Six Georgia Tech School of Electrical and Computer Engineering graduates received some of the highest honors at the 2026 College of Engineering Alumni Awards Induction Ceremony on Saturday, March 21.

The awards recognize alumni who have contributed to the profession, advanced in their careers, and enhanced the lives of others both personally and professionally.

Among this year’s ECE honorees were entrepreneurs, academics, and leaders of industry.

Chaouki Abdallah (M.S. EE 1982, Ph.D. EE 1988), Bob Stargel (EE 1983), and Meade Sutterfield (EE 1972) were inducted into the Georgia Tech Engineering Hall of Fame. Eric F. Hayes (EE 1994) was named to the Academy of Distinguished Engineering Alumni, while Danny Giglio (EE 2009, MBA 2017) and Laura Kitashima Giglio (EE 2010, M.S. ECE 2011) each joined the Council of Outstanding Young Engineering Alumni.

Read more about ECE honorees below. All photos have the awardee in the middle alongside cohost Jim Borders (ME 1983) on the left and Interim Dean Doug Williams on the right.

More photos from the ceremony can be viewed here.

Engineering Hall of Fame

Membership in the Engineering Hall of Fame is reserved for individuals holding an engineering degree or honorary degree from Georgia Tech. Those selected have made meritorious engineering or managerial contributions during their careers.

Chaouki Abdallah

M.S. EE 1982, Ph.D. EE 1988
President, Lebanese American University

Chaouki began his studies at the Faculté d’ingénierie of Université Saint-Joseph before earning his B.E. from Youngstown State University in 1981. After earning his Georgia Tech degrees, he joined the University of New Mexico (UNM) as a faculty member in the electrical and computer engineering department. Chaouki later served as department chair, provost, and executive vice president for Academic Affairs, and ultimately UNM’s 22nd president.

He was named professor emeritus and provost emeritus in 2018. That same year, Chaouki became executive vice president for Research at Georgia Tech, where he advanced large-scale research initiatives across the Institute. He is recognized for excellence in teaching, research, and service. He received the Lawton-Ellis Award, the School of Engineering senior research excellence award, and the 2017 UNM Staff Hero Award. He has published eight books and more than 400 peer-reviewed papers. As UNM provost, he led major gains in student success, increasing retention and graduation rates, expanding the Honors College, rebuilding tenure-track ranks, and launching key academic planning initiatives. He remains active in research and is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a senior member of IEEE, and a recipient of the IEEE Millennium Medal.

Bob Stargel

EE 1983
Vice President of Global Nonwovens (Retired), Kimberly-Clark Corporation
Principal (Retired), Stargel Consulting

Bob had a distinguished career with Kimberly-Clark Corporation. Focusing on the nonwovens industry, Bob led research and engineering, manufacturing, and global businesses with operating budgets/P&Ls up to $1.5 billion and 1,100 employees. Bob’s earlier career included positions in manufacturing and electrical engineering, maintenance management, and process engineering. Bob is active in numerous industry, professional, and community organizations.

He has served as the chair of the Georgia Tech Alumni Association and is currently on the boards of the Georgia Tech Research Corporation and the Georgia Tech Foundation. He has been recognized by the Georgia Tech Academy of Distinguished Engineering Alumni, was named Father of the Year by the American Diabetes Association, and was recognized by SAVOY Magazine as one of the Top 100 Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America. Bob resides in Johns Creek, Georgia, with his wife, Jocelyn (IE 1982, M.S. IE 1986).

Meade Sutterfield

EE 1972
CEO, SSPCS Corp

Meade has been an angel investor and mentor in 37 companies. He was a founder and president of PowerFone Inc., and Johnson Communications Corporation; both were part of the roll-up that created Nextel Communications. He also was CEO of AllianceWall, vice president and general manager of the Service & Industrial Division of Kimberly-Clark, and launched his career at Scientific-Atlanta in Europe and North America.

