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Alumni Distinguished Alumni

For more than 40 years, the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering has honored the outstanding professional achievements of its graduates through the Distinguished Alumni Award program. The accomplishments of these outstanding School of Engineering graduates have brought recognition to this University and its academic departments, to our profession, and to the entire School of Engineering alumni community.

Distinguished Alumni Awards are distributed during the Distinguished Alumni Banquet, held annually in the spring. This year, the event was held on March 20.

 

2008 School of Engineering Distinguished Alumni Award

  • Mahmoud K. Dabbous, PhD '71—President and CEO, The IPR Group of Companies

2008 Departmental Distinguished Alumni Awards

  • Raymond P. Niro, BSCHE '64
  • James J. Lombardi, BSCE '72
  • Marlin H. Mickle, BSEE '61, MSEE '64
  • Barbara L. Shelton, BSIE '79
  • Edward F. Sobota, BSMET '67
  • Young Alumni Award: Alka Patel, BSMSE '96
  • Student Leadership Award: Julie Kleinman, BSEE '08

View bios of the 2008 Distinguished Alumni.

2007 School of Engineering Distinguished Alumni Award

  • John A. Jurenko, BSEE '56—Cofounder, Adtran, Inc.

2007 Departmental Distinguished Alumni Awards

  • The Honorable Michael Bilirakis, Pet '59
  • Dennis P. Yeskey, CE '72, MSCE '73
  • Thomas D. Mino, EE '68
  • Aldo Zini, IE '75
  • Craig Staresinich, AE '69
  • Young Alumni Award: Michael J. Fasolka, MSE '94
  • Student Leadership Award: Daniel Armanios, ME '07
    Goldwater scholar, Marshall scholar, Rhodes scholar, and Donald M. Henderson scholar in School of Engineering

2006 School of Engineering Distinguished Alumni Award

  • James J. McGrath, BSCHE '71—President, Aker Kvaerner Inc.

2006 Departmental Distinguished Alumni Awards

  • David W. Wohlfarth, Pet '68
  • Joseph A. Massaro, CE '58
  • Dennis Wisnosky, EE '68
  • Glenn Foglio, IE '83, '90
  • Jack B. Allen, Jr., ME '71, '80
  • Andy J. Benedict, ME '71
  • Young Alumni Award: Vibha Rustagi, EE '87

2005 School of Engineering Distinguished Alumni Award

  • Gerald E. McGinnis, MSME '60—Chairman and Founder, Respironics Inc.

2005 Departmental Distinguished Alumni Awards

  • Bruce M. Coull, ChE '67, '68
  • Wanda M. Austin, CE '77
  • Kenneth F. Cooper, PhD, EE '59, '80
  • John Innocenti, IE '72
  • Dennis McGlone, Mat '71
  • M. Roger Eshelman, ME '62
  • Young Alumni Award: Richard D. Schaub, Jr., '89, '93 ChE, '99 PhD BIOENG

2004 School of Engineering Distinguished Alumni Award

  • John C. Mascaro, BSCE '66, MSCE '80—President and Chief Executive Officer, Mascaro Construction Company LP

 

2004 Departmental Distinguished Alumni Awards

  • C.L. Mike Winget, ChE Energy Resources '78
  • James M. Coull, CE '57
  • John W. Pavia, EE '69
  • Kenneth Smialek, IE '78
  • Charles E. Eckert, PhD, Mat '76
  • Federick L. Kocher, ME '77
  • Young Alumni Award (introduced in 2004): Keith E. LeJeune, ChE '94, '96

2003 School of Engineering Distinguished Alumni Award

  • Jack W. Shilling, Met PhD '75—Executive Vice President, Strategic Initiatives and Technology and Chief Technology Officer, Allegheny Technologies

 

2003 Departmental Distinguished Alumni Awards

  • Humberto Vanieri, ChE '70, '72, '74
  • Paul R. Bridges, CE '59
  • David Toth, EE '78
  • Roman M. Hlutkowsky, IE '80, '83
  • Eric J. Palmiere, Mat '85, '87, '91
  • Stephen R. Tritch, ME '71

