ASCE
The next era of the American Society of Civil Engineers will be led by Carol Ellinger Haddock, P.E., MPA, F.ASCE.
A senior program advisor at Black & Veatch and professor at Rice University, she recently completed a seven-year stint as director of public works for the city of Houston.
Haddock’s participation in ASCE dates back more than 30 years. She has served as director of both the Houston Branch and Texas Section, while also being highly active in the Environmental and Water Resources Institute. She served as a technical region director on the ASCE Board of Direction from 2016 to 2019.
Having been a congressional fellow in 2003-04 and a 20-year ASCE Legislative Fly-In participant, she now serves on the ASCE Committee on America’s Infrastructure and played a key role in development and release of the 2025 ASCE Report Card for America’s Infrastructure.
Her many honors include winning the Edmund Friedman Young Engineer Award twice, and most recently receiving the 2024 ASCE Government Engineer of the Year Award.
“I have always said that if my skills and desires align with the Society’s needs, that I’d step up. That day has come.,” said Haddock. “ASCE’s Strategic Plan is music to my ears. Our vision establishes purpose. Not only do we have a mission that is people-based, but we also have a commitment to our members and the general public to their wellbeing and future growth.”
PPI
PPI named Members of the Year in the following categories, recognizing their outstanding support and contributions to the association and the industry.
PPI Drainage Division Member of the Year
Dan Figola, Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc., Hilliard, OH
Figola’s contributions to the PPI Drainage Division, particularly in the areas related to sustainability and resiliency, included assisting in developing and highlighting the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) report on the use of plastic recycled materials in infrastructure. In it corrugated HDPE pipe is prominently featured and favorably profiled for its technical, economical, and environmental viability.
He also worked on the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) report comparing the reuse of plastic recycled material in durable goods (i.e., pipe) vs. single-use products (i.e., bottles), which documented the reduced environmental footprint (GHG, water) for plastic pipes.
He also serves as a Committee Chair within ASTM E60 on Sustainability. In his role as PPI Sustainability Vice Chair, he led the development of sustainability definitions for PPI and assisted with PPI's positions on PFAS and microplastics. He continues to serve PPI as the Sustainability Committee Chair.
PPI Municipal & Industrial Division Member of the Year
Gerry Groen, P. Eng., Infra Pipe Solutions, Ltd., Ontario, Canada
Groen’s leadership, technical expertise, and tireless support for multiple projects continued to be extremely valuable to the division and the industry. This included being the task group chair for multiple projects, such as fabricated fittings, thrust restraint, and many more. A participating member of PPI for more than 20 years, he was awarded Honorary Lifetime Membership in PPI in 2018 and named the division’s Member of the Year for 2022.
PPI Power & Communications Division Member of the Year
Andrew Nause, IPEX USA, LLC, Pineville, NC
In 2024, Nause became the marketing chair for the PCD management committee and chaired the conduit joining task group and was heavily involved in the formation work of the Codes and Standards Committee.
He is the Innovation Manager at IPEX and volunteers as the Chair of the PCD Communications Committee and sits on the PCD Management Committee. Nause led the development of the recently published Technical Note on Joining of Conduit and has participated in numerous other PCD projects and committees, including the Division’s Strategic Plan for 2025-2028. UI