ASHE National Officers
2004-2005

Terence D. Connor
National Secretary
Terry is a member of the ASHE Southwest Section in Region 3. He was a two term President of the Southwestern Section. He has been our National Secretary for approximately 26 years. As a result of his dedicated service to the ASHE Organization, the National Board granted him an Honorary Membership.

Terry earned his B.S. in Civil Engineering from Pennsylvania State University in 1961. He began his engineering career in the public sector by gaining employment with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Terry worked more than 30+ years in PennDOT at various levels of design and management before retiring from the State. At that time he moved to the private sector and took the position of Vice President - Western PA with McTish, Kunkel & Associates, Inc. in Rostraver, Pennsylvania. Terry has been employed at MKA for the last 13+ years. Terry is a Professional Engineer and Professional Land Surveyor in the state of Pennsylvania. He’s also a member of ASCE, PSPE, and NSPE.

Terry and Diane have been married for 44 years. They reside in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. They have 4 children and 5 grandchildren. He and his wife like to attend plays at various theaters, and he enjoys playing golf. Terry also sings in the Uniontown Chorale, attends various church functions, and is a Director of AAA East Central.

Rodney P. Pello, P.E.
National President
Rod is a charter member of the North/Central New Jersey Section in Region 6. He served as their Section President for two terms. Rod also served as the National Director of Region 6 from 1995 to 2001. In 2002 he was elected as the 2nd Vice President of ASHE National and now serves as National President.

Rod earned his B.S. in Civil Engineering from Tri State University in 1963. He has over 40 years of experience in the design, management, and implementation of transportation improvement projects in the New Jersey-New York region. Rod began his career in engineering with the HNTB Corporation, working there for 30 years. He then worked for the URS Corporation for the next three years as the Director of Engineering in their New York Office. From 1997 to 2003 he worked for the Parsons Transportation Group in Newark, New Jersey as their Vice President/Area Manager. In 2003 Rod completed the circle and returned to the HNTB Corporation where he is now an Associate Vice President.

Rod is a Professional Engineer in the State of New Jersey. He is currently the President of the American Council of Engineering Companies of NJ (ACECNJ), and also serves as the Chairman of the ACECNJ Transportation Committee. The Transportation Committee serves as the liaison between the consulting engineering community and all public transportation agencies in New Jersey.

Rod resides in Randolph Township, New Jersey and has two daughters, Cynthia and Christine, as well as two grandsons, Jake and Jesse. Rod’s spare time is usually spent watching his grandsons play soccer and watching the New York Giants try to win!

Richard S. Prentice
National 2nd Vice President
Dick has been a member of the Delaware Valley Section for over 30 years. Elected to the Section Board of Directors in 1984, he served as a Section Officer from 1988-1991, holding the positions of 2nd Vice President, 1st Vice President, and President. When the National Board reorganized the ASHE organization in 1995, Dick was named as the Delaware Valley Section’s Regional Director. He volunteered to be the Region 6 Secretary and served in that capacity for the next six years. Dick was a motivating force in starting the Region 6 Seminars that are now offered every October. In 2001 he was elected to be the Region 6 President/National Director. On the National Board, Dick chaired the Legislation Committee and currently Chairs the Membership Committee. He was the assistant Registration Chair for the 1985 National Conference hosted by the Delaware Valley Section, the Registration Chair of the 1997 National Conference hosted by the Delaware Valley Section, and currently involved in the development of the 2007 National Conference hosted by Region 6. In 2002 the Delaware Valley Section named Dick the “ASHE Person of the Year” by the Delaware Valley Section, and in 2003 he was named an “Honorary Member” of the First State Section. Dick was instrumental in getting our IACET recertification. In 2004 he received the “President’s Award” for his significant contributions to ASHE.

Dick received a degree in Architecture from Temple University in 1968, and then earned a B.S. in Structural Engineering in 1978 and a M.S. in Civil Engineering in 1981, both from Drexel University. He began his engineering career in 1968 with Pennsylvania Department of Transportation working in Bridge Design (13 yrs), Project Management (12 yrs), and Traffic/Transportation Engineering (11 yrs). After 36 years in the public sector Dick retired from PennDOT and moved into the private sector. He accepted a position with McMahon Associates, Inc. in Fort Washington, PA, where his talents, diversity and experience in highways, structures and traffic engineering fit extremely well with the needs of the firm.

