Ten Federal Engineers Recognized for Outstanding Achievements

Release Status: 
Immediate
Contact Name: 
Stacey A. Ober
Contact Number: 
703-684-2815
City: 
Alexandria
State: 
Virginia
Date: 
Wednesday, January 27, 2016

In recognition of the vital role federal engineers play in national security, infrastructure improvement, disaster recovery, new technologies, and other important areas, the National Society of Professional Engineers has again selected 10 high-caliber finalists for its prestigious 37th Annual Federal Engineer of the Year Award program.

This award is the only one of its kind to solely recognize outstanding engineers employed in the federal government. The FEYA winner will be announced during a luncheon ceremony on February 26 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. This year, NSPE is honored to announce that Estevan Lopez, the Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation, will serve as keynote speaker.
This year’s nominees continue the legacy of representing the best and brightest engineers employed in the public sector. The 2016 Federal Engineer of the Year Top 10 finalists are:

  • Maj. Josh Aldred, Ph.D., P.E., U.S. Air Force, 8th Civil Engineer Squadron;
  • David Braidich, P.E., U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntsville Center;
  • Shanon Chader, P.E., U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Great Lakes and Ohio River;
  • CDR Craig Clutts, P.E., U.S. Department of the Navy, Naval Facilities Engineering Command;
  • Calvin Creech, Ph.D., P.E., U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, South Atlantic;
  • Jon Fripp, P.E., U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service;
  • Stacy Froelich, P.E., U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation;
  • Robert Frye, P.E., Tennessee Valley Authority;
  • LTC Patrick Hogeboom, P.E., U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Transatlantic Division/Afghanistan; and
  • Thomas North, P.E., U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Northwestern.

A panel of judges established by NSPE’s Professional Engineers in Government selects the FEYA winner. Hailing from various federal agencies, departments, and military branches, the nominated engineers are evaluated based on factors such as engineering achievements, education, professional and technical society activities, awards and honors, and civic and humanitarian activities.

The 2016 award winner will be announced at a ceremony on February 26, beginning at 12:30 p.m. Invited guests include all nominees and their agency heads or commanders; leaders from engineering associations; members of Congress and their staff; members of the judging panel; and local media and journalists. Tickets are $70 per person. For more information about the FEYA program or to order tickets, contact Erin Reyes at egarcia@nspe.org, or visit www.nspe.org/FEYA.

Additional Notes: 

The National Society of Professional Engineers is a member-centric, nimble, future-focused, and responsive organization, serving as the recognized voice and advocate of licensed Professional Engineers. Through education, licensure advocacy, leadership training, multidisciplinary networking, and outreach, NSPE enhances the image of its members and their ability to ethically and professionally practice engineering. Founded in 1934, NSPE serves more than 31,000 members and the public through 52 state and territorial societies and over 400 chapters. For more information, please visit www.nspe.org.