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Why is it that some folks are defined by limits while others soar beyond them? Achieving a high level of professional and personal success requires personal characteristics that are not easily defined. We know that success is the result of preparation, planning, and performance. We know that success is a byproduct of education and hard work. But what are the other factors, the ephemeral attributes, of those honored as this year's Black Engineers of the Year? One way to demonstrate these hard-to-define characteristics is to tell a little bit of their own stories.
2003 Black Engineer of the Year
Lydia W. Thomas, Ph.D. President and CEO Mitretek Systems
"Young people coming to the work environment need to know a few simple things. The first is to do your job, the second is to keep on top of what's going on, and the third is to keep on learning."
THE 2003 BLACK ENGINEER OF THE YEAR IS LYDIA W. THOMAS, PH.D., PRESIDENT AND CEO, MITRETEK SYSTEMS
To begin to understand the remarkable achievements of Dr. Lydia Thomas, the 2003 Black Engineer of the Year, first realize she is the daughter of the principal of the only all-Black high school in Portsmouth, Va., and that her mother was the school's head guidance counselor. She has said of that experience: "I grew up in Virginia, in segregated schools, but I had tremendous encouragement for my interest in science -- from my teachers and from my parents, who had a great love of learning. They taught me that a book was better than a candy bar." She also was encouraged to achieve, to soar above any limits others might wish to impose. "As a young Black girl in high school, no one ever told me that math was hard or that science was for boys," Dr. Thomas says. She continued her education at Howard University, receiving a B.Sc. in zoology in 1965, and went on to earn an M.Sc. in microbiology from American University in 1971. She returned to Howard in 1973, as a divorced mother of two, to earn a Ph.D. in cell biology, just in time to join the emerging technology revolution. Dr. Thomas joined MITRE in the 1970s and rose through the ranks through a combination of skill and willingness to soar. She spent the vast majority of her career at The MITRE Corporation and Mitretek Systems, where she shaped programs that were the beacon for the nation in energy, environment, public safety, health, and national security. Martin R. Hoffman, chairman of the board of Mitretek Systems, says of her: "When she joined MITRE...she was unique because of who she was -- a biologist (among mostly electrical engineers) and a woman of color (among mostly White males). It wasn't long before she was unique because of what she did -- pioneering fields such as environmental protection, product safety, toxicology, and risk-based decision-making in government programs." A career-defining event occurred for Lydia Thomas in 1996, when Mitretek Systems was spun off from MITRE to concentrate its non-defense technology business into one nonprofit entity and she was tapped to serve as the new company's president and CEO. Her professional and personal achievements have garnered many honors -- Forbes.com called her one of America's "Phenomenal Women" -- as well as many responsibilities. She volunteers her time to serve on many boards and committees and recently was named by President Bush to serve as a member of the President's Homeland Security Advisory Council.
Lifetime Achievement
Gen. Lester L. Lyles, USAF Commander Air Force Materiel Command
To be honored for a lifetime of achievement requires a dedication to purpose and a commitment to excellence from an early age. Today, Gen. Lester Lyles proudly wears the four stars of an Air Force general, symbols of his willingness to go beyond traditional boundaries. He discovered his dream early in life, and he has never wavered. He joined the Air Force in 1968, as a young second lieutenant and graduate of the Air Force ROTC program at Howard University, where he earned a B.Sc. degree in mechanical engineering.
GEN. LESTER L. LYLES, USAF, COMMANDER, AIR FORCE MATERIEL COMMAND BEING AWARDED FOR A LIFETIME OF ACHIEVEMENT.
He has served the Air Force as an engineer, an officer, and an innovator ever since. Among his many assignments during a distinguished career, Gen. Lyles has served as commander of the Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base; director of Ballistic Missile Defense Organization within the Department of Defense; and vice chief of staff of the Air Force. He now oversees the Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, which is responsible for developing and testing the weapons that will defend America in the future as well as for the vital task of acquiring and managing the logistics required to support Air Force personnel around the world. He has attended numerous Air Force education programs and earned an M.Sc. degree in mechanical and nuclear engineering at the Air Force Institute of Technology program at New Mexico State University. He has received scores of special awards and decorations during his career, including the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Distinguished Service Medal, and Legion of Merit.