 

2002 School of Engineering Distinguished Alumni Award

  • Richard Madden, BS EE '56—Founder of The Future Fund

 

2002 Departmental Distinguished Alumni Awards

  • H. Baird Whitehead, Pet '72
  • Michael H. Dufalla, CE '67, '70
  • Herman E. Reedy, EE '75
  • William B. Mallin, IE '55
  • Mary Grace Burke, MSE '76
  • Harvey L. Cupp, ME '40

2001 School of Engineering Distinguished Alumni Award

  • Krish A. Prabhu, MSEE '77, '80 (PhD)—COO, Alcatel Telecom

 

2001 Departmental Distinguished Alumni Awards

  • Roberta A. Luxbacher, ChE '78
  • Lester C. Snyder III, CE '79
  • Susan Zellman-Rohrer, EE '77
  • Ching-wen Li, IE '88 (MS)
  • Jon C. Schaeffer, MSE '84, '87, '89
  • Wayne J. DiBartola Sr., ME '55

2000 School of Engineering Distinguished Alumni Award

  • David L. Brown, ME '63—Chair, Telescan

 

2000 Departmental Distinguished Alumni Awards

  • Walter R. Arnheim, ChE '66 
  • John T. Lucey Jr., CE '84
  • Robert P. Colwell, EE '77
  • Richard C. Frank, IE '71
  • Robert E. Rumcik, MetE '68
  • Wilson J. Farmerie, ME '68

1999 School of Engineering Distinguished Alumni Award

  • Mark G. Papa, PETE '68—President, EOG Resources, Inc.

1999 Departmental Distinguished Alumni Awards

  • James L. Gallagher, ChE '58, '69
  • Charles M. Russell Jr., CE '59, '70
  • John A. Jurenko, EE '56
  • Francis J. Kramer, IE '71
  • Henry F. Andrejasik, MSE '49, '53
  • Joel E. Peterson, ME PhD '67

 

1998 School of Engineering Distinguished Alumni Award

  • John A. Swanson, ME PhD '66—Founder, ANSYS Inc.

1998 Departmental Distinguished Alumni Awards

  • James J. McGrath, ChE '71
  • Alex G. Sciulli, CE '75, '81
  • Larry P. Yermack, EE '60
  • Richard J. Slember, MSME '58, PhD '61

 

1997 School of Engineering Distinguished Alumni Award

  • Robert H. Luffy, CE '72—President and CEO, American Bridge Co.

 

1997 Departmental Distinguished Alumni Awards

  • Leonard K. Peters, ChE '62, '69, '71
  • Allen D. Biehler, CE '67
  • Roger L. Barna, EE '63
  • George A. Huber, IE '65
  • Susan Wood, MSE '73, '76
  • Leighton E. Orr, ME '28

 

1996 School of Engineering Distinguished Alumni Award

  • Teofilo J. Ramos, EE '69, '75—Dean of Engineering and Architecture, Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey

1996 Departmental Distinguished Alumni Awards

  • Mahmoud K. Dabbous, ChE '69, '71
  • Michael A. Gross, CE '30
  • Richard P. Clark, EE '69
  • George W. Whetsell, IE '72, '73
  • James T. Staley, MSE '62, '68
  • William J. O'Donnell, MSME '59, PhD '63

1995 School of Engineering Distinguished Alumni Award

  • James J. Degnan, ChE '59—Vice Chair and CEO, W.M. Kellogg Ltd.

1995 Departmental Distinguished Alumni Awards

  • Joseph Field, ChE '44
  • John C. Mascaro, CE '66, '80
  • Rex J. Lysinger, IE '59
  • Gary T. Martin, EE '67
  • Stan A. David, MSE PhD '72
  • Joseph Buster Weinzierl, IE '69
  • Ronald Gronsky, MSE '72
  • Bernard Fedak, ME '68

1994 School of Engineering Distinguished Alumni Award

  • Edward F. Kondis, ChE '62, '63—Vice President, Mobil Corp.

