Dewberry Chairman Sidney O. Dewberry has been elected to the grade of Distinguished Membership of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) along with 13 other engineers. Since 1852, only 615 individuals have been elected to Distinguished Membership.
On October 20, 2011, ASCE will hold a formal induction ceremony at the 2011 Celebration of Leaders Luncheon in conjunction with the organization's 141st Annual Civil Engineering Conference in Memphis, Tennessee.
About the ASCE Nomination
Distinguished Membership is the highest recognition the ASCE may confer, second only to the title ASCE President. It is reserved for society members who have attained the grade of member or fellow and who demonstrate acknowledged eminence in some branch of engineering or in its related arts and sciences. It also recognizes the individual's contributions to the civil engineering profession and/or to the public in general. The total number of Distinguished Members elected in any year typically does not exceed one for every 7,500 members of ASCE.
Mr. Dewberry was nominated by Mr. Fady Afif, president of the National Capital Section of ASCE. The nomination was supported by at least six references attesting to Mr. Dewberry's contributions to civil engineering over the course of his career. The references came from university professors and leaders in engineering practice, all whom have reached ASCE fellow status. Two of the references are members of the National Academy of Engineering.
About Sidney O. Dewberry, PE, LS, Dist.M.ASCE
Mr. Dewberry's achievements are summarized in this excerpt from his nomination.
"The leadership of Sidney O. Dewberry, PE, LS, F. ASCE, in urban infrastructure development has been extraordinary. In 56 years of practice, he built a firm that continues to leave its signature on civil engineering practice and urban development. The firm, among other achievements, made important contributions to the nation's urban infrastructure, and Sid Dewberry was personally involved in the political processes that laid the groundwork for smart growth of the northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C. Sid Dewberry's engineering leadership has been recognized repeatedly with appointments to influential strategic planning commissions in the National Capital Region, including, among them, his service on the board of the Greater Washington Board of Trade, as chairman of the Governor's Regional Economic Development Advisory Council for District 6 (Northern Virginia), as a director of the Air & Space Heritage Council, and as a member of the Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance. Mr. Dewberry is a former chairman of the Arlington County, Virginia, Planning Commission, and a former chairman of the Fairfax County, Virginia, Engineering Standards Review Committee.
Sid Dewberry's appreciation of the challenges in achieving highest quality land development led him to author the Land Development Handbook, now in its third edition, and used as a text in land development engineering education at George Mason University and Virginia Tech and numerous other universities. He was also a founding member of the Engineers and Surveyors Institute, which fosters collaboration between private-sector engineers and local review boards, and which has raised the level of project submissions through its training programs for local practitioners.
"His prominence and leadership in engineering practice and urban development have been recognized at both the local and the national levels with a host of awards. At the local level these have included, among others, election into the Washington Business Hall of Fame and receipt of the Northern Virginia Community Foundation Founders Award. At the national level, he has been recognized in the U.S. House of Representatives Congressional Record with both a salute to Sidney O. Dewberry, and Lifetime Achievement Recognition, presented for entry in the Congressional Record by the Hon. Thomas Davis III.
"Mr. Dewberry's deep commitment to higher education, and in particular, to civil engineering education, has been exceptional. His understanding of the symbiotic link between education and economic development led to his appointment to the Virginia Business-Higher Education Council, and appointment by the governor of Virginia to serve on the Blue Ribbon Commission on Higher Education. He was instrumental in the founding of George Mason University, and of the Urban Systems Engineering Department, now known as the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Infrastructure Engineering. He has provided strategic guidance to the university as rector of the George Mason University Board of Visitors, member of the George Mason University Foundation Board of Trustees, and his past appointment to the Governor's Commission for the Future of Higher Education in Virginia. He has also provided major financial support to the university and to the department. His good works have been recognized by receipt of the university's highest awards, including the George Mason University Mason Medal. He has also been recognized by his alma mater, George Washington University, which has honored him with induction into their School of Engineering and Applied Science Hall of Fame."