Career Achievement in Government
Julian M. Earls, Ph.D. Deputy Director NASA John H. Glenn Research Center
What are some of the intangibles that make up a distinguished career? The director of the NASA John H. Glenn Research Center (GRC), Donald J. Campbell, praises Dr. Julian Earls for "his exceptional commitment toward advancing the opportunities for minorities in technology and the sciences, and his leadership skills, professional expertise, and outstanding dedication and commitment to community service." Dr. Earls began his career at NASA in 1965, as a physicist. At the age of 25, he became the youngest section head in the history of GRC. He was also the first Black employee to serve as office chief, division chief, and division director in the center's history. As deputy director of NASA's GRC, a position he has held since 1995, Dr. Earls shares responsibility for planning, organizing and directing the GRC's activities. In this capacity, he is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the center and its 3,500 personnel. Believing that education is important to those who wish to soar in their careers, he has been active in his pursuit of educational opportunities all of his life. Dr. Earls received his B.Sc. degree, with distinction, in physics from Norfolk State University in 1964; an M.Sc. in radiation physics from the University of Rochester School of Medicine just one year later, in 1965; and earned both a doctorate in public health in radiation physics and the equivalent of a master's of public health in environmental health from the University of Michigan in 1973. To share his knowledge with others, he has taught evening college classes in his community since 1966 and has been adjunct professor at Capital University in Cleveland since 1986, teaching mathematics, physics, and radiation biology. Dr. Earls has authored 28 papers for technical and educational journals, served on boards for educational and civic organizations, and won numerous honors for his leadership and service.
Career Achievement in Industry
William E. Harrison III Aeronautical Engineer Senior Staff Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company
Soaring to great heights is certainly not new to William Harrison. In fact, it's his job. Now assigned as aeronautical engineer senior staff for structural dynamics to the U-2 program at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company's Palmdale, Calif., facility -- formerly known as the Skunk Works -- he is working to extend the life of an aircraft that has become the backbone of surveillance for nations throughout the world. Because of the sensitive nature of much of his work, many of his projects fall into the classified area and involve highly advanced mathematics. Even so, he takes time to give aspiring engineers the benefit of his experience as a volunteer math tutor at a local community college. >From airplane models made of balsa wood or plastic to complex mathematical models that determine how the structures of an aircraft, satellite, space shuttle, or space station will behave, is a big jump. But for Bill Harrison, it was a natural progression. After all, when your hometown is Dayton, Ohio -- the city that is the "home of aviation" -- airplanes are a way of life. Always fond of math and encouraged by his parents, both of whom were educators and graduates of historically Black colleges, he pursued a B.Sc. degree in physics with an emphasis in acoustics and optics. He remembers today: "Even in college and graduate school, some professors try to discourage Black students. I think it is important not to let people misdirect you. That's something I try to instill in the community college students I tutor in math." After his graduation from Xavier University in 1975, he entered the M.Sc. program in aerospace engineering and applied mechanics at the University of Cincinnati. His career in aviation science was launched then, and he has never looked back. Not content with advanced science and tutoring, he is getting ready to pursue a Ph.D. program in physics through a distance learning program at Michigan State University.
Outstanding Technical Contribution in Government
Lt. Col. Thomas T. Shields Jr. Chief, Information Systems U.S. Air Force, Space Battlelab
Boundaries are starting points, not limits, for people like Lt. Col. Thomas Shields, Jr., who creates new technologies for the U.S. Air Force. Lt. Col. Shields is the chief of Information Systems for the Air Force Space Battlelab, part of the Space Warfare Center. The Space Battlelab is one of seven units that identify innovative concepts and measures their potential for maintaining America's air and space superiority. He had sole responsibility for directing and engineering a proof of concept that uses an inclined-orbit satellite to provide secure voice, video, and data for the Air Force using a U.S. Navy ship as a platform. This innovative use of satellites gives the Air Force the capability to place a smaller number of people forward aboard ship and plan operations from land bases. This means the Air Force can bring expertise and forces to bear quickly in remote locations, while the Navy receives the benefit of having additional bandwidth available. In the words of his commander, "Lt. Col. Shields' highly successful demonstrations of increased communications capability for command and control of air forces from a Navy ship along with an actual defensive counterspace capability for legacy satellites contribute significantly to our warfighting capability. Tom combines strong technical expertise, talent for innovation, skilled leadership, and superb project management to achieve incredible advancement in combat capabilities." Lt. Col. Shields graduated from the University of Michigan in 1984, with a bachelor's degree in computer science and economics, while earning his commission as an Air Force ROTC cadet. He received an M.B.A. from Auburn University in 1986, and has attended several Air Force officer training programs, earning numerous medals and citations for his service.
Outstanding Technical Contribution in Industry
James L. Peck Jr. Manager (Acting) EPD&C Requirements; Associate Technical Fellow The Boeing Company
As the technical lead for orbiter payloads, James L. Peck Jr. has been responsible for Boeing's advanced work in fiber optic technology. He has earned nine patents in this area since 1998, and is considered by his peers to be the expert in optical system and component design. He recently was named an associate technical fellow at Boeing, where he has designed optical communication systems for orbiting payloads and has served as a technical leader for next-generation flight and space vehicles. As a captain in the U.S. Naval Reserve, he has won several citations and medals for the precision and technical capabilities of his crews. Having come up the ranks from enlisted to commissioned officer, he was one of the first Blacks to attend the Navy's electronics school. Peck believes that his experience in the Navy has been helpful to his career in industry: "I've come to see that the same things that bring success in the military bring success in engineering. Hard work. Discipline. Refusal to be second-best. Just as in the military, if you do things well, you start getting more interesting and challenging projects." Growing up in segregated Washington, D.C., Peck was inspired by his father, a chief electronics technicians in the Navy, to aim high and accept no artificial limitations on his achievements. "I learned that I would have to earn whatever I was going to get," he says of that experience. He went on to earn B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in computer science, moved from enlisted to officer ranks within the Navy, and has found success and recognition in industry as, in the words of his supervisors at Boeing, "a creative, patent-holding engineer and outspoken critic of the status quo."
Most Promising Engineer in Industry
Angele D. Harrison Senior Materials Engineer Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company
Angele Harrison is one of Lockheed Martin's "youngest and certainly brightest engineers...an outstanding chemist and engineer, mentor and role model," says Dain M. Hancock, president of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company. In just four years with the company, Harrison has become expert in
MOST PROMISING ENGINEER IN INDUSTRY IS LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION'S ANGELE HARRISON.
qualifying paint and coating materials that provide stealth characteristics to F-22 aircraft. She coordinated an effort qualifying a new primer with greater adhesion properties, while realizing a substantial cost savings in the process. She was also principal investigator on a project that applied technology new to the F-22 program, resulting in a $1-million cost reduction. She had to overcome many obstacles, including a shortage of money, to attend Spelman College and Georgia Tech. She won a Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) scholarship from NASA to attend the Spelman College/Georgia Institute of Technology dual-degree engineering program, earning B.Sc. from Spelman in chemistry and in chemical engineering from Georgia Tech in 1996. But this achievement required her to overcome many obstacles. Finances were a problem, and in her senior year at Georgia Tech, she struggled with bipolar disorder, formerly known as manic depression, in her senior year at Georgia Tech. Still, she graduated on time. Today, as a mentor, she advises young women: "Look at my history, and look at me now. I thought a mental illness would kill my dreams, but it hasn't. I graduated on time, studying even when I was only beginning to accept my illness and the treatment of it. I didn't use my illness as an excuse not to complete my education. At 24, I bought my first house and a new car."
Most Promising Engineer in Industry
M. Brian Blake, Ph.D. Lead Software Systems Engineer The MITRE Corporation
Dr. Brian Blake earns recognition as an emerging talent in Web-based technologies. His work for The MITRE Corporation's Center for Advanced Aviation System Development (CAASD) has won him recognition for his outstanding ability to design computer systems that are general enough to be applicable across a variety of similar projects but specific enough to be useful for a particular need. In addition, he holds an assistant professor position with the Department of Computer Science at Georgetown University. As lead software systems engineer at MITRE, Dr. Blake is the primary inventor and technical lead in the creation of a Web-based interface to the CAASD Repository System. He leads the way in developing intelligent software approaches for data mining for weather conditions in the aviation domain. He received his Ph.D. in information technology/information and software engineering from George Mason University in 2000; his M.Sc. in electrical engineering in 1997, from Mercer University; and his B.Sc. in electrical engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology. Dr. Blake is more than an engineer and a teacher, however, he is also a role model and a mentor. He serves as director of the Minority Mentoring Program at Georgetown and earned MITRE's annual diversity award in 2001. In a little more than two years as a professor, he has published more than 25 articles in academic and professional journals and refereed conference proceedings around the world.
Most Promising Engineer in Government
Rodgerick L. Newhouse Global Hawk Intelligence/Sensors Project Engineer Department of the Air Force
It didn't limit Rodgerick Newhouse to be the fourth of six children growing up in a predominately Black community on the north side of Flint, Mich. Identified early as a "gifted and talented student," he developed an interest in science and engineering, and eventually in the rarefied world of aerospace engineering, that set the course of the rest of his life. He rose to the top of his high school class, participated in a vast array of extracurricular activities, and in June 1992, was senior valedictorian of Beecher High School. He entered Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to study aerospace engineering. At about the same time, he was selected as a Central Intelligence Agency Stokes Undergraduate Scholar, a prestigious, full-time academic study appointment accompanied by a generous compensation package and internship opportunities throughout the U.S. military and intelligence communities. He earned a B.Sc. degree in aeronautics and astronautics from MIT in 1997, and immediately joined the CIA's National Reconnaissance Office, the government agency responsible for building and operating America's space-based intelligence collection platforms. He joined the U.S. Air Force Flight Test Center in April 2002, as a flight test engineer on some of the country's most advanced manned and unmanned aircraft and missiles.
Most Promising Engineer in Government
Darrell L. Quarles Electronics Engineer/Project Director U.S. Army Simulation, Training and Instrumentation Command
Darrell Quarles is an electronics engineer involved in the design and production of hardware and software simulation systems for the Army Threat Simulator Program (ATSP), located at Redstone Arsenal, Ala. He has been involved with electronic subsystems for early warning radars, fire control radars, jamming systems, and many other defense projects. His commanding officer says of him: "He is a recognized leader with an outstanding professional attitude with an unparalleled dedication to the soldier of the U.S. Armed Forces." Known as someone who is both compassionate and competitive, Quarles earned a B.Sc. degree in electrical engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville in 1997, and an M.Sc. in management/management technology in 2000. He began his career in private industry as a systems engineer with Coleman Research Corporation but soon accepted an offer with the U.S. Army to become an electronics engineer. Quarles works hard to excel in his job, but he also understands the need to apply these same standards of excellence to other areas of his life. He is active in many community service and church activities, including tutoring and mentoring programs for youth.
Student Leadership
Justen M. Bond College Student Intern, Powertrain Division General Motors Corporation/Michigan State University
Justen Bond encountered many opportunities to stray from the path of education and success that his parents provided for him. His mother was an educator who encouraged him to stay focused and apply himself in school. But the inner-city of Flint, Mich., was the kind of place that nurtured crime more than it supported success. But Bond immersed himself in community activities as well as academic studies
and, by the end of his junior year at Flint Central High School, he was accepted into the Kettering University AIM Program. The AIM program -- Academically Interested Minorities -- focuses on preparing high school students for careers in math, science, and engineering. AIM students are required to live on campus for six weeks while they take summer courses. Enrolling in Michigan State University as an engineering student required a challenging adjustment for him, but he adapted quickly and earned a place on the dean's list during his freshman year. In his sophomore year, he was inducted into the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. As a junior, he was nominated for the General Motors Intern Scholarship. He now holds an overall G.P.A. of 3.3 on a scale of 4.0, and he still finds time to mentor incoming engineering freshmen at Michigan State. As a youth in Flint, Justen Bond overcame social pressure to soar beyond the expectations of his community. Today, he serves as a mentor and role model to encourage others to do the same.
Professional Achievement in Industry
Roy G. Perry Vice President - Global Supply Chain StorageTek
As StorageTek's first Black corporate officer, Roy Perry has a simple yet challenging personal motto: "Winning is a Choice." As corporate vice president of Global Supply Chain/Logistics and Quality Processes for StorageTek, Perry is responsible for the company's global network of manufacturing, logistics, and business management processes as well as its information systems organization. Before joining StorageTek in 2001, he spent four and one-half years with Dell Computer Corporation as vice president of Worldwide Manufacturing and Customer Experience and several of Dell's manufacturing operations. He also spent 15 years at IBM Corporation and two years at Allied Signal during his career. Perry is a Sloan Fellow and holds an M.Sc. degree in management from Stanford University, a master's in electrical engineering from Iowa State University, and a B.Sc. in electrical engineering from Prairie View A&M University. He believes strongly, however, that professional achievement is about more than degrees or corporate success. Perry believes in giving back to the community, and he has been especially active in giving back to organizations that further success for minority students, including such organizations as Youth About Business; the Leadership and Enrichment through the Arts Program (LEAP); the United Negro College Fund; and Iowa State University and Prairie View A&M, where he served as technical advisor to strengthen their engineering curriculums. At StorageTek, he has been instrumental in developing the StorageTek Diversity Network Group, which mentors and offers support to minority employees. You might say that Roy Perry has chosen to win, but he also has chosen to help others win as well.
Professional Achievement in Government
Brig. Gen. Ronald L. Johnson Commanding General and Division Engineer, Pacific Ocean Division U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Brig. Gen. Ronald Johnson, a West Point graduate, is the first Black to serve as the Army's senior engineer in the Asian-Pacific region. He leads a 1,700-strong multiethnic, multicultural, and multinational work force, ranging from Alaska to Korea, displaying the drive of a leader, the patience of a statesman, the understanding of a teacher, and the curiosity of a scholar in all that he does. Yet, Johnson comes from a background without privilege and has had to work hard and long for the successes he has achieved. Born and raised on Chicago's tough West Side, he is the son of a working mother who raised him and a father he barely knew. Both of his siblings fell victim to drugs and poverty at some time during their lives. This same fate may have awaited Johnson as well, had it not been for his high school JROTC instructor, who saw his potential and convinced him to reach for a seemingly unattainable goal by applying to West Point. The goal was realized, and Cadet Ronald Johnson was graduated and commissioned in the Corps of Engineers after receiving a B.Sc. degree from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1976. During his career, he has progressed steadily through the ranks, serving in a variety of combat and staff commands. He even returned to West Point as an instructor and assistant professor in the Department of Mathematics. He has continued his own education as well, earning an M.Sc. degree in operations research from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a master's degree in military arts and science at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. His awards include the Legion of Merit (two Oak Lea Clusters), Meritorious Service Medal (three Oak Leaf Clusters), and the Army Commendation Medal (one Oak Leaf Cluster), among many others.
Professional Achievement in Government
Larry E. Hollingsworth Director, Aircraft Operations Division Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR)
Character, professional excellence, dynamic leadership, unique insight: These are words used to describe Larry Hollingsworth. He applies these characteristics to help develop the world's most unique aircraft and naval vessels. To combat the threat of terrorism, for example, Hollingsworth led the development of the "Hairy Buffalo," a unique aircraft designed to provide onboard sensing capabilities to detect distant surface targets and extensive connectivity to coordinate attacks on targets. He has led numerous technology developments in the areas of radio frequency, acoustics, communications, and electro-optical sensors, while taking a keen interest in young engineers by serving as a mentor and adviser. As director of avionics for NAVAIR's Aircraft Operations Division, Hollingsworth supervises 700 government employees and 1,500 private industry employees and manages a combined budget of nearly $2 billion. He is the first Black director of the Avionics Department. To reach out to the next generation of young engineers, he was worked to establish a summer internship program for high school and college students; partnered with HBCUs; promoted advanced technical degree programs for minority employees; and worked with the assistant secretary of the Navy to prepare Black employees for senior executive positions. With more than 25 years of outstanding performance, Larry Hollingsworth has been recognized with civilian and military honors for his leadership and superior service, and he is considered NAVAIR's expert in avionics systems. A native of Washington, D.C., he earned a B.Sc. in electrical engineering in 1977, from George Washington University and a M.Sc. in engineering administration at Catholic University in 1982.
Pioneer Award
Eugene M. DeLoatch, Ph.D. Dean, School of Engineering Morgan State University
Long before he became dean of engineering at Morgan State University
AS THE FIRST PRESIDENT OF ASEE, EUGENE DELOATCH IS THE WINNER IN EDUCATION.
in 1984, Dr. Eugene DeLoatch was dedicated to maintaining America's leadership in engineering and technology. Since 1960, he has helped stretch the boundaries for engineering students as either a teacher or administrator. He has served as faculty at such prestigious institutions as Howard University, Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, City College of New York, and the State University of New York. In 1984, he left his position as chairman and professor at Howard University's Department of Electrical Engineering to become dean of engineering at Morgan State. Schooled in mathematics and electrical engineering himself, he saw the need to get more minorities and women interested in the profession. Dr. DeLoatch shared this concern and his idea for addressing the need with USBE & IT publisher Tyrone Taborn at lunch one day in 1984, and as a result, the Black Engineer of the Year Awards Conference was launched in 1986, with Morgan State University as its sponsor. Dr. DeLoatch earned his Ph.D. in bioengineering at Polytechnic in 1972. He has authored numerous papers, led research projects, and served on many boards of directors during his distinguished career. In June 2002, he was named president of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), becoming the first Black person to hold the position. He also serves as chairman of the Council of Engineering Deans of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
President's Award
Erwin T. Raphael Plant Manager, Jefferson North Assembly Plant DaimlerChrysler Corporation
Erwin Raphael knows automobiles from the ground up. He began working with cars in 1987, in the maintenance division of the U.S. Army's 364th Engineering Group, where he was serving at the time in the enlisted ranks. After earning a degree in chemistry and math from Ohio State University, he joined the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency in 1989, but quickly found his way to automobiles and auto components, first at Navistar and later at Toyota Motors. Today, he serves as plant manager of DaimlerChrysler's Jefferson North Assembly Plant, which produces the company's flagship Jeep Grand Cherokee. Since joining DaimlerChrysler in 2001, he has worked to improve quality performance, led the plant through a difficult transition, and improved the plant's financial position. These are reasons enough to earn him respect at DaimlerChrysler, but people who know him best applaud Erwin Raphael most for his "commitment to his employees, his exceptional leadership abilities and career achievements." He doesn't limit his leadership to the workplace; he believes he should give back to the community that has given him so much. He is active in mentoring local high school students, raising funds for community homeless shelters and rescue missions, and organizing food and clothing drives for the most needy.
