William L. Leonard, Jr., P.E., Acting Chief of Maintenance and Construction Management for the National Park Service at the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, has been named 2005 Alumnus of the Year by the Penn State Worthington Scranton Alumni Society. He will be recognized at a reception in his honor on Thursday, March 2nd at 7:00 pm. in the campus Study Learning Center.
Previous alumni of the year include Joseph Alu, Kathleen Bird, Elizabeth Milder Beh, Dr. Peter Bordi, Violet Byron, Attorney Dante Cancelli, John Cappelloni, Dr. Darlene Dunay, Dr. Kenneth Gentilezza, David Hawk, Thomas May, Ann McDonough, Tina Merli, Patrick Sheridan, Thomas Skibinski and Suzanne Thomas.
Mr. Leonard is a 1978 graduate of Penn State, attending both the University Park campus and Penn State Worthington Scranton. He earned the Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering. He graduated from the Army Management Staff College at Fort Belvoir, VA in 1993 and was an honors graduate from Pocono Central Catholic School in 1974.
Mr. Leonard's professional civil engineering career began in 1978 when he worked for consulting engineering firms, at M & M Engineering, Inc., Easton, PA and then VEP Associates, Inc, Mount Pocono, PA. He joined the Tobyhanna Army Depot's Production Engineering Division in 1982 and in October 1987, he transferred to the Engineering and Housing Division at the depot. He was promoted to Chief of the Engineering Branch in March of 1990, and again promoted to the Tobyhanna Army Depot Facilities Engineer in January 1994. He served briefly on the Commanding General's staff at US Army Communications Electronics Command at Fort Monmouth, NJ in 2000 as the Leader of the Facilities Engineering, Housing and Environment Team.
He began his career with the National Park Service at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Bushkill, PA in December of 2001, as the Park Engineer. He was named Acting Chief of Maintenance and Construction Management there in January of this year.
The Penn State Worthington Scranton Alum of the Year has numerous continuing education credits earned in courses throughout the United States. He published an article entitled "Renovations Provide Handicapped Accessibility" in Public Works Digest, US Army Center for Public Works, Alexandria, VA, January 1996.
Mr. Leonard has the distinction of being named the National Park Service -Northeast Region Facility Management -Facility Maintenance Employee of the Year in 2005. He received a National Park Service Performance Award in November 2003 at the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. He is the recipient of numerous citations in his civilian Army career including the 2001 White House "Closing the Circle Award" for Tobyhanna Army Depot, presented by White House Chief of Staff in June 2001 and he represented Tobyhanna Army Depot as part of the Department of the Army team at the Presidential Award for Federal Energy Management Success on October 2000. The 1999 Army Materiel Command Department of Public Works Engineering Plans and Services, Executive of the Year was awarded to Mr. Leonard, as well as the U.S. Army Communications Electronics Command Top Ten Outstanding Personnel of the Year in 1999.
He is a member of the Penn State Alumni Association, American Society of Civil Engineers, and Pocono Heritage Land Trust Board of Directors, serving as past president of that organization. He is a member of the Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsman's Clubs, having served on the state board of directors of that organization and is past president of the Northeast Division Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsman's Clubs.
Mr. Leonard served as past president and is currently secretary of both the Tobyhanna Conservation Association and the Monroe County Federation of Sportsman's Clubs. He belongs to Ducks Unlimited, The Ruffed Grouse Society, National Wildlife Federation, The Nature Conservancy, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, and Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm Association.
Mr. Leonard is a life-long resident of Tobyhanna, PA and resides there with his wife, Diane, and two dogs, Brandy and Teddy. For information about the Penn State Worthington Scranton Alumni Society meetings and activities call 570-963-2537.