CEM’s Alumni Academy welcomes three new members
UND’s College of Engineering & Mines celebrates influential, successful careers of three alumni
On Friday, Sept. 30, the College of Engineering & Mines celebrated the achievements of three alums during the annual Alumni Academy Induction Ceremony.
Family, friends and colleagues gathered in the Memorial Union to celebrate the highest honor bestowed by the College of Engineering & Mines to alumni. This year’s group of inductees include Scott Boe (Electrical Engineering, ’83), Kristine H. Brindle (Chemical Engineering, ’78) and Leslie R. Honeyman (Geology, ’69, ’78, posthumously).
The Alumni Academy is comprised of selected alumni, with members inducted each year. The academy was first established in 2003 to honor the achievements of alumni and serves to encourage and motivate current students in their academic pursuits.
Scott Boe | Electrical Engineering ’83
Boe graduated Cum Laude with his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering in 1983. His career began with Hughes Aircraft Company’s missile systems group. He was a management consultant for Gemini Management Consulting and Vice President of National Operations for COMSYS Technical Solutions before becoming co-owner and chief development officer of Boecore, Inc., an aerospace and defense engineering company specializing in software solutions, systems engineering, cybersecurity, enterprise networks and mission operations.
Boe has fond memories of his time at UND, including lining up at the Old Ralph early on Fridays for games. He also recalls an exhilarating overtime game against Wisconsin in 1979 that cleared the arena before a winning goal was made, which sent the roar of the remaining crowd to a disappointed group outside. Scott received the 1983 UND Male Honor Athlete of the Year Award.
Among his many career awards is the 1986 Hughes Missile Systems “Superior Performance Award” from the AMRAAM Program. In 2008, Boecore received a Nunn-Perry award from the Office of the Secretary of Defense and was the first Nunn-Perry award winner for the Missile Defense Agency.
A current member of the College’s Executive Board, Boe continues to give back to UND and his home state of North Dakota. He and his wife Kathy recently established the “Persistence Pays Off” endowment for students in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. They are significant supporters of the new Griggs County (N.D.) Hospital & Nursing Home and the Cooperstown (N.D.) Community Foundations. Their generosity reaches extensively throughout their community in Colorado Springs, as well.
Kristine H. Brindle | Chemical Engineering ’78
In 1978, Brindle graduated Summa Cum Laude with her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. After earning her degree, she had a successful 20-year career with Texaco, which took her to locations in Wyoming, Texas and Colorado. Brindle continued her successful career working with Hefta Group, Inc., Noble Energy, Inc. and Sierra Hamilton, serving as a senior engineering advisor, senior asset manager and operations manager. A registered professional engineer in Wyoming and Colorado, she was part of the Engineering for Coal Bed Methane Team that received the Texaco USA “Star Quality Champion” Award in 1992.
When asked why she chose the field of engineering, Brindle credited some early influences and recalls touring a sugar beet plant in Moorhead, Minn., at the age of 8 and found it fascinating. She also attended high school outreach events that further piqued her interest. She noted that Tom Owens, former professor and chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering, was a neighbor and family friend, which may have influenced her choice to pursue chemical engineering.
Along with classmates, Brindle spearheaded an endowment to pay tribute to Owens, their mentor, by establishing and providing ongoing support to the Thomas C. Owens Chair of Chemical Engineering Endowment. They hope their gifts will continue to help UND recruit and retain the “best of the best” faculty and the most capable students. She continues to support the Tom Owens Endowment as well as other scholarships that benefit UND students.
Leslie Honeyman | Geology ’69, ’73 (Posthumously)
Born and raised in Hettinger, N.D., Leslie (Les) Honeyman earned both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in geology from UND. Honeyman led a successful 41-year career as a highly respected oil expert in geology, beginning in 1973 with Exxon Mobil in New Orleans and later transferring with Exxon to Midland, Texas. He later worked with Endeavor Energy Resources through his own successful consulting company Honeyman Exploration, also in Midland. During his career, he did extensive work studying the Permian Basin in Texas.
“Although I do not know why Les chose UND, he was the reason I chose to go to UND,” recalled Les’ brother, Jim.
His college roommate and lifelong friend Bob Barton also offered stories of Honeyman as a geology student. The two were roommates in McVey Hall their sophomore year. Honeyman changed roommates each year in a calculated effort to meet people. Barton quickly learned that Honeyman was not the stereotypical kid of a farmer and rancher from Western North Dakota; he was environmentally conscious and forward-thinking. He was always thinking of the elements in the area — the petrified wood, the coal mines and the region’s topography. Barton also recalled memories with Honeyman at his cabin in Manitoba, where Honeyman would poke around in the granite of the Canadian Shield.
In memory of his legacy, LaNell Honeyman established the Les Honeyman Memorial Scholarship in honor of her late husband and his 41-year career in the oil business. This scholarship has supported North Dakota resident students pursuing either an undergraduate or graduate degree in the field of geology at UND. Family, friends and former classmates joined LaNell at the ceremony to honor Les.