Alvin Mundell's manager, Matt Frye, says of him: "He has been able to successfully challenge the status quo of Ross' very conservative regulated atmosphere with his vast experience in consumer products. This has led to some major advancements in project execution and decision processes." But before you can challenge, you must understand, and Alvin Mundell set his sights early on a technical education. Raised in a working-class neighborhood of Brooklyn, N.Y., he was introduced to the Commodore Pet personal computer during a class for high school students at City College of New York. This led to an avid interest in computers, inspiring him to take high school classes in algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and advanced calculus and physics. He was provided special access to the computer lab, where he spent many hours building an understanding of computer technology and writing software. To prepare for a career in electrical engineering, he decided to attend Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he became recognized as a student leader for his campus activities and was noticed by industry during internships and co-op programs. After graduating from Rensselaer in 1987, with a B.S.E.E. degree, he began a career in engineering with such industry leaders as Procter & Gamble, Frito-Lay, and, beginning in 2000, with Abbott Laboratories/Ross Products Division. What does it take to succeed in this setting? Characteristics attributed to Alvin Mundell include exceptional analytical and technical skills, communications skills, and the ability to lead high-performance work teams.
Chairman's Award
Kerrie L. Holley IBM Distinguished Engineer and Chief Architect IBM Global Services
Kerrie Holley is described as "one of the best technical talents" at IBM Corporation. He is the first Black employee at the company to be named IBM Distinguished Engineer and only the second to be elected a member of the prestigious IBM Academy of Technology. Receiving the title distinguished engineer is a significant career event, recognizing sustained technical achievement and leadership. DEs are part of IBM's executive team, with responsibility for operational leadership of the technical aspects of unit-wide programs, mentoring, technical community leadership activities, and more. IBM employs 250,000 people worldwide; fewer than 300 are distinguished engineers. Holley is recognized by industry and senior technical professionals for insight and technical expertise today, but this spectacular achievement did not come easily. Raised by a single parent on Chicago's tough South Side, he found a place as a teenager and young adult tutoring at the famed Sue Duncan Children's Center, a local program focused on mentoring inner-city children from disadvantaged homes. He went on to earn a B.A. degree in mathematics and a juris doctorate from DePaul University. As chief architect for the IBM e-Business Integration Unit, he translates business requirements into designs for cutting-edge network solutions for clients. Today, he resides with his wife and two small boys in a coastal community just south of San Francisco.
Chairman's Award
Miller Adams Director, Technology Planning & Acquisition The Boeing Company
Miller Adams remembers feeling isolated as he was growing up in the Seattle of the 1950s. Isolation is what can happen when you are one of the few Blacks in your school and the only one in your Boy Scout troop and, later, in your law office. But there was a clearly stated assumption in his family that all of the children would attend college. As he remembers it now: "It was clear that we would succeed, and there was no question where we were headed." Today, there are six lawyers in his family. Where he was headed, ultimately, was to law school, then private practice and corporate legal practice. That was before he discovered "a whole new world for lawyers in the area of high-tech." Adams directs the Phantom Works Technology Planning & Acquisition team at The Boeing Company. Phantom Works is the Boeing research and development think tank, where the best and brightest minds create innovative ideas and solutions that can be used throughout the company's business areas. His responsibilities are broad, including the overall technology planning process Boeing uses to determine how to allocate its research and development budget; evaluation of technology solutions from outside sources; and management of the Phantom Works Global Venture Capital Fund, global university research collaborations, and the International Industrial Technical Group. In addition to his multiple roles at Boeing, Adams remains active in civic and church leadership positions. "In every group I belong to," he says, "I try to lead by example. And I tell the kids that I meet that the distinguishing factor in their lives will be their education. It was the way out for my parents, and it's still a legitimate way out."