1994 Departmental Distinguished Alumni Awards

  • Edward J. Nemeth, ChE '60
  • Donald A. Landis, CE '52
  • J. Thomas Cain, EE '64, '66, '70
  • Barry J. Wetzel, IE '65
  • Jack W. Shilling, MSE PhD '75
  • Gerald E. McGinnis, ME '60 (MS)

1993 School of Engineering Distinguished Alumni Award

  • Regis F. Filtz, ME '58 (posthumous)—Vice President, Bell Atlantic
  • Mitchell Kozikowski, ChE '57—Public Relations Industry Leader

1993 Departmental Distinguished Alumni Awards

  • James Shields, IE '37

 

1992

  • Aloysius T. McLaughlin Jr., CE '57—President and COO (retired), Dick Corp.
  • Donald A. Mosites, CE '56—President, Mosites Construction Company
  • Ephraim Werner, ChE '40—Chair, National Torch Tip Company Inc.

1991

  • James W. Estep, ChE '40—Senior Vice President, Texasgulf Sulphur Co.
  • Val P. Peline, ME '52, '54—President, Stanford Communications

1990

  • William S. Barrack Jr., IE '50—Senior Vice President, Texaco
  • Charles L. Cost, CE '58—President, Cost Company
  • Paul A. Witherspoon Jr., PETE '41—Professor, Geological Engineering, University of California, Berkeley

1989

  • Selwyn Berson, ME '49, '54—President, Pratt & Whitney, Aircraft Group
  • Joseph F. Lagnese, CE '51—Environmental Engineering Consultant
  • Robert v.d. Luft, ChE '57—Chair and CEO, Entergy Corp.

1988

  • George A. Davidson Jr., PETE '61—Chair and CEO, Consolidated Natural Gas
  • Frank E. Mosier, ChE '53—Vice Chair, BP America

1987

  • Donald H. Jones, EE '59—Founder, Control Systems Research
  • Clovis F. Obermesser, EE '55—President, Asia Pacific, Westinghouse Electric Corporation
  • Lee A. Weaver, ME '58—President, Salem Furnace Company

1986

  • Paul F. Fulton, PETE '51—Professor of Chemical Engineering, University of Pittsburgh
  • Paul E. Lego, EE '58—Chair and CEO, Westinghouse Electric Corp.
  • William G. MacLaren, IE '51—Senior Official, NATO
  • Thomas J. Usher, IE '65, '66, '71—Chair and CEO, USX Corporation

1985

  • Murray A. Goldman, EE '61—Senior Vice President, Motorola
  • Joseph A. Hardy, IE '47—Founder and President, 84 Lumber Company
  • Walter L. Henry, EE '63—Chief of Cardiology, University of California

1984

  • William M. Aiken, IE '40—Chair and President, H.B. Maynard & Company
  • Gino P. Giusti, ChE '49, '53, '59—Vice Chair, Texasgulf Sulphur Co.
  • Winthrop M. Leeds, MSEE '30, PhD '45—Executive, Westinghouse Electric Corp.

1983

  • Stephen J. Botos, ME '70—President, Aerotech Inc.
  • Charles W. Parry, EE '48—Chair and CEO, Aluminum Company of America
  • Robert L. Schneider, EE '49—Plant Manager, U.S. Steel

1982

  • Albert G. Holzman, IE '49, '54, '58—Professor and Former Chair of Industrial Engineering, University of Pittsburgh
  • John C. Marous Jr., EE '49—Chair and CEO, Westinghouse Electric Corp.
  • Edward B. Stuart, EE '48, '49, '58—Professor and Former Chair of Chemical Engineering, University of Pittsburgh

1981

  • Edward P. Czapor, EE '48—Vice President, General Motors
  • Jameel Al-Jishi, IE '66, PhD '74—Chair, Arab Investment Co.
  • George E. Moore, EE '43—Executive Director, Westinghouse Electric Corp.

