Joe Rapier Named Fellow of the Texas Engineering Foundation
Category: Company News
Written By: Valerie Edgren
Date: June 26, 2019
Joseph R. Rapier was named a Fellow of the Texas Engineering Foundation in June 2019. Through his 28 years as President and CEO of Parkhill, a full-service engineering and architectural design firm, he witnessed a growth of 50% in the firm awarded the honor of being one of the best places to work in the region. He retired after 29 years from Parkhill, most recently being given the Director of Innovation title.
Joe earned a Bachelor of Architectural Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin in 1981. He joins Parkhill innovators CL “Tex” Kidwell, PE, F.NSPE; R. Kyle Womack, PE, F.NSPE; and former CEO Charles C. “Clayton” Yeager, PE, as Fellows.
He has served his profession and community as Texas Society of Professional Engineers president, TSPE regional vice president, State Legislature Council Chair of the Texas Council of Engineering Companies, president of the Lubbock Chapter of Construction Specifications Institute, chairman of the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce, vice chairman of the Lubbock Chamber, PAC vice chair, Lubbock Reese Redevelopment Authority president and a member of the St. Elizabeth Parish Finance Committee.
His “Building Community Investment” program donated more than $500,000 and over $400,000 in pro-bono services to help projects for communities that Parkhill serves. Employees also volunteered thousands of hours at fundraisers and outreaches to help their cities. One of his initiatives was Parkhill’s Leadership Academy to develop emerging professionals.
He began his career as a structural engineer in Lubbock after starting and operating his own practice. He was named the Texas Society of Professional Engineer’s (TSPE) South Plains Chapter Young Engineer of the Year in 1991, the same year he joined Parkhill. Since then, he has earned a plethora of titles and awards, including TSPE Distinguished Engineer of the Foundation in 2005, the 2013 TSPE South Plains Chapter Engineer of the Year, a Leadership Lubbock Distinguished Alumnus in 2015, UT Academy of Distinguished Alumni in the Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering in 2015, and the 2019 Business Person of the Year at the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce. He also counts his time as a member of the John Ben Sheppard Leadership Forum as a highlight of his career.
The Texas Engineering Foundation Membership Recognition Program recognizes community leaders who have worked to enhance the engineering profession and engineering education.
