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IBM Engineers Receive 2001Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Awards

Hispanic Engineer of The Year IBM's Dr. Irving Wladawsky- Berger

For the first time in its 13-year history, the Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Awards Conference (HENAAC) and TECHNICA Magazine selection committee chose two distinguished engineers from the same company to receive top honors.

HENAAC named Dr. Irving Wladawsky-Berger the 2001 Hispanic Engineer of the Year, and Ms. Patricia Romero Cronin the winner for Executive Excellence -- the first woman to receive this award.

"We are pleased to have both of these honors of excellence in engineering fall within a company that values true talent and diversity," said Ray Mellado, founder and chair, HENAAC. "Dr. Wladawsky-Berger and Ms. Romero Cronin represent the kind of successful, intelligent and determined role models we strive to share with our young people."

Established in 1989 as the first initiative to seek out, recognize, honor and document Hispanic excellence in science and technology nationwide, HENAAC brings together students and professionals from the private and public sector to promote the value of success through education. The 2001 Hispanic Engineer of the Year Award is recognition acknowledging overall leadership as well as technical excellence.

The winners will be honored at the HENAAC Awards Show on October 13, 2001, at the Abraham Chavez Theatre, which is located in the El Paso Convention and Performing Arts Center, El Paso, Texas.

Dr. Wladawsky-Berger, vice president, Technology and Strategy, IBM Server Group, was selected as Hispanic Engineer of the Year for his ability to integrate scientific knowledge and engineering techniques from multiple disciplines.

A well-known technology leader and speaker on the future of the Internet, Dr. Wladawsky-Berger holds a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Chicago and has been a leading technologist at IBM for 31 years. He currently leads IBM's strategy for Linux, e-business and the future of the Internet enterprise infrastructure. In addition, as co-chairman of the President's Information Technology Advisory Committee (PITAC), he plays a key role helping the nation develop a strategy for continuing and funding leadership information technology research. He is a member of the Information Technology Advisory Board of the New School University, and the University of Chicago Board of Governors for Argonne National Laboratories, and serves on the board of i-DNS.net International. He is a former member of the Computer Sciences and Technology Board of the National Research Council, and of the FermiLab Board.