Outstanding Engineering Alumni, 2007

After graduating from Penn State with a B.S. in Civil Engineering in 1958, Mr. Isett held various positions as a chief structural/civil engineer, project manager, and field engineer. He served as an officer in the U.S. Navy Corps of Engineers, where his responsibilities included construction assignments with the Seabees and Facilities Management in the Public Works Division. In 1977, Mr. Isett opened the Barry Isett and Associates Consulting Engineers and Surveyors, offering engineering services in the areas of structural and civil engineering and surveying. Since that time, BIA has grown from a two-person civil and structural firm to include more than 90 staff in four offices across Pennsylvania and Maryland with services that include grant writing landscape design, environmental engineering and sciences, Geographic Information Systems (GIS)development, as well as structural and civil engineering, land planning and subdivision, stormwater management, sewer and water system design, highway engineering, and land surveying. Mr. Isett is a past President of the Pennsylvania Society of Professional Engineers and Former State Chairman of Professional Engineers in Private Practice.

Mr. Isett has hired many Penn State Civil Engineers at his company. He attends the CEE Career Fair held each year in the spring and fall to recruit additional Penn State students. He expressed a strong interest in engaging with the department in several ways by serving on our Industrial and Professional Advisory Committee (IPAC) and by helping to market Penn State CEE students in other parts of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Isett has developed a successful business in a wide range of Civil and Environmental Engineering applications, providing strong leadership as CEO and Chairman of the Board. His eminence and leadership in the Civil Engineering profession has been recognized numerous times through awards and appointments. The appointment as President of the Pennsylvania Society of Professional Engineers and Chairman of the Professional Engineers in Private Practice speak to his standing in the civil engineering community.

Mr. Isett provides a strong role model for our civil engineering students and will take a role in building the reputation of Penn State Civil Engineers. He has also expressed a strong interest in interacting with the department through participation on IPAC. We very much look forward to his contributions in this capacity in the coming years. It is a pleasure to nominate Mr. Isett for the Outstanding Engineering Alumni in Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Outstanding Engineering Alumni, 2006

After graduating from Penn State with a B.S. in Civil Engineering in 1979, Mr. Alger went to work for The Lane Construction Corporation as a Project Engineer/Job Engineer on a variety of civil engineering projects. Over the past 26 years he has progressed through positions of increasing responsibility culminating in his appointment as President and CEO of the company in 2001. Mr. Alger's engineering experience has focused on construction of airports, highways, locks and dams and he has had direct responsibility for a number of multi-million dollar projects in PA and other parts of the country. Lane did $915 million in 2005 and is working in 15 states currently. The company is ranked among the top 100 contractors in the nation and consistently ranks among the top 10 in transportation projects.

Mr. Alger is a member of the Construction Industry Round Table (CIRT) Board of Directors. He is a registered Professional Engineer in PA and is known for his community service work. He is Chairman of the Awards Committee for the Moles and on the Board of Directors for The Beavers.

He provides a strong role model for our civil engineering students, particularly those who wish to enter the construction industry. Starting as an entry level engineer after graduation, he has held a variety of engineering and management positions in the company leading to his present position. He is also Chairman of the Board of Lane Industries.