April 16, 1999

NC State College of Engineering Honors Outstanding Alumni

The North Carolina State University College of Engineering has named Glenn E. Futrell of Manteo, Dr. Franklin D. Hart of Cary and Dr. Larry K. Monteith of Morrisville as its 1999 Distinguished Engineering Alumnus Award winners.

The awards were announced by Dr. Nino A. Masnari, dean of the College of Engineering, at a banquet April 15 at the Capital City Club in Raleigh, as part of the annual Alumni Weekend activities. The awards honor alumni whose accomplishments further their fields and reflect favorably on the university.

Glenn E. Futrell

Futrell, a native of Wayne County, is the developer and managing partner of the Pirate's Cove Project in Manteo. He received his BS degree in 1963 and his MS degree in 1965 in civil engineering from NC State.

Futrell began his career as a staff engineer for Law Engineering and Testing Company of Charlotte and was soon promoted to branch manager of the Raleigh office, which became the largest branch in eastern North Carolina under his leadership. In 1973, he formed Soil & Material Engineers (S&ME), a company that grew to more than 1,000 employees in 35 branches. In 1986, S&ME was featured on the cover of Engineering News Record as one of the most successful engineering firms in the US. At that time, S&ME had become the fifth largest geotechnical engineering company in the US. In 1987, he sold the firm to Westinghouse Corp. but remained president of the firm until 1990.

He is active in a number of business interests and most recently has focused most of his energy on Pirate's Cove, a resort development on the Outer Banks of more than 600 acres. He assumed majority control of the development in 1990.

An active alumnus, he has been a member of the North Carolina Engineering Foundation's Board of Directors since 1990 and served as president of the board in 1996-97. He has been a strong advocate for the College and University and an important solicitor for, and generous contributor to, the Campaign for NC State Students.

Dr. Franklin D. Hart

Hart, a native of Angier, recently retired from his position as president and CEO of MCNC. He earned his BS degree in 1959, his MS in 1961, and his PhD in 1965 in mechanical engineering from NC State.

Before receiving his doctorate, Hart was honored with NSF and Ford Foundation fellowships and appointed assistant professor of mechanical engineering at NC State. He established the Center for Acoustical Studies at NC State with funding from NASA and served as its founding director. He was promoted to full professor in 1970. His research in acoustics brought renown in academe, and his research team's development of the "Gorilla Goal" brought recognition among basketball fans.

In 1980, Hart was promoted to associate dean of engineering research programs and was named the vice chancellor for research of NC State in 1983. During his leadership, sponsored research funding at the university more than doubled. In 1990, he was named interim provost and became provost in 1991. Six years later he was honored with NC State University's Holladay Medal for Excellence.

An important figure in the history of NC State, he co-chaired the team that originated the concept for the Engineering Graduate Research Center, a unique complex for research, learning, and multidisciplinary interaction with industry. In 1993, he was named president and CEO of the Microelectronics Center of North Carolina (MCNC). His leadership guided the center from an academic world to that of private industry. He retired from MCNC in 1998.

Dr. Larry K. Monteith

A native of Bryson City, Monteith is chancellor emeritus of NC State University. He earned his BS degree in 1960 in electrical engineering from NC State. He received his MS in 1962 and his PhD in 1965 in electrical engineering from Duke University.

Monteith began his career as a technical staff member of Bell Telephone Labs in 1960 and, later, Research Triangle Institute while also serving as an adjunct assistant professor in electrical engineering at NC State. He joined the University as an associate professor of electrical engineering in 1968 and was promoted to full professor in 1972.

In 1974, Monteith began his administrative career as head of electrical engineering. In 1978, he was named dean of the College, a position he held for eleven years. He served as interim chancellor of the university from 1989 to 1990, when he was named the eleventh chancellor of the university. He retired in 1998 and is actively involved with the College of Engineering, the Kenan Institute for Engineering, Technology and Science, and the First Year College.

A dedicated educator and researcher, his accomplishments are numerous. His academic career spans a period of tremendous growth for the College and the University. Under his leadership, the university has become an internationally recognized research institution, establishing partnerships with business and industry and developing the Centennial Campus. As one of the originators of the Engineering Graduate Research Center, he saw the EGRC develop from concept in 1980 to reality in 1997 under his leadership. His commitment to developing scholarships for students led to the Campaign for NC State Students, with gifts and pledges of approximately $100 million.

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