Community Service
David L. Sullivan Principal Systems Producibility Engineer Raytheon Company
David Sullivan grew up in a family that placed a high value on education, and it was no surprise to his family when he accepted a position teaching physics and physical science after earning his B.A. degree in physics at Dillard University in 1971. As much as he liked teaching, he remembers now, he wanted more, so he pursued other educational opportunities in physics and, later, pharmacy at the University of Alabama-Birmingham and Xavier University of New Orleans. In the fall of 1974, he entered the College of Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, taking classes at night and working during the day with American Motors in Kenosha, Wis. After graduating in 1978 with a B.Sc. in industrial engineering, he accepted a post with Texas Instruments' Equipment Group and moved with his wife to Dallas, Texas. He went on to become a member of the TI team that made the decision to adopt Motorola's Six Sigma concepts and received his own certification as Raytheon Six Sigma Specialist in 1991. Sullivan is campus manager for Southern University -- a position he has held since 1983, when he was still with TI -- and for Tulane University. His work supporting various engineering and computer science student organizations has won recognition well beyond the internal corporate level at Raytheon, earning the company recognition as Career Services Company of the Year and Cluster Company of the Year for 2002. He is also cochair of the Diversity for People of Color initiatives for Black employees at Raytheon and still finds time to lead church outreach programs in his community.
Community Service
Gerald L. Borders Director of Public Affairs Texas Instruments Incorporated
For more than three decades, Gerald Borders has been a crusader and advocate for the less fortunate members of society. As director of public affairs for Texas Instruments, he leads TI's corporate citizenship efforts as they relate to volunteerism, corporate partnerships, and urban community development. Borders' zeal for educating minority youth has resulted in a number of initiatives. He raised $1 million for the Dallas County Community College District Foundation minority scholarship programs from the TI Foundation. Since its inception in 1999, more than 2,000 students have received college scholarships, and 300 have declared interest in math, science, and technical careers. As an executive mentor for the Julia C. Frazier Elementary School, he helped propel this low-performing school in Dallas to a number one ranking. The school has been honored by President George W. Bush as one of the state's most improved schools and has been recognized as an exemplary educational institution for its high scores on math and reading exams. He has worked to make Congress aware of the lack of computers in minority homes and schools. In addition, he speaks frequently at community forums about the importance of education in the lives of children, and he serves as a mentor at schools throughout the community, where he champions the use of technology. Borders has been TI's disaster relief coordinator during several natural and man-made disasters world-wide, including an earthquake in Kobe, Japan; the Oklahoma federal building bombing; cyclones in Honduras and Nicaragua; and typhoons in India. During his 36 years of community service, he has received many awards and honors, and was even named ambassador of goodwill for the State of Texas for his outstanding service to Texans.
Deans' Award
Frank C. Weaver Director, Telecommunications Policy The Boeing Company
Frank Weaver has never needed nudging to stretch beyond the comfortable and the routine. Indeed, his persistence and determination have earned him a reputation for steadfastness in the face of adversity. As one his coworker puts it, he is "one of those people who just won't take 'no' for an answer." His career has taken him in several directions, from satellite salesman to entrepreneur to director of telecommunications policy at Boeing, but one constant has been his dream of establishing the Black Satellite Network, an idea that came to him in 1981, when he was a satellite salesman. This network, which saw its debut last fall with the nationwide broadcast of the Howard University homecoming game, will offer a variety of educational, informational, and entertainment programming, all at a level of quality not reached by other companies seeking the Black consumer market, including UPN, the WB, and BET. As the director of telecommunications in The Boeing Company's Government Relations Office in Washington, D.C., he is responsible for coordinating corporate requirements for frequency spectrum and developing strategies to secure licenses from federal agencies. He has more than 25 years of experience in both government and industry in business development, public relations, advertising, strategic planning, and marketing. He holds a B.Sc. in electrical engineering from Howard University, an M.B.A. from the University of North Carolina, and honorary doctorates in science from Saint Augustine's College and in humane letters from Shaw Divinity School. He serves as a Senior Fellow at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics; is a member of the Dean's Advisory Council of Howard University School of Business and the Board of Directors of the Institute of Telecommunications at Oklahoma State University; and is a Sunday School teacher at his local church. As a small boy, Frank Weaver dreamed of going into space, and, in his own way, he has realized that dream many times over.
