Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame to Induct 2023 Class

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The state of Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame will induct six individuals and honor an engineering corporation during a ceremony Feb. 25 at the Renaissance Montgomery Hotel and Spa.

The following individuals will join the 215 who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame since its founding in 1987: Angel “Rey” Almodóvar, of Huntsville; Dr. Stuart Bell, of Tuscaloosa; Milton Davis Jr., of Birmingham; Tim McCartney, of Gadsden; Thomas Talbot, formerly of Birmingham; and Michael Wicks, of Huntsville.

Dynetics Inc., with headquarters in Huntsville, will be honored as well, joining 33 other corporations previously inducted.

Founded by a proclamation of the governor, the state of Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame honors, preserves and perpetuates the outstanding accomplishments and contributions of individuals, projects and corporations/institutions that brought and continue to bring significant recognition to the state.

The Hall of Fame is overseen by engineering colleges and schools at Auburn University, Alabama A&M University, The University of Alabama, Tuskegee University, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, The University of Alabama in Huntsville and the University of South Alabama.

It is administratively managed through the UA College of Engineering. Learn more about the Engineering Hall of Fame.

2023 Inductees

Angel “Rey” Almodóvar, co-founder and chief executive officer emeritus, INTUITIVE

Angel R. “Rey” Almodóvar is an engineer, entrepreneur, business executive, philanthropist, mentor and servant of mankind. A visionary and lifelong learner, he was the product of a working-class family from Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. Under the leadership of Almodóvar and co-founder Harold Brewer, INTUITIVE has grown to be one of the premier engineering and technology companies in Cummings Research Park.

Stuart Bell, president, The University of Alabama

Using his background as an engineer, educator and researcher, Dr. Stuart R. Bell has advanced engineering and science workforce development in the state while sparking technical innovation. Bell came to the University in 1986 as an assistant professor of mechanical engineering and founded the Center for Advanced Vehicle Technologies. After serving as dean of engineering at the University of Kansas and as executive vice president and provost at Louisiana State University, Bell returned to UA as its 29th president in 2015.

Milton Davis Jr., vice president of economic development, Clayco

Milton Arthur Davis Jr. is a champion in the field of engineering and in Alabama. He is one of the top-performing business development managers in his industry with more than 40 years of progressively challenging experiences. He is a founding partner and sponsor of the NSBE Summer Engineering Experience for Kids, or SEEK Program, in Birmingham, and Davis and his wife, Alpha, endowed a scholarship for freshman engineering students at UA.

Tim McCartney, chairman and charter member, Alabama Workforce Council

Tim McCartney helped steer his family’s highway construction company to become a paving industry leader through innovation and a commitment to expand and sustain the state’s infrastructure. Alongside his professional career, McCartney has been a strong advocate for Alabama’s engineering and technical workforce and economic development.

Thomas Talbot, former United States Air Force project engineer and professor emeritus at The University of Alabama at Birmingham (posthumous)

Through an active professional life spanning more than 65 years, Thomas F. Talbot was a Renaissance man who meaningfully contributed to the engineering profession and improved the state of Alabama. His roles included service to the nation’s military, engineering education, industry and the engineering profession in a remarkable career.

Michael Wicks, president, Diakonos Research

Michael Wicks’ career has been devoted to providing innovative engineering and technical services to the nation’s defense both as a United States Army civilian and as a private contractor for the Department of Defense. With his technical skills as a foundation, Wicks’ entrepreneurial spirit has strengthened his hometown of Huntsville’s competitiveness as a hub for a highly skilled workforce providing solutions to the country’s military engineering challenges. As a cancer survivor, Wicks joined Houston-based Diakonos Research in 2022 as its president and is leading the company’s development of state-of-the-art cancer immunotherapies.

Dynetics

Dynetics Inc. is a leading provider of responsive, cost-effective engineering, scientific, IT solutions to national security, cybersecurity, space and critical infrastructure sectors. Since its founding in 1974 in Huntsville, Dynetics has grown to nearly 3,000 employees, the majority of whom work in Alabama, with locations in 10 other states. In 2020, Dynetics became a wholly owned subsidiary of Leidos, expanding its capabilities for customer-focused research, development and rapid prototyping and further enabling investment in programs of national importance.