Dick is active in other engineering organizations. He sits on the Board of Directors of the Delaware Valley Engineers Council (24 yrs), and the Board of Directors of the American Public Works Association - Delaware Valley Section (3 yrs). Dick is also a member in the Institute of Transportation Engineers (6 yrs), and the Engineers Club of Philadelphia (2 yrs).

Dick resides in Mont Clare, Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, he lost his wife, Donna, to cancer in September 2003 after 28 years of marriage. Dick is the proud father of their two daughters, Jessica, a Chemical Engineer and Kristen, a senior at the University of Delaware. He is an active member of Saint Andrew’s Lutheran Church. Dick has served on the Church Council (6 yrs), taught 7th Grade Sunday School (15 yrs), and currently chairs the Church Property Committee (20 yrs). Dick likes to travel and enjoys reading.

Ronald L. Purvis
National 1st Vice President
Ron currently serves as National 1st Vice President. Before serving as National 2nd VP in 2003-4, he served as National Director of Region 7 (2000-03). He is a charter member of the Potomac Section in Region 7. He has served at various capacities including 2nd Vice President, 1st Vice President, and President of the Potomac Section. He has also served as Chair of the National New Sections Committee (2002-04) and helped to charter the Greater Hampton Roads Section.

Ron served in the public sector from 1961-1979 with Virginia DOT performing various jobs including Bridge Engineer in charge of bridge inspection, inspection, maintenance and repair work. From 1979-1999 Ron was employed by an ENR Top 500 international consulting engineering firm starting as project engineer and ending as Vice President and Director of firm wide bridge remedial technology. In 1999 he opened and managed a Washington DC office for another large highway and bridge engineering firm.

Ron started Ron Purvis Associates in 2000, providing bridge related research and training services to transportation agencies nationwide. From 2000-2002 he also provided Pontis Bridge Management System implementation services for state DOTs. Ron is a Professional Engineer in the states of Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, Florida, and Washington D.C.

He has published over 25 papers presented at national conferences such as Transportation Research Board (TRB) and International Bridge Conference (IBC). Ron is the current Chair of TRB Structures Maintenance Committee. He is past President of the Washington D.C Chapter of ACI and received the “1995 Outstanding Accomplishment Award” from the National Capital Section of ACI. In 1991 he was invited to testify at a Congressional Hearing on “Condition of Nation’s Bridges” by the House Subcommittee on Investigation and Oversight. He served on the FHWA expert panel for “Nondestructive Evaluation of Highway Bridges”. Ron was chosen by American Road & Transportation Builders Association to visit several highway agencies in Russia as part of a technology exchange program.

Ron and Dorothy have been married for over 20 years. They reside in Chantilly, Virginia. They have three grown children, Deborah, Chris, and Jenny. Dorothy is also an ASHE Member and works as a Transportation Engineering Supervisor for Virginia DOT.

Robert E. Yeager
National Treasurer
Bob is a member of the Altoona Section in Region 4. Joining ASHE in 1963, he was a Board Member and President of the Altoona Section. Bob then served on the National Board and became National President in 1974. He has been our National Treasurer since 1975. With over 28 years of dedicated service to the ASHE Organization, the National Board granted him an Honorary Membership on April 17, 1998.

Bob earned his B.S. in Civil Engineering from Pennsylvania State University in 1959. He later continued his education at Cornell University in Construction Engineering. Bob began his career as a field engineer with the Harrison Construction Company and then with the S. J. Groves Construction Company. Over the next 23 years, he continued to refine his construction skills with Vipond & Vipond, Inc., earning promotions from Supervisor to Project Manager, to Vice President of Construction. Bob switched to the I. A. Construction Company where he worked for 10 years as their District Manager. From 1995 to 1997 Bob was the owner of R. E. Yeager Consulting, Inc. He retired in 1997 after working more than 38 years in the construction industry. Bob has an E.I.T and is a Professional Land Surveyor in Pennsylvania.

Bob and Mariann have been married for 47 years. They reside at their horse farm in Hollidaysburg, PA. Bob and Mariann are members of the Zion Lutheran Church. They have 2 grown children, Susan and Jeffrey. Bob and his wife enjoy traveling around the country in their mobile home, so their Yorkshire terrier can travel with them. Bob is an active member of the Juniata Lodge F & A.M. #282, the Altoon Valley of Scottish Rites Consitory, the B.P.O. Elks Lodge #212, and the 796th Military Police Battalion Association. Bob enjoys hunting and is a member of the Trout Run Rod & Gun Club in Clearfield County.