August 2021

State News for NSPE Members

Stay up to date on legislative issues through the NSPE Advocacy Center .

Texas PE Takes Lead of the Society

Rick Guerra, P.E., F.NSPE, was recently installed as NSPE’s 2021–22 president during the 2021 Installation Ceremony at NSPE headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia. In the latest issue of PE magazine, he offers a perspective on the engineering workforce pipeline, climate change, and engineering licensure.

Guerra is the president and CEO of Jose I. Guerra, Inc. a full-service, facilities engineering firm with offices in Austin, San Antonio, and Corpus Christi, Texas. The firm provides a comprehensive range of civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection engineering services to clients throughout the state.

As an active member of NSPE since 1994, Guerra has served in numerous leadership roles at the chapter, state, and national levels, including as president of the Texas Society of Professional Engineers in 2016-17 and was named a NSPE Fellow in 2018. In 2007, he was appointed by Governor Rick Perry as the licensed professional engineer member of the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners, serving until 2019. He received his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 1982 and a master’s degree in engineering in 1988, both from the University of Texas at Austin.

Guerra continues to promote the engineering profession by serving as a guest lecturer at UT Austin, acting as a high school career day host and serving as an engineering mentor for local high school students. He is also an active volunteer for his church, the Boy Scouts of America, and various other community organizations.

Celebrating Excellence in the Profession

NSPE members were honored on August 4 for their outstanding contributions to the profession during the 2021 Virtual Professional Engineers Conference.

Young Engineer of the Year Award

Stephanie Blain, P.E. was named the 2021 Young Engineer of the Year for her outstanding contributions to the engineering profession and the community. She is employed with Palmer Engineering Company in Winchester, Kentucky.

Engineering Education Excellence Award

Scott R. Hamilton, Ph.D., P.E., received the Engineering Education Excellence Award, which recognizes licensed engineering faculty who have demonstrated the ability to link engineering education with professional practice. He is chair of the Civil & Mechanical Engineering Department at York College in York, Pennsylvania.

The Milton F. Lunch Ethics Contest winner and the QBS Award winners were also recognized during the conference.

The 2021 Milton F. Lunch Ethics Contest provides an opportunity for NSPE members to put their ethics knowledge to the test on topics that present ethical challenges such as artificial intelligence, climate change, and industrial exemption. Michael Rademacher, P.E., of St. Louis, Missouri (Burns & McDonnell), is this year’s winner. He will receive $2,000, a certificate, and recognition in PE magazine.

The QBS Awards are cosponsored by NSPE and ACEC to recognize public and private entities that make exemplary use of the qualifications-based selection process at the federal, state and local levels. The City of San Diego was honored in the state/city government category and the Idaho QBS Facilitators Council received a special recognition award.

The award winners serve as examples of how well the QBS process works, and they help promote the practice in jurisdictions that do not use, or underuse, QBS to procure engineering services.

Introducing the 2021 Class of Society Fellows

By demonstrating exemplary and devoted service to their profession, the Society, and their community, 12 professional engineers have been honored as the 2021 Class of Fellow members.

• Susan Best, P.E. (PA)
• Lee Czor, P.E. (KY)
• Beth Fifield Hodgson, P.E. (WA)
• Erin Gates, P.E. (WY)
• Angela Hanz, P.E. (WI)
• Kiel Johnson, P.E. (KS)
• Sharon Kimbrough, P.E. (AL)
• Matt Kruse, P.E. (NE)
• Andy Rogers, P.E. (SC)
• Breck Washam, P.E. (MO)
• Hardy Willis, P.E. (NC)
• Brian Malm, P.E. (MN)