Government Civil Engineer Award
This award is conferred upon a subscribing member of the Texas Section, employed by a governmental organization, for meritorious service to the Texas Section and one or more of the Section’s Branches.
2024 Government Civil Engineer Award Recipient
Fernando Quintanilla Jr | Port of Corpus Christi
Fernando Quintanilla was born and raised in Carrizo Springs, Texas. He earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Texas A&M University in Kingsville, Texas. His career began at the Texas Department of Transportation in Edinburg, where he focused on designing roadways and bridges. Transitioning to the private sector, he became a project/office manager at an engineering firm, honing his leadership skills.
After nearly a decade in engineering, Fernando pursued a different path as Assistant Principal of Operations at Idea Public Schools. However, his passion for engineering led him back to the field as a project manager. In 2015, he took on the role of Director of Public Works and Development Services in Aransas Pass, Tx. In 2017 he received an award for employee of the year and shortly thereafter was presented with the key to the city for his leadership as City Manager during Hurricane Harvey. Currently, Fernando works as a Project Engineer at the Port of Corpus Christi.
Outside of work, Fernando is dedicated to his family. He is married to Clarissa Y. Quintanilla, a Counselor at Faulk Elementary in Aransas Pass, and is a proud father to three children: Karina Lizette, Fernando Eduardo, and Katya Lizbeth. In his free time, Fernando enjoys activities such as fishing, hunting, painting, photography, woodworking, and cooking. He remains actively involved in his community, currently serving as the President of the ASCE Corpus Christi Branch and participating in various committees and boards.
Professional Service to Students Award
The Texas Section established this award in 1999. This award is conferred upon a subscribing member of the Texas Section for meritorious service to the Texas Section through service to one or more of the ASCE Student Chapters in Texas and/or service during the Regional Student Conference.
2024 Professional Service to Students Award Recipient
Kimberly Cornett PE, CFM, F.ASCE | Lockwood, Andrews, Newnam, Inc.
Kimberly K. Cornett, PE, F. ASCE, is the Regional Stormwater Manager for Lockwood, Andrews, and Newnam, Inc. (LAN). In addition to her stormwater passion, Kimberly has had a distinguished career in student activities and symposium planning, with a notable focus on improving and streamlining processes within the field.
Kimberly’s involvement in Texas/Mexico symposium planning began with shadowing in 2017, followed by planning the event in College Station in 2018 while serving as the VP Education Elect and continued to serve as VP of Education Affairs. In 2021, Kimberly resumed her role as the ASCE Region 6 Student Symposium Advisor and continues in that role to date. Kimberly along with others drafted the Regional Symposium Manual, a guiding document used for all Symposiums today.
Currently, Kimberly serves as a Corresponding Member of the Committee on Student Conferences and Competitions at the Society level, a role she has held for the past two years.
Kimberly’s extensive experience and dedication to student activities and symposium organization have significantly contributed to the success and efficiency of these events over the years.
History & Heritage Award
This award is presented to an individual or Branch for making special contributions to recording and/or recognizing the history and heritage of civil engineering in Texas.
2024 History & Heritage Award Recipient
Cody Wright EIT | LJA Engineering
Cody Wright, EIT has been a Design Engineer at LJA Engineering since 2022 and graduated with a BS in Civil Engineering and Minor in Sustainable Engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2021. He was active and involved in UTA’s Student Chapter of ASCE as well as Chi Epsilon Civil Engineering Honor Society. Notable activities include Steel Bridge Competition fabrication and competition roles as well as Student Symposium planning and general support.
In his professional career, Cody was appointed as Historical Chair of the Fort Worth Branch of ASCE in 2023 where he spearheaded several initiatives that seek to increase branch awareness of and appreciation towards civil engineering and construction history in the beautiful City of Fort Worth and beyond.
Born and raised in Mansfield, TX and now residing in Fort Worth, Cody would like to thank his loved ones for their constant support and encouragement of his pursuits. He enjoys being active in ASCE to cultivate his passion for the civil engineering profession and be inspired by all the amazing members that make up our organization. In his free time, Cody has an avid LEGO hobby and loves to spend time with friends and family.
Professional Service Award
This award is conferred upon subscribing members of the Texas Section for meritorious service to the Texas Section and to one or more of the Section’s Branches.
