Current Recipient

• Government Engineer of the Year 2023

  Tony Allen, P. E.

  Washington State Department of Transportation

  

  Tony Allen, P. E., Washington State Department of Transportation, has been selected as the recipient of the 2023 Government Engineer of the Year Award in recognition of his exceptional career as a geotechnical engineer, his development of standards for geosynthetic materials and retaining wall engineered products, and his participation in the development of improved design procedures for addressing stormwater infiltration.

  He is an internationally recognized geotechnical engineer with 39 year of experience in the public sector. This experience includes leading the geotechnical engineering program for the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) for the past 29 years as the State Geotechnical Engineer. He has been a technical policy maker who has significantly influenced both public and private sector geotechnical design and construction practice, both locally and nationally. He led the development of the WSDOT Geotechnical Design Manual that contains engineering design standards and construction specifications. This manual is widely used by local agencies, WSDOT, other state departments of transportation, and the Federal Highway Administration. He has been very active with the American Association of Highway and Transportation Officials leading a committee responsible for development of design specifications for bridge wall and foundation design and leading a second committee responsible for development of a testing and evaluation program for geosynthetic reinforcement products.  He developed a research program to analyze the design of reinforced soil structures that use geosynthetic and steel reinforcement. The results were published in a technical paper describing a new, more cost-effective method of designing mechanically stabilized earth retaining walls. His paper won several awards, and the proposed design method has been incorporated into national bridge design specifications.

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Award Criteria

• Has contributed significantly in the application of engineering principles in Local, State, or Federal  Government projects.
• Has led in improving the application of technology for public benefit.
• Has actively participated in improving the effectiveness of the engineering profession.

Past Recipients

• 2022 – Susan Chang, Ph. D., P.E. – Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections
• 2020 – Susan L. Everett, P.E., Washington State Department of Transportation
• 2019 – James P. Wilhoit, P. E., City of Renton
• 2018 – Jeffery A. Lundt, P.E., Wastewater Treatment Division of the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks
• 2017 – Alan Murray, P.E., Snohomish County
• 2016 – Richard Q. Gilmore, PE Silver Lake Water and Sewer District
• 2015 – Cindy Hirsch, PE – Federal Aviation Administration
• 2014 – Richard A. Sage, P.E., CCM, – Sound Transit
• 2013 – David L. Dye, P.E. – HNTB Corporation
• 2012 – James W. Miller, P.E. – City of Everett
• 2011 – Michael Mucha, P.E. – City of Olympia
• 2010 – Jerremy J. Barbera, P.E. – Port of Seattle
• 2009 – Ronald H. Borowski – City of Seattle
• 2008 – Linda E. De Bolt, P.E. – Seattle Public Utilities
• 2006 – Jonathan Siu, PE – City of Seattle
• 2005 – Randolph R. Sleight, P.E., P.L.S.
• 2004 – John Hogan PE – City of Seattle
• 2003 – Lloyd Warren PE – City of Bellevue
• 2002 – Col. Ralph H. Graves Ph.D PE – U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
• 2001 – Cap A. Pearson PE – City of Tacoma
• 2000 – Thomas A. Kinsman PE – City of Seattle
• 1999 – Capt. David J. Visneski PE – U. S. Coast Guard
• 1996 – David A. Malsch PE – Washington State DOT
• 1995 – Simon Yang PE-Army Corps of Engineers
• 1994 – Louis J. Hoff PE-King County Roads & Engineers
• 1993 – Larry E. Shannon PE-Army Corps of Engineers
• 1992 – Stanley C. Stumbo PE-Washington State Ferries
• 1991 – Vladimir Khazak-Metro
• 1990 – Robert E. Bockstruck PE – Washington State DOT