Lieutenant General Todd Semonite, P.E., M.ASCE, and Chief of Engineers and Commanding General of the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), will be honored by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) as one of five Outstanding Projects and Leaders (OPAL) Award winners for 2019. LTG Semonite is honored in the Construction category. The award recognizes LTG Semonite's extraordinary contributions to the civil engineering industry and throughout his career in USACE, where he has spent 14 years of his 39-year military and engineering career, and will be presented on March 14, 2019 during ASCE's annual OPAL Gala in Arlington, VA.
LTG Semonite is recognized for being the epitome of an outstanding leader with high integrity and energy and passion for the mission. During his time in USACE, he has been recognized for his outstanding leadership in response to four hurricanes affecting Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Louisiana and Mississippi, in addition to wildfires and mudslides in Northern and Southern California. The lieutenant general readily took the task of leading USACE members to repair and restore the Puerto Rican electrical grid, which is typically a Department of Energy mission.
"Lieutenant General Semonite exemplifies the values of integrity, engaged leadership, and persistence, which is exactly what we are looking for in the OPAL Award for Construction," said Robin A. Kemper, P.E., LEED AP, F.SEI, F.ASCE, President, American Society of Civil Engineers. "His leadership and ability to respond quickly to natural disasters with plans in place demonstrates his knowledge and hard work in the civil engineering field."
LTG Semonite has received an abundance of prestigious awards including two awards for the Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Award, five awards for the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, seven awards for Meritorious Service Medal, three awards for Army Commendation Medal and others.