Jane Penny, PE, Hill International’s Interim Federal Market Sector Leader and Distinguished Fellow of the Society of Military Engineers (SAME) has been recognized with the prestigious Golden Eagle Award by the SAME Academy of Fellows. The award acknowledges Jane’s contributions to the engineering profession through her commitment to quality and expert leadership in overseeing the delivery of complex infrastructure projects for federal clients.

“Receiving the Golden Eagle Award is deeply humbling,” Jane reflects. “I want to recognize the collective effort within the engineering community. Together, we’ve achieved remarkable results through collaboration, delivering added value and improving the communities we serve.”

Trailblazing Leadership and Industry Impact

Jane is no stranger to industry recognition. Throughout her career, she has dedicated time and effort to professional organizations such as SAME, continuously contributing to their mission. Serving as the National President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of SAME in 2016, she made history as the first female to hold these positions in the Society’s 95-year history. Jane’s contributions to SAME were recognized with awards such as the SAME Gold Medal in 2022 and the President’s Medal in 2007. Additionally, her induction into the SAME Academy of Fellows in 1998 and her appointment as one of only eight Distinguished Fellows in 2018 highlight her influence. Beyond SAME, Jane has been honored with awards such as the Thomas D. White Environmental Award from the U.S. Air Force and the Tyco Chairman’s Award twice for her leadership and engineering excellence.

From Air Force to Infrastructure: Building on Service

Jane has more than 30 years of experience in planning, designing, managing, and constructing major civil engineering, environmental and infrastructure projects. She began her career as a Senior Environmental Engineer for the U.S. Air Force, where she oversaw regulatory compliance for multiple projects. As a Program Manager, Jane played key roles in developing strategic plans for utility system investments, confirming compliance with readiness reporting requirements. She was also responsible for managing a $75 million Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) Architect-Engineer (A-E) services contract at Robins Air Force Base in Georgia, overseeing civil, environmental, medical, and infrastructure initiatives.

“At the core, my military experience set the foundation for managing federal projects,” shares Jane. “I learned strategic planning, regulatory compliance, and project management skills essential for overseeing major initiatives.”

Jane continued to serve as a project manager and environmental engineer for various Department of Defense (DoD) projects, encompassing environmental design, construction, planning, facility assessments, regulatory compliance, and community relations. Her expertise extends to DoD cost estimating projects, with specialized knowledge in PACES and M-CACES Gold. Additionally, Jane contributed to the development of the Remedial Action Cost and Engineering Requirements (RACER) for the Air Force and the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).

Jane later joined AECOM, where she spent 27 years in various leadership roles. As Senior Vice President, Global Client Account Management, she orchestrated the company’s collaborative selling program, fueling organic growth, and nurturing global client relationships. Prior to this position, as Group Chief Executive for National Governments, Jane substantially expanded the firm’s U.S. federal and global government business. Before that, she oversaw AECOM’s Federal Business Development Group. Jane received the AECOM CEO Award in 2011 for her efforts at the company.

Accelerating Federal Business Growth

After a brief retirement, Jane returned to the workforce in 2023 to join the Advisory Committee of Global Infrastructure Solutions Inc. (GISI). Jane has spent the last several months working with the Hill team to significantly grow the company’s federal business and advise on strategic hiring.

“Since joining Hill, I’ve focused on accelerating our federal business expansion, driving growth, and scaling our operations,” says Jane. “I look forward to continuing this journey, working closely with our leadership team to position Hill as a leader in federal contracting while delivering exceptional value to our clients.”

Interim Federal Market Sector Leader Jane Penny holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois. She is a registered Professional Engineer in Illinois and Georgia. Contact Jane at [email protected].

Watch Jane’s Acceptance Speech: