Auburn Engineering alumni honored at Black Alumni Reunion

K-Rob Thomas, ’01 civil engineering, and Casey Robinson Troutman, ’00 ’03 ’04 civil engineering, were honored Saturday, April 18, during Auburn University’s Black Alumni Reunion. 

The annual event brings alumni back to the campus for networking and community-building events. This year’s event coincided with A-Day.  

It also marked the fourth-consecutive year that the Franklin Brittain Matthews Award has been awarded to an engineer. Created in 2023, the award recognizes outstanding black alumni leaders of Auburn University. Honorees are selected based on their contributions to their colleges, professions and communities. 

Thomas has risen through the ranks of Southern Company, starting as a transmission line maintenance engineer for Alabama Power before quickly advancing to more senior roles within Southern Company and its subsidiaries. 

He currently serves as vice president of distribution field operations at Georgia Power in Atlanta. Prior to that, he was the vice president of origination and acquisitions. He and his wife, Marcia, live in Atlanta with their children. 

“It’s an honor for me to receive this award, named for two Auburn trailblazers whose legacies still resonate today,” Thomas said. “Educating future engineers and laying the groundwork for our students’ success is deeply important to me, and I’m proud to be part of such an excellent tradition of Auburn graduates.” 

Thomas was recognized in 2021 as the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering black alumni honoree. He received the Young Alumni Achievement Award in 2017 and was named an Outstanding Young Auburn Engineer in 2014. 

Gov. Kay Ivey appointed him to the state’s inaugural STEM Council in 2020.  

Robinson Troutman was named the Black Alumni Achievement Award winner for the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering. She is the manager of project execution for Georgia Power’s Transmission Project Management Office, where she helps push forward capital projects throughout the state. 

Robinson Troutman has shared her love of mentorship and developing next generations as a member of 100+ Women Strong and the Society of Women Engineers. 

“I am honored to be selected as a 2026 Black Alumni Achievement Award recipient,” she said. “I’m grateful to be recognized for my work developing future engineers and leaders, as well as working to give more students access to a great STEM education.” 

Robinson Troutman and her husband, Terry, live in Atlanta. 

Both Robinson Troutman and Thomas are avid supporters of the National Society of Black Engineers. They both were leaders of the 25th anniversary event honoring the Engineering Academic Excellence Program.

The program was established in 1996, and Thomas and Robinson Troutman credit it for their success while attending Auburn.  

Both are dedicated members of the Auburn Engineering Alumni Council. 

The Franklin Brittain Matthews award has been won by an engineer every year since its creation in 2023. The award was won in 2025 by Kenneth Kelly, ’90 electrical engineering, in 2024 by Sharlene Evans, ’86 industrial engineering, and in 2023 by Regenia Sanders, ’95 mechanical engineering.  

“It’s a privilege to know K-Rob and Casey, and our alumni should be proud to count them among the Auburn Engineering community, said Mario Eden, dean of engineering and the Joe T. and Billie Carole McMillan Eminent Chair Professor. “I can’t thank them enough for their dedication to our students.”