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Tech chooses 2010 Alumni of the Year
Louisiana Tech’s Alumnus of the Year, along with the Young Alumnus of the Year and five other distinguished alumni, will be honored during the 2010 Homecoming Activities.
Justin C. Hinckley, Class of 1978, will be recognized as Alumnus of the Year at a noon luncheon on Friday, Oct. 15.
Other honorees are:
• Young Alumnus of the Year – Matthew C. Napoli, Class of 2004
• College of Applied and Natural Sciences – Shannon D. Spigener, M.D., Class of 1989
• College of Business – Steve K. Davison, Class of 1989
• College of Education – Robert “Scotty” Robertson, Class of 1951
• College of Engineering and Science – Hilton M. Nicholson, Class of 1980
• College of Liberal Arts – John “Clint” Williamson, Class of 1983
The Alumni Awards Luncheon honoring the 2010 Alumni of the Year and Distinguished Alumni of the colleges will be in Tech’s Student Center. Tickets are $20 per person or $160 for a table of eight. For more information about the luncheon or to register, contact Barbara Swart at 318-255-7950. The deadline for tickets is Friday, Oct. 8.
A summary of the award winners’ contributions to Tech and their communities follows.
Justin C. Hinckley
Hinckley, who received his bachelor’s degree in computer science, had a full career at Cleco, an energy services company based in central Louisiana. He started work in 1988 as a staff programmer and moved up to analyst, manager of business services, and, in 2000, was promoted to general manager of technology services, a position which he served until his retirement in 2008.
As general manager at Cleco, Hinckley directed activities involved with supplying services from four departments: applications, network, telecommunications and support services for all Cleco affiliates.
Prior to joining Cleco, he worked at Pratt and Whitney Aircraft, Cities Services Co., United Technologies Research Center and Mobil Oil in capacities ranging from programmer/analyst to systems manager. Some of the responsibilities with these companies included selection and configuration of hardware/software, site preparation, data communication design and strategic planning.
Matthew C. Napoli
After graduating from Tech with his bachelor’s in mechanical engineering, Napoli earned a master’s in engineering science from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif., and also graduated from the Bettis Reactor Engineering School in Pittsburg. He is a doctoral student at the George Washington University in Washington, D.C., studying public policy.
Napoli was selected by a four-star admiral to join the elite military engineering group at the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program Headquarters in Washington, D.C. At the end of his military career, Lt. Napoli was a lead nuclear components engineer for the next-generation aircraft carrier, Gerald R. Ford Class, and for multiple submarine platforms, including the Navy’s most modern attack submarine, Virginia Class. Napoli was also awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal in 2009.
Napoli is the technical director of foreign affairs for the Department of Defense at the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program Headquarters in Washington, D.C. He is responsible for working with numerous U.S. agencies on the development and implementation of domestic policies for international treaties pertaining to naval nuclear propulsion technology. Additionally, he is responsible for foreign policies pertaining to U.S. nuclear powered warship port entry around the world. He has also developed policy to facilitate the forward deployment of the USS George Washington to Yokosuka, Japan, and works with the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defense on naval nuclear propulsion under the auspices of long-standing government-to-government agreements.
Shannon D. Spigener
Spigener has served as the emergency department staff physician at the Minden Medical Center since 2004 and served as assistant professor and staff physician at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport from 1997-2004.
She is a 1989 health information administration graduate from Tech and underwent her family medicine internship and residency at Louisiana State University Medical Center before becoming chief resident.
Spigener has received many honors throughout her education and career, including serving as president of Delta Zeta Sorority, being Louisiana Tech Who’s Who 1989, receiving the Gamma Beta Phi Society of Teachers of Family Medicine Student Teacher Award and, while in school, serving as freshman class vice president at LSU School of Medicine and LSU School of Medicine student body vice president.
Steve K. Davison
Davison became an equity owner in his family’s transportation and petroleum products business in 1995. In addition, he is a developer of Squire Creek Country Club and owns Twin Creeks Farms, a thoroughbred breeding and racing operation.
Davison was a four-year letterman on the Bulldog baseball team, and, after graduating from Tech, earned his law degree at Mississippi College School of Law in 1993. From there, he began his law career in New Orleans as a law clerk to Louisiana State Supreme Court Justice James Dennis before returning to Ruston.
An active alumnus, Davison has served as president of the Louisiana Tech Alumni Foundation, is a member on the Louisiana Tech Athletics Council and is an adjunct professor. Davison has also served as a radio color analyst for Tech football since 2004.
