Dr. Bill Craig Receives IEEE POY and Moquin Awards
Will Preussel, Awards Committee Chair

Each year, member societies of the Huntsville Association of Technical Societies (HATS) select an individual for recognition as their Professional of the Year (POY). The criteria for this award, as established by HATS, are:

1) Engaged in professional activity that is concerned with broad and beneficial social, defense, technological, or economic consequences.
2) Key contributor to the success of the organization or community activity.
3) Exhibited extraordinary dedication, creativity, or leadership in organization’s mission area.
4) Participated in a professional organization that is a member of HATS.

The IEEE Huntsville Section (a founding member of HATS) selected Dr. Bill Craig as our 2006 POY. Dr. Craig began 45 years of service to the Army in Dr. Wernher Von Braun’s Astrionics Laboratory. Since then, he has served in increasingly important roles in the Army Ballistic Missile Agency, Ballistic Missile Defense Advanced Technology Center, and the Aviation and Missile Research Development and Engineering Center (AMRDEC). He is the current Director of the AMRDEC Software Engineering Directorate (SED) and the Aviation and Missile Command Life Cycle Software Engineering Center (dual-designated organization). During his tenure, the SED has established a world-class Systems Interoperability Facility and progressed to a Software Engineering Institute (SEI) Level IV Software Engineering Capability. Dr. Craig received his award, including plaques from the IEEE and HATS, at the annual POY Awards Dinner held at the Von Braun Center (VBC) North Hall on 8 June 2006. Figure 1 shows him receiving this award from our Chair Keith Jadus, co-presented by HATS awards chair Cristina Hinkle.

Also of interest was the designation of our own Woody Williams by HATS Science and Technology Education and Training (STEDTRAIN)’s as its POY, presented by Philomena Grodzka (Figure 2). STEDTRAIN recognized Mr. Williams for his contributions to numerous educational programs for students of all ages for the past 45 years via school, civic, government, technical, and religious organization efforts. The award citation reads in part: “His support to HATS, IEEE, and ISA since 1969 and STEDTRAIN since 1994 has significantly improved the educational environment of our community. His tireless efforts have included soliciting contributions, evaluating grant proposals; developing publicity; video and photography of events; assisting students, teachers, principals, school officials, and adults as required; providing conference support; and supporting the efforts of other individuals and organizations. His enthusiasm and knowledge, especially in the fields of science and engineering, have aided in the education of many of our youth, teachers, and adults.”

Huntsville Section submitted Jones Valley Elementary teacher Sylvia Dean as a candidate for a National IEEE Educational Activities Board (EAB) award, and the EAB has selected Sylvia to receive the award at a New Orleans ceremony in November 2006. The Alabama Council for Technology in Education (ACTE) named Sylvia as their Professional of the Year and Sue Gupko represented ACTE in presenting the award (Figure 3). Sylvia is pursuing a doctorate in Education Leadership while working full time and raising three young boys. Three years ago, she started hosting the Northwest Alabama Council for Technology in Education science fair. Without her volunteer efforts, students would lack a forum to present science projects. The fair has grown to over 600 participants from more than 35 schools. Sylvia’s award citation states in part: “She is an excellent role model and a tireless worker who has the admiration and respect, not just of our committee but of a broad network of people with whom she works---from parents to judges to technical support.” Sylvia also received one of five U.S. Presidental Awards presented at the POY Awards Banquet, signed by President George W. Bush and presented by Cristina Hinkle (Figure 4).

Joe Fitzgerald was banquet master of ceremonies, shown with Bill Craig in Figure 5, and he delivered a moving tribute to Joe Moquin, another Huntsville technological pioneer. The 2006 Awards dinner was notable for the first annual award of the HATS Joseph C. Moquin Award, named for one of Huntsville’s greatest technical and business leaders of the last five decades. As Executive Vice President of Teledyne Brown Engineering, he was the driving force behind an effort to establish a first-class research park in Huntsville --- now named Cummings Research Park. Joe Moquin has also dedicated much of his time and energies to a wide range of public service endeavors that have contributed greatly to a better community and state. He has truly been a model for the kind of leader that every community should have.

Every year HATS plans to choose from among the POYs designated by its member organizations a single individual to receive the Moquin award, which consists of a beautiful custom-designed statuette. The first annual award, appropriately presented by Joe Moquin himself, went to IEEE Huntsville Section POY Bill Craig. Figure 6 shows Dr. Craig and Joe Moquin, both holding the award.

The IEEE Huntsville Section congratulates Dr. Bill Craig, Woody Williams, Sylvia Dean, and all other 2006 POY awardees.