TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama College of Engineering recently honored six alumni as Distinguