August 2013, Vol. 68 No. 8
Newsline
ASCE Pipelines Honors Industry Leaders Joe Castronovo, Ralph Carpenter
At the record-breaking ASCE Pipelines 2013 Conference in Fort Worth, TX, last June, long-time industry contributors Joseph Castronovo and Ralph Carpenter were honored for their years of service to the Pipeline Division.
The conference attracted a record 810 attendees from across the U.S. and 60 foreign countries. Six technical paper tracks included more than 190 papers.
During a special luncheon, Castronovo received the coveted Stephen D. Bechtel Pipeline Engineering Award. Established by the ASCE Board of Directors in 1970, this award recognizes outstanding achievements in pipeline engineering. The Bechtel Foundation donated funds to support the award in honor of the contributions made by Stephen D. Bechtel. The award is made annually to an ASCE member who has made a significant contribution to the advancement of pipeline engineering in the areas of research, planning, design or construction.
Castronovo began his career in May 1974 with Black, Crow and Eidness (now CH2M HILL) in Gainesville, FL, after receiving his BS degree from the University of Florida and serving in the U.S. Navy Seabees. In his 39 years as a civil engineer, he attained experience in design, program management and construction services for pipelines, pump stations, water systems, storm water drainage systems, collection systems and resident engineering. He retired this spring from AECOM.
Castronovo’s primary expertise is in the design and construction of large diameter pipeline projects, including material selection, subaqueous pipeline crossings, trenchless technologies, water distribution, condition assessment, rehabilitation and pumping systems. He has been an active member of ASCE and specifically the Pipeline Division most of his career. He has served on a number of technical and administrative committees including technical conferences, executive committee and the ASCE Technical Advisory Committee. He is currently the senior advisor to the executive committee.
He lists some of his most rewarding efforts as recruiting young civil engineers to be actively involved in the Pipeline Division, large diameter and long distance raw water projects in Las Vegas and Fort Worth and experiences internationally in Kuwait, Ukraine, Honduras and Australia.
Award of Excellence
Also at the luncheon, Carpenter received the ASCE Pipeline Division Award of Excellence. This award was established in 1988 by the Pipeline Division. It is given to a Fellow, member or associate member who is judged by the executive committee to have given outstanding continuous and conspicuous service to the profession, ASCE and the Pipeline Division.
Carpenter, Pipelines Division EXCOM Past Chair, is originally from Buffalo, NY. He was graduated from Erie County Community College and SUNY College at Buffalo. In 1978, he relocated to Dallas, TX, where he accepted a position as a civil engineering technician and later a marketing and sales engineering position for steel and concrete pressure pipe products at United Concrete Pipe.
In 1988, he left the Texas pipe market for a swing through the Southeast and mid-Atlantic as regional sales manager for Price Brothers. In 1992, Carpenter accepted a position with American Cast Iron Pipe Company as a marketing specialist. Capitalizing on his knowledge of pressure pipe materials, he became a resource for American sharing his knowledge of pipes and pipeline design, pipe materials, design, manufacture and installation. In 1994, he was given the responsibility of managing American efforts to develop, market and expand the trenchless applications for ductile iron pipe.
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