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John T. Cookson, Jr.
BSCE'61, MS'62
Alumni Achievement Award

John T. Cookson, Jr., Ph.D. recently joined Sverdup Civil Inc. as vice president and principal for Environmental Technology. Prior to this, Cookson was president of International Network for Environmental Training (INET), a company that provides technical training and technology transfer. An outstanding teacher and practitioner in the field of environmental engineering, Cookson received a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and a Master of Science in Sanitary Engineering from Washington University in 1961 and 1962, respectively. He received a Ph.D. in Environmental Health Engineering at the California Institute of Technology. His first job was as an assistant professor of civil engineering at the University of Maryland. He was promoted to associate professor three years later. From 1968-71, Cookson served as director of the university's Environmental Science and Engineering Program. This program was founded by Cookson through grant awards. His academic association continues today as an adjunct professor to Johns Hopkins University.

Cookson founded JTC Environmental Consultants, Inc. (JTC) in 1973. As president and chief executive officer, he managed a multiple professional services firm that performed engineering and consulting services. In 1989, he sold JTC to General Physics Corporation, and he served as vice president of GP Environmental Services.

Appointed to the National Center for Environmental Research and Quality Assurance, U.S. EPA, Cookson serves on EPA peer review panels for research and technology. His service as chairman of the Maryland State Board of Zoning Appeals was recognized with a Governor's Citation in 1995. He has served on committees of the Water Environment Federation, American Water Works Association, and the National Academy of Sciences. Cookson is the author of numerous papers including the definitive text in bioremediation, Bioremediation Engineering: Design and Application, published by McGraw Hill in 1995. He is recognized as one of the country's experts in the field of hazardous waste remediation.

Cookson resides in Maryland with his wife, Toni. They have three daughters.


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Thomas P. Dunne
BSCE'65
Alumni Achievement Award

Thomas Dunne is chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Fred Weber, Inc., a privately held general contractor specializing in heavy and highway construction and materials production and distribution. Mr. Dunne began his career with Fred Weber in 1965 soon after graduating from the School of Engineering with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. He started as a field engineer and was promoted to vice president in 1978, president in 1980, and chairman of the board and chief executive officer in 1986.

Mr. Dunne led a team of employees to purchase the company with an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) and began a new generation of engineers/builders. In Missouri, no other company produces more highway construction or quarry material than Fred Weber.

A recipient of numerous awards, Mr. Dunne was presented the MSPE St. Louis Chapter Outstanding Engineer of Construction Award in 1991 as well as the Greater St. Louis Area & Vicinity Port Council 1991 Management Man of the Year. He has also received the City of Hope "Spirit of Life" Award and the St. Louis County Special School District Award. He is a past director of the St. Louis County Board of Freeholders, Whitfield School, Junior Achievement of the Mississippi Valley, the Catholic Charities of St. Louis, the Engineers Club of St. Louis, Chaminade Preparatory College, and the Mathews-Dickey Boys' Club. In addition, he is vice chairman Economic Development for the St. Louis Regional Commerce & Growth Association, and a member of the Missouri Society of Professional Engineers, the National Society of Professional Engineers, and the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Mr. Dunne resides in Chesterfield and has two children, Thomas P. Dunne, Jr. and Cynthia Dunne.


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Henry A. Jubel
BSME'40
Alumni Achievement Award

Henry Jubel is chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Spartan Light Metal Products, Inc., a company he founded in 1961, located in Sparta, Illinois. In his first plant, which was 20,000 square feet, Mr. Jubel had four die-cast machines and six employees. Spartan is now an industry leader with over 450 employees and a recently opened second plant in Mexico, Missouri. The company is a manufacturer of magnesium and aluminum high pressure die castings for the automotive industry, electric appliances, and power hand-tools.

In 1987, the company's culture was changed to an organization structure called the "inverted triangle," which places the customer on top, production employees as the second level, and company officers at the bottom. These improvement programs resulted in the company receiving numerous awards including the General Motors Mark of Excellence and the Ford Motor Company Q1 Preferred Quality Award. Both of these awards are the highest awards that can be given to suppliers. In addition, Spartan was presented the GM QSP Worldwide Supplier of the Year Award in 1993 and 1994 for exceeding performance standards in quality, service, and price.

