More than 150 UH civil engineering alumni, faculty and students gathered at the HESS Club on Westheimer to reconnect and honor the memory of Charles Beyer at the 14th annual Civil and Environmental Engineering Alumni Luncheon held on October 18. The event’s keynote speaker was the Honorable Joe Zimmerman, mayor of Sugar Land, Texas.
Beyer, a distinguished engineering alumnus and dedicated supporter of the Cullen College of Engineering, founded the civil alumni luncheon in 2002 to bring together alumni and friends of the civil and environmental engineering department at UH. Beyer died last April, spurring a crowd of his former friends, colleagues and classmates to attend this year’s luncheon to honor his memory and the event he established to strengthen the UH engineering community.
Joseph W. Tedesco, Elizabeth D. Rockwell Dean of the UH Cullen College of Engineering, spoke at the luncheon about Beyer’s contributions to the Cullen College and the University of Houston.
“Charles is personally responsible for helping to raise thousands of dollars in scholarships for engineering students through his dedication and innate ability to bring people together,” Tedesco said. “I am so proud to continue the tradition that Charles began when he first spearheaded this event 14 years ago, and although I will always miss seeing his face among the crowd of alumni and friends here, this event will always mean something special to me. It was a gift from Charles that will last throughout the years.”
Beyer’s wife, Nancy, also spoke at the luncheon, followed by Russell Dunlavy, chief advancement officer for the Cullen College, who announced the establishment of an endowed scholarship in honor of Beyer, the Charles A. Beyer Houston Contractors Association Civil Engineering Endowed Scholarship. The scholarship was created thanks to generous donations from the Houston Contractors Association as well as Beyer’s family, friends and colleagues.
The 2016 Civil and Environmental Engineering Alumni Luncheon was sponsored by Brown & Gay Engineering Inc., Gorrondona & Associates Inc., Cobb, Fendley & Associates, United Engineers, Windrose Services, KIT Professionals, GEOTECH Engineering & Testing, Paradigm Consultants, Steve and Lisa Simmons, TEO Engineering Organization LLC, RPS Klotz Associates, PRD Land Development Services, The Gonzalez Group, Odis Cobb, LJA Engineering, Kenneth E. Tand & Associates, FCM Engineering, Costello Inc., EHRA Engineering and the UH Engineering Alumni Association.
View photos from the 14th annual Civil and Environmental Engineering Alumni Luncheon at https://www.flickr.com/photos/cullencollege/albums/72157674043978292/.