For release: March 29, 2012
For press information, contact Gabrielle Maxey, 901/678-2843

The University of Memphis Herff College of Engineering will host its 2012 annual awards dinner Tuesday, April 3, at the U of M Holiday Inn, 3700 Central Ave. A reception and silent auction will begin at 6:30 p.m., followed by the dinner at 7. Jim Dean, president of SeaWorld Parks Busch Gardens and Adventure Island in Tampa, Fla., and Mark Askew, founder and president of Askew Hargraves Harcourt & Associates, will be honored as Outstanding Alumni.

Reservations may be made online at www.memphis.edu/alumni/rsvp/engineeringawards.php,or by calling Susan Armacost at 901-678-1537.

Dean (BSET ’80) began his career with McDonnell Douglas Corp. in St. Louis as a systems engineer. After earning his MBA from Saint Louis University, he took a position as a financial analyst with Anheuser-Busch. Dean served as finance manager at Busch Gardens in Tampa and was promoted to executive assistant to the president of Busch Entertainment in 1998. Two years later he became head of finance with Anheuser-Busch’s European trade office in London. He returned after five years as vice president of accounting for the Anheuser-Busch’s U.S. brewing division, and in December 2008 became head of finance for the company’s theme parks division. Dean became president of Busch Gardens and Adventure Island in 2010.

Askew (BSCE ’76) has guided A2H from a one-man engineering studio into a multi-disciplinary design firm with 71 employees. Thanks to Askew’s leadership abilities, the firm’s workforce doubled between 2007 and 2010, even though that was a difficult period for the design and construction industry. Askew founded the West Tennessee chapter of the Structural Engineers Association and serves on the advisory council of the Herff College of Engineering. Askew also has served on the boards of numerous professional associations and as president of the local and state chapters of the American Council of Engineering Companies, promoting improved business practices for engineering firms and increasing public awareness of engineering services.

Dr. Robert H. Dodds Jr. (BSCE ’73), William W. “Trip” Jones III (BSET ’77, MS ’86), Laura Rowland (BSCE ’84, MS ’88) and the Memphis Light, Gas & Water Division will receive the Herff Honor Awards for Distinguished Service in Engineering.