2009 Inductees

• Antonio (Tony) V. Almeida, P.E.
• David G. Bradley, P.E.
• Joe D. Gamble
• Gopal K. Guthikonda, P.E.
• Janie (Wood) Kenney
• Philip L. Meaders, P.E.
• Jason L. Swofford, P.E.

Antonio (Tony) V. Almeida, P.E.

--earned his B.S.C.E. from Texas Tech University in 1971. Tony has over 37 years of experience in the water and wastewater industry, both in municipal engineering and private consulting. Upon graduation, he started his career at Dallas Water Utilities (DWU) as a design engineer. His experience at DWU included all phases of the Utilities Department's operations and ranged from planning, budgeting, contracts, design, and construction for both facilities and pipelines. In 1985, Tony became the Division Manager for an $80 million water and wastewater pipeline design program for Dallas. In 1987, he became Deputy Director of Construction for both facilities and pipelines, managing 250 employees and 4 construction divisions for a $147,000,000 annual program. In 1989, he became Deputy Director of the $35 million pipeline program for design and construction. In 2000, Tony joined Halff Associates, bringing 38 years of experience in the water and wastewater industry. During his tenure he has managed large utility projects and programs for many north Texas cities. Tony has a sincere sense of service to the engineering profession and serves on numerous technical and professional committees. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Water Environmental Federation, the Water Pollution Control Federation, and the American Water Works Association, and he serves on numerous committees. He has one U.S. patent and two patents under review and has published articles in several professional journals. Tony has received recognition and several awards including the following awards from the American Society of Testing Materials (ASTM) International: 2001 Award of Merit and ASTM Fellow, the 1997 Paul Finn Award, and the 1996 Reinhart-Kuhllmann Award. He is a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Texas. Tony and his wife, Janice, make their home in Allen, Texas. They have two grown sons, Anthony and Michael. Michael is presently serving our country in Operation Freedom in Iraq as a U.S. Marine.

David G. Bradley, P.E.

--earned his B.S.C.E. from Texas Tech University in 1973, his M.S.C.E. from University of Houston in 1977, and his MBA from University of Houston in 1982. While at Texas Tech, he was a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, Tau Beta Pi, Phi Kappa Phi, and he was instrumental in the formation of the Texas Tech Chapter of Chi Epsilon. He was President of the Engineers Student Council and was one of ten students recognized for service by the University Awards Board in 1973. He earned his M.S.C.E. in 1977 and his MBA in 1982, both from the University of Houston. David has been an employee of Kellogg Brown & Root (KBR) since his graduation from Texas Tech. He uses his wide variety of experience and relationships with KBR's key clients to provide the very best management and engineering services. During his career he has designed, constructed, and managed a wide variety of infrastructure projects all over the world. As Senior Manager of KBR, David has provided business development and marketing for major projects for the Government and Infrastructure Division, including light rail projects, airport people movers, international transportation, and military base programs. He is on loan to KBR's Europe and Middle East Division to assist in the start-up stages of a $200 million Design Build Finance and Operated (DBFO) Toll Road project in Ireland. The project involves five major firms providing design and construction and operation of 17 kilometers of dual carriageway, 18 side road bridges, and one major bridge over the Blackwater River. David has participated in projects all over Harris County. He has worked on the Airside Improvements Program for the Houston Airport System, the Greater Houston Wastewater Program, Southwest Lateral Pipeline, West Belt Toll Road/I-45 Interchange, Hardy Toll Road/I-45 Interchange, Hardy Toll Road/I-610 Interchange, and the Sims Bayou Rectification Project. Internationally David has worked on projects in Venezuela, Istanbul, Turkey, British Indian Ocean Territory, North Africa, and Iran. David is a Registered Professional Engineer in Texas, Louisiana, Florida, California, Massachusetts, and Arizona. He and his wife, Becky, make their home in Kingwood, Texas. They have one son, John.

