OREANDA-NEWS. February 23, 2016. This weekend, four of CH2M’s remarkable professionals are being recognized by their industry peers as 2016 Black Engineer of the Year Award (BEYA) winners. Managed by the Career Communications Group, Inc., the annual awards celebrate the exceptional work and fearless dedication of engineering professionals to their practices and communities.

Receiving the Modern-Day Technology Leader Award, Muhammed Abdul-Shakoor is CH2M’s Rotational Director of Project Support and Strategy. An innovative thinker with great passion and potential, he is currently project managing a team that is looking at urban­ization, resilience and aging infrastructure in cities and developing proactive, technology-enabled methods for urban areas to prepare for the impending population boom. As an extension of his commitment to CH2M, Muhammed demonstrates leadership through his participation in the company’s diversity organizations, helping to drive retention and networking for peers and future leaders.

Also being recognized with the Modern-Day Technology Leader Awardis Ted Mekuria, CH2M’s Highway Section Operations Lead for the Los Angeles office. Shaping the future course of engineering, science and technology, Ted has helped to improve traffic flow on major corridors of travel, increase access to transit-oriented communities and decrease emissions by improving access to various modes of travel, such as cycling, to make Los Angeles less car-dependent. Throughout his time with CH2M, he has embraced the opportunity to serve in a variety of roles, including technical lead, task manager and project manager for a number of transportation projects while also being actively involved in various internal and external organizations that support Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education.

A third Modern-Day Technology Leader Award winner, Amini Mills is a Compliance Engineer in CH2M’s Environmental & Nuclear Business Group. With more than 15 years of experience, Mills is currently supporting multiple mid-sized, private-sector, environmental compliance projects. She has assisted a variety of clients in maintaining environmental regulatory compliance for all media, ranging from air emissions and water discharges to soil contamination and waste management. She eagerly accepts every opportunity to serve her community, seizing on the opportunity to spread the STEM message to empower youth.

Receiving the Special Recognition Award, Thierry Sarr is being celebrated for his numerous contributions in community service and significant achievements over his eight years in the profession. Sarr has been involved in several major, multi-billion dollar airport capital improvement programs, including the Mumbai (India) International Airport and the Philadelphia International Airport. Currently, he’s a member of the Master Civil Engineering team implementing the O’Hare Modernization Program in Chicago. Possibly more impressive than these mega airport capital programs are the extensive efforts he makes serving as a role model to young men and women in communities where he lives and works.

“Amini, Muhammed, Ted and Thierry are not only great examples for future generations of engineers; they are contemporaries who inspire us all,” said CH2M Chairman and CEO Jacque Hinman. “Their fierce commitment to our clients, our industry and the communities we serve makes a positive difference that defines our company’s market leadership. We very are proud that the important work they do to mentor others is being recognized, because their dedication to the black engineering community exemplifies CH2M’s core values and longstanding commitment to advance diversity, equality and inclusion in our industry.”