies in the world cannot be understated.”

Department Head Morton Barlaz said he felt a “great sense of humility standing among so many giants and leaders in our field.”

“The inductees’ accomplishments and their contributions to society are inspiring, and I am so proud to claim them as alums of our department,” Barlaz said.

We sincerely congratulate this year’s inductees. You can read short profiles of each below. Since we were unable to host an in-person ceremony last year, we celebrated the 2020 inductees at this year’s ceremony. You can read their profiles here

You can read more about selection criteria at the end of the article, as well as instructions for how to nominate individuals for the 2022 CCEE Hall of Fame.

 

 

Mr. Michael Banks Gwyn 

Gwyn received his B.S. in civil engineering in 1980 and a master’s in engineering in 1994. His nearly 40-year career in the construction industry started in 1981 at Paul N. Howard Co. After serving in numerous leadership roles at construction firms such as J.A. Jones Construction Co., Fluor, Leidos Constructors, The Benham Cos. and overseeing billions of dollars in projects worldwide, Gwyn retired in 2020 as group president of Haskell’s Federal, Healthcare & Energy Group. Gwyn has been involved in many engineering organizations, including as an American Society of Civil Engineers Fellow and a member of the North Carolina Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the ASCE Construction Institute’s Construction Engineering Education Committee, and the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying Civil PE Exam Committee. Gwyn also was on the Industry Advisory Council for ABET for many years and acted as chair for that group. Gwyn has been a longtime supporter of CCEE, serving on and chairing the advisory board and developing the Michael Banks Gwyn Scholarship Endowment in 2016 for need-based undergraduate students interested in Construction Engineering and Management. 

 

Mr. Jim Hipps

Hipps attended NC State on an athletic scholarship, receiving a B.S. in biological and agricultural engineering in 1973 and a professional degree in civil engineering in 1974. He started his engineering career at Moore-Gardner & Associates upon graduation. After MGA was acquired by Black & Veatch Inc. in 1982, Jim climbed the ranks at the company, serving in various leadership roles. He retired from B&V in 2009 as executive partner in charge of Strategic Planning, Mergers & Acquisitions & New Business Ventures after 35 years in the consulting industry. Hipps has been very active and played a leadership role in the Junior Diabetes Research Foundation and served on the Board of Directors of the Kansas City, M.O. chapter. He also served as an active member of the NC State Engineering Advisory Board for the Biological & Agricultural Engineering Department and was named as a Distinguished Alumnus. His family is a generous supporter of NC State academics and athletics, contributing to a number of undergraduate, graduate, athletic and athletic trainer endowed scholarships. 

 

Dr. Herbert Rooney Malcom Jr.

Rooney received a B.S. in civil engineering in 1963, a master’s in civil engineering in 1970 and a Ph.D. in civil engineering in 1973. Rooney retired as a professor emeritus from N.C. State in 2004 after 31 years with the university. He is part of the NCSU Academy of Outstanding Teachers, winning the Outstanding Teaching Award twice. Rooney’s other honors include Outstanding Civil Engineer from the N.C. Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Bill Horn-Kimley Horn Faculty Award, and the Outstanding Extension Service Award. Rooney was a longtime member of the Technical Advisory Committee to the North Carolina Sedimentation Control Commission. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Water Resources Division of the North Carolina Chapter of the American Public Works Association, on the Technical Committee of the Water Resources Research Institute, and as a technical adviser to the Triangle J Council of Governments Committee on Water Resources. 

 

Mr. David Simpson

Simpson received a B.S. in civil engineering in 1981. After more than 23 years working for the N.C. Department of Transportation and two private engineering firms, Simpson started Simpson Engineers & Associates in 2004. Simpson contributes regularly to the CCEE Enhancement Fund and Zia Lecture series and served on the department’s Industry Advisory Board from 2010-18. Simpson and his brother, Michael, endowed the David B. and Annie P. Simpson Scholarship, named in honor of their parents. He is involved in several engineering education organizations including the N.C. Future City Competition, MATHCOUNTS, and N.C. Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education Center. Simpson is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, American Society of Highway Engineers, American Council of Engineering Companies, National Society of Professional Engineers and Women’s Transportation Seminar. His honors include the Special Recognition Award and Small Architectural/Engineering Firm of the Year from NCDOT and Award of Recognition, Advocate Partner from WTS. 

 

Dr. Lawrence Twisdale

Twisdale received a B.S. in civil engineering in 1969, a master’s in civil engineering in 1970, and a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois. He began his career as a senior engineer with Carolina Power and Light in Raleigh, N.C. He founded the Southeast Division of Applied Research Associates Inc. in 1982, which has become ARA’s largest office with more than 300 employees. He was a principal of the firm and an executive vice president, serving on ARA’s Board for 30 years. He retired in fall 2020 and consults today on selected projects. He was principal investigator on more than 200 projects during his career. Twisdale developed the TORMIS software that analyzes tornado-generated missile risk to nuclear power plant components and structures. He also developed hurricane vulnerability, mitigation, and loss models that became part of FEMA’s HAZUS software suite and ARA’s HURLOSS insurance software tool. Twisdale led the development of the first ever Tornado Wind Speed Risk Maps for the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Twisdale was an active member of ASCE for more than 40 years. He and his wife, Fran, established a Charitable Remainder Unitrust in 2013 through the NC State Engineering Foundation. 

 

Ms. Deborah Bell Young

Young was one of the first Black women to receive a B.S. in civil engineering from N.C. State (1977) and to earn an M.S. in civil engineering-environmental engineering from the University of Pittsburgh (1980). She received an MBA from Fuqua, Duke University in 1997. Young retired as the Global Health, Safety, and Environmental Capital director for Honeywell International Inc., (AlliedSignal) in 2015. Debbie worked at Honeywell for nearly 35 years in various leadership roles. She was a charter member and president of NC State’s Society of Women Engineers and a charter member of NC State’s Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Mu Omicron chapter. Young has been involved in several organizations including the Richmond Minorities in Engineering Partnership, The Links, Incorporated, and the N.C. State Engineering Foundation Board of Directors. She has held numerous roles in the Episcopal church, including vestry wardens and Diocese leadership. Debbie is a loyal contributor to CCEE, including the endowment of the Deborah Bell and Gary Young Scholarship, the CCEE Enhancement Fund and the Fitts- Woolard Hall Building. 

 

 


 

The CCEE Alumni Hall of Fame was established in 2017 with 19 inaugural inductees. 2018 and 2019 saw three more each year, 2020 saw nine, and six more outstanding individuals were inducted in 2021.

 Induction Criteria include:

  • Service to the Profession including advances to the technology or fundamental principles of the nominees chosen field or career
  • Service to the Local, National, or Global Community
  • Service to the University
  • Service to the Welfare of Society

If you would like to nominate someone to be considered for 2022, you will find instructions and the form here. Nominations are due by June 15th of each year.