Eight civil engineers with ties to Missouri University of Science and Technology were inducted into the Missouri S&T Academy of Civil Engineers during the academy’s induction ceremony held April 20.

The academy honors civil engineers for their contributions to the profession, leadership and involvement with Missouri S&T. The academy also serves as an advisory group to the Missouri S&T civil, architectural and environmental engineering department.

New members are listed below:

• Brett Hanke of Wentzville, Mo., president of Hanke Constructors, earned a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering in 1972 and a master of science degree in engineering management in 1984, both from Missouri S&T. Commissioned through Missouri S&T’s Army ROTC Program, he began his career as an engineer officer with the 82nd Airborne Division. After eight years, he left active duty at the rank of captain, but remained in the Missouri National Guard. From 1980 until 2004, he worked for Booker Associates in Sauget, Ill., and served as director of public works for Granite City and Collinsville, Ill., and for Wentzville, Mo. In 2002, Hanke retired from the Army as a colonel. He returned to active duty two years later and served a tour in Iraq, where he was responsible for the $4 billion reconstruction program for water and wastewater facilities. He was a security engineer for SAIC until his retirement in 2007. He established Hanke Constructors in 2009.
• Alan A. Kamp of Kansas City and Branson, Mo., vice president and senior project manager for Black & Veatch Co.’s oil and gas business line, earned bachelor of science and master of science degrees in civil engineering from Missouri S&T in 1964 and 1966, respectively. He began his career as a structural engineer for gas and oil process plants for Phillips Petroleum Co. At Black & Veatch he has designed and managed projects in China, Australia, Abu Dhabi, Scotland and the U.S. These projects have included gas treating, sulfur recovery, LNG peak shaving and base load facilities, oil refinery units, an African sugar refinery and a coke gasification facility that produces ammonia fertilizer. Kamp is a long-time member of the Academy of Civil Engineers, has served as a Boy Scout leader, chaired Black & Veatch’s United Way efforts and received the company’s Robinson Outstanding Management Award in 1995. He and his wife are part owners of and operate the Branson Scenic Railway.
• Pat McCown of Kansas City, Mo., CEO of McCownGordon Construction LLC, earned a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from Missouri S&T in 1974 and an MBA from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 1983. After working for Fluor Corp. in California, he moved to Kansas City in 1977, to hold positions with Pritchard, JE Dunn, and Walton Construction companies. He earned his professional engineer license in 1980. In 1999, he founded McCownGordon Construction. McCown has served on a variety of technical and professional committees and serves on the boards of UMB Bank N.A., Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, Kansas City Area Development Council, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Kansas City Art Institute, Starlight Theatre, UMKC Conservatory’s Advisory Committee and the Leadership Committee for United Way. He co-chairs the Business Council for the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art, is a member of the Metropolitan Arts Council and a corporate partner of the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art.
• Ranney McDonough of Houston, Texas, president of McDonough Engineering Corp., earned a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from Missouri S&T in 1966. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant through the Army ROTC, volunteered for Army Rotary Wing Flight School and flied for the 187th Assault Helicopter Company in Vietnam. He left the Army as captain in 1969 to begin his civil engineering career. In 1977, he founded McDonough Engineering in Houston, which has designed numerous commercial, industrial, public works, governmental and transportation projects in the Texas Gulf Coast Region. Ranney is a member of several technical and professional societies, has served on the executive board of the Bay Area Houston Transportation Partnership and is a past president of the Harris County (Texas) Flood Control Task Force. He is a member of Missouri S&T’s Order of the Golden Shillelagh and is active in the Houston Section of the Miner Alumni Association. He has supported the Boy Scouts, the American Festival for the Arts and Houston Livestock Show.
• Stephen H. McVeigh of Houston, an independent oil and gas consultant, earned a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from Missouri S&T in 1972. He has spent his career in the engineering and management aspects of oil and gas exploration and production. He retired after 32 years in the domestic and international upstream sector of Royal Dutch Shell companies. From 2000-2004, he served as CEO for Sakhalin Energy Investment Co., in the Russian Federation, which managed the first offshore oil and gas development and LNG project in Russia. Under McVeigh’s leadership, the joint venture and its shareholders (Shell, Mitsui and Mitsubishi) reached a positive final investment decision for a $10 billion grass roots integrated oil, gas and LNG development, one of the largest such projects ever attempted.
• Michael J. Perry of St. Louis, president of HBD Construction Inc., earned a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from Missouri S&T in 1980. He joined HBD, one of the largest general contracting and construction management organizations in St. Louis, right after graduation. The company recently won a “Project of the Year Keystone Award” from the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of St. Louis and was nominated as General Contractor of the Year by the American Subcontractors Association. Perry currently serves as immediate past chair of AGC St. Louis and chairs its membership committee. He is involved with the AGC Construction Careers Center and serves on the advisory board for Youth Lifeline America. He is on the board of the American Heart Association of St. Louis and coordinates its annual Heart Walks. He is a member of the Rotary Club and the Regional Chamber and Growth Association (RCGA) Leadership Circle, and serves on the legislative committee for the Missouri Growth Association.
• Amy Strauss of Springfield, Mo., senior engineer in power generation for City Utilities of Springfield (Mo.), earned bachelor of science and master of science degrees in civil engineering from Missouri S&T in 1990 and 1991, respectively. Her engineering career began as a co-op student with the City Utilities. She is now responsible for the management of various power plant projects as well as process monitoring and projects to increase efficiency. Strauss has been active with the Ozark Chapter of the Missouri Society of Professional Engineers and served as chair of S&T’s civil engineering department’s advisory council. She also served as co-chair of the Greater Ozarks Chapter of the American Red Cross’s “Every Day Heroes Event,” and as the chapter’s board chair, assisting the organization’s efforts to acquire and renovate a building for office expansion. Following the Joplin tornado last year, she was deployed as part of the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency’s structural assessment visual evaluation team. She was named the National Society of Professional Engineers National Young Engineer of the Year in 2000.
• Paul Wojciechowski of Wildwood, Mo., senior associate and St. Louis office manager of Alta Planning + Design, earned a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from Missouri S&T in 1983. He began his career with the Missouri Department of Transportation in Willow Springs. He served in planning and design positions at MoDOT for 17 years, primarily in the St. Louis Metro District. He served as director of public works for the City of Clayton, Mo., where he was responsible for public works projects, capital improvement budgeting, parking, traffic, vehicle fleet management and building maintenance. Wojciechowski received an Outstanding Local Government Leadership Award from the East West Gateway Council of Governments in 2007. An avid bicyclist, his work in “bike ped” issues and facilities has earned him Trailnet’s Healthy Active Living Award and Missouri Bicycle Federation’s Distinguished Service Award. He has served on the city of Wildwood’s City Council and Planning and Zoning and Town Center Advisory committees, and currently serves on its Board of Adjustment.