{"id":9922,"date":"2024-05-10T15:17:59","date_gmt":"2024-05-10T15:17:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/?p=9922"},"modified":"2024-05-21T19:10:06","modified_gmt":"2024-05-21T19:10:06","slug":"the-award-goes-to-11","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/?p=9922","title":{"rendered":"The Award Goes To…"},"content":{"rendered":"
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This year\u2019s inductees included (from left) Tim McCartney, \u201980 civil engineering (class of 2023); Nicole Faulk, \u201996 and \u201999 mechanical engineering; Maj. Gen. James Livingston, \u201962 civil engineering; and Charlie Miller, \u201980 civil engineering.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Class of 2024 inductees from the university included Nicole Faulk, \u201996 and \u201999 mechanical engineering; Maj. Gen. James Livingston, \u201962 civil engineering; and Charlie Miller, \u201980 civil engineering. Tim McCartney, \u201980 civil engineering, who was selected for the Class of 2023 but was unable to attend last year due to a scheduling conflict, was also inducted this year. <\/span><\/p>\n

Class of 2024<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Nicole Faulk \u201996<\/b> \/ Mechanical Engineering<\/i> <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Nicole Faulk earned her bachelor\u2019s degree in mechanical engineering in 1996 and her master\u2019s degree in the same discipline in 1999. She currently serves as Alabama Power\u2019s senior vice president of sustainability and environmental affairs and is responsible for the company\u2019s environmental strategy and compliance while overseeing sustainability and environmental stewardship initiatives. She previously served as the company\u2019s vice president of transmission construction and protection and controls, where she oversaw the transmission line construction, substation construction and P&C field services teams, providing a dedicated focus on critical field activities to ensure safe and efficient implementation of large transmission projects. She began her career with Southern Company in 1998 as an engineer in Southern Nuclear\u2019s professional development program and previously served as Georgia Power\u2019s senior vice president of customer strategy and solutions, vice president of corporate services for Georgia Power and vice president of customer service and operations at Mississippi Power.<\/span><\/p>\n

In recognition of her professional accomplishments, Faulk was named Auburn\u2019s Department of Mechanical Engineering Alumna of the Year in 2018 and was named a Distinguished Auburn Engineer in 2022. She currently serves as a director of the Auburn University Foundation Board and formerly as chair of the Auburn Alumni Engineering Council and chair of the State of Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame.<\/span><\/p>\n

Faulk is a member of the university\u2019s Foy, 1856 and Petrie giving societies and the College of Engineering\u2019s Ginn Society. She has established scholarships in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, including an Ever Auburn Scholarship for underserved students.<\/span><\/p>\n

Maj. Gen. James Livingston \u201962<\/b> \/ Civil Engineering<\/i> <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Maj. Gen. James Livingston earned a bachelor\u2019s degree in civil engineering from Auburn University in 1962. Immediately commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps, Livingston used his Auburn Engineering education and leadership skills to serve this country in the most tangible way possible \u2014 in battle.<\/span><\/p>\n

On May 2, 1968, while serving as the commanding officer, Company E, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, during his second tour of duty in Vietnam, he led 180 men in an attack against a much larger force entrenched in a highly fortified network of more than 100 bunkers, all of which were destroyed. <\/span><\/p>\n

His rare, selfless display of courage and leadership during the Battle of Dai Do, which cost him several months in the hospital, resulted in him being awarded the Medal of Honor, presented to him by President Richard Nixon in 1970. Livingston is the only Auburn University graduate awarded the Medal of Honor. <\/span><\/p>\n

Livingston retired on Sept. 1, 1995, and throughout his 33 years of active duty he received dozens of other medals and commendations \u2014 both military and civilian \u2014 including three Purple Hearts and a state of Georgia historical marker erected in his honor. In 2012, Auburn University honored him with its Lifetime Achievement Award for his distinguished career and unwavering dedication to his alma mater.<\/span><\/p>\n

