The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) has announced 114 new members, including Theodore Colbert, III, president and CEO of Defense, Space, and Security at Boeing.

Colbert, the 2022 Black Engineer of the Year, was recognized for his engineering leadership in advanced commercial and military air and space platforms.

Election to the NAE is considered to be one of the highest professional distinctions for an engineer. The new members will be formally inducted during the NAE’s annual meeting on September 29, 2024.

Another inductee, Charles Johnson-Bey, senior vice president of Booz Allen Hamilton, was acknowledged for his development of engineering innovations in support of national security. He won a career achievement award at BEYA in 2018.

Other notable BEYA winners in the NAE include Dr. Mark E. Dean, professor emeritus at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson, retired president of Rensselaer Polytechnic; Wanda M. Austin, former president and CEO of the Aerospace Corporation; Colin Parris, senior vice president and CTO of GE Digital, and Ken Washington, senior vice president and chief technology and innovation officer, Medtronic.

The NAE is made up of a select group of senior professionals from business, academia, and government who have distinguished themselves through technical accomplishments and leadership.

Members of the NAE volunteer their time on various initiatives to help guide the development of federal laws and regulations, improve government programs, and inform public knowledge and dialogue on important issues.