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Former ACE chairman leads New Year honours for engineering

Rod MacDonald, a former chairman of ACE and one of the founders of Buro Happold was awarded an OBE for services to consultancy and engineering – in a list short on honours for infrastructure and construction.

During his 35 years at Buro Happold, of which he was a founding partner and, for six years, the chairman, Rod took a leading role in the company’s energy projects, including the low energy strategy for London’s 2012 Olympic Park.

He is a civil and structural engineer, a fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers and member of the Institution of Royal Engineers. In 2010 Rod was awarded the ACE Engineering Ambassador of the Year Award for his contribution to the development and future of consultancy and engineering.

Through his company Civic Patterns, he is currently working in a number of fields, all in infrastructure and construction.

In other honours:

Dr Nina Maria Skorupska, chief executive, Renewable Energy Association and non-executive director, WISE Campaign received a CBE for services to renewables and equality in the energy industry. 

There was also a CBE for (Lucy) Nicola Shaw, chief executive officer, HighSpeed 1 (which runs the railway between St Pancras in London and the Channel tunnel) and lately non-executive director, Aer Lingus plc, for services to transport.

Geoff Allister, executive director, Highway Term Maintenance Association received an OBE for services to highway engineering in Northern Ireland.

Dana Skelley, director, asset management, Transport for London received an OBE for services to transport in the UK.

OBE’s also went to a number of prominent architects for services to architecture. These included Edgar Allies and Graham Morrison, founders of Allies and Morrison and  Joanna van Heyningen, former partner van Heyningen and Haward Architects and architect Patrick Borer, from the  Centre for Alternative Technology received an MBE.

Fiona Alfred, executive director, Association of Women in Property, gained an OBE for  services to women in the property and construction industry, and 

Clare Harrigan, Chair of the Board of Governors, Leeds College of Building received an MBE for services to further education and the construction industry.