Dr. Bob Berry, vice president of Burns and McDonnell Engineering Co. in St. Louis, received an honorary degree from the University of Missouri-Rolla during spring commencement ceremonies Saturday, May 14, on the UMR campus.
Sprint Corp. chair and chief executive officer Gary Forsee also received an honorary degree during the ceremonies.
Berry, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from UMR in 1972, earned a doctor of engineering degree at the University of Kansas in 1980. He also holds two master’s degrees, one in environmental health engineering from KU (1979) and another in engineering management from Boston University (1975).
Berry started his career at Burns and McDonnell in 1976 as a project engineer and manager in the Kansas City office. He was also a marketing manager, director of project development, and vice president for the company in Kansas City. In 1989, Berry was named vice president and general manager for Burns and McDonnell’s St. Louis operations.
Berry also had a military career, serving in Germany in the early 1970s. He retired as a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves in 1993.
A member of the UMR Athletic Hall of Fame, Berry was co-captain of the football team during his playing days, and was named all-conference and honorable mention all-American. He was also a member of Lamda Chi Alpha at UMR. Since his graduation, he has served the campus in a number of capacities, including as a member of the Board of Trustees, as president of the MSM-UMR Alumni Association, as president of the UMR Academy of Civil Engineers and as a member of the Order of the Golden Shillelagh Board of Directors. In 2002, Berry was awarded the UMR Presidential Citation for Alumni Service.
Berry, a registered professional engineer in three states, has earned numerous awards and distinctions throughout his career. He has also devoted time to several civic organizations in the Rolla, Kansas City and St. Louis areas.