Engineering and Computer Science Alumni Academy Inducts 17 New Members
JONESBORO – Seventeen new members were inducted into the College of Engineering and Computer Science (CoECS) Alumni Academy at Arkansas State University during its second annual meeting Nov. 4-5. The second cohort of members enjoyed a ceremony and banquet at the Woodward McAlister Family Club in the Centennial Bank Stadium.
Academy membership, which is by invitation, is for individuals who have been in the workforce for at least 10 years and have significant professional accomplishments to their credit. Members are either graduates of one of the college’s degree programs or are friends of the college.
The idea to launch an academy for the college was conceived several years ago by Bert Parker who is a leading business executive in the state and recently retired from Garver as senior vice president and chief administrative officer.
“A quick LinkedIn search provides information showing A-State engineering and computer science graduates being industry leaders in science, engineering and technology fields throughout the nation,” Parker noted. “Graduates lead companies that have provided equipment to the International Space Station, helped design and build Navy and Air Force jet aircraft, are leaders in technological and medical education, and are even big players in Silicon Valley.”
Dr. Abhijit Bhattacharyya, dean of the college, added “It is gratifying to see the growth of the Alumni Academy in its second year of operation with the induction of 17 new members. Aside from recognizing these stars, the Academy provides these accomplished alumni an opportunity to reconnect with their peers as well as the university and the college. It is a privilege to be part of this effort that will have a transformative impact on the college for years and decades to come.”
Jim Chidester, formerly associated with Batson, Inc. in Little Rock and a charter member of the academy, is president-elect of the group for 2023. Chidester is now a faculty member in the construction management program of the College of Engineering and Computer Science.
The new inductees and their current professional associations are:
— Jared Wiley, assistant chief engineer – Planning, Arkansas Department of Transportation, Little Rock
— Mark Morris, founder and president, Mark Morris Construction, LLC, Jonesboro
— Brandon Passmore, senior manager hardware development engineering, power modules, Wolfspeed, Fayetteville
— Matthew LeMay, senior project manager, Garver, Frisco, Texas
— Michael Foster, principal owner, Pickering Firm, Inc., Jonesboro
— Brad Marotti, regional manager, Delta Companies, Inc., Paragould
— Patrick Jackson, configuration engineer, Leidos, Millington, Tenn.
— Preston Campbell, Mississippi Bridge team leader, Garver, Ridgeland, Miss.
— Drew Hoggard, district 2 engineer, AR Department of Transportation, Jonesboro
— Joe Hillebrenner, chief operating officer, Dialectic Engineering, Kansas City, Mo.
— Paul Tinsley, materials division head, AR Department of Transportation, Little Rock,
— John Hall, nuclear reactor engineer and operator, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, N.M.
— Scott Brown, supervisor, Seams & AFC Support, Southwest Power Pool, Little Rock
— James “Opie” O’Quinn, vice president of technical services, GRT Rubber Technologies, Paragould
— Chris Poole, quality engineer, White River Health, Batesville
— Jon C. Calhoun, assistant professor, Holcombe Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, S.C.
— Chris Griffin, director of software engineering, Hytrol Conveyor Co., Jonesboro
New and current members of the College of Engineering and Computer Science Alumni Academy pose with faculty at Centennial Bank Stadium. The installation ceremony was in the Johnny Allison Tower at the stadium.
