The Zachry Department of Civil Engineering at Texas A&M University recently recognized the 2015 recipients of its Distinguished Graduate Award. The award was established to recognize and honor former students who have excelled in the civil engineering profession, highlighting their significant contributions and achievements.
This year’s recipients were Robert Lanham ’81, Stephen Lucy ’82 and Leslie Pittman ’74.
Lanham currently serves as president of Williams Brothers Construction. Lanham’s career with Williams Brothers began as a project engineer for a single construction project after leaving active duty in 1985. Over the next few years, he served a similar role over multiple, concurrent projects. By his fourth year, Lanham was made a project manager. In 1990, he had an opportunity to move to the corporate office to become an estimator. Five years later, he was named vice president. After serving as executive vice president for three years, Lanham was named president in January of 2013. Throughout his career, he has worked in virtually every aspect of the business.
Co-founder of the Dallas branch in 1994, Lucy is managing partner at Jaster-Quintilla. With a significant portfolio of structural projects with varying project delivery methods over nearly three decades, Lucy’s role includes recruiting and retention — starting by attracting great engineers and molding them as creative problem solvers into engineers who excel. He is also a professional fellow for the Center for Heritage Conservation in the Texas A&M College of Architecture.
Associate professor of practice in the civil engineering department, and former director of sustainability with Klotz Associates, Pittman dedicated his profession to his greatest passion — education. At the firm, he directed the internal and external sustainable development and sustainable engineering efforts. He worked to educate the staff on low impact development practices, and he supported the modification of standards to sustainable alternatives with numerous agencies. Pittman encouraged the development of civil engineers as key contributors to society by reminding his students to increase effort in non-technical skills.
The department also took this time to recognize those who recently established an endowment, and to award $689,375 in the form of 276 scholarships and fellowships. Recognized for their recent gifts were Jacquelyn ’98 & Chuck Wolf ’98, Cynthia ’82 & Fred Balda ’82, Alison & Bob Farrow ’79, Genie and Ed Farrow ’47, Yvonne Gerbig Mason, Judy Gerbig Curnutte ’00, Gary Lenard Gerbig ’80, Rachel Hayden ’89, Pat Kunz ’79, Sandy & Calvin Ladner ’80, Jamie ’86 & Dennis Mudd ’85, Mary Sorenson and Suzanne Scott.
“We couldn’t ask for a better testament than the shining examples of our former students, and we are delighted that they come back to share their experiences with our current students," said Dr. Robin Autenrieth, head of the department. “Our department is genuinely humbled by their achievements.”