20
Geotechnical News June 2011
GEO-INSTITUTE NEWS
in a number of countries, including Sri
Lanka.
Drew Floyd, P.E., Appointed a
Vice President of Moretrench
Specialty geotechnical contractor
Moretrench
announced that
Drew
Floyd, P.E.
, was recently appointed
vice president. Floyd is a graduate of
Michigan State University, where he
earned a Master of Science in Civil
Engineering. He has more than 24 years
of specialty geotechnical construction
experience and joined Moretrench
in 2004 as Regional Manager for the
New England area. In addition, he
has oversight responsibility for work
performed through the company’s
Pittsburgh, PA office. Floyd will
continue in both of these capacities
while assuming his corporate duties as
vice president.
Kovacs Elected to ESWP Board
John W. Kovacs, P.E., PMP, D.GE,
F.ASCE
, was elected to the board of
directors of the Engineers’ Society
of Western Pennsylvania (ESWP).
Kovacs is a vice president and regional
office manager of Gannett Fleming,
an international planning, design, and
construction management firm. He is
based in the Pittsburgh, PA, office.
Founded in 1880, the Society is one
of the country’s oldest professional
organizations. The Pittsburgh-based
group works to advance the profes-
sions of engineering, architecture, and
applied sciences through technical ac-
tivities, public service participation,
and social organizations. The group
also is committed to stimulating inter-
est in the next generation of engineers
with student outreach programs.
Kovacs holds a bachelor of science
in civil engineering from Carnegie
Mellon University, a master of science
in civil and environmental engineer-
ing from the University of Pittsburgh,
and a master of business administra-
tion from the University of Pittsburgh’s
Katz Graduate School of Business.
He is a licensed professional en-
gineer in Alaska, New Mexico, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, and West Virginia and
a Diplomate of geotechnical engineer-
ing through the Academy of Geo-Pro-
fessionals. He also is a fellow of the
ASCE and holds leadership roles in
the American Council of Engineering
Companies of Pennsylvania and Carn-
egie Mellon University’s Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineer-
ing Alumni Advisory Board.
In Memoriam
Pedro A. de Alba
(1939-2011)
Professor Pedro A. de Alba passed
away on Sunday, February 20, 2011.
Born in Chihuahua, Mexico on April
2, 1939, he obtained his BSCE in
1964 from the National University of
Mexico. Following his undergraduate
degree, he spent two years working
with Dr. Leonardo Zeevaert, a well-
known consulting engineer, on
foundation problems in Mexico City.
de Alba later obtained his MS and
Ph.D. at the University of California,
Berkeley under Dr. H. Bolton Seed
working on liquefaction of sands
during earthquakes. He later worked as
a senior engineer for Shannon &Wilson
in Burlingame, CA before joining the
University of New Hampshire (UNH)
in 1977 where he taught for 33 years.
His professional interests remained in
experimental techniques for measuring
the dynamic response of soils. A
memorial service was planned for early
spring. In lieu of flowers, donations
can be made towards a scholarship that
will be established in his name for a
student with an interest in geotechnical
engineering and a passion for the arts.
Donations should be addressed to:
The Pedro A. de Alba Scholarship
University of New Hampshire
Department of Civil Engineering
Kingsbury Hall
33 Academic Way
Durham, New Hampshire 03824
Pedro A. de Alba.
Editor
Linda R. Bayer, IOM, Manager
Geo-Institute of ASCE
1801 Alexander Bell Drive
Reston, VA 20190-4400
Tel: 703-295-6162
Fax: 703-295-6351
email:
Drew Floyd.
John W. Kovacs.
