2005 engineer of the year nominees: eight individuals vie for prestigious title.

SHIRISH PATIL

Shirish Patil is an associate professor of petroleum engineering at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He received a B.E. (mechanical engineering) degree from the College of Engineering (Pune, India) in June 1981, M.S. (mechanical engineering) from the University of Pittsburgh in August 1983, M.S. (petroleum engineering, 1987) and M.S. (engineering management, 199,5) from the UAF respectively.

During his career spanning 18 years at UAF, Professor Patil has made significant contributions in teaching, research and professional/public service. He has taught 15 different courses in the Petroleum Engineering Department and has been recognized as "Outstanding Professor of the Year" and for "Outstanding Service" seven times by the students of Petroleum Engineering Department.

He has authored more than 75 technical papers and reports, and edited two proceedings. His research includes gas hydrates, enhanced oil recovery, coalbed methane, and gas-to-liquids transportation. Patil is internationally recognized for his contributions to gas hydrate research. He has brought numerous research grants to UAF totaling more than $14 million as principal or co-principal investigator. He has served as chair, co-chair or member of the M.S. thesis committees to more than 50 graduate students.

His professional and public service includes: Alaska representative on Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC) Energy Resources, Research & Technology Committee, member of Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Education & Accreditation Committee, chair of Fairbanks North Star Borough (FNSB) Transportation Advisory Commission, and Member of FNSB Sister City Commission. Patil also has served as UAF SPE student chapter faculty advisor for 10 years and was on numerous SPE conferences as session chair, organizing committee member of 2005 Alaska Rocks Conference and has contributed to several SPE Western Regional Conference planning committees.

WHITHAM D. REEVE

Whitham D. Reeve has been involved in the technical aspects of communications for 40 years. After earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in electrical engineering, he worked for Reeve Aleutian Airways on communications, flight control and navigation systems for large airplanes. In 1973, Anchorage Telephone Utility hired him as a transmission and protection engineer, and he soon became the electronic systems superintendent. He did all of the engineering work associated with deployment of SPC switching systems, designed ATU's dc power systems, and upgraded their central office ac power systems.

In 1975, Reeve received professional registration in Alaska as an electrical engineer and started Reeve Consulting Engineers. He did engineering work for airlines, including installation design and upgrades for communications equipment. In 1978, Reeve began to focus on engineering design, engineering management and construction for telecommunications common carriers, as well as generation, transmission and distribution engineering. Since 1994, he has developed a dozen training courses on telecommunications engineering, installation and maintenance.

Reeve has evaluated next generation digital switching systems and done evaluation work on other new technologies, as well as standards validation work for these systems. Recently he has worked with advanced technologies, such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), and associated switching and transmission.

LYNNE J. SEVILLE

Lynne J. Seville joined Willis, an international insurance broker, in 1993 after serving as the senior loss control representative in the Anchorage office of a major property and casualty insurance company. Seville has 17 years experience in insurance risk assessment, risk control and safety. She is a vice president of risk control and claims management with Willis of Alaska. Her skills include all areas of loss control and safety, including general and fleet liability, workers' compensation and property protection.

Seville earned a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial engineering, business and pre-law from Arizona State University. She is a Certified Safety Professional (CSP) and a licensed Property/Casualty Insurance Producer in the State of Alaska.

Seville is a member of the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), is a Certified Safety Professional and is a member of Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society. Over the past several years, she has served the ASSE Alaska Chapter in many roles, including president. She also serves at the National ASSE level on two committees. Seville has served on the Alaska Safety Advisory Council for three years, chairing the Alaska Safety Conference and Governor's Safety Awards chair as well as the Alaska Governor's Safety Conference.

She is a frequent speaker at industry associations, University of Alaska Anchorage Occupational Safety and Health classes and professional symposia.

Seville serves on the board of directors for the Workers' Compensation Committee of Alaska Board and the Girl Scouts Susitna Council.

Seville was named Alaska Safety Professional of the Year by the Alaska Chapter of ASSE in 2005.

SAMANTHA SPINDLER

Samantha Spindler, PE, received her BSCE at the University of Minnesota in 1999 and was recognized as ASCE Outstanding Student for her academic achievements. Upon graduation, Spindler returned to Alaska, accepting her first position with a civil engineering firm where she focused on projects that involved water distribution, wastewater collection and water treatment. She gained significant experience working in rural Alaska with logistical and environmental constraints. After getting her feet wet and being well-grounded in the civil concepts, she transitioned to her aspired discipline of structural engineering.

Spindler has been a structural engineer at BBFM Engineers for five years with a focus on the structural design of buildings entailing management of new building designs (from concepts through construction documents), construction administration, and various code studies, condition evaluations and remodels of existing buildings. Spindler's projects include ARRC Intermodal Transportation Facility, Cordova Community Center, Service and Chugiak High School renewals, ANTHC building, Nation Missile Defense Contract Installations and Fairbanks International Airport.

Spindler delights in the challenges provided by the structural design of large buildings. She derives great satisfaction from being given a complicated set of variables and parameters and after analyzing, creating effective design solutions that meet the client's requirements. Her devotion and enthusiasm for her chosen profession motivates her participation in a number of professional organizations such as NSPE, ASPE, ASCE and SWE. Currently, she is the 2006 co-chair for the E-Week Steering Committee, as well as an active member for the NSPE Mentorship and Leadership Task Forces and ASPE Future Directions Committee. She has held various board positions for ASPE and NSPE since 2003, including 2005 ASPE Anchorage chapter president. In addition to her participation with her professional organizations, she finds time to attend meetings and events for Girl Scouts, MathCounts and the ASD Gifted Mentorship Program.

