ACEC/CO Announces 2008 Engineering Recognition Awards

Denver School of Science & Technology teacher Mark Heffron, left, was honored as the Outstanding Educator of the Year by outgoing ACEC/CO, President Brien Gidlow, right.

Photo courtesy of ACEC/CO

The American Council of Engineering Cos. of Colorado recently announced its 2008 Engineering Recognition Awards, given each year to honor those who have contributed to the engineering profession.

Peter Binney, former director of Aurora Water, received the General Palmer Award, presented to an outstanding engineer for his contributions to Colorado and advancement of the engineering profession.

Binney joined the city of Aurora in 2002, where he was responsible for the water, wastewater and major drainage needs of 300,000 city residents. Binney began a combination of broad water conservation programs to manage demand, short-term leasing of agricultural water, purchasing water rights and system integrations, which when coupled with less severe water supply conditions, have recovered reservoirs at this time. He also implemented a $754-million planned indirect reclamation system to provide a secure level of service to current customers and to meet the community’s predicted growth. His innovative and strategic approaches to solving water issues have been acknowledged by peer water agencies across the nation.

William A. Clevenger and Eugene B. Waggoner were recipients of the Orley O. Phillips Award, presented to an ACEC/CO member or members who have made significant contributions to the engineering profession.

Clevenger joined Woodward-Clyde Consultants in 1956, and during the next 17 years, he either designed or provided design criteria for more than 300 compacted earth dams and 100 or more tailing dams. He also co-authored a book, Earth and Earth-Rock Dams, published in 1963 by John Wiley and Sons, which is still a popular reference book for dam design professionals and continues to be used as a textbook in college courses on embankment dam design. He was active in professional societies during his tenure in Denver and served as the president of ACEC/CO in 1966.

Early in his career, Waggoner joined the Bureau of Reclamation’s engineering geology division as a staff geologist. By 1954 he had entered private practice in Denver, where he ultimately became a partner at Woodward-Clyde Consultants, co-managing its Denver office. Following his involvement in numerous overseas projects, he cut back on travel to devote time to the Consulting Engineers Council (precursor to ACEC/CO) and served as president of the Colorado Chapter in 1961, and as national president of ACEC in 1966.
 
During his national presidency, he concentrated on expanding opportunities for consulting engineers, fostered greater harmony between the design professions and the construction industry, and continued to promote growth and effectiveness of ACEC services to its members.  This included programs related to legislation, education and promoting of engineering to students as part of the profession’s professional responsibility, all of which continue today.

The George Washington Award is presented for outstanding service to the community and the enhancement of the public image of consulting engineering profession. Gregg Ten Eyck, chairman of the board of Leonard Rice Engineers Inc., was honored for promoting engineering in a variety of capacities, including his involvement with ACEC/CO as a past president, and his service on the CEPAC, water resources, legislative and professional development committees. 

The President’s Award is presented by the outgoing ACEC/CO president each year to recognize an individual who has made an outstanding contribution. Brien Gidlow presented the President’s Award to Dave Fraser, chief meteorologist for News2. For the past seven years Fraser has visited elementary, middle and high schools to promote math, engineering and science to Colorado students. During each visit, he distributes the ACEC/CO’s education kit, which contains DVDs, activities and resources about engineering that can be used in the classroom to educate students about engineering.

The Outstanding Educator of the Year is presented for contributions to and support of programs in math, science and engineering. This year the council recognized Mark Heffron, a teacher at the Denver School of Science & Technology, who has served as a math teacher, math department chair and bridge-building coach during this three-year tenure.