• Junior Engineer of the Year - Christopher Trefry

• Lifetime Achievement Award - Larry Pithan

• Senior Engineer of the Year - Jay Olson

• STEM Teacher of the Year - Daniel Drexler

• Senior Scientist of the Year - Joseph Jordan

• Society of the Year - IEEE, Iowa-Illinois Section

Junior Engineer of the Year:

Christopher Trefry

Christopher Trefry, a Hydraulic Engineer with the Rock Island District of the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, is the 2010 QCESC Junior Engineer of the Year. He currently serves in the Water Control Section that operates 11 locks and dams on the Mississippi River, and 3 flood control reservoirs in Iowa. He has been particularly active with outreach programs to high school students interested in an engineering career.

Mr. Trefry received B.S. (1999) and M.S. (2000) degrees in Civil Engineering from Michigan Technological University. He is a licensed Professional Engineer and Certified Professional Hydrologist and an active member of the Rock Island Post of the Society of American Military Engineers. Chris resides in Milan, Illinois with his wife Rochelle and daughter Lauren

Senior Engineer of the Year

Jay Olson

Jay Olson, Manager, Global Polymers Technology, Materials Engineering with the John Deere Moline Technology Innovation Center, is the recipient of the 2010 QCESC Senior Engineer of the Year Award. He has been a key leader in John Deere’s worldwide development and application of polymers throughout its product lines including the application of soy and corn based composite panels.

Mr. Olson received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois in 1980 and his M.B.A. from the University of Iowa in 1993. After leading the development of a vacuum seed metering planting system, he became a pioneer in the application of polymers to Deere products leading to 17 U.S. patents. He is a licensed Professional Engineer and a member of the Society of Plastics Engineers, the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers and SAE. He is a resident of Bettendorf with wife Elena and children Tyler, Nickolas and Anya.

Senior Scientist of the Year:

Joseph Jordan

Joseph Jordan, General Biologist with the Rock Island District of the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, is the 2010 recipient of the QCESC Senior Scientist of the Year Award. He has led National Environmental Policy Act and Endangered Species Act coordination and compliance for several critical civic works construction projects.

Mr. Jordan received his B.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife Biology from Iowa State University in 1985. He began his career as a Corps of Engineers park ranger and now is a biologist where he plans and monitors projects that provide critical migrating waterfowl and overwintering fish habitat on the Mississippi River. He also takes part in endangered species studies throughout the Midwest. A resident of Hampton, Illinois, he is a former member of the Hampton Elementary School Board of Education and remains active in the annual Living Lands and Waters Xtreme Cleanups. He lives in Hampton, Illinois with his wife Stephanee and children Sydney and Charlie

Lifetime Achievement Award:

Larry Pithan

Larry Pithan, Senior Vice President with KJWW Engineering Consultants, is the recipient of the 2010 QCESC Lifetime Achievement Award.  He has been instrumental in KJWW obtaining a Top 20 national ranking as well as providing outstanding support to the engineering profession.

 Mr. Pithan received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Iowa State University in 1973.  He has been a long time active supporter of Iowa State’s College of Engineering endowing a Mechanical Engineering Department professorship.  A resident of Andalusia, Illinois, he is a licensed Professional Engineer and an active member of ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers), the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the National Society of Professional Engineers and the Iowa Engineering Society.  He lives in Andalusia, Illinois with wife Pam.

STEM Teacher of the Year:

Daniel Drexler

Daniel Drexler, Industrial Technology Instructor at Bettendorf High School, is the inaugural recipient of the QCESC STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Teacher of the Year Award. His enthusiasm for technology and love of working with students have helped him become a highly respected educator.

Mr. Drexler received his B.A. in Industrial Technology Education from the University of Northern Iowa in 1983 and an M.A. from Graceland University in 2008. He has been actively involved with student design competitions involving electric cars, play grounds, cardboard boats, Lego robotics, bridge building and trebuchets A resident of Bettendorf, he pioneered the educational use of 3D modeling software at Pleasant Valley High School and implemented a multi-station engineering technology laboratory at Bettendorf High School. He is a resident of Bettendorf where he lives with his wife Donna and daughters Abigail, Olivia, Eleanor and Anastasia.

Society of the Year Award:
 

The Iowa-Illinois Section of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers  (IEEE) is the recipient of the 2010 QCESC Society of the Year Award.  The Iowa-Illinois Section of IEEE, consisting of approximately 250 members, sponsored or participated in 22 events in 2009 including tours, technical presentations, webinars, social events and  workshops.  The Section has been generous in contributing to QCESC scholarships and providing volunteers for QCESC events.