The Professional Engineers of North Carolina (PENC) Council of Fellows has designated GUC’s Water Resources Construction Contracts Engineer Cliff Cahoon, PE, PLS, as a PENC Fellow. 

Being chosen as a Fellow is the highest distinction a PENC member can hold, as it recognizes current members who have distinguished themselves throughout their careers with significant engineering achievements, service to PENC, and service to the profession. In being selected as a PENC Fellow, Cliff was nominated by chapter officers, given recommendations by several other Professional Engineers, selected for nomination by the PENC Council of Fellows, and granted approval from the PENC Executive Committee at their meeting in late 2022.

PENC Fellows must also have been a member for at least 10 years, have been a practicing engineer for at least 20 years, and a leader within PENC. Cliff was officially presented with the designation at the PENC Annual Conference in June and recognized at the GUC Board of Commissioners meeting in August. 

Cliff is a licensed Professional Engineer (PE) in both North Carolina and Virginia and a licensed Professional Land Surveyor in North Carolina. He obtained his B.S. in Civil Engineering Technology from the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, where his journey to becoming a PENC Fellow began. While at UNCC, he served as President of the Associated General Contractors and Vice-President of the American Society of Civil Engineers student chapters, was employed by UNCC to teach the Civil Engineering Program Surveying Lab, and, upon graduating Cum Laude, was awarded the Benjamin Hood Service Award by the Engineering Department and Outstanding Achievement as an Undergraduate by the NC Section of American Society of Civil Engineers.

PENC also recognized Cliff for his professional contributions as a PE to the industry and his community. Prior to joining GUC in 1998, he was employed with private engineering consultants for nine years and designed the state’s first municipal vacuum sewer collection system for the City of New Bern. He’s been an active member of PENC since 1992, having served in five different Chapter officer positions including Chapter Governor on the State Board of Governors.   

Cliff’s community involvement includes 30 consecutive years of coordinating food at the annual MATHCOUNTS competition for area middle schools, school presentations and event coordination for National Engineer’s Week, and serving in various leadership roles at his churches. He’s also been presented with three awards from PENC during his 31-year membership (Outstanding Service Award, Service Award, and Engineer of the Year).

Join us in congratulating Cliff on this outstanding, lifetime achievement!