Three Auburn graduates from the College of Engineering have been selected for induction into the State of Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame in ceremonies scheduled early next year. They are William F. (Hank) Hayes '65; Michael B. McCartney '57; and James B. Odom '55.
Hank Hayes graduated with honors in electrical engineering in 1965, returning to complete his master's degree in 1967 on a NASA-sponsored research assistantship. He immediately accepted a position at Texas Instruments on graduating, performing antenna design research for a variety of systems.
Hayes' early work in this area has ultimately led to the development of today's state of the art airborne radar systems for military applications, including the system now being built into the next-generation F-22 fighter platform.
He was also active in the design of missile-based radar systems, in particular the Harpoon, which has been a mainstay for both U.S. Navy and NATO fleets for a number of years.
Building on this expertise, Hayes also designed anti-radar missile antennas, radomes, air traffic control systems for FAA applications, and microwave landing systems for general air traffic.
Hayes work is generally acknowledged as being directly responsible for the safety of pilots who flew Desert Storm missions against aggressive surface-to-air missile defenses.
At the same time, Hayes saw the inevitable decline in Cold War hostilities and its coming effect on the defense community, and took a major role in strategic planning to increase the corporation's position in commercial markets.
In 1992 his leadership won TI's Defense Systems and Electronics Group the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, which Hayes attributes to his total quality management philosophy.
Named executive vice president of Texas Instruments in 1993, Hayes' insight and vision earned him the chairmanship of TI's Strategy Leadership Team, composed of the corporation's senior officers.
His association with Auburn includes membership on the university's research advisory council since 1993, and beginning this year, the alumni engineering council. Hayes is a native of Hueytown.
Michael McCartney, a 1957 graduate in civil engineering, is known to many as a member of Auburn's board of trustees, a position he held from 1979 though 1992. He was elected president pro tempore of the board in 1986, a leadership office he held throughout the latter part of his term.
It was McCartney's vision as an engineer that brought him election to the engineering hall of fame, however, coupled to a strong track record of support for research and education.
In particular, McCartney, who is president of the Gadsden based McCartney Construction Co., played a key role in bringing the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) to the Auburn campus. Since its inception, the College of Engineering based center has become internationally known as the premier research institution focused on hot mix asphalt.
He has served as a member of NCAT's board of directors since the center's inception. The industry it serves is responsible for more than $11 billion in annual revenues, giving it a significant impact on the economy. During his tenure, NCAT's annual budget, which is directed to research and continuing education, grew from $300,000 annually to more than $2 million.
McCartney's commitment to the growth of Auburn was realized in a number of ways during his tenure on the board. Enrollment grew from 18,000 students to 22,000, named professors from 22 to 51, and private support from $6 million to more than $22 million.
In terms of the latter, his influence was considered pivotal in his role as a major force on the Auburn University Generations Fund capital campaign; McCartney saw 33 major facilities completed on the Auburn campus, with a value of more than $200 million.
On a more personal level, his involvement with the Department of Civil Engineering includes the establishment of a scholarship program for deserving students. He is also involved in the alumni engineering council, and is a recipient of the group's Distinguished Auburn Engineer Award.
Auburn University honored him with the doctor of science degree, honoris causa, in 1994. McCartney is a native of Gadsden.
James Odom, a 1955 graduate in mechanical engineering, served NASA for 33 years through 1989, and is currently deputy group manager and senior vice president of the SAIC, Inc., Hunstville Group.
Odom has been directly involved in several of NASA's major projects, including the Hubble space telescope, the space shuttle, the Apollo program, and the Freedom space station.
As a result of his work for NASA, he has been awarded the space agency's distinguished executive award, the meritorious executive award, distinguished service medal, public service award, and executive service medal.
Odom's work with NASA began when he accepted an engineering position with the U.S. Army's rocket research and development team at Redstone Arsenal, but his engineering talent was recognized early, and he was transferred to Marshall Space Flight Center in 1959, a year prior to its formal establishment.
At Marshall Odom was to find himself in engineering, technical and management positions that would span the length and breadth of NASA's mission to bring the nation into the space age.
He was actively involved in the development of early satellites, unmanned space probes, launch vehicles, and propulsion systems. Odom came into his own when he was assigned to lead the engineering design and testing for the second stage of the Saturn V/Apollo lunar launch vehicle.
He capitalized on this experience when he was selected to direct the development of the space shuttle's external tank during its initial design phase, and saw the project through its first six launches.
Odom also played a major role in the development of the Hubble space telescope, which to date remains the nation's largest, most complex and scientifically most productive payload, according to observers in the field. As program manager for the project, his leadership brought the launching of the instrument to fruition at a time when the nation's leadership role in space was being questioned by some as impractical.
Odom capped his NASA career as NASA's associate administrator for the space station Freedom, a complex undertaking involving some 15 nations that not only underscored his engineering skills, but his management strengths as well. He is the recipient of the doctor of science degree, honoris causa, from the University of Alabama in Huntsville.
In terms of his relationship with Auburn, he was named as the first recipient
of the outstanding alumni award from the Department of Mechanical Engineering,
is a past chairman of the Auburn Alumni Engineering Council, and continues
to serve on the group's executive committee. He is a native of Georgiana,
and resident of Decatur.