A native of Brockau, Germany, Mr. Jubel came to the United States in 1939 at the age of 10. He received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 1940 and joined Union Electric as an engineer after graduating. In 1941, he left Union Electric and joined the U.S. Ordnance Department in the gauge division. In 1944, Mr. Jubel was awarded the Emblem for Exceptional Civilian Service-the highest award given to a civilian-for his efforts in helping to redesign the grenade launcher on the M-1 rifle. In 1944, he started to work for Sterling Aluminum Products, Inc. as a production engineer. This is where he learned the technical knowledge of an aluminum foundry. He was executive vice president of manufacturing and sales before leaving the company in 1961.

Mr. Jubel has served as a member of the board of directors of Lutheran Hospital for many years and various community organizations in Sparta, Illinois, where his plant has been located for 36 years.

Mr. Jubel resides in St. Louis with his wife, Elvira. They have three children, Donald, Christine, and Darren. Donald, a 1973 graduate of the School of Engineering and Applied Science, is now president of Spartan Light Metal Products, Inc.


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John W. Kourik
BSME '48
Alumni Achievement Award

After graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 1948, Jack Kourik began his 40-year career at Wagner Electric Corporation, a subsidiary of Cooper Industries. He retired in 1988 as director of brake engineering & aftermarket services. Throughout his career, Mr. Kourik has been an unselfish contributor to improving vehicle safety. His organization's achievements include the development of a successful air brake antilock brake system in the 1970s for heavy vehicle applications. In addition, he provided leadership in standards development for the Society of Automotive Engineers and other industry organizations.

Mr. Kourik is currently a consultant, advocate, and adviser to various federal agencies including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Federal Trade Commission. He is also an industry consultant and expert for litigation involving design and application consideration. He is well respected in the braking industry and is affectionately known as "Mr. Brakes."

An active participant in School of Engineering alumni activities, he is a member of the Eliot Society Membership Committee and the Alumni Advisory Council Executive Committee. In addition, he sponsors two endowed scholarships at the School including the John and Rosa May Kourik Scholarship, named after himself and his late wife of 45 years, and is a dedicated phonathon volunteer.

Mr. Kourik has been a lifelong member of the United Methodist Church and has served on many committees in a variety of assignments including 30 years as treasurer of the church in Vinita Park, Missouri. Other community interests have been expressed by support of projects at the Missouri Botanical Garden, the St. Louis Science Center, the St. Louis Zoo Parents Program, and the Eugene Field House and Toy Museum. An avid traveler, Mr. Kourik has traveled across the globe, most recently to Africa, Egypt, and Turkey. He plans to go to China in the spring.

Mr. Kourik resides in Olivette and is the parent of two children, Robert and Janet. 


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Frederick J. Oertli
BSEE'82, MBA'92
Young Alumni Award

Frederick J. "Rick" Oertli is president and chief executive officer of Sonacom, Inc., a company he founded as a subsidiary of Guarantee Electrical Company in 1988 and purchased from Guarantee in 1989. Sonacom is a provider of comprehensive engineered communications, life-safety, and security system solutions. Their mission is to analyze, design, install, and service their clients' systems on a long-term basis, while providing ongoing consulting services to advise them of changes that can benefit their organization. Since its inception, Sonacom has experienced average growth of more than 25 percent annually to revenues in excess of $10 million a year.

A native St. Louisan, Mr. Oertli earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering in 1982 before joining Southwestern Bell Corporation. In 1984, he moved to Guarantee Electrical where he formed Sonacom. He received his M.B.A. in the evening program from the John M. Olin School of Business in 1992.

Mr. Oertli has been actively involved in various organizations including the Multiple Sclerosis Society, the American Cancer Society, the County Fair and Air Show, and Fair St. Louis. A former trustee of Rossman School, Mr. Oertli is a member of the St. Louis Chapter of the Young Presidents' Organization.

