Movers and Shakers highlights the career advancements and accomplishments of high-level trailblazers working professionally in diverse areas of standardization, contributing every day to the strength and success of the U.S. standards and conformance community.
The American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) recently announced the appointment of Cedric Calhoun as its executive director, effective May 1, 2025. Calhoun succeeds Darrin Drollinger, who has led the Society since 2010 and announced his retirement in July 2024.
With more than 20 years of association leadership experience in executive and consulting roles, Calhoun is president and CEO of Eclipse Business Strategies, with experience in driving financial sustainability, organizational alignment, and strategic execution. His most recent day-to-day management role was with the Door & Hardware Institute and Door Security and Safety Foundation. He was also executive director of the Alliance of Hazardous Materials Professionals for eight years, and gained experience partnering with engineers in that role.
“We’re very pleased to welcome Cedric to the ASABE family,” said ASABE president Doug Otto. “His expertise in organizational development and stakeholder engagement positions him perfectly to guide our Society through the evolving challenges and opportunities in the years ahead. We are confident that under his leadership, ASABE will strengthen its role as a premier global organization supporting professionals who are dedicated to sustainable solutions for food, water, fiber, energy, and the environment.”
“I am incredibly honored and excited to join ASABE as its new executive director,” said Calhoun. “The opportunity to lead an organization dedicated to advancing sustainable solutions for some of humanity's most critical challenges is truly inspiring. I extend my sincere gratitude to the search committee and president Otto for their thorough process and for placing their trust in me. I look forward to working alongside the talented ASABE members and staff to build upon the strong foundation laid by Darrin Drollinger and to drive the organization forward, leveraging my experience to strengthen our impact and expand our reach.”
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) recently awarded the 2024 Kate Gleason Award to Patricia Brackin, Ph.D., director of the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology’s engineering design program and ASME Fellow. The award, established by the ASME Foundation in 2011, recognizes the contribution of a distinguished female leader in engineering.
Brackin helped spearhead Rose-Hulman’s Home for Environmentally Responsible Engineering program, a living and learning experience for students interested in sustainability and humanitarian engineering. For 11 years, she served as director of the Institute’s Operation Catapult program, helping to introduce high school seniors to science and engineering.
She has also been a member of Rose-Hulman mechanical engineering faculty since 1995. Brackin earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nuclear engineering from the University of Tennessee and a doctorate in mechanical engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology. She worked as a design engineer with the Chicago Bridge & Iron Company and has spent an academic sabbatical leave as a project engineer with Eli Lilly and Company.
Brackin received the award during the Foundation’s recent annual celebration of its progress toward empowering next generation engineers in Washington, DC.
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