Meade came to Georgia Tech as a football player. After earning his Tech degree, he went to Harvard for his MBA. He has served as the chair of the Georgia Tech Alumni Association and the ECE Advisory Board. He currently serves on several boards, including the Georgia Tech Foundation, ECE, Flashpoint, and Georgia Tech- Europe. He is chair of the Sandy Springs Arts Foundation, which supports arts in the city’s public schools. In 2002, he and his spouse, Susan, were among the founders of the Central Eurasia Leadership Alliance, an annual leadership academy and network for mid-career leaders. They remain active in the Alliance, which now has 700 members. He and Susan live in Sandy Springs. They have four married children and 10 grandchildren ranging from 4 to 21 years old.

The Academy of Distinguished Engineering Alumni

The Academy of Distinguished Engineering Alumni Award recognizes alumni who have provided distinguished contributions to the Institute, profession, field, or society at large. Candidates are highly placed executives and are actively involved in engineering, management, industry, academia, or government.

Eric F. Hayes

EE 1994
Executive Vice President, Operations Arm

Eric’s career includes more than 30 years of semiconductor experience commercializing deep-tech innovation and scaling global businesses. He has led organizations with P&Ls exceeding $500 million and built high-performance teams across multiple countries. His career spans engineering, product management, general management, and executive leadership. Throughout these positions, he has created market- defining products, grown businesses, driven acquisitions, streamlined operations, and mentored future leaders.

After studying semiconductors at Georgia Tech, Eric spent over a decade at Broadcom, where he helped create the “White Box” switching business model that transformed the hyperscale data-center market — growing revenue from less than $100 million to more than $1 billion annually. As senior vice president and general manager at Inphi Corporation, he expanded the PAM4 DSP business to $400 million and strengthened the roadmap through strategic acquisitions. He also held senior leadership roles at Cavium and Marvell, delivering significant operational efficiencies. Eric later served as CEO of Fungible, where he refocused the company, established product-market fit, secured key customer wins, and ultimately led its acquisition by Microsoft.

The Council of Outstanding Young Engineering Alumni

The Council of Outstanding Young Engineering Alumni Award recognizes alumni who have distinguished themselves through professional practice and service to the Institute, the engineering profession, or society at large. They are on the fast track and have made rapid advancement within their organizations. Already, they have been recognized for early achievements by others within their profession, field, or organization.

Danny Giglio

EE 2009, MBA 2017
Division Manager, Inglett & Stubbs

Since graduating from Tech, Danny has built a 16-year career at Inglett & Stubbs, one of the nation’s premier electrical construction firms. He led several of Georgia’s largest and most complex healthcare projects, including Piedmont Hospital’s Marcus Tower and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Arthur M. Blank Hospital. Danny also managed the Atlanta Braves stadium project and multiple hyperscale data centers. He now leads Inglett & Stubbs’ Modular Division, spearheading the company’s evolution toward advanced offsite construction and scalable manufacturing strategies. In his role, he’s helping position the organization at the forefront of the industry’s shift toward modularization and improved project delivery.

Danny competed on the Georgia Tech track team as a pole vaulter, served as president of Sigma Phi Epsilon, and met his wife in Calculus II during their first semester on campus. Together they enjoyed fraternity and sorority events, spent a summer studying abroad at Georgia Tech- Europe, and completed senior design as teammates. Just as importantly, they have two sons with the initials “THWG.”

Laura Kitashima Giglio

EE 2010, M.S. ECE 2011
Sr. Principal Team Leader, Supplier Relationship Management, Chick-fil-A Inc.

Laura and her Chick-fil-A team partner across the organization to build aligned, scalable processes that deliver a consistent experience for suppliers and internal teams. As one of the first members of the Corporate Procurement team, Laura was tasked with establishing the Supplier Relationship Management function — work she continues to grow and lead today.

As a Georgia Tech student, Laura explored multiple areas of electrical engineering through co-op rotations, neuroengineering research, and participation as a Petit Research Scholar. Though she no longer practices engineering directly, her technical training continues to inform her leadership through analytical thinking, problem-solving, and a systems mindset. Inspired by the many supportive alumni she encountered while co-founding the Student Alumni Association, Laura remains deeply engaged with Georgia Tech through mentoring, speaking on student panels, and supporting scholarship selection efforts. She met her husband in 8 a.m. freshman calculus and is raising two future Yellow Jackets: Tommy and Teddy (THWG!).