News release prepared by: Mary Rankin, 785-532-6715; mrankin@k-state.edu

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

TWO DISTINGUISHED ALUMS JOINING COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING HALL OF FAME

MANHATTAN -- The Kansas State University College of Engineering Hall of Fame will induct two new members in ceremonies Saturday, April 30. Induction to the hall is the highest honor the college bestows on its alumni.

Honorees are recognized for their professional success and accomplishment, active involvement with and support of the College of Engineering, dedication to K-State, and professional and public service. Candidates are nominated by the College of Engineering administration, faculty and alumni and represent the top one percent of graduates of the college.

Inductees for 2011 include Nagamangala Krishnamurthy "N.K." Anand and James Johnson.

Anand, College Station, Texas, is the executive associate dean of engineering at the Dwight Look College of Engineering, Texas A&M University. He has a bachelor of engineering degree from the Bangalore University, India, 1978; a master's in mechanical engineering from K-State, 1979; and a doctorate in mechanical engineering from Purdue University, 1983.

Anand has served in several leadership positions in the Dwight Look College of Engineering and its department of mechanical engineering, serving as graduate program director and associate head of the department, assistant dean for graduate programs, interim head of the department of chemical engineering, associate dean for graduate programs, associate dean for research, associate director of the Texas Engineering and Experiment Station, interim executive associate dean and his current post as executive associate dean of engineering.

He has published more than 90 technical articles, 72 of which are in refereed journals. His research has been recognized by his peers through several honors and awards, most notably as the Texas Engineering Experiment Station fellow. In recognition of his overall technical contributions, Anand was named a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineering and has served as an associate technical editor of the association's Journal of Heat Transfer. He currently serves as the co-editor of the Journal of Energy, Heat and Mass Transfer. In addition, he is a member of the editorial board for Numerical Heat Transfer and is currently chair of the association's K-20 Committee on Computational Heat Transfer.

Johnson, Westcliffe, Colo., is a 1984 graduate of K-State in construction science. In 1997 he assumed the role of president and CEO of GE Johnson Construction Company, a commercial general contractor headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colo., with annual sales volumes in excess of $300 million. Before becoming president, Johnson served as vice president with primary responsibilities in business development and the formation of the special projects division.

Johnson is a current board member of the YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region and the Wells Fargo Bank-Colorado Springs Community. He is a trustee of the Kansas State University Foundation, serves on the College of Engineering Advisory Council and the K-State Alumni Association's board of trustees, and is a member of the Young Presidents Organization. Johnson is a past board member of the Downtown Partnership, Associated General Contractors-Colorado; Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center; El Pomar Community Health; Greater Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce; Goodwill Industries of Colorado Springs; Penrose Hospital Foundation; Workers Compensation Coalition; past member of the Greater Colorado Springs Economic Development Corporation; Citizen’s Goals Board Member; and a past member of the Southeast Denver Douglas County Economic Development Council; 2008 Chamber Business Citizen of the Year; and recipient of the 2009 Sister Myra James Award for Outstanding Service.