Joe D. Gamble

--earned his B.S.C.E. in 1962 and his M.S.C.E. in 1963 from Texas Tech University. Since 1964, Joe has had a distinguished career with NASA Johnson Space Center and MEI Technologies supporting space exploration missions. He has played a significant engineering role in nearly every major NASA mission since he began his professional engineering career. Joe is an expert in 6 Degrees of Freedom (DOF) aerodynamics and stability and control. He has the ability to analyze 6 DOF aerodynamic data including preliminary wind tunnel data, developing data bases for simulations, and make rapid evaluation to identify potential vehicle stability and control problems. Joe performed aerodynamic and flight control system stability and control analysis to recertify the Space Shuttle Orbiter Entry Flight Control System. He supported the Guidance, Navigation and Control team for the Columbia Accident Investigation team, performing 6 DOF simulations of Obiter dynamics and providing aerodynamic analysis to derive Columbia's aerodynamic characteristics. Joe's work experience extended to the support of Russian Vehicle Integrated Product Team. He was the technical expert for the Soyuz crew transport and Progress cargo transport vehicles. He performed negotiations with NASA and Russian managers for modifications to the Soyuz vehicle for use as ISS crew rescue vehicle. Joe was a member of the team responsible for development and verification of the Orbiter entry flight control system. He has performed simulations and analyses of Apollo launch escape systems and entry capsules. He developed two-body computer simulation for parachutes used by NASA for Mars Viking landings and later modified by NASA for recovery of the space shuttle solid rocket boosters. His work with the Apollo 13 Mission Operations Team was honored with a Presidential Medal of Freedom Award. For his services to NASA, Joe has also received the NASA Certificate of Appreciation Award, six NASA Outstanding Performance Ratings, and five NASA Sustained Superior Performance Awards. He holds U.S. Patent 4,817,895 for the Design of the Aerobraking Orbital Transfer Vehicle. He is an Associate Fellow in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Joe's current work will impact missions far beyond the end of his career. Joe is a consistent supporter of Texas Tech and its programs. He has established several scholarships at the University. Most recently, he set up an endowment to provide support for graduate students in Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering. Joe and his wife, Jane, reside in Friendswood, Texas. They have two sons, Joel and David.

Gopal K. Guthikonda, P.E.

--earned his B.S.C.E. from Andhra University, India in 1980 and his M.S.C.E. from Texas Tech University in 1983. Gopal began his engineering career with the Design Division of Steger & Bizzell, Inc. in Georgetown, Texas. He designed water distribution, wastewater collection, and treatment systems. Since 1987, he has been employed with the City of Austin Water Utility. Gopal is currently employed as its Assistant Director of Engineering Services. He possesses over 27 years of progressive management, engineering, operation and maintenance, project construction, and project implementation experience in diverse areas with demonstrated initiative and success. His career growth from a graduate engineer to Assistant Director includes working in diverse areas of water and wastewater utility. He is well versed in utility finances, regulatory issues, and capital project implementation. As the Utility's Chief Engineer, Gopal is responsible for all engineering support functions for the city-owned 200,000 customer water and wastewater utility with an annual $400 million operation and maintenance budget and $300 million annual capital improvement spending plan. He is currently implementing a $400 million wastewater collection system improvement program to comply with a Federal mandate and a $100 million program to provide water and wastewater service to the southeastern area of Austin. He is initiating an engineering design for a new $325 million water treatment plant and a $150 million transmission line facilities project in an environmentally sensitive area. Gopal's experience includes implementing large capital programs, providing proactive results oriented management, and establishing a proven record of achievements. He has written and presented numerous technical papers at various seminars, workshops, and conferences. Gopal received the 2007 Water Environment Association of Texas Sidney L. Allison Award, the 2007 American Society of Civil Engineers Texas Chapter Government Engineer of the Year, and the 2007 City of Austin City Manager's ACE Award. He is a member of the Water Environment Federation and the American Society of Civil Engineers. He is a Registered Professional Engineer in Texas. Gopal and his wife, Vasu, have two children, Amini and Anita. They make their home in Austin, Texas.

Janie (Wood) Kenney

--earned her B.S.C.E. from Texas Tech University in 1999. Since her graduation from Tech, Janie has worked for ExxonMobil in many capacities and has received eight promotions. She began work in operations for wholesale distribution facilities and quickly moved up to become a pipeline engineer and a plant engineer, each time increasing her job responsibilities and the size of her projects. Janie became design engineer and project contracting manager, eventually becoming the construction execution supervisor. During her tenure at ExxonMobil, Janie has worked on capital projects with individual budgets up to $44 billion. She has been assigned to or supervised direct reports on several large capital projects located in numerous international and domestic locations including Angola, Australia, Chad, France, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Nigeria, Russia, and Great Britain. She has worked with foreign governments and foreign companies and has made presentations to national foreign government officials. In the United States, Janie has worked with local, state, and federal government officials, including members of the United States Legislature. Janie continues to sharpen her skills with additional training. She is Six Sigma certified and has participated in leadership, negotiation, and project management training. During her foreign travel, Janie has participated in cultural awareness training in Nigeria, Angola, Brazil, Venezuela, France, and Japan. In addition to her work activities, she has been involved in many community service activities. As Program Coordinator for ExxonMobil, she annually hosts "Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day." She has served as a Science Ambassador for a local elementary school and volunteers and coordinates an annual high school graduation party for Houston area foster kids, via United Way. In addition, she is a YMCA Volunteer and a Youth Sports Coach. Janie is an active member of ExxonMobil's Texas Tech engineering recruiting team and has been instrumental in hiring several of Tech's Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering graduates. Janie has been married to her husband, Calvin, for nearly ten years. They have two boys, Aidan (5) and Zachary (2). The Kenney family currently resides in Tomball, Texas.

