A new group of innovators has joined the State of Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame, highlighting the work of engineers whose careers have shaped industries across the state.
The 2026 class was formally inducted during a ceremony on Feb. 28 at the Bryant Conference Center in Tuscaloosa. Six individuals entered the Hall of Fame, alongside one corporation and one engineering project recognized for their impact.
Since its founding in 1987, the Hall of Fame has honored engineers whose work advanced technology, strengthened infrastructure, and brought national attention to Alabama’s engineering community.
The program operates through a collaboration among engineering schools across the state, including The University of South Alabama, Auburn University, The University of Alabama, Alabama A&M University, Tuskegee University, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, and The University of Alabama in Huntsville.
For communities across the Gulf Coast, the honorees reflect the kind of work that quietly powers everyday life — from bridges and highways to manufacturing systems and aerospace innovation.
A Mobile Engineering Leader Earns Recognition
One name on this year’s list carries a strong connection to Mobile’s engineering and technology community.
Keith A. Jones, CEO of Prism Systems Inc., earned induction after more than four decades of engineering leadership. Jones helped found Prism Systems in Mobile in 1989 alongside two partners. Over time, he acquired full ownership and expanded the company into an international engineering firm.
Today, Prism Systems designs advanced software and control systems used in some of the world’s most sophisticated manufacturing environments. The company’s technology supports industrial facilities across more than 45 countries and serves 19 of the Fortune 50 companies.
Prism’s systems also power highly complex automation environments, including control platforms used in major theme park attractions and advanced production lines.
Jones remains deeply committed to mentoring the next generation of engineers. He serves on multiple advisory boards and, alongside his wife Alison, established an endowed scholarship at Auburn University to support students pursuing engineering careers.
His induction highlights the role Mobile-based companies continue to play in the state’s technology economy.
Engineers Who Shaped Defense, Space and Technology
The 2026 Hall of Fame class represents a wide range of engineering disciplines, from aerospace to national defense systems.
Among those honored was Eric F. Edwards, a retired U.S. Army civilian strategist whose work advanced critical aviation technologies. During his tenure leading the Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center, his team helped develop several technologies now used in the AH-64E Apache helicopter.
Jonathan Pettus, now executive director of the Auburn University Applied Research Institute in Huntsville, built a career advancing aerospace and defense technology. He previously served in leadership roles at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and later at Dynetics.
Barry J. Pike, a longtime senior executive with the U.S. Army, spent 35 years helping design and deploy missile defense systems that support U.S. military readiness.
Each career reflects decades of work developing systems that operate behind the scenes yet influence global defense capabilities and aerospace innovation.
Engineering That Connects Communities
Infrastructure projects also received recognition through the work of Lloyd L. Pitts, a senior structural engineer with Volkert Inc.
Pitts has spent more than forty years designing bridges, transportation systems, and coastal restoration projects throughout Alabama. His work includes several major projects tied to the Mobile area, including the Cochrane-Africatown USA Bridge, the state’s only cable-stayed bridge.
That bridge stands as one of Mobile’s most recognizable engineering landmarks, linking the city with the industrial corridor north of the Mobile River.
Pitts also contributed to coastal restoration work following Hurricane Katrina and now serves as structural lead on the I-10 Mobile River Bridge and Bayway replacement project, one of the most significant infrastructure efforts underway in the region.
These types of projects quietly shape the movement of goods, people, and commerce throughout the Gulf Coast.
Projects and Companies Making an Impact
The Hall of Fame also recognized achievements beyond individual careers.
Integrated Solutions for Systems Inc. (IS4S) received honors as a leading engineering company headquartered in Huntsville. Founded in 2008, the employee-owned firm now employs more than 400 people and focuses on aerospace, navigation systems, advanced manufacturing, and national defense technologies.
Another recognition went to Project R.O.S.E. — Recycled Oil Saves Energy, an engineering initiative that solved a major environmental challenge decades ago.
In the late 1970s, Alabama faced the problem of safely collecting millions of gallons of used motor oil generated by do-it-yourself vehicle maintenance. Project R.O.S.E. developed a statewide system that combined public education, collection logistics, transportation planning, and recycling technology.
The model proved so effective that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency later used it as a guide for programs across the country and internationally.
Together, the individuals, company, and project honored this year illustrate the wide reach of engineering in Alabama.
From aerospace research to coastal bridges and industrial automation, their work continues to influence how communities grow, move, and build for the future.
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