Founded, by Engineers in 1955, as the San Fernando Valley Engineers' Council, (SFVEC), through the joint efforts of the California Society of Professional Engineers, the American Institute of Plant Engineers, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the Engineers' Council, as we are most often called, has annually celebrated National Engineers Week, a national week of recognition first proclaimed as such by President Eisenhower in 1950. Over the past several years, the Council's activities have evolved from a joint meeting of societies into today's "ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND BENEFIT" banquet. These banquets honor deserving students and professionals whose accomplishments warrant public peer recognition. The 1959 banquet was special. The first Engineer of the Year Award was given to Roy H. Marquardt, one of the most respected engineers in the San Fernando Valley. His accomplishments and technical innovations became a benchmark to measure all future candidates for this most prestigious honor. The next milestone for the Council occurred in 1969 when the first Honorary Engineer of the Year, Ed Reineke, was selected. Over the past 28 years, a host of nationally known individuals have proudly received this award The Peter Recchia Omni Award was added to the list of major awards in 1973. This award is named for Mr. Peter Recchia, a great supporter of engineering in our community and designer of the first award. The first recipient of "The Peter Recchia Omni Memorial Award" was Dr. John J. Guarrera. This perpetual trophy is given annually to the Engineer of the Year. In 1987, General Charles E. (Chuck) Yeager was the first recipient of the "Brigadier General Charles E. (Chuck) Yeager International Aeronautical Achievements Award." This award is given periodically, with General Yeager's approval, to aeronautical engineers who work on a global level. In February 1993 Lockheed Advanced Development Company granted the SFV Engineers' Council the privilege of using both service marks "Skunk Works" and the stylized "Skunk" in our Clarence L. "Kelly" Johnson Skunk Works Award." In 1991, President and CEO Lloyd Higginbotham, at the direction of the board of directors, revived the California and Internal Revenue Services recognition of our council and received a declaration as a 501-C-6, not-for-profit public benefit. Through the years, the SFV Engineers' Council has presented numerous awards recognizing outstanding contributions by individuals in our community and throughout the world in the fields of engineering, education, special fields of work and public service.
Special Awards
William B. Johnson International Inter-professional Founders Memorial Award
In 1955 Bill Johnson was one of the founders of the San Fernando Valley Engineers' Council. Bill had an untiring commitment to form and build the Council into a unified and effective body representing all facets of the engineering and scientific community. His standards and professional aura were to emulate perfection and elegance. He was laying the groundwork for the younger generation to participate and enjoy the future in leading and influencing the developing international engineering community. Bill was considered the backbone of the Council. He chose giving recognition to outstanding people as a means of providing a model of excellence. The William B. Johnson International Inter-professional Founders Memorial Award was established by the San Fernando Valley Engineers' Council to perpetuate the image and memories of Bill, his leadership, methods, fortitude, standards, efforts, and achievements with compassion for others while focusing on bettering the engineering community. Selection of recipients for the memorial award reflect his image.
Past Recipients
Brigadier General Charles E. (Chuck) Yeager International Aeronautical Achievements Award
On October 14, 1947 General Yeager became the first man to fly faster than the speed of sound. He also became the first man to fly more than twice the speed of sound. He has flown 183 types of aircraft during his career and has more than 11,000 hours of flight time. During World War II, General Yeager distinguished himself in aerial combat over France and Germany by shooting down 13 enemy aircraft. He was shot down over German-occupied France but managed to escape capture with the help of the French Maquis. His subsequent assignments included; test pilot of the Nation's first research rocket aircraft, Commander of the 417th Fighter Squadron, Commander of the First Fighter Squadron, Commandant of the Aerospace Research Pilot School, Commander of the 405th Fighter Wing when he flew 127 missions in South Vietnam, Commander of the 4th Tactical Fighter Wing in Korea during the Pueblo crisis, and Vice Commander of the Seventeenth Air Force after promotion to Brigadier General. His military decorations and awards include: The Distinguished Service Medal with one oak leaf duster, The Silver Star with one oak leaf cluster, The Legion of Merit with one oak leaf cluster, The Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters, The Bronze Star Medal with V device, The Purple Heart, Distinguished Unit Citation Emblem with one oak leaf cluster, and the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Ribbon. Selection of recipients for this distinguished award reflect a lifetime career of dedication to the progress of aerospace technology.
Past Recipients
Clarence L. "Kelly" Johnson Memorial "Skunk Works" Award
Clarence L. " Kelly" Johnson's achievements over almost six decades captured every major aviation design award and made him an aerospace legend. These achievements go back to the 1930s, but he may be best known for organizing the Lockheed Skunk Works in 1943. It started as a small unit of engineering and production specialists to hurriedly create, build and fly the World War II XP-80 jet prototype for the U.S. Air Force. It was the first of many of the world's most advanced aircraft to be produced by the Skunk Works under his leadership. Kelly played a leading role in the design of more than forty aircraft including the P-38 Lighting the Constellation transport, the P2V Neptune anti-submarine patrol plane, the record setting F-104 Starfighter, the U-2 reconnaissance aircraft and the SR-71 Blackbird. He received more than forty aircraft design and achievement awards and honors (several twice). Included are two Collier trophies, two Theodore von Karman Awards, the Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy, two Sylvanus Albert Reed Awards and the Daniel Guggenheim Medal. In 1964, President Lyndon Johnson presented him the nation's highest civilian honor the Medal of Freedom. President Ronald Reagan honored Kelly Johnson with the National Security Medal in 1983 and the National Medal of technology in 1988. Kelly was enshrined in the Aviation Hall of Fame in 1974. The Kelly Johnson Skunk Works Award is established to honor and to perpetuate his qualities, accomplishments. and standards as a model of excellence to be aspired to by future generations of engineers pioneering progress of the future.
Past Recipients
ENGINEER OF THE YEAR AWARD (Our Top Engineering Achievement Award)
Since 1973, the Recchia Omni Memorial Award (Perpetual Trophy) has been presented to each Engineer of the Year. This beautiful, original trophy was conceived, designed, and produced by Peter Recchia, PE, SME, AIIE. Mr. Recchia was a dedicated supporter of the engineering community and when he passed away, the Omni Award was renamed in his honor. In 2002, the award was refurbished with a new walnut base and new engraved brass plates.
Past Recipients
PAST RECIPIENTS HONORARY ENGINEER OF THE YEAR AWARD (RESERVED FOR GUEST SPEAKERS)
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Last updated: 10/29/2003