Mr. Oertli was recognized as one of the "40 Outstanding People Under 40" by the St. Louis Business Journal in 1994, and was a recipient of the Arthus Anderson Top 25 Small Business Award in 1991 and among the top 50 small businesses for this same award in 1990. An active participant in alumni activities, Mr. Oertli is a member of the Engineering Alumni Advisory Council Executive Committee an currently chairs the School of Engineering Eliot Society Membership Committee.

Mr. Oertli lives in West County with his wife, Marion, and their two daughters, Annalies and Claudia.


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Florence S. Farrow
BA'26, MA'27
Dean's Award

Born in St. Louis, Mrs. Florence Skinner Farrow received a scholarship to Washington University after graduating as valedictorian from Central High School. She received her Bachelor of Arts in English with highest honors from the University in 1926, followed by a master's degree one year later.

A generous benefactor of higher education, Mrs. Farrow is a true friend of Washington University and the School of Engineering and Applied Science. In addition to having sponsored an annual scholarship, the Florence Skinner Farrow Scholarship, she is including in her estate plans two endowed professorships, the Edward H. and Florence G. Skinner Professorship of Systems Science and Mathematics, and the Joseph and Florence Farrow Professorship of Biomedical Engineering.

The Edward H. and Florence G. Skinner Professorship of Systems Science and Mathematics is named in memory of her parents. Mrs. Farrow's mother, Florence Schade Skinner, graduated from Washington University in 1902 with a degree in mathematics and then continued her education in the Department of Civil Engineering, where she was, according to a local newspaper article, "the only woman student in the class." Mrs. Farrow's father, Edward H. Skinner, was a prominent physician in the field of radiology.

The Joseph and Florence Farrow Professorship of Biomedical Engineering is named after herself and her late husband of 38 years. Dr. Farrow, a graduate of the University of Virginia Medical School, was a renowned surgical oncologist and chief of The Breast Service at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. He practiced medicine in New York until his death in 1977. In his memory, Mrs. Farrow also has established the Joseph Helms Farrow Professorship in Surgical Oncology at the University of Virginia Medical School, where she serves as an emeritus trustee of its foundation.

Mrs. Farrow has resided in New York City for the past 50 years and is an active supporter of the arts, opera, philharmonic, and numerous other charitable organizations there.


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John F. McDonnell
Excellence in Engineering and Technology Award

As chairman of the board for McDonnell Douglas Corp., John F. McDonnell is responsible for all matters pertaining to the board of directors and is involved in strategic structuring of McDonnell Douglas for long term success. In addition, he is involved in developing sound global positioning and expanding the markets for McDonnell Douglas products through interaction with top leaders of companies and countries around the world. A particular citation of Mr. McDonnell's leadership is the development of the C-17, which is regarded by the Department of Defense as a model for a successful defense procurement program. Also cited is the development of technological innovations, which helped win the Cold War, and the management of the corporation and technological development in a challenging post-Cold War environment.

Mr. McDonnell began his career at McDonnell Douglas in 1962 as a strength engineer, and in 1968, he became vice president of McDonnell Douglas Finance Corp. He was elected staff vice president- fiscal in the corporate office in 1971, corporate vice president-finance and planning in 1972, a member of McDonnell Douglas board of directors in 1973, corporate vice president-finance and development in 1975, and executive vice president in 1977. In 1980, he was elected president of the corporation. He was named chairman and chief executive officer in 1988, a position he held until September 1994. McDonnell remains as chairman today.

Mr. McDonnell earned bachelor's and master's degrees in aeronautical engineering from Princeton University. He attended the John M. Olin School of Business in the mid-1960s.

Among his many professional and civic affiliations, Mr. McDonnell is a director at Ralston Purina Co., chairman of the board of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, vice chairman of the board of trustees at Washington University, president of the board of trustees at the St. Louis Science Center, and president of the Board of Education of the St. Louis Career Education District.

Born in 1938, Mr. McDonnell is married to Anne McDonnell.