Ames, Iowa—Richard H. Stanley, a 1955 graduate in mechanical and electrical engineering from Iowa State University, has
received the 2009 Tau Beta Pi Distinguished Alumnus Award. Stanley, who is chair of the board of directors of the Stanley Foundation, Muscatine, Iowa, was honored at the 104th Tau Beta Pi national convention held recently in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
Tau Beta Pi is the national engineering honor society. This is the 13th year for the award, which recognizes alumni who have demonstrated adherence to the ideals of Tau Beta Pi—integrity, breadth of interest, adaptability, and unselfish activity—and to fostering a spirit of liberal culture on local, national, and international scales.
In recognition of the honor, a commemorative plaque was presented to Stanley at the convention, and a $2,000 scholarship will be given in his name to a deserving Tau Beta Pi student member.
Stanley’s selection as 2009 Distinguished Alumnus is representative of his personal and professional dedication to living as a world citizen promoting peace and justice in the world. As a leader of engineering services and the Stanley Foundation, he has influenced global change through a commitment to understanding and excellence. In supporting Stanley’s nomination for the award, Iowa State President Gregory L. Geoffroy wrote, “Dick has devoted a lifetime to building a better world, utilizing both his incredible knowledge and skills as an engineer and his deep commitment to peace, justice, and equality. I recommend him most highly….”
As an undergraduate at Iowa State, Stanley served as student body president and was a member of the Memorial Union Student Board, a group he continues to serve today as an alumnus. He was initiated into Tau Beta Pi by the Iowa Alpha Chapter in 1955 and has assisted his chapter and university in a multitude of capacities. He also holds a master’s degree in sanitary engineering from the University of Iowa.
Stanley, who has served on Iowa State’s Engineering College Industrial Advisory Council for 25 years and is a past president, has received a number of awards from Iowa State. These include the Order of the Knoll Cardinal and Gold award for his creative leadership; the Anson Marston Medal, the College of Engineering’s highest award; and the Professional Achievement Citation in Engineering. In 2001, he received the Hoover Medal, jointly presented by five engineering societies to an outstanding American engineer for unselfish, nontechnical humanitarian service.
In addition to being chair of the board of directors of the Stanley Foundation, he is chair emeritus of the Stanley Group of companies and director of Stanley Consultants, Inc., which provides engineering, environmental, and construction services worldwide. Under his leadership, Stanley Consultants has grown to be the largest engineering firm in Iowa and is currently active in 16 countries. As a registered engineer in more than 40 states, Stanley has served the engineering profession in many capacities, including as chair of the Committee on Federal Procurement of Architectural and Engineering Services, as president of the Iowa Engineering Society, and on several other councils.