2024 Professional Service Award Recipient
W. Jeff Williams PE | Graham Associates
Jeff Williams, P.E. is President/CEO of the civil engineering firm, Graham Associates, and previously served as Mayor of Arlington from 2015–2021. He is a highly respected Civil Engineer with a career devoted to community-building and placemaking through innovative engineering seen on many
landmark projects such as AT&T Stadium, Globe Life Park, IH-30 Three Bridges, Nebraska Furniture Mart, and more. Graham’s success has been recognized from the Texas Society of Civil Engineers, the American Society of Civil Engineers, Texas Public Works Association, and the American Planning
Association. Williams has been recognized as a Distinguished Engineer by Texas Tech University, and a member of the Chi Epsilon Honor Fraternity at both Texas Tech and UT at Arlington. ASCE recognized him as the National Outstanding Public Official.
As Mayor, Williams brought knowledge of city planning, economic development and infrastructure. Arlington advanced with 140+ new businesses and 6,000 new jobs, resulting in $5 billion in revenue, hallmarked with keeping the Rangers and bringing the National Medal of Honor Museum. His leadership also extended across our country; for example, as the Chairman of the national effort that brought $65 billion dollars to cities impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Williams also led Arlington to be a national leader in transportation and innovation, with being the first city in America to run an autonomous public shuttle, first in Texas to operate on public streets, and first to implement a technology rideshare program. He encourages engineers to embrace and lead in technology and innovation as we serve as integral partners in building communities.
Professional Service Award
This award is conferred upon subscribing members of the Texas Section for meritorious service to the Texas Section and to one or more of the Section’s Branches.
2024 Professional Service Award Recipient
James Williams PhD, PE, F.ASCE | UT Arlington (Retired)
Dr. Jim Williams grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He attended the University of New Mexico for his BSCE and MSCE. Upon graduating, he joined TxDOT in the Traffic Engineering Section. Dr. Williams worked on the development of a system for small networks of actuated traffic signals. After nearly five years with TxDOT, he entered the PhD program at UT, focusing
on network level traffic flow. Upon graduation in 1986, Dr. Williams accepted
the position of Assistant Professor in the CE Department at UTA. Dr. Williams taught both undergraduate and graduate courses in transportation, covering traffic engineering, traffic signal systems, airport design, and rail
design. He also taught the freshman intro to engineering classes. Dr. Williams strongly believes in the role of professional societies in one’s career.
He also believes that professional societies are key elements of a student’s education.
Leadership, working on teams, and ethical behavior are important concepts for engineers, and activity in ASCE can enhance their knowledge and experience in these areas. Students who participate become engaged in our profession and our university. Dr. Williams is active in ASCE, and he encourages the undergrads to be. He served as the faculty advisor for the UTA
ASCE Student Chapter for 30 years. One of his most enjoyable activities was
as a member of the ASCE Committee of Student Members from 2008 to 2013, where he got to attend 1 to 3 student conferences (in addition to our conference meeting) each year. The regional steel bridge and concrete
canoe competitions were held at the conference meetings. He also loved
working on the Rules Committee for the Steel Bridge Competition. Each year, he got to participate in writing the rules, fielding questions from the student chapters, and attending the national competition. He was on the Steel Bridge Rules Committee from2003 to 2013. Dr. Williams attended every Texas
Section meeting (twice a year), and always brought students with him. He also attended the Workshop for Student Chapter Leaders (WSCL) and students always attended. He could tell them that this particular meeting
is important for them to go, but if he went, it showed them that he thought it was important.
Dr. Williams is also active in ITE. He involved many grad students in ITE. He
attended every TexITE meeting (twice a year), and always brought students with him. TExITE sets time aside in their program for poster presentations by grad students. UTA always had one or two presentations at these meetings. Two events stand out as career highlights for Dr. Williams:
- in 1999, the UTA Chapter took second place in the Texas and Mexico
Conference Steel Bridge and qualified to go to national. Which was in
Anchorage. Dr. Williams drove. - In 2003, he attended the Steel Bridge Competition for the Texas & Mexico Conference, which was hosted by Universidad La Salle in Mexico City. Dr. Williams rescued two UTA students from the Mexico City Police. It took all night.
