Vanderbilt engineering alumni James H. Littlejohn and Mark L. Reuss will be inducted into the School of Engineering Academy of Distinguished Alumni at a special event in April. Kenneth F. Galloway and James J. Truchard will inducted as inaugural members of the school’s newly-created Circle of Distinguished Friends.
The Distinguished Alumnus Award recognizes notable achievement, significant service and excellent character. The Distinguished Friends Award recognizes non-alumni whose professional, civic and philanthropic pursuits reflect the high standards and values associated with the school. Honorees are chosen by an awards committee that comprises the dean, faculty members and alumni representatives.
“The newest members of the Academy of Distinguished Alumni and the two members of our Circle of Distinguished Friends are ‘influencers’ with tremendous insight and impact,” said Dean Philippe Fauchet. “They lead and build companies, they guide and shape engineering education and along the way they have mentored hundreds if not thousands of engineers. In addition, they enrich the lives of those in their communities and beyond with generous philanthropy.”
Civil engineer James H. Littlejohn (BE’76) has led the Littlejohn engineering firm for the past 25 years. As its founder and president, he guided the growth of the Nashville-based company to nine offices from Florida to Arizona, and that resulted in its acquisition Jan. 1, 2015, as a wholly-owned subsidiary to Raleigh-based S&ME. He leads the Littlejohn business unit with expertise in geotechnical, environmental, construction inspection, materials testing and energy issues.
During his 39 years of professional experience, Littlejohn has provided leadership and technical assistance for more than 3,000 projects. He is a licensed engineer in 43 states. He serves on numerous boards and commissions, and he was named 2012 Engineer of the Year by the Tennessee Society of Professional Engineers.
Littlejohn is actively involved in numerous engineering school activities and he serves on the school’s Board of Visitors.
Mark L. Reuss (BE’86) is a mechanical engineer who began his career with General Motors as a student intern in 1983. Today he responsible for the design, engineering, program management, safety and quality of GM vehicles around the world as executive vice president of global product development.
Reuss also oversees GM’s Global Purchasing and Supply Chain organization, and is a member of the GM Executive Leadership Team, as well as a member of the Opel Supervisory Board and the board of Shanghai General Motors. From 2009-2013, he was president of General Motors North America, leading GM’s performance, manufacturing, portfolio and dealer network in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
A lifelong auto enthusiast, Reuss is a certified industry pool test driver on the North Course of the Nürburgring Motorsport Racetrack in Germany, and he earned his license for Grand American Road Racing.
Ruess is deeply committed to revitalizing Detroit via education, community and philanthropy, and he serves on a number of school and corporate boards.
A Circle of Distinguished Friends award has been created to recognize those who reflect the high standards and values associated with the school but who are not alumni of the school. “These are individuals whose professional, civic and philanthropic achievements are exceptional, and they are role models we want to acknowledge,” said Dean Fauchet.
Kenneth F. Galloway (BA’76, physics) is a Distinguished Professor of Engineering at Vanderbilt, and he served as dean of the School of Engineering from 1996 until 2012.
Galloway is an internationally recognized expert in semiconductor technology and radiation effects in electronics, and much of his research activity has been supported by U.S. Department of Defense organizations.
Galloway earned his doctorate from the University of South Carolina and has held professional appointments at Indiana University, NSWC-Crane, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the University of Maryland, and the University of Arizona.
Galloway plays an active and lead role in engineering education public policy. He is the immediate past president of the American Society for Engineering Education, also serving previously as its chair of the Engineering Deans Council, and currently as a member of the board of directors. He has served on a number of federal agency advisory boards. Galloway is a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the American Physical Society.
James J. Truchard, president, CEO and cofounder of National Instruments, has led
the company from a three-man team to a multinational organization recognized as a Fortune 100 Best Places to Work and one of the top 25 “World’s Best Multinational Workplaces” by the Great Places to Work Institute.
Truchard, well known inside NI and beyond as “Dr.T,” holds a doctorate in electrical engineering, as well as a master’s degree and bachelor’s degree in physics, all from the University of Texas at Austin.
Elected to the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering, Truchard also has been inducted into Electronic Design’s Engineering Hall of Fame, and he is a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
Additionally, Truchard has been recognized with the Woodrow Wilson Award for Corporate Citizenship for his community involvement with organizations that include the Engineering Foundation Advisory Council, the University of Texas at Austin Chancellor’s Council, Austin Software Council, and FIRST Robotics.
Contact:
Brenda Ellis, (615) 343-6314
Brenda.Ellis@Vanderbilt.edu
Twitter @VUEngineering