Alfred Tsuguo Nitta, CPESC, founder of Nitta Erosion Control, passed away on May 31, 2010, on the family ranch in Loomis, CA, where he was born on March 19, 1923. Al was 87 years old.
Everybody knew and liked Al Nitta. Nitta joined IECA in 1977 and was awarded the Environmental Achievement Award for his innovative retrofit designs. At 85 years of age, he was named Contractor of the Year at EC08 in Orlando, FL. He also served on the board of directors of the Western Chapter IECA for many years. His last annual conference was EC09 in Reno, NV, where he volunteered as a greeter at the IECA membership booth, sharing his warmth, stories, laughter, and life with everyone.
“Al was one of the first members I met when I started working for IECA 15 years ago. It was a highlight to see him every year at our annual conference, where he never ceased to amaze me with his stories, his warmth, his love of life, and his genuine nature. He was one of a kind, and I feel blessed to have called Al a friend,” says Meg Tully, CAE, IECA’s association development director.
Always a leader and a scholar, Dr. Sherri L. Dunlap, MBA, D.Eng., CPESC, of Houston, TX, passed away on June 25, 2010, at the age of 54.
Dunlap was the applied technology and new product manager for the Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) in Houston. While her specialty was erosion control-vegetative and engineered and combinations of the two-she introduced technology to HCFCD by coordinating seminars and webinars. She made technology more available for HCFCD, its engineering consultants, and others by sponsoring the creation of design manuals such as the HCFCD Design, Installation, and Maintenance Manual for Gabion Structures. She also sponsored the Design Manual for Articulating Concrete Block Systems, written by Paul Clopper, P.E., in 2001.
Dunlap was a member of IECA since 1995, where she served in numerous capacities. She was a member of the IECA board of directors for seven years; was an annual conference speaker for many years; and served on many committees, such as the technology sections and the editorial review board for Environmental Connection magazine. She also chartered the South Central Chapter of IECA which includes Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas.
“Sherri was truly an individual. She was incredibly smart and went above and beyond to help make sure the articles in our magazine were thoroughly reviewed for high quality. She also led the charge to form the South Central Chapter back in 1998. She was always willing to voice an opinion and to do something about the things she cared about. She was passionate, funny, down-to-earth and someone that I admired and respected,” says Meg Tully, CAE, IECA’s association development director.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Caring Aggie Mentoring Program (C.A.M.P.) c/o Houston A&M Club, PO Box 27382, Houston, TX 77227, the American Diabetes Association, or the International Crane Foundation, PO Box 447, Baraboo, WI 53913.