1980

  • Robert L. Ferris, PETE '41—Vice President, Shell Oil Co.
  • William B. Goffe Jr., PETE '37—Vice President, Equitable Gas Co.
  • James R. West, ChE '44—Vice President, Texasgulf Sulphur Co.

1979

  • Harvey J. Trilli, CE '50—Executive Vice President and General Manager, Davy International

1978

  • G. Raymond Fitterer, METE '30—Former Dean of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh
  • Vernon Houghton, CE '32—President, Environmental Resources of Western PA
  • Edward Slack, GenE '56—President and CEO, PPG Industries Inc.

1977

  • Edwin V. Clarke, IE '48—Senior Executive Vice President, Westinghouse Electric Corp.
  • Eugene E. Sillaman, ME '50—President and CEO, Harris Pump and Supply Co.

1976

  • James E. Davis, ME '49—Executive, Allegheny Power Systems
  • Donald E. Rathbone, PhD EE '62—Dean, School of Engineering, Kansas State University
  • Joseph Salvucci, ME '43—President, Salvucci Engineers
  • Nels E. Sylvander, ChE '44—Vice President, Pennwalt Corporation

1975

  • Gordon F. Ahalt, PETE '51—President, GFA Inc.
  • Edward H. Greenwald, MINE '42—Mining Industry Leader
  • G. Arthur Webb, ChE '34, PhD '41—Director of Engineering, Mellon Institute

1974

  • Alfred C. Ackenheil, CE '39, PhD Geo '54—Consultant
  • William L. Horner, PETE '28, '34, '51—Prominent Petroleum Engineer 
  • Frank J. Lydick, PETE '42—Senior Vice President, Peoples Natural Gas

1973

  • Charles P. Showalter, IE '33—Superintendent of Primary Mills, Duquesne Works, USX Corporation
  • Charles S. Cusick, IE '43—Executive, PPG Industries
  • Paul N. Kuzmich, PETE '48—Vice President, Columbia Gas
  • Mathias J. McDonough, EE '43—Vice President, Westinghouse Electric Corp.

1972

  • George M. Esler, METE '49—Vice President/Operations, Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel
  • William P. Smith, EE '41—Chair and CEO, Midrex Corporation
  • John W. Simpson, EE '41—Executive Vice President, Westinghouse Electric Corp.

1971

  • None awarded

1970

  • Charles R. DeCarlo Jr., PETE '48—President, Sarah Lawrence College
  • Robert E. McMillen, PETE '36—Executive, Marathon Oil
  • Charles F. Ryman, ME '20—Prominent Mechanical Engineer

1969

  • Russell M. Arnold, ChE '34—President, Burrell Corp.
  • Walter R. Turkes, IE '34—Professor and Former Chair, Industrial Engineering, University of Pittsburgh
  • William J. Veenis, EE '48—President, VeeMetCo. Inc.

1968

  • John M. Arthur, EE '44—Chair, Duquesne Light Company
  • Paul W. Neuenschwander, PETE '22—Chair and CEO, Wiser Oil
  • Robert J. Varga, ME '54—Head, Space Exploration Systems, Advanced Programs, Hughes Aircraft Co.

1967

  • George S. Dively, EE '25—Chair, Harris-Intertype Corp.
  • Robert M. Lloyd, EE '36—Administrative Vice President, United States Steel Corp.
  • Ronald B. Smith, ME '37—Prominent Mechanical Engineer

1966

  • William E. Brinker, ChE '40—General Manager, Corn Products Co.
  • Leland W. Cook, CE '24—Prominent Civil Engineer
  • James M. Wallace, EE '35—Vice President, Westinghouse Electric Co.

1965

  • Robert G. MacDonald, EE '31—Senior Vice President, Allegheny Power Systems

1964

  • George M. Bevier, PETE '13—Pioneer Geologist and Geophysicist
  • Marcus A. Follansbee, MINE '14—Chair, Union Chemical Material Corp.
  • Robert A. Young, EE '23—Prominent Electrical Engineer

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