About Us

OUR MISSION

To provide a forum for members and partners of the highway industry that supports education, innovation and fellowship; promoting a safe and efficient highway system for mobility now and in the future.

We offer a wide range of networking and professional development opportunities for individuals in the highway industry throughout Georgia. We operate a Young Members Group (anyone ≤35 years old) and are looking to establish ASHE chapters at local universities.

FORMATION OF ASHE GEORGIA

The Georgia Chapter began in 1996 through the efforts of Frances Gallagher.  Frances had been a member of ASHE in Florida, and believed the organization to be a perfect fit for Georgia’s emerging and rapidly growing highway design and construction family.  She recruited a core group of colleagues as an organizing committee to help promote the idea of a Georgia Chapter, and ASHE Georgia was off and running.  The organizing committee represented a broad spectrum of the highway construction industry, including the Georgia Department of Transportation, private consultants, roadway contractors, and others.  The first meeting of the prospective Chapter was held on March 26, 1997 to test interest and was an overwhelming success.  On February 5, 1998, the Georgia Chapter was officially chartered, represented by some 80 Charter Members and 33 Charter Firms with Frances Gallagher serving as the first Georgia Section President.

An initial organizational meeting was held on December 18, 1996 at HNTB Corporate Office.  Frances Gallagher chaired the meeting.  Participants were:  Frances Gallagher, Tom Morton, Carol Bowler, Dominic Saulino, Tom Ziegler, and Frank Danchez.

The Chapter was charted on February 5, 1998.  The charter meeting was held at Cross Creek Cafe´ in Atlanta, Georgia.  The program included a social hour, invocation, dinner, introduction of guests, remarks from ASHE National, the installation of the Charter Officers, installation of the Charter Members, the signing of the Charter, and adjournment.  Approximately 110 people attended the charter meeting.

CHARTER OFFICERS

President – Frances Gallagher

Vice President – Tom Ziegler

Treasurer – Dom Saulino

Secretary – Tom Morton

CHARTER MEMBER FIRMS

Michael Baker, Jr., Inc.

Mayes Sudderth & Etheredge, Inc.

Transportation Systems Design, Inc.

United Consulting Group, Ltd.

Ralph Whitehead Associates, Inc.

W.K. Dickson & Company, Inc.

Pond & Company, Inc.

Kisinger Campo & Associates, Inc.

Precision Planning, Inc.

Tribble & Richardson, Inc.

Sycamore Consultants, Inc.

Post, Buckley, Schuh, & Jernigan, Inc.

LPA Group, Inc.

Rosser Lowe, Inc.

American Engineers, Inc.

Gresham, Smith, and Partners

Wolverton & Associates, Inc.

HNTB Corporation

Moreland Altobelli Associates, Inc.

Presnell Associates, Inc.

HDR Engineering, Inc.

Piedmont Olsen Hensley, Inc.

Kimley-Horn & Associates, Inc.

Hoffman & Company, Inc.

Columbia Engineering & Services, Inc.

Jordan, Jones, & Goulding, Inc.

Day Wilburn Associates, Inc.

Traffic Engineering Solutions, Inc.

Greenhorne & O’Mara, Inc.

Parsons Brinckerhoff, Inc.

Heath & Lineback Engineers, Inc.

RBA Group, Inc.

Riley, Park, Hayden, & Associates, Inc.

AWARDS

National Awards (Individual)

2001 Wayne Shackelford (Pearson Person of the Year)

2009 Jill Kaempf (Young Member of the Year)

2009 Tom Moreland (Pearson Person of the Year)

2014 Tim Matthews (Member of the Year)

2014 Nikki Reutlinger Parris (President’s Award)

2023 Mindy Sanders (Member of the Year)

2026 James Nguyen (Young Member of the Year)

National Awards (Chapter)

George Hart Award (largest percent increase in membership) – 1999

Gene G. Smith Award (largest number of new members) – 2006, 2007, 2008, 2013, 2019, 2020, 2023, 2024, 2025

Robert E. Yeager Award (best balance of employment categories for new members) – 2026

Most Conference Attendees at Roll Call – 2016, 2024, 2025

2017 – Project of Year Award (under $2M) for Skip Spann Connector Project

Georgia Section Member of the Year

2010 Mindy Sanders

2011 Rob Dell-Ross

2012 Nikki Reutlinger (Parris)

2013 Tim Matthews

2014 Brian O’Connor

2015 Scott Jordan

2016 Jason Hewatt

2018 Tim Matthews

2019 Lindsey Dunnahoo

2020 Chris Rideout

2021 Sarah Blackburn

2022 Jared Estes

2023 Karyn Matthews and Scott Jordan

2024 Jean Yu

2025 James Nguyen

Georgia Section Volunteer of the Year

2010 Liz Scales

2011 Sarah Worachek (Blackburn)

2012 Kevin Riggs

2013 Holly Bauman (Painter)

2014 Sarah Worachek (Blackburn)

2015 Karyn Matthews

2016 Shawn Fleet

2018 Kim Lehner

2019 Jared Estes

2020 David Jackson

2021 Steve Mosher

2022 Cindi McAdams

2023 Ben Kauss

2024 Joe Chevrier

2025 Ravi Vachhani

Georgia Section President’s Award

2010  Tom Ziegler

2011  Nikki Reutlinger (Parris)

2012 Rob Dell-Ross

2013 Brian O’Connor

2014  Shawn Fleet

2015  Michael Bywaletz

2016  Sarah Blackburn

2018 Jason Hewatt

2019 Cindi McAdams

2020 Karyn Matthews

2021 Richard Meehan

2022 Jennifer Lott

2023 Lindsey Dunnahoo

2024 James Nguyen

2025 Stephanie King

Georgia Section Sponsor of the Year

2010 United Consulting

2012 AECOM, TY Lin, Edwards Pitman

2013 TY Lin

2014 Edwards Pitman

2018 Infrastructure Consultants & Engineering

2019 Long Engineers

2020 None (COVID, no events to sponsor)

2021 Nova Engineering & Environmental, LLS

2022 Heath and Lineback Engineers

2023 Gresham Smith

2024 Heath & Lineback Engineers. Inc.

2025 Luster National, Inc.

NATIONAL CONFERENCES

2009 ASHE National Conference

In 2009 the ASHE Georgia Section sponsored the National Conference.  The conference was held at the Westin near the Perimeter Mall on the north side of Atlanta.  The Conference Chairman was Tom Ziegler with Co-Chairman Alan Hunley.  Special events included a dinner and laser show at Stone Mountain Park, the local band “Odd Man Out” playing after the Banquet and a fantastic golf tournament at Bear’s Best Golf Course.  With an outstanding technical agenda the conference was a success for all involved.

2023 ASHE National Conference

In 2023, the ASHE Georgia Section proudly hosted the National Conference at the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel and Convention Center in Cumberland. Conference Co-Chairs Karyn Matthews and Scott Jordan led the effort to deliver an exceptional experience for attendees from across the country. The event featured a dynamic and well-rounded technical agenda, complemented by memorable networking opportunities and social events. Highlights included a lively tailgate (with band!) and evening at a Braves game, as well as a festive Casino Night that brought attendees together for fun and camaraderie. With strong leadership, amazing volunteers, engaging programming, and outstanding participation, the 2023 conference was a resounding success.

ASHE GEORGIA TODAY