Over the years, he has held many officer positions; he received the Lifetime Service Award from the Texas Section of ASCE in 2018, the Outstanding Career Educator Award from the Dallas Branch of ASCE in 2022, and the Transportation Engineer of the Year from the Texas District of ITE in 2005.
In 2021, Dr. Williams received the lifetime advising and mentoring award from Tau Beta Pi. Dr. Williams was named Professor Emeritus in October 20, 2023.
Service to the People Award
The Service to People Award is presented to an engineer, not necessarily a member of the Texas Section, who has distinguished themselves with special service to people. The award recognizes engineers who bring credit to the profession through community activities that are visible to the public.
2024 Service to the People Award Recipient
Carol E. Haddock PE, F.ASCE | City of Houston (Retired)
Carol Haddock, P.E., recently retired as the Director of Houston Public Works, the first woman to oversee the largest American Public Works Association accredited agency in the United States.
During her 19-year tenure, she held various roles culminating with seven years leading a team of over 4,000 employees responsible for vital services such as water, wastewater, streets, stormwater and permitting in Houston. Carol also played a key role in long-term planning and managing capital projects during her time serving Houstonians.
A staunch advocate of employee and infrastructure development, Carol has been a champion for employee equity and infrastructure enhancements at the local, state and national levels. She has spoken to civic clubs, city councils, the Texas Legislature and the US Congress, stressing the significance of adequate standards and funding.
Carol captivated audiences and encourages meaning discussions with her engaging communication style. She holds a Civil Engineering Bachelor’s degree from Rice University and has a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Houston.
Carol is a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Texas and has a diverse background, including experience in private consulting, at the Harris County Flood Control District, and as a ASCE/AAAS Congressional Fellow for the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Carol is happily married to Will Haddock, a bankruptcy attorney based in Houston.
John A. Focht Jr. Citizen Engineer Award
This award was established by the Texas Section in 1990 to recognize the outstanding and continued dedication of a member through their leadership and service to the community, thereby becoming a better citizen engineer.
2024 John A. Focht Jr. Citizen Engineer Award Recipient
Nancy S. Cline PE, F.ASCE | NSC Engineering, LLC
Nancy attended Texas A&M University where she received a BS in Civil Engineering and a MEng. in Civil Engineering. She is a Professional Engineer and a Certified Floodplain Manager. Her previous work experience includes over twenty years working for municipalities and other governmental entities and 10 years in consulting engineering. She is currently a small business owner of NSC Engineering, PLLC. Nancy has managed the planning, design, construction and maintenance of hundreds of millions of dollars in construction projects including many roadways, bridges, creek improvement projects and trail systems. Nancy served on the NCTCOG’s Surface Transportation Technical Committee from 2006-2013 and was chairman from 2012 – 2013.
Nancy has been active in American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) since joining in 1983 as a student and serving as Treasurer. Her service to the profession includes President of the Texas Section in 2008 and more recently as Region 6 Director on the Global Board of ASCE from 2016- 2019 representing Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Mexico. Nancy served in several roles in the Dallas Branch and was President from 2022-2023 and is currently Past President. Nancy is currently in her third year on the Program and Finance Committee for ASCE. She is a corresponding member of the Sustainability Committee and engineers participating in Legislative fly-ins. Previous ASCE awards include the Service to People Award (2007) and the Award of Honor (2018) from the Texas Section and the ASCE Civil Engineer of the Year (2019) from the Dallas Branch. Nancy received the ASCE Edmund Friedman Young Engineer award in 1995.
Nancy and her husband Jim have been married for over thirty years and have three children – all Texas A&M graduates. Nancy received the Yellow Rose of Texas recognition signed by Rick Perry after husband Jim retired from the Texas Army National Guard as a LTC after 28 years of service (including one year in Afghanistan). Their oldest son is a Major in the Air Force. They are super excited to be grandparents to two one year old twins – Will and Sam.
Nancy has served on the Carrollton City Council since 2021 and was recently re-elected to a second three year term (2024-2027). She served as Mayor Pro Tem from 2023-2024 and Deputy Mayor Pro Tem from 2022-2023. Nancy is the Chair of the Community Funding Committee and serves on the Transit Oriented Development Committee, the Vision 2040 Committee. She previously served as Chair of the IT committee and on the Finance Committee.
Nancy is Carrollton’s representative to the Dallas Regional Mobility Coalition (DRMC) since 2021 and is currently the Treasurer. She is also the representative to the Trinity River Authority North Texas advisory board. She is also the city’s liaison to Make It Count (formerly Bea’s Kids) a program for disadvantaged youth. She serves as the council’s liaison to the city’s Traffic Advisory Committee also.
Award of Honor
The Texas Section established the Award of Honor to present to a limited number of members. It recognizes service to the Texas Section and outstanding professional achievement in civil engineering.
2024 Award of Honor Recipient
David Matocha | Rinker Materials
David Matocha is a Senior Technical Services Manager for Rinker Materials, having just recently celebrated his 28th anniversary with the concrete pipe industry. David serves as a technical resource to designers and end users of concrete pipe and related precast items. This position has allowed him to interact with many owners, engineers and contractors helping them to design, specify and install precast concrete.
He is active in several engineering related associations such as the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), American Society of Testing Materials (ASTM), American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA), American and Texas Concrete Pipe Associations and the Austin Contractors and Engineers Association (ACEA). David is an Austin native and graduated from UT- Austin with a BS in Civil Engineering in 1983.
David was honored to have received the Texas Section Lifetime Service Award in 2023. He attributes his role in updating the international AREMA guidelines for reinforced concrete pipe and his career of educating engineers on the design and installation of reinforced concrete pipe, combined for his long-term support of ASCE as key reasons he was nominated for the Award of Honor. For David, this award is truly a privilege and a highlight of his civil engineering career.
Young Civil Engineer Award
This award is conferred to a subscribing member of ASCE by the Texas Section to recognize an individual’s professional contributions of Younger Members through their Section, Section Institute Chapter(s), or Section Branch(es) upon recommendations of the Honors Committee. Candidates for the Young Civil Engineer Award must demonstrate significant professional achievement, assessed through their:
- Contributions to advancing the engineering profession.
- Technical competence, exemplary character, and integrity.
- Leadership in guiding younger members.
- Contributions to public service beyond their career.
- Other meritorious evidence recognized by the Honors Committee.
2024 Young Civil Engineer Award Recipient
Alexa Nichols PE, CFM, ENV SP | ERHA
Alexa is currently employed by EHRA Engineering as a Senior Project Manager for Hydrology and Hydraulics. She has over thirteen years in the civil engineering industry and is a proud graduate of Texas A&M University. Her service to the ASCE Houston Branch has spanned many years including six years on the Board with this year as President. During her service to ASCE, she has been awarded Outstanding Younger Member in Community Activities by the Central Region in 2023, Young Engineer of the Year for the Houston Branch in 2022, and Outstanding Younger Member in the Private Sector by the Central Region in 2020.
She enjoys volunteering in her community with the Red Shoe Crew and at the Houston Food Bank. In her free time, you can find her playing volleyball with friends, watching football and basketball whenever her favorite teams are playing, and travelling across the world.
Outstanding Civil Engineering Student Award
This award is for ASCE Texas Section student members who are:
- enrolled in an ABET-accredited civil engineering program in the State of Texas;
- in good standing with their college/university; and
- a current, registered student member of ASCE
2024 Outstanding Civil Engineering Student Award Recipient
Montsserrat Najera | HNTB
Montsserrat Najera is a recent graduate with a degree in Civil Engineering, having completed her studies in May 2024. Currently, Montsserrat serves as an Engineer 1 at HNTB, where she actively contributes to the Roadway Department. In this role, Montsserrat applies her academic background to real-world projects, focusing on roadway design and infrastructure development.
During her academic career, Montsserrat consistently demonstrated a commitment to excellence, maintaining a strong GPA and participating in various extracurricular activities. She was an active member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) student chapter, taking on leadership roles that fostered professional growth and networking among peers. Montsserrat also participated in regional engineering competitions, where, together with her team, she earned recognition.
In addition to her academic success, Montsserrat received the Herbert Bartel Service Award from the Civil Engineering Department at UT El Paso, reflecting her dedication to the field of civil engineering and commitment to service.
Now, Montsserrat is excited to continue her journey in the civil engineering field, with a particular focus on roadway design and transportation. She is honored to be recognized as the ASCE Texas Section 2024 Outstanding Civil Engineering Student and looks forward to contributing to the future of civil engineering.
