Texas Tech University

Distinguished Engineer Citations

                 
Distinguished Engineer Photo: Edward E. Whitacre Jr.
Edward E. Whitacre Jr.

Edward E. Whitacre Jr.

Distinguished Engineer

1985

Degree

Industrial Engineering – 1964

 

Citation

At Time of Nomination in 1985

Edward E. Whitacre has an impressive record of progress within the Bell System. His current position is group president of Southwestern Bell Corporation, responsible for three telecommunications corporate subsidiaries, Southwestern Bell Mobile Systems, Southwestern Bell Publications, and Southwestern Bell Telecommunications.

Born in Ennis, Texas and a registered professional engineer in Texas, Mr. Whitacre has often called the state his home but has seldom had the same home for long. He was first employed with the Bell System in 1963 as a Facility Engineer in Lubbock. Since Mr. Whitacre completed his B.S. in Industrial Engineering at Texas Tech in 1964, he has advanced to 17 different positions and moved to 11 different cities, including the Texas cities of Dallas, Greenville, McKinney, Tyler, Arlington, and San Antonio, as well as Little Rock, Arkansas and New York City. This list does not include his most recent positions in Topeka as vice president and president of the Kansas division or his current position in St. Louis as group president of Southwestern Bell.

Mr. Whitacre’s varying and increasing responsibilities as manager and executive have not diminished his concerns for professional engineering education and his active participation in the future of the College of Engineering at Texas Tech. He is currently serving as Chairman of the Industrial Engineering Advisory Board.

We are fortunate to have such a strong ally and one who has brought credit to the institution in all his activities. The College of Engineering proudly awards the title of DISTINGUISHED ENGINEER to Edward E. Whitacre.

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