Philip L. Meaders, P.E.

--earned his B.S.C.E. from Texas Tech University in 1984. Philip joined Lockwood, Andrews, & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) in 1985 and has worked on a broad variety of engineering projects in his career with the company. He has been responsible for program management, construction management, civil design, structural design, and construction inspection on a wide variety of facilities, including primary education facilities, commercial buildings, bridges, wastewater treatment facilities, water distribution facilities, light rail transit facilities, transit facilities, streets, traffic management facilities, and environmental clean-up. Philip currently serves as a Senior Associate with LAN. He has provided expertise in both a management and production capacity and currently has a leadership role in LAN's growing public transit market segment. He is presently assigned as Project Manager for a 5-mile Light Rail Corridor for the Houston METRO Southeast Corridor Project. Philip has more than ten years experience working with METRO on METRORail, Downtown/Midtown Transit Streets, Park & Ride Facilities, bus operating facilities, and mobility projects. He is responsible for a multi-disciplinary engineering and architecture team of more than 50 professionals and technical specialists to prepare Engineering and Construction Documents for the Light Rail Project. The project team includes 18 specialty subcontractors to respond to the needs of the project. The project is part of a $1.5 billion design-build delivery for expansion of the Light Rail system in four corridors in Houston. Philip has provided his management skills for the Fallbrook Bus Operation Facility, METRO in Houston, the South Phase II Civil, Track & Structure—Sacramento Rapid Transit Authority, the General Engineering Consulting Program Management—VIA Transit Authority, San Antonio, the Rehabilitation of Katy Addicks Water Plant—City of Houston, the Accelerated Surface Water Transmission Program—City of Houston, and the LAN/Walton K-12 Education Program Management Services. Philip is a Licensed Professional Engineer in Texas. His outside interests include the Boy Scouts of America, the American Council of Consulting Engineers – Houston Chapter, the Kingwood United Methodist Church, the Red Raider Club, and the Texas Tech Alumni Association. He and his wife Lamar Urey, who is a 1983 Texas Tech University graduate, have been married for 23 years. They make their home in Kingwood, Texas. They have one son, James, who is currently enrolled in Texas Tech as a sophomore Civil Engineering major.

Jason L. Swofford, P.E.

--earned his B.S.C.E. in 1995 and his M.S.C.E. in 1996 from Texas Tech University. In May 1991, Jason joined Hugo Reed and Associates, Inc. and continued his employment throughout his enrollment at Texas Tech. After graduating, he joined Wilfred Baker Engineering, Inc. of San Antonio, Texas, where he worked for two years. Jason rejoined Hugo Reed and Associates Inc. as an E.I.T. in June 1998. In January 2004, he was named partner and Vice President of Engineering for Hugo Reed, overseeing and coordinating the design projects of eight professionals and thirteen support employees. He is also the primary engineering team coordinator for the acquisition, coding, and transference of field survey data necessary for the design activities associated with the large-scale storm sewer systems and roadway designs being performed for the City of Lubbock. During the following eleven years with Hugo Reed, he has provided design services for numerous civil projects, including residential and commercial developments, urban transportation, water and wastewater infrastructure, and storm water management projects. Clients have included the private development community, the City of Lubbock, Texas Tech University, and the Lubbock Economic Development Alliance. He has developed an expertise in dynamic modeling of complex drainage systems. Jason served as project manager and design engineer for a consultant team charged with the development of construction plans and specifications for two multi-million dollar storm sewer systems for the City of Lubbock. Combined, the projects encompassed approximately 20 square miles of drainage area, 24 playa lakes, and 30 miles of gravity storm sewer ranging in size from 24" to 72" in diameter. The projects received state and national recognition. Jason has also developed an expertise in hydrologic and hydraulic analysis for large-scale flood insurance studies. He served as project manager for a consultant team performing a restudy of two playa lake systems using dynamic modeling techniques, resulting in a submittal to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for revision to the City of Lubbock Flood Insurance Rate Maps. Jason is a Registered Professional Engineer in Texas. He is a member of the Texas Society of Professional Engineers and Chi Epsilon National Civil Engineering Honor Society. He enjoys spending time on the family ranch, going hunting and playing golf. He is an active member of Southcrest Baptist Church. Jason and his wife, Lisa, have two children, Mason (7) and Landon (4). They reside in Lubbock, Texas.