Awards Gala September 21, 2023
Thank You to our Gala Planning Committee Each year, the CECON Gala would not be possible without the efforts of your Gala Planning Committee, spearheaded by ASCE Texas Younger Members Committee Chair Joe Alvarez. Join us in thanking Joe and the entire Gala Committee: Joe Alvarez
Farrah Rawashdeh EIT
TxDOT Corpus Christi Branch
DEC Houston Branch
Alexa Nichols PE EHRA Houston Branch
Order of Events Buffet Dinner San Marcos Tex Mex House Garden Salad, Ranch or Balsamic dressing Roasted Corn and Black Bean Salad Minted Fruit Salad Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chile Cream Smoked Sliced Pork Loin with Chipotle Cilantro Cream Cilantro Pecan Rice, Pinto Beans, Flour Tortillas Sopapillas with Cinnamon, Powdered Sugar, Honey Churros with Chocolate and Caramel
Welcome Presidential Remarks Recognition of VIPs Recognition of the 2023 ASCE Distinguished Members & Fellows Recognition of 2023 ASCE Award Recipients
Texas Section Awards and Honors Entertainment Casino Games + Prizes
2023 ASCE Texas Section Awards PROFESSIONAL SERVICE TO STUDENTS AWARD
The Texas Section established this award in 1999. It is conferred upon a subscribing member of the Texas Section for meritorious service by actively participating in one or more of the Texas-Mexico Regional Conference’s Student Chapters.
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AWARD
This award is conferred upon a subscribing member of the Texas Section for meritorious service to the Texas Section and to one or more of the Section’s Branches.
SERVICE TO PEOPLE AWARD
This award is presented to a civil engineer who brings credit to their profession through community activities visible to the general public.
GOVERNMENT CIVIL ENGINEER AWARD
This award is conferred upon a subscribing member of the Texas Section, employed by a governmental organization, for meritorious service to the Texas Section and one or more of the Section’s Branches.
HISTORY & HERITAGE AWARD JOHN A FOCHT, JR. CITIZEN ENGINEER AWARD
The Texas Section established this award in 1990 to recognize John A. Focht, Jr.’s outstanding and continued dedication to Texas Section. He is a strong leader, serving as a Section Past President and Board member and service as ASCE’s District Director, Vice President, and ASCE President.
AWARD OF HONOR
The Texas Section established the Award of Honor to present to a limited number of members. It recognizes “service to the Texas Section and outstanding professional achievement in civil engineering.”
TEXAS OUTSTANDING CIVIL ENGINEERING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
This award recognizes a completed project, designed and/or built in Texas, that demonstrates the greatest contribution to civil engineering progress and to society. Award recipients are selected by ASCE Texas Section’s Past Presidents Council and nominated for Society-level recognition.
Award of Honor
Augustine Verrengia III PE
Russel “Rusty” GIbson PE
Civil Market Leader, WGI
In memorium
Austin Branch
Northeast Texas Branch
Service to People Award
Kathleen Jackson PE Commissioner & Interim Chair Public Utility Commission of Texas
Professional Service Award
Julie Jones PE, CFM Project Manager Nathan D. Maier Consulting Engineers Dallas Branch
Professional Service to Students Award
Mark Mann PE Director of Engineering Services Sabine River Authority Southeast Texas Branch
Government Civil Engineer Award
Joe Alvarez Project Manager TXDOT Corpus Christi Branch
John A. Focht Jr. Citizen Engineer Award
Patricia Frayre PE Principal Frayre Engineering & Consulting Houston Branch
History & Heritage Award
Anne Cook. MLIS Photo Librarian TxDOT Communications Division
Lifetime Service Award
David Matocha
Tim Newton pE
Martha Juch PE, CFM
Senior Technical
Retired Consulting
Portfolio Project
Services Manager
Engineer
Manager
Rinker Materials
Quiddity
TxDOT
Austin Branch
Houston Branch
Austin Branch
Ken Rainwater PhD, PE, CFM, D.WRE
Bud Beene PE, F.ASCE
Retired Professor Emeritus
Area Manager
Texas Tech University
Parsons Corporation
Caprock Branch
US Central South
Dallas Branch
Texas OCEA Award
Texas OCEA Award of Merit
Coastal Water Authority
City of Dallas & HNTB
Luce Bayou Interbasin
Runway 13R-31L & Taxiway C
Transfer Project
Phase 1 Reconstruction Project
Originally conceived in 1938, the Luce Bayou Interbasin Transfer Project (LBITP) is the most significant water supply project built in the Houston region in the last 50 years. To address the growing demand for surface water, while reducing dependency on groundwater, the LBITP will transfer up to 500 million gallons of water per day from the Trinity River in an adjacent water basin over Capers Ridge to Lake. At the time it was funded, the Texas Water Development Board rated the LBITP as its top ranked project in the State.
Runway 13R-31L serves as Dallas Love Field’s (DAL’s) primary runway and is located on the southwest portion of the airfield. The runway was last rehabilitated in 1990 with construction of a Portland CementConcrete (PCC) overlay. After 31 years of service, it was observed that though the runway pavement had performed beyond its FAA target of a 20-year design life, it was needing significant maintenance on a recurring basis. The scope of the project included full depth reconstruction of the runway with 30 years design-life.