Charlie Miller \u201980<\/b> \/ Civil Engineering<\/i> <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Charlie Miller earned a bachelor\u2019s degree in civil engineering from Auburn in 1980 and later completed the Wharton Executive Program on financial management at the University of Pennsylvania. After graduation, he joined Brown & Root, a global engineering, construction and services company in Houston, where he served in project management positions and worked overseas in Venezuela.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 1985, Miller went to work for Birmingham-based Harbert Corporation as a project engineer. In 1993, he joined Raymond Harbert as a founding partner of Harbert Management Corporation, an investment management firm focusing solely on alternative assets \u2014 not traditional stocks and bonds. At its peak, Harbert Management managed more than $25 billion for institutional investors across the globe. During his career at Harbert Management, Miller had several key roles, including chief financial officer, executive vice president and head of global distribution, overseeing all fundraising, capital acquisition and investor relations operations. For his professional achievements, Miller was named a Distinguished Auburn Engineer in 2015.<\/span><\/p>\n

A dedicated alumnus of Auburn University, Miller previously served on the Auburn University Foundation board of directors as chair of the investment committee, the Auburn Alumni Engineering Council and is a life member of the Auburn Alumni Association. He and his wife, Lisa, support Auburn\u2019s 1856, Samford and Foy societies and engineering\u2019s EAGLE and Keystone societies. They have also generously established an endowment to support an outstanding faculty member with engineering and business practices expertise.<\/span><\/p>\n

Class of 2023<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Tim McCartney \u201980<\/b> \/ Civil Engineering<\/i>\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Tim McCartney earned a bachelor\u2019s degree in civil engineering from Auburn in 1980 and a master\u2019s in business administration from Emory University in 1993. Following graduation from Auburn, he embarked on his professional journey by immersing himself in his family\u2019s enterprises \u2014 McCartney Construction and Calhoun Asphalt Company. Initially assuming the role of plant manager at Calhoun Asphalt Company, McCartney honed his expertise in operations during the next seven years before transitioning to the financial realm. Serving as chief financial officer of the family business, he played a pivotal role in steering McCartney Construction to become one of the premiere asphalt pavement contractors and construction material producers in Alabama. In a crowning achievement, McCartney Construction clinched the prestigious Sheldon Hayes Award from the National Asphalt Pavement Association in 2017 for that year\u2019s highest quality in asphalt paving in the country. Their work on Anniston\u2019s Eastern Bypass project solidified their status as an industry leader.<\/span><\/p>\n

His influence extended beyond the corporate realms as he assumed roles in various industry associations. He served as president of the Alabama Asphalt Pavement Association (AAPA) in 1987 and the Alabama Roadbuilders Association in 2017. As president of AAPA, he championed transformative initiatives, revolutionizing the state\u2019s asphalt industry with an end-result specification program. His leadership reshaped industry standards, ensuring higher quality and efficiency in asphalt pavement projects. Transitioning to public service, he was appointed by Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey in 2018 to serve as chair of the Alabama Workforce Council (AWC), a role in which he continues to serve. As an advocate for workforce enhancement, he directs efforts toward fostering technical skills, particularly among K-12 students, with a focus on engineering. Beyond his AWC duties, McCartney holds membership in numerous councils and boards at local and statewide levels, including the Alabama Community College System Board of Trustees, Etowah Industrial Development Authority, the Gadsden Airport Authority, Alabama Office of Apprenticeship Advisory Board and the National Center for Asphalt Technology at Auburn University \u2014 the world\u2019s premier center for asphalt research, development and training \u2014 that creates more than $125 million in economic impact to the state of Alabama each year.<\/span><\/p>\n

His enduring commitment to education and community development is evident in his philanthropic endeavors. He and his wife, Laura, \u201980 civil engineering, have established scholarships at Auburn University and Gadsden State Community College to empower aspiring engineers and technical professionals from underrepresented communities.<\/span><\/p>\n