Dr. White receives her award from Army Corps of Engineers Commanding Officer Thomas Bostick
Last month, while Congress was in recess and many in official Washington were on vacation, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Award Ceremony took place at Fort Belvoir. The highlight, at least for D&A, was the presentation of the Lt. Gen. Elvin R. “Vald” Heiberg III Engineer of the Year award to Dr. Kathleen White of the Institute for Water Resources.
A registered professional engineer with more than 20 years experience in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Dr. White is the Senior Lead for Systems and Global Change at the USACE Institute for Water Resources. Among her charges is a national initiative on water management adaptation to climate change.
The award is named for our late colleague, who gave so much of his too-short life in service to his country and the Corps. Vald had been a leader in our firm from its very beginning when he passed away last September. Every day, we remember how much he added to this company.
Our COO, General Rick Capka, introduced the presentation and spoke about Vald’s life of dedicated and selfless public service. Rick was joined by Vald’s son Elvin and daughter Kay Bransford, as well as other leaders from D&A:
D&A COO General Rick Capka introduces the presentation of the Lt. Gen. Elvin R. “Vald” Heiberg III Engineer of the Year Award
• Maj. Gen. (Ret) Don Riley, • Maj. Gen. (Ret) Bruce and Mary Scott, • The Hon. Martin Lancaster, • Les Edelman, • Steve Dawson, and • Danielle Thomas-Pollard.
All of us at Dawson & Associates find comfort and inspiration knowing that future candidates for and winners of the Lieutenant General Elvin R. “Vald” Heiberg III Engineer of the Year Award will know about and be highly motivated by the life and great accomplishments of a wonderful soldier and public servant and friend.
Congratulations to Dr. White and in Vald’s memory, we’ll close with the words of “The Engineer Song”:
Pin the Castle on my collar. I’ve done my training for the team. You can call me an engineer soldier. The warrior spirit has been my dream.
Robert K. Dawson Founder