Press Release

Release: Immediate
Contact: Stacey A. Ober
703-684-2815

Engineer Receives Highest Honor by National Society of Professional Engineers

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (July 23, 2012) – Jose I. Guerra, P.E., F.NSPE, F.ASCE received the National Society of Professional Engineers' most prestigious award for professional engineers at the recent 2012 Annual Meeting held in San Diego. 

The NSPE Award is the highest award presented to an individual by the Society and is given to an engineer who has made outstanding contributions to the engineering profession, the public welfare, or humankind. Previous recipients include former President Herbert Hoover; Dr. David B. Steinman, P.E. (founder of NSPE); and former Puerto Rico Governor Luis A. Ferre, P.E.

Guerra earned a bachelor's degree in architectural engineering at the University of Texas at Austin in 1957 and has had an exemplary career as a consulting structural engineer spanning more than 50 years. Following a brief military stint with the post engineer in Fort Sill, Okla., he joined W. Clark Craig & Associates, rising through the ranks to become an associate in the firm. In 1973, he founded Jose I. Guerra Inc. Consulting Engineers, a mid-size multidiscipline engineering company located in Austin, Texas, providing a comprehensive range of civil, structural, mechanical, and electrical engineering services. Under his leadership, the firm made significant engineering contributions at the local and state level through their work on more than 1,500 projects in the commercial, industrial, municipal, institutional, and health-care arenas. In 2009, Guerra stepped down as president and CEO of Jose I. Guerra Inc. and is now serving as chair emeritus.

Long active in professional engineering associations, Guerra has served as president of the Texas Society of Professional Engineers, trustee of the Texas Engineering Foundation, NSPE national director, and is presently serving as member and past chairman of the AAES International Activities Committee for UPADI (the Pan American Union of Engineering Associations of Latin America). He was appointed by Texas Governor Ann Richards to serve as a member and later chairman of the Texas Board of Professional Engineers for six years and is now a member emeritus. He is also a member emeritus of the National Council of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors.

His honors and awards are many, and include Entrepreneur of the Year 2003, Hispanic Engineers National Achievement Award Corp.; Distinguished Graduate Award 2001, College of Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin; CE/ARE Alumni Award 2001, Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin; Team Member, Engineering Dream Team, National Engineer's Week 2001; Distinguished Engineer of the Foundation, Texas Society of Professional Engineers; Service to People Award, American Society of Civil Engineers; Professional Development Award, Professional Engineers in Private Practice; Outstanding Businessman, Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; Engineer of the Year 1984, Travis Chapter, Texas Society of Professional Engineers. Recognized internationally, he was made an honorary member of Colegio de Ingenieros Civiles de Mexico and was appointed as one of six members of the U.S. Council for International Engineering Practice representing United States engineers responsible for implementing the NAFTA Agreement between the United States, Canada, and Mexico. He is a member of the Pan Academy of Engineers.

In addition to his professional endeavors, Guerra is also recognized as a leader in the community. He has served many civic and volunteer organizations including: president of the Capitol Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America; district governor of Rotary International, District 5870; United Way Division Chairman; Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce board of directors; St. David's Hospital Board of Trustees; and president of the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.