On October 31, 2025, the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering inducted six inspirational alumni into its Hall of Fame, an honor that highlights those who have made meaningful contributions to their chosen fields.

The CCEE Alumni Hall of Fame was established to recognize distinguished graduates and celebrate individuals whose accomplishments inspire both current students and fellow alumni. It acknowledges not only their professional success but also their ongoing dedication to using their education and continuing to learn. 

“This day gives us the opportunity to celebrate the incredible accomplishments of our alumni and to really look forward with pride and purpose as we continue to build this great department,” said Department Head Jaqueline MacDonald Gibson, who opened the ceremony. “Having spent a little over three years in this position now, I am convinced that we have the best and most talented alumni of any civil, construction and environmental engineering department in the world.”

This year’s inductees joined a group of 57 outstanding members of our community. From succeeding in the classroom to excelling in the real world, their expertise extends far beyond civil, construction and environmental engineering. Each class of inductees is selected by members of the CCEE Industry Advisory Board. 

“Our six inductees today represent the very best of what it means to be a CCEE graduate,” said Will Letchworth, VP of Transportation at McAdams and chairman of the CCEE Industry Advisory Board. “It honors those who have not only excelled in their careers, but have uplifted communities, mentored future leaders and embodied the values of NC State service, innovation and impact.”

Jerry Collier 

Jerry Collier, who earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from NC State University in 1967, is a longtime supporter of the university and College of Engineering. He established a successful building company in 1972, which has been known as Beachtowne Realty Corporation since 1977.

Born in Johnston County to a family of farmers, Collier later moved to Norfolk, Virginia for his father’s construction career. He returned to North Carolina for college, specifically, NC State’s civil engineering program. After graduating, he worked at Texaco Oil Company before enlisting in Officer Candidate School with the U.S. Navy. Collier served for four years and was awarded the Bronze Star for his service in combat in Vietnam with the Navy Seabees. He later returned to Norfolk, where he established his building company. Collier is a licensed professional engineer in both Virginia and North Carolina.

Over the years, Collier and his wife, Pat, have made several gifts to NC State and the College of Engineering. In 2022, the couple made a transformational planned gift, representing the largest commitment to supporting military students in NC State University history. The endowment will provide scholarship support for up to 100 undergraduate and graduate military students each year.

Collier has served on both the Alumni Association and Graduate School advisory boards. The Colliers’ gifts have supported student-athletes, the Graduate School, the Alumni Association and the College of Engineering, including the Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering.

Darrin Holt

Dr. J. Darrin Holt is a licensed Professional Civil Engineer recognized for his expertise in Dispersive Wave Propagation (DWP) testing and advanced digital signal processing techniques. For over four decades, he has advanced the use of theoretical and applied nondestructive testing (NDT) methods to the practical application of evaluating critical and aging infrastructure projects. 

He earned his BSCE, MSCE and Ph.D. in structural engineering and mechanics from NC State University, and is a Fellow in the American Society of Civil Engineers. His doctoral research on wave behavior in heterogeneous materials remains influential and continues to be used by private and governmental entities. 

A key achievement in Dr. Holt’s career was translating dispersive wave testing from academic research to field applications. He used these techniques to assess unknown foundations and determine in-situ tension in trunnion anchor rods, as used on large dam structures. This work led to multiple U.S. patents and the co-founding of companies specializing in NDT services.

Dr. Holt has mentored engineers at all levels – from students and early-career professionals to seasoned practitioners and researchers – many of whom now serve in public agencies and private industry. He has authored technical papers, field manuals and presented widely at industry conferences. Dr. Holt remains an active mentor and continues to support the next generation of engineers.

Beyond engineering, Dr. Holt has served in the fire service for over 40 years, rising from firefighter to Fire Chief. An avid outdoorsman, he finds renewal in the wilderness and has explored rugged landscapes across North America. His deep connection to nature reflects the same resilience, discipline and commitment to service that define his professional life.

Pete Jernigan

Pete Jernigan overcame severe childhood trauma and achieved more than many would have thought possible; he was able to earn a civil engineering degree, obtain professional engineering licenses in 47 states and general contractor’s licenses in three, and founded Tower Engineering Professionals Inc. (TEP).

From their kitchen in 1997, with $15,000 in funding from a second mortgage, Jernigan and his wife Gayle created TEP. The company pioneered numerous processes that disrupted the industry, while improving safety, cost and accuracy. An example is the tower mapping process Jernigan created, which remains in use across the industry. Tower Engineering Professionals grew to become the largest dedicated telecom engineering company in the U.S., as measured by tasks completed and revenue.

Jernigan served as TEP’s CEO for 18 years, until he was sidelined with prostate cancer. During his tenure, TEP was set up for decades of success, due in large part to Jernigan’s intentional nurturing of entry-level engineers into business leaders – most of them NC State alumni. Tower Engineering Professionals currently employs nearly a thousand people. 

Jernigan served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves from 1994 to 1997. He now volunteers his time as a speaker, wherein he draws on his life experiences with topics such as overcoming childhood trauma, leading winning businesses, creating wealth for oneself and for others, and cultivating happiness. He finds purpose by encouraging fellow trauma survivors and veterans through his speaking engagements.