GEM Student Leadership
Mark A. Crawford Jr. Product Design Engineer/Ph.D. Student Ford Motor Company/University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
As an undergraduate and graduate student at the University of Missouri-Rolla, Mark Crawford gained the respect of faculty and students alike for his intelligence, integrity, and community service projects. During his career at Ford Motor Company, he has implemented a multimillion-dollar cost savings on the 2002 Ford Explorer, led a team of Ford employee volunteers in developing a business plan for a new vehicle, and developed a software architecture for knowledge-based engineering. He was encouraged by his management to apply for a patent for his work. As a result of his contributions, Ford has selected him as a GEM Ph.D. Fellow. Beyond his obvious engineering talents, Crawford has demonstrated a strong sense of willingness to help other students to successful careers in engineering. He has been a college recruiter for Ford to the University of Missouri-Rolla (UMR) for the past four years, and has been a mentor to several UMR Minority Engineering Program (MEP) students. He initiated the Ford-UMR/MEP mentor program, which has allowed other engineers at Ford to mentor UMR students as well. His dedication led him to establish the Mark and La'Tonya Crawford Endowed Scholarship at UMR, for minorities pursuing engineering degrees. He has been active locally as well, by participating in the Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program as a lecturer and corporate participant, and he also serves as a mentor and counselor to the organization's teen group. He now is pursuing Ph.D. studies in mechanical engineering at the University of Michigan.
Most Promising Scientist
Carlo Williams Development Scientist Corning Incorporated
In just two years at Corning, Carlo Williams has become a respected member of the Manufacturing, Technology and Engineering Group. He has authored nine invention disclosures and has contributed to a number of professional journals and publications. He is a Ph.D. candidate in electrical and computer engineering at the University of Rochester, where he is writing his thesis on "Ultrafast Photodetectors Based on the Hot-Electron Effect in Superconductors." He received B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Rochester in 1994 and 1995, respectively. Hired by Corning at a time when the company was cutting back employees, the company sought him out because of his technical skills and extensive knowledge of ultrafast, optical, imaging, and RF experimental techniques and instrumentation. Williams came with his family from Kingston, Jamaica to Brooklyn, N.Y., when he was 12 years old. He quickly demonstrated promise and was selected for the "A Better Chance" program, which placed him in a class for outstanding high school students. In high school, he was a standout soccer player, became a member of the National Honor Society, and finished in the top 10 percent of his graduating class. His superior performance continued throughout college. He earned his B.Sc. degree with distinction and was awarded the Faculty Prize for best graduating student. He was awarded travel grants two years in a row by the National Science Foundation, which allowed him to attend the NATO Advanced Studies Institute for Applications of Superconductivity, held in Norway in 1997, and the Physics and Materials Sciences of Vortex States, Flux Pinnings and Dynamics conference held in Turkey in 1998.
Technical Sales and Marketing
John H. Fullilove Jr. RTM Integration and Training Manager, High Performance Analog Texas Instruments Incorporated
John Fullilove's working career has spanned 14 years and has been centered on the field of electronics. His job assignments have included applications engineer in the defense business, quality engineer, technical information specialist, and, later, group manager of TI's Product Information Center. He is currently High Performance Analog Training and Release-to-Market manager, where his role is to orchestrate the training and market release activities for a 2000-person organization that sells 15,000 devices to more than 25,000 customers world-wide. His unique ability to synthesize problems, come up with a practical solution, and influence large numbers of people to follow the plan have set him apart. Generous with his time and talents, Fullilove mentors several young Black employees through TI's Black Employees Network mentoring program. He also is active within the community, where he is involved in coaching a children's basketball team. He devotes some of his remaining time to officiating WNBA professional and NCAA collegiate basketball games.
A virtual spokesperson for black technology, BlackEngineer aspires to serve as leading news and information provider on the advancements in black technology with deep insights into black engineering, black entrepreneurs, black education, and historically black colleges and universities (HBCU). In fact, BlackEngineer is one of the very few to promote the achievements of black technology. The Black engineer of the year awards (BEYA) is one of our successful ventures to promote black technology, progress and achievements made in black technology, and the sentiments of the Black community in the US, the UK, Caribbean, and Africa.
Black technology entrepreneurs are increasingly providing the horsepower that drives the global economy. Over the last two decades, black entrepreneurs have created more jobs, and contributed much more to the economic expansion of the Black community as a whole, than any black pastor or politician. Black entrepreneurs are taking risks and building businesses that generate economic growth and increase prosperity in underserved areas, as more minority-owned and minority-focused businesses emerge, willing to serve the financial needs of Black entrepreneurs. US Black Engineer & Information Technology magazine's annual list of Top Black Technology Entrepreneurs reflects the expanding scope of leading Black entrepreneurs in information technology, homeland security, and defense.
