ASCE Names Distinguished Members

Jon D. Nelson, '99 and Rao Y. Surampalli, '64 alumni of the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering have been named Distinguished Members of ASCE. With the exception of ASCE's presidency, the status of distinguished member - formerly called honorary member - is the highest conferred by the Society.

Jon D. Nelson, Class of 1999, is the vice president of Terra Tech's EAS Group of Tulsa, OK and is honored for leadership that has led to a new law in the state raising the formal educational requirements for engineering licensure. Nelson's career includes 12 years of service on the Oklahoma State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors, including two terms as chairman. An advocate of long term change in the educational and experience requirements for engineering licensure, he has worked to move the educational component beyond a bachelor's degree. Nelson has received many awards for his service and contributions, including ASCE's President's Medal. The governor of Oklahoma honored him by proclaiming July 12, 2007, to be Jon D. Nelson, P.E. - Engineering and Surveying Licensure Day. Nelson received his master's degree in environmental engineering from OSU. A registered professional engineer in Oklahoma, he is a resident of Tulsa, OK.

Rao Y. Surampalli, Class of 1964, is the engineer director for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and is honored for his leadership in environmental engineering. During his career Surampalli has coordinated major research efforts on 30 environmental engineering topics, including the production of bioplastics and biopesticides from biosolids; the occurence and fate of pharamaceuticals, antibiotics, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals in water and wastewater treatment plants; and the environmental  risk posed by nanomaterials and nanotechnology. Surampalli's accolades include ASCE's Government Civil Engineer of the Year Award, Rudolph Hering Medal, State-of-the-Art of Civil Engineering Award, and Wesley W. Horner Award. Surampalli received a master's degree in environmental engineering from OSU. He is a professional engineer in Iowa and Kentucky, he is a resident of Lenexa, KS.

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Larry K. Shaw, Class of 1969, 1970 - was a member of Camp Benham in 1966 and had the proud honor of driving the International pick-up back to Stillwater non-stop with Dr. Phil Manke. Larry and his wife, Jo Ann, have six children and reside in the Houston area. He has been involved in offshore developments around the world from the North sea, Artic, S. E. Asia and Gulf of Mexico. Larry currently works for Fluor Offshore Solutions in Sugarland TX. Larry and Jo Ann hope to "hang them up" in a couple years and spend full-time spoiling the grand kids.

Donald R. Snethen, Class of 1969, 1970, 1972 - worked as a Research Civil Engineer with the U.S. Army Engineers-Waterways Experiment Station (WES) from 1972 - 1979 and served as an associate professor and a professor of Civil Engineering and Coordinator of the graduate program in the Geotechnical Enginneering group in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Oklahoma State University from 1979-2008.

James “Jim” D. Cobb, Class of 1959, 1960 - upon graduation, Cobb began working for Cobb Engineering Company, established by his father, Fred, in 1921, and bought the family business outright in 1970.  Under his leadership, the company has enjoyed many successes including high profile projects such as the record-setting reconstruction effort of the collapsed I-40 bridge near Webbers Falls, Okla., as well as being named one of the four lead engineers on the largest construction project in the history of Oklahoma, the relocating ofthe I-40 crosstown expressway in Oklahoma City. Not only is Cobb considered one of the founders of the OSU POSSE organization, he is a National Past President of the Alumni Association Board of Directors (1981-82), a recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award, and a member of the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology Hall of Fame.

Greg Geiser, Class of 1980 - invest in and develops real estate through his company, Wedgewood Investment Corporation. He and his wife, Nancy, and dayghters, Kelly Anna and Hanna, live in California. An article titled, "Proud Alum Rides Real Estate Wave in California,"about Greg's success appears in the Fall 2008 copy of STATE, the Official Magazine of Oklahoma State University. Click here to view the article.

Charles L. Hardt, Class of 1967, 81 - is the Tulsa public works director and has been selected as a recipient of the Charles Walter Nichols Award for Environmental Excellence. In 1995, he was inducted into the OSU College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology Hall of Fame and has also served on the OSU Civil Engineering Board of Visitors for the past three years.

Gary Humphrey, Class of 1981 - is commercial manager of a new Fugro company, Fugro GeoConsulting Inc., based in Houston, Texas. Gary is responsible for methane hydrates and scientific drilling projects.

Richard G. Petricek, Jr., Class of 1987 - married Callie "Heng Hong" Lee-Petricek in March of 2008.

John Green, Class of 1982 - was recently promoted to director of the USDA National Design, Construction and Soil Mechanics Center in Fort Worth, TX.

Michelle Bolock-Bolden, Class of 1995 – and her husband, Stephen, welcome Zachary Ray Bolden on November 16, 2006.

Elmer Stout, Class of 1953 – and his wife, Janet, spend winters in Florida and summers on the New Jersey Seashore.