Jernigan is finalizing his soon-to-be-published memoir, Leadership Earned: Memoirs of a Thirsty Horse. The book is intended to help victims of childhood trauma see and create a way forward.

To learn more about the Jernigan family and their ties at NC State visit here.

Samuel F. Ravenel

Sam Ravenel, co-founder of WithersRavenel, has accumulated a vast range of experience over his fifty-year engineering career.

He studied Civil Engineering at NC State University from 1970 to 1974, where he discovered a passion for stormwater hydrology that would guide his professional journey. After graduating in 1974, Ravenel joined a pioneering State agency tackling new environmental regulations addressing sedimentation pollution from construction activity. 

He began his career as a Regional Engineer with the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) for the Mooresville Region. Following the passage of the National Dam Safety Act in 1978, Ravenel worked for several years as the Assistant State Dam Safety engineer before transitioning into consulting work.

At Moore Garner and Associates, Ravenel contributed to the FEMA Flood Insurance Study for Brunswick County—one of North Carolina’s first coastal studies to examine the combined impacts of river flooding and hurricanes, including storm surge and wave effects.

In 1983, Ravenel teamed up with Tony Withers to establish Withers & Ravenel PA, now known as WithersRavenel Inc. As president, he led recruitment and management efforts to build a land development team capable of handling the demand for engineering services generated by rapid growth in the region. The firm continued its growth, providing engineering services to State and local governments with offices throughout North Carolina, receiving recognition nationally as an Engineering News-Record’s Top 500 Design Firm (ENR-500) and locally as a “Best Place to Work”. 

In 2014, the founders transitioned WithersRavenel into an employee-owned ESOP, handing company leadership to senior managers. Ravenel continues to serve on the Board of Directors and remains engaged as a senior technical advisor within the stormwater group. He is actively involved in the rehabilitation of earth dams, serving various NCDEQ dam safety advisory committees and participating as a member of the Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO) and other professional organizations.

Sam and his wife Vicky are long-standing members of Hayes Barton United Methodist Church, and they have two adult children. In his free time, Sam enjoys running, biking, swimming, and taking long walks with Link, their yellow lab.

Henry Leon Lucas

Henry Lucas was born in Rocky Mount, NC and is married to Mary Jane (Ayers). They have two children and five grandchildren. 

Lucas graduated NC State University in 1973 with a B.S. in Civil Engineering, and with High Honors and membership in both the Tau Beta Pi and Chi Epsilon honor societies.

Designated as a Distinguished Military Graduate by the Army ROTC, Luas was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Armor Branch and went on active duty in May, 1973. During his service, he attended and graduated from Airborne and Ranger school, served as a Tank Platoon Leader for one and a half years and as an Armored Reconnaissance (Scout) Platoon Leader for one year.

After leaving the military, Lucas returned to NC State for his master’s degree in civil engineering. He completed a dual Geotechnical and Structural program in just 18 months, graduating in December, 1977. He graduated from Virginia Tech in December, 1991 with an MBA, all while working full time.

Lucas became a Professional Engineer in 1979 in Virginia. At the height of his career, he was registered as a PE in eight states.

Lucas worked with firms that specialized in geotechnical engineering and related activities throughout his career. In 1988, he helped found Engineering Consulting Services, Ltd.; Lucas served as president and CEO until April 2020, when he shifted roles to chairman, a position he currently holds.

Engineering News Record lists ECS as the 66^th largest engineering firm in the country, with annual sales of $520 million and nearly 2,900 employees. It is an employee-owned company.

Ramey Kemp

Ramey F. Kemp Jr. is a civil engineer, entrepreneur and leader whose professional and personal legacy spans over six decades. He is a proud alumnus of NC State University, where he earned his B.S. and Master’s degrees in civil engineering. A registered Professional Engineer in North Carolina, Virginia and Florida, he spent his career advancing transportation engineering in both the public and private sectors.

Kemp began his professional journey at the North Carolina Department of Transportation, where he worked for 12 years. In 1992, he founded Ramey Kemp & Associates, Inc., a transportation engineering firm that grew to over 100 employees before its merger with a larger firm. In 2023, he founded RFK Engineers, PLLC, a traffic engineering firm headquartered in Raleigh with an office in Winston-Salem.

Throughout his career, Kemp has held numerous leadership roles. He served as President of the Central Carolina Chapter of PENC and Chairman of Professional Engineers in Private Practice. In 2021, he was chosen Outstanding Engineer of the Year by the NCSE. He maintains membership in ITE, ASCE and NSPE.

Kemp is a dedicated philanthropist, community member and family man. He and his wife, Julie Hill Kemp, have been married for 60 years. They have four children and nine grandchildren.

He remains closely connected to his alma mater through the NC State Chancellor’s Circle and the Wolfpack Club. Kemp and his family are proud sponsors of the Civil Engineering Kemp Family Scholarship Endowment.

Kemp serves as managing partner of a multi-million dollar real estate investment business. He is an alumnus of Theta Chi Fraternity, the Boy Scouts of America and the Order of the Arrow.

Kemp’s life and career reflect a legacy of leadership, service and support for engineering excellence, higher education and community. He continues to lead by example, inspiring future generations of civil engineers and professionals.