BRUCE L. STEELY

Bruce L. Steely is the president/CEO of The Dihthaad Family of Companies. He was responsible for expanding Dihthaad's holdings to include construction, security, environmental, equipment rental, facility and property management companies.

Previously, Steely served as vice president at Tikigaq Corp. and general manager of several other companies including ENSR, OHM, and IT Corp. In 1993, Steely retired from the U.S. Air Force as a Captain, having served his nation for 21 years, including nine years in Alaska.

His Air Force career culminated in his service as the Eielson Air Force Base environmental officer where he was responsible for an office of 29 employees with an annual budget of more than $33 million.

Steely served for 10 years as an enlisted member in heavy equipment operations, surveying and drafting and 11 years as a commissioned officer working as a director of readiness, logistics, engineering and environmental for base civil engineer squadrons.

Recently, he was involved in the site development and construction of the first six missile silos at Fort Greely. In his current capacity, he has overseen the construction of 20 new single-family homes, as well as a new water distribution system for the Native Village of Tanacross.

Steely holds a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from the University of New Mexico. A member of the Society of American Military Engineers since 1983, he has served on the Anchorage Post's board of directors and has chaired the scholarship committee since 2001 and was the post's first vice president in 2004. He is a member of the Chugiak United Methodist Church and served as their chairman of the finance committee and new building construction fundraising committee. He also served six years as a Commissioner for the Anchorage Water and Wastewater Utility Board. Steely and his wife, Nancy, have five children.

STEVEN M. THENO

Steve Theno is a lifelong Alaskan. He was raised in McGrath and Sitka, and graduated from Sitka High School in 1973. He earned his Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from the University of Washington in 1978, and was licensed as a professional engineer in Alaska in 1980. Theno has nearly 30 years experience in providing engineering services in Alaska.

Theno began his professional engineering career with PDC. Inc. Engineers (originally Mark Dyer and Associates) in Anchorage. Theno has held the position of staff engineer, project manager, senior engineer and principal within the firm. In 1998, Theno became president of this 80-person full-service engineering firm with offices in both Anchorage and Fairbanks. Today, Theno holds the position of president and principal mechanical engineer.

Throughout his engineering career, Theno has helped shape design philosophies and solutions in a broad range of applications in cold regions environments, including laboratories and research facilities, health care facilities, schools and universities, energy facilities and systems, infrastructure development, public and institutional facilities and a host of special application facilities. He has served a broad range of both public- and private-sector clients in project locations throughout Alaska, as well as in Europe and Antarctica.

Notable project participation includes: the Maniilaq Health Center, a general-service hospital located in Kotzebue; the Amundsen Scott South Pole Station, a self-contained research station located at the geographic South Pole, Antarctica; and the Fort Wainwright Power Plant Cooling System, a project to eliminate ice fog generation associated with this power plant operation.

Theno enjoys flying, fishing, hunting, skiing, travel and adventure.

TIMOTHY J. VIG 

Tim Vig is a principal of USKH Inc. and manages the civil engineering department at the firm. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from the University of North Dakota and began his career with USKH Inc. in 1982. Vig's expertise and focus has been on transportation and traffic engineering projects during the past 23 years. His responsibilities at USKH have included design engineering, management of various transportation engineering projects, and management of all aspects of USKH's civil engineering practice.

A list of Vig's projects includes the Mitchell Expressway; Illinois Street reconstruction, and Third Street widening projects in Fairbanks; and the Old Seward Highway, Glenn Highway widening; Hiland Road interchange rehabilitation; and King Street upgrade projects in Anchorage.

Vig has served as the president of both the American Council of Engineering Companies of Alaska, and the Alaska Section of the Institute of Transportation Engineers. As a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, Vig has been a volunteer instructor for the Professional Engineering Refresher Course for the past 10 years.

Vig is continuing his education at UAA, where he is working toward a Master's of Business Administration degree. He is also active in the community, and is currently serving as a chair of Anchorage Tomorrow for 2006.

LYNDA L. BARBER-WILTSE

Lynda L. Barber-Wiltse, P.E., started as a design engineer at the Anchorage Water and Wastewater Utility 21 years ago and has progressed to a project management supervisor. During the last five years, she has managed more than 65 capital improvement projects with authorized budgets of more than $77 million.

Barber-Wiltse received her undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering from Colorado State University (CSU) in 1979 and is currently working toward her master's degree in Civil Engineering at the University of Alaska Anchorage. She is a licensed professional engineer in Alaska and Colorado.

Barber-Wiltse is actively involved in the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), having held leadership positions at state, regional and national levels. She was president of the CSU student chapter, president of the Anchorage Branch and Alaska Section, and Chair of the Pacific Northwest Council. Barber-Wiltse is also active with ASCE's Technical Council on Cold Regions Engineering (TCCRE). She was chair of TCCRE's executive committee and has held numerous other committee positions. Barber-Wiltse is also a member of the National Society of Professional Engineers.

Barber-Wiltse and her husband, Larry, have been active participants in the local activities associated with National Engineer's Week. In particular, they have hosted the Bayou Bash kickoff party since 1997, assembling a wide range of Cajun dishes that have become well known in the engineering community. Outside of the engineering profession, Barber-Wiltse raises and trains Chesapeake Bay Retrievers and teaches dog training classes.