On February 17, 2025, the Pittsburgh Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers hosted their annual Engineers Week banquet at the Engineers Society of Western Pennsylvania in downtown Pittsburgh.  Engineers, award winners, professors, students and student award winners and parents and families were in attendance.  All were greeted at the door by Nadeen Fatfat, ASCE’s newly appointed member on the Board of Directors (effective May 2025), who provided nametags for all attendees.

The banquet started with a social hour from 5 pm until around 6:10pm. At that time, and with the help of ESWP President Dave Teorsky dimming the lights, Pat Sullivan, PE, our customary emcee, used his microphone like voice to ‘recommend’ that people start their trek upstairs to the banquet room.

Once upstairs, Pat’s 15-minute tradition of freelancing what he feels like on that day began…this year, it was new and vintage cartoon TV shows!  Pat spent numerous hours doing research to identify 11 TV shows from his childhood days.  Then he asked the attendees under 50 years old (Pat’s decision) to quickly yell out the name of the show once it appeard on the screen, for a chance to win a gift card.  Pat was impressed by how many ‘youngsters’ recognized the characters of the shows.  How many of you remember….Underdog, The Banana Splits, Beanie and Cecil, Speed Racer, Pebbles and Bam-Bam, The Jetsons, and Yogi Bear?   

Then Pat turned the tables!  He asked the over 50-year-olds to identify TV shows that Pat’s grandkids watch.  Many parents and grandparents knew Bluey and Miss Rachel, but Pat stumped everyone who did not know ‘Superkitties’!

There is always fun to be had at the ASCE Eweek banquet!

As is also his tradition, Pat invited each of the Corporate Sponsors for the Eweek Event to the podium to receive a certificate of appreciation for their gracious sponsorship and to talk about whatever they wanted.   Thanks again to our corporate sponsors… American Geotechnical and Environmental Services, DLZ, and Alcosan!  

 

This years’ keynote speaker was Cam Baker, PE, from Sippel Steel Fab.  Cam’s presentation discussed some of the unique design aspects and construction of the new Pittsburgh International Airport Landside Terminal and Victory Heights, the new athletic center on the University of Pittsburgh’s main campus.  Many thanks to Cam for presenting.

Following a great buffet dinner of Chicken, Italian pasta, prime rib and vegetables, and chocolate AND vanilla cake for dessert (dessert selection was under a last-minute agreement between Pat and Alma Rettinger, ASCE President), the awards portion of the banquet began.  ASCE Pittsburgh Section Past President Tom Batroney, PE and President-Elect Taylor DeCanal, PE provided the introductions for the ASCE and Student award presentations, respectively. 

The 2024 award winners are as follows:

• SAF American Bridge Leadership Award                  Amber Mauer, Slippery Rock University
• SAF Italo V. (Ody ) Mackin Achievement Award       Trey Blystone, University of Pittsburgh
• SAF Honorable Mention Awards                             Kate Volna, University of Pittsburgh                                                                                    Mia Constantin, Carnegie-Mellon University                                                                             Amina Tandukar, Slippery Rock University                                                                               Jacob Singer, PennState University

• 2024 Civil Engineering Achievement Award                  Charleroi Locks & Dam
• 2024 Sustainability Award                                          Dornbush Road GSI Project
• 2024 Project Award of Merit                                       Chestnut Street Rehabilitation Project     

• 2024 Professor of the Year Award                                               Steven Sachs, PhD, EIT
• 2024 Civil Engineer of the Year Award                                         Mark Styler, PhD, PE   
• 2024 Young Civil Engineer of the Year Award                                Dan Phillips, PE          
• 2024 Young Government Civil Engineer of the Year Award              Mike Panzitta, PE        
• 2024 Government Civil Engineer of the Year Award                        Ben DeVore, PE          
• 2024 Service to the People Award                                                 Lisa Werder Brown     
• 2024 Journalism Award                                                                Ed Blazina      
• 2024 Employer of the Year Award                                                  Alcosan          

The event concluded with a second thanks to our Corporate Sponsors and also to our Gold Sponsors, Kleinfelder, the University of Pittsburgh and Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc.  The event concluded with a prize raffle of 7 gifts, and was again highlighted by the annual humongous CEC food basket.

Please visit the ASCE website www.asce-pgh.org for all of the pictures from the banquet.

  

Thanks to everyone who attended, and we will see you at the next Section event, the Lifetime Member Recognition Banquet, at the LaMont Restaurant in September or October.

Author: Pat Sullivan, PE