Two IMSE alumnus were inducted into the IMSE Academy

The following two Texas Tech Alumni were inducted into the IMSE Academy on April 21st at the
TTU IMSE annual Academy Banquet Celebration held at the TTU Merket Alumni Center.

William M. Marcy, Ph.D. PE 1975

William M. Marcy earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering in 1964. He earned
a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering in 1966. He received the first ever Interdisciplinary
Ph.D. in 1972 from Texas Tech. His Ph.D. areas were Electrical Engineering, Systems
Engineering and Computer Science.

His experience with the U.S Government includes serving as an intelligence officer with the
Central Intelligence Agency in Washington, D.C. from 1966 to 1975, eventually becoming the
Chief of the Engineering and Planning Branch, Office of Security, Directorate for Administration.
Dr. Marcy served as Deputy Directory of the CIA Interagency Training Center, which
provided technical security training for all U.S. Government agencies, with security
responsibilities for U.S. Government facilities outside the United States.
From 1975 to 1980 he served as Associate Professor of Industrial Engineering at Texas Tech.
During the oil boom of the late 1970's he left Texas Tech to join Armco National Supply
Company in Houston, Texas as special assistant to the president for business planning and
development. Following the oil bust of the early 1980's he left NSC to form a startup
company, Information Planning Corporation in Dallas, Texas.

In 1983 Bill returned to Texas Tech as Associate Dean of Engineering and Associate Professor
of Industrial Engineering being promoted to full professor in 1986. In 1987, he was selected
as the director and later chair of the Computer Science Program as it became an independent
department in the College of Engineering. Bill served in that position until 1995 when he
became the Senior Associate Dean of Engineering. During the period 1984 to 1997, Bill also
served as an outside director of FSI International Corporation, a public corporation
manufacturing semiconductor–processing equipment in Chaska, MN. In 2002 Bill became an outside
director of Concorde Wealth Management Corporation in Dallas, Texas. He continues to serve
as the Chair of the Board of that corporation. In 1998 he became the acting Dean of Engineering
then Interim Dean of Engineering. He was selected as the permanent Dean of Engineering
in April of 1998 and served in that position until being selected as Provost in June of 2002. He
retired as Provost in 2008. He is a Distinguished Engineer of the Whitacre College of
Engineering.

Dr. Marcy is a licensed professional engineer in the State of Texas (84408). Bill is one of the
first professional engineers in the US to add the discipline of software engineering to his
license. Bill has more than 45 years of experience as a management consultant, engineering
educator, software developer and licensed professional engineer. After retiring as Provost of
Texas Tech in 2008 he returned part time as Professor and Director of the Murdough Center
for Engineering Professionalism in the Whitacre College of Engineering. He teaches
engineering ethics on-line at both the undergraduate and graduate level. More than 5,500
engineering students have completed his engineering ethics courses.

His research interests include organized problem solving, information systems, real–time
systems, robotics, artificial intelligence, high–reliability software and computer security. He
has published more than 30 refereed journal articles. He has conducted more than $5 million
dollars in research. He has supervised numerous Ph.D. and master's level students.
Bill and his wife Jane Rathbun live outside Las Cruces, NM near the Organ mountains. He
and Jane have a second home in Cloudcroft, NM.

Matt B. Phelps, Ph.D. 2018

Matt B. Phelps, Ph.D. is a highly accomplished professional who holds the esteemed
positions of CEO, Chief Engineer, and Owner of APEC Engineering and Laboratory LLC,
located in Hutto, TX. He boasts an impressive academic background, having obtained his
B.S. in Agriculture Business from West Texas A&M, M.S. in Biology from Eastern New
Mexico University, M.S. in Engineering from Texas Tech in 1993 and, more recently, his
Ph.D. in Systems and Engineering Management from Texas Tech IMSE in December of
2018. Phelps also had the privilege of being chosen to participate in the Goldman Sachs
10,000 Small Business Initiative and successfully completed the class in May 2013.
Interestingly, prior to his illustrious engineering career, Phelps spent 34 years as a farmer and
rancher, spanning from 1980 to 2014, thereby demonstrating his diverse background and
range of skills.

At APEC Engineering and Laboratory, Phelps is responsible for conducting a variety of
forensic investigations related to multiple perils and interior corrosion in residential and
commercial buildings. He also specializes in civil engineering projects related to water and
wastewater, as well as high wind structural design and windstorm compliance inspections.
One of his notable accomplishments includes designing a highly effective corrosion control
system for a condominium complex located in South Padre Island.

Before launching his own company, Phelps worked as the Chief Engineer for the City of
Austin Texas / Travis County Environmental Health Services Department. In this role, he
supervised and performed engineering plan reviews for On-Site Sewage Facilities (OSSF)
and subdivision developments that utilized OSSF.

At APEC Engineering and Laboratory, Phelps and his team of skilled professionals are
committed to delivering exceptional services to their clients. In addition to performing
forensic investigations for determining damage to a structure and causation of damage, the
company provides structural design services for commercial and single-family homes, as
well as construction inspections on new construction and wind zone compliance inspections
on new and existing structures.

Moreover, the company has developed and patented cutting-edge equipment to perform
various methods of forensic investigation, including unique tests for asphalt shingles,
fasteners and wood, and fasteners in lightweight concrete. With Phelps at the helm, APEC
Engineering and Laboratory continues to push the boundaries of excellence in engineering
and forensic investigations.