Additionally, he is a board member for the Lincoln Parish Boys and Girls Club and has received the Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce Young Business Person of the Year Award.
Robert “Scotty” Robertson
Robertson received a bachelor’s degree in education from Tech, but his love for basketball and baseball began even before that, as he played both sports at Byrd High School in Shreveport. After graduating from Tech, Robertson received a master’s degree from the University of Arkansas and then began his professional sports career.
After a season of professional baseball, Robertson began his teaching and coaching career and ended up at Tech, where he led the Bulldogs’ basketball team one of the greatest seasons in the program’s history. He also coached with nine different professional teams, serving as head coach with three and as an assistant with the others.
Before his 1999 retirement, Robertson was involved in the NBA finals with the Phoenix Suns, coached two NBA All-Star games and participated with NBA teams in Japan, Italy and Germany. He is also a member of eight Halls of Fame.
Hilton M. Nicholson
Nicholson joined SIXNET, an Internet connectivity company, as its president, CEO and board member in February 2009 and brought more than 25 years of management experience with networking and telecommunications equipment manufacturers with him.
Before SIXNET, Nicholson worked at ADC Telecommunications, where he moved up to the ranks as president of the Network Solutions Business Unit. Prior to joining ADC, he was senior vice president of Product Operations at 3Com, and he served as vice president and general manager of Lucent Technologies’ Core Switching and Routing Division. Nicholson has held a variety of technical, marketing, strategic planning and new business development positions at AT&T.
Nicholson is a 1980 electrical engineering graduate from Tech, and he continued to Clemson to receive his master’s in the same subject and also earned an MBA from Duke University.
John “Clint” Williamson
Williamson was appointed as special expert to the Secretary-General of the United Nations in 2010. Before that, he served for three years as the U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues.
Williamson has also served on the White House staff as the special assistant to the president and senior director for relief, stabilization and development at the National Security Council. Between 2003 and 2006, he served as director for stability operations on the NSC staff. While at the NSC, he also was posted at Baghdad as the senior adviser to the Iraqi Ministry of Justice from April to July 2003.
Williamson also served as the director of the Department of Justice in the UN Mission to Kosovo from late 2001-2002 and as a trial attorney at the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia from 1994-2001.
He also served as a prosecutor in the U.S. Department of Justice Organized Crime Section and as assistant district attorney in New Orleans.
After receiving his bachelor’s degree at Tech, Williamson received his J.D. degree from Tulane University.
Justin C. Hinckley, Class of 1978, will be recognized as Alumnus of the Year at a noon luncheon on Friday, Oct. 15.
Other honorees are:
• Young Alumnus of the Year – Matthew C. Napoli, Class of 2004
• College of Applied and Natural Sciences – Shannon D. Spigener, M.D., Class of 1989
• College of Business – Steve K. Davison, Class of 1989
• College of Education – Robert “Scotty” Robertson, Class of 1951
• College of Engineering and Science – Hilton M. Nicholson, Class of 1980
• College of Liberal Arts – John “Clint” Williamson, Class of 1983
The Alumni Awards Luncheon honoring the 2010 Alumni of the Year and Distinguished Alumni of the colleges will be in Tech’s Student Center. Tickets are $20 per person or $160 for a table of eight. For more information about the luncheon or to register, contact Barbara Swart at 318-255-7950. The deadline for tickets is Friday, Oct. 8.
A summary of the award winners’ contributions to Tech and their communities follows.
Justin C. Hinckley
Hinckley, who received his bachelor’s degree in computer science, had a full career at Cleco, an energy services company based in central Louisiana. He started work in 1988 as a staff programmer and moved up to analyst, manager of business services, and, in 2000, was promoted to general manager of technology services, a position which he served until his retirement in 2008.
As general manager at Cleco, Hinckley directed activities involved with supplying services from four departments: applications, network, telecommunications and support services for all Cleco affiliates.
Prior to joining Cleco, he worked at Pratt and Whitney Aircraft, Cities Services Co., United Technologies Research Center and Mobil Oil in capacities ranging from programmer/analyst to systems manager. Some of the responsibilities with these companies included selection and configuration of hardware/software, site preparation, data communication design and strategic planning.
Matthew C. Napoli
After graduating from Tech with his bachelor’s in mechanical engineering, Napoli earned a master’s in engineering science from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif., and also graduated from the Bettis Reactor Engineering School in Pittsburg. He is a doctoral student at the George Washington University in Washington, D.C., studying public policy.
Napoli was selected by a four-star admiral to join the elite military engineering group at the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program Headquarters in Washington, D.C. At the end of his military career, Lt. Napoli was a lead nuclear components engineer for the next-generation aircraft carrier, Gerald R. Ford Class, and for multiple submarine platforms, including the Navy’s most modern attack submarine, Virginia Class. Napoli was also awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal in 2009.
Napoli is the technical director of foreign affairs for the Department of Defense at the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program Headquarters in Washington, D.C. He is responsible for working with numerous U.S. agencies on the development and implementation of domestic policies for international treaties pertaining to naval nuclear propulsion technology. Additionally, he is responsible for foreign policies pertaining to U.S. nuclear powered warship port entry around the world. He has also developed policy to facilitate the forward deployment of the USS George Washington to Yokosuka, Japan, and works with the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defense on naval nuclear propulsion under the auspices of long-standing government-to-government agreements.
Shannon D. Spigener
Spigener has served as the emergency department staff physician at the Minden Medical Center since 2004 and served as assistant professor and staff physician at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport from 1997-2004.
She is a 1989 health information administration graduate from Tech and underwent her family medicine internship and residency at Louisiana State University Medical Center before becoming chief resident.
Spigener has received many honors throughout her education and career, including serving as president of Delta Zeta Sorority, being Louisiana Tech Who’s Who 1989, receiving the Gamma Beta Phi Society of Teachers of Family Medicine Student Teacher Award and, while in school, serving as freshman class vice president at LSU School of Medicine and LSU School of Medicine student body vice president.
Steve K. Davison
Davison became an equity owner in his family’s transportation and petroleum products business in 1995. In addition, he is a developer of Squire Creek Country Club and owns Twin Creeks Farms, a thoroughbred breeding and racing operation.
Davison was a four-year letterman on the Bulldog baseball team, and, after graduating from Tech, earned his law degree at Mississippi College School of Law in 1993. From there, he began his law career in New Orleans as a law clerk to Louisiana State Supreme Court Justice James Dennis before returning to Ruston.
An active alumnus, Davison has served as president of the Louisiana Tech Alumni Foundation, is a member on the Louisiana Tech Athletics Council and is an adjunct professor. Davison has also served as a radio color analyst for Tech football since 2004.
Additionally, he is a board member for the Lincoln Parish Boys and Girls Club and has received the Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce Young Business Person of the Year Award.
Robert “Scotty” Robertson
Robertson received a bachelor’s degree in education from Tech, but his love for basketball and baseball began even before that, as he played both sports at Byrd High School in Shreveport. After graduating from Tech, Robertson received a master’s degree from the University of Arkansas and then began his professional sports career.
After a season of professional baseball, Robertson began his teaching and coaching career and ended up at Tech, where he led the Bulldogs’ basketball team one of the greatest seasons in the program’s history. He also coached with nine different professional teams, serving as head coach with three and as an assistant with the others.
Before his 1999 retirement, Robertson was involved in the NBA finals with the Phoenix Suns, coached two NBA All-Star games and participated with NBA teams in Japan, Italy and Germany. He is also a member of eight Halls of Fame.
Hilton M. Nicholson
Nicholson joined SIXNET, an Internet connectivity company, as its president, CEO and board member in February 2009 and brought more than 25 years of management experience with networking and telecommunications equipment manufacturers with him.
Before SIXNET, Nicholson worked at ADC Telecommunications, where he moved up to the ranks as president of the Network Solutions Business Unit. Prior to joining ADC, he was senior vice president of Product Operations at 3Com, and he served as vice president and general manager of Lucent Technologies’ Core Switching and Routing Division. Nicholson has held a variety of technical, marketing, strategic planning and new business development positions at AT&T.
Nicholson is a 1980 electrical engineering graduate from Tech, and he continued to Clemson to receive his master’s in the same subject and also earned an MBA from Duke University.
John “Clint” Williamson
Williamson was appointed as special expert to the Secretary-General of the United Nations in 2010. Before that, he served for three years as the U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues.
Williamson has also served on the White House staff as the special assistant to the president and senior director for relief, stabilization and development at the National Security Council. Between 2003 and 2006, he served as director for stability operations on the NSC staff. While at the NSC, he also was posted at Baghdad as the senior adviser to the Iraqi Ministry of Justice from April to July 2003.
Williamson also served as the director of the Department of Justice in the UN Mission to Kosovo from late 2001-2002 and as a trial attorney at the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia from 1994-2001.
He also served as a prosecutor in the U.S. Department of Justice Organized Crime Section and as assistant district attorney in New Orleans.
After receiving his bachelor’s degree at Tech, Williamson received his J.D. degree from Tulane University.
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