DESA Honorees by Year
The KU School of Engineering and its Advisory Board are proud to recognize the contributions of these esteemed men and women.
Recipients by Year
2018
2017
- Principal, Emeritus for Engineering Systems Inc. (ESI), and Director, Kohlman Systems Research, Inc.
- Chief Executive Officer/President, A. Zahner Company
- Co-Founder & Chairman, MetaLABS
2016
- N.T. Veatch Emeritus Distinguished Professor of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Kansas School of Engineering
2015
- Deane E. Ackers Emeritus Distinguished Professor of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Kansas School of Engineering
- 2015 DESA Recipient
2014
- Retired North American Sales Manager, ExxonMobil
- B.S., Chemical Engineering, 1979
- 2014 DESA Recipient
2013
- Project Director, NASA Apollo
- Principal Engineer, MRI-Global
- Founder of Padgett-Thompson, CottageCare, Unlimited Films
- “Unlimited Success” Trainer, Author, Speaker, and Theatrical Producer
- 2013 DESA Recipient
2012
- Founder and Retired President of Picosecond Pulse Labs, Inc.
- 2012 DESA Recipient
2011
- Head, Research & Applied Science Dept. (retired) Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, U. S. Navy
- 2011 DESA Recipient
2010
- Retired Assistant Director Engineering and Development Directorate, NASA
- Retired Program Engineering Manager, Lockheed Missiles and Space
- 2010 DESA Recipient
- Retired Executive Vice President and COO Process Division, Black & Veatch Corp.
- 2010 DESA Recipient
2009
- Retired, Vice President of International Business Development for Chemicals, Phillips Petroleum Co.
- 2009 DESA Recipient
- Professor of Mechatronics Engineering, Korea University of Technology and Education
- 2009 DESA Recipient
2008
- Retired, Senior Process Consultant Dow Chemical Company
- Retired, Midland Engineering Ltd.
- 2008 DESA Recipient
- Executive Director, The CENTER, a Samaritan Counseling Center
- Retired President and COO, Wire Rope Corporation of America Inc.
- 2008 DESA Recipient
- Certified Financial Planner
- Retired Executive, General Electric Company
- 2008 DESA Recipient
2007
- Rear Admiral, retired, U.S. Navy
- Director of Training GSO Corporation
- 2007 DESA recipient
2006
- Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy
- Commander of Naval Facilities Engineering Command and Chief of Civil Engineers, U.S. Navy
- 2006 DESA Recipient
- Retired Vice President of Advanced Research and Development, Nike Inc.
- 2006 DESA Recipient
2005
- Professor of Engineering Management
- Former Dean of the KU School of Engineering
- 2005 DESA Recipient
2004
- Montague-Betts Professor of Structural Steel Design, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
- 2004 DESA Recipient
2003
2002
2001
2000
- Chief Executive Officer and Owner, Bee Chemical Company
- Co-Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer, Tioga International, Inc.
- Founder and President, Allen Financial, Inc.
- 2000 DESA Recipient
1999
- Emeritus Professor of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, The University of Kansas
- 1999 DESA Recipient
1998
1997
- Retired, Chief of Engineering, Directorate of Civil Works, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- 1997 DESA Recipient
1996
- Vice President, Strategic Planning, Lockheed Martin Government Electronic Systems
- Retired U.S.N., Program Executive Officer, Theater Air Defense
- 1996 DESA Recipient
1995
1994
- Retired, Professor of Electrical Engineering, Purdue University
- 1994 DESA Recipient
1993
- Retired, Professor Civil Engineering, University of Kansas
- 1993 DESA Recipient
- Deceased
1992
1991
1990
- Associate Dean, College of Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin
- 1990 DESA Recipient
1989
- Dean Emeritus and Professor, School of Engineering, Iowa State University
- 1989 DESA Recipient
1988
- Professor Emeritus and Former Dean of the KU School of Engineering
- 1988 DESA Recipient
1987
- Retired Vice President and Director of U.S. Area Operations for Dow Chemical USA
- 1987 DESA Recipient
1986
- Retired Chairman, President and CEO of National-Standard Co.
- 1986 DESA Recipient
1985
1984
- Retired Dean Emeritus of Engineering at the University of Florida
- 1984 DESA Recipient
- Retired Chief of Water Supply and Development for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment
- 1984 DESA Recipient
1983
- Professor and Chair, Department of Electrical Engineering at Michigan State University
- 1983 DESA Recipient
1982
1981
- Retired Director of AEGIS Shipbuilding Project, U.S. Navy
- 1981 DESA Recipient
1980
- Retired Chairman and Chief Executive of Standard Oil Company of Ohio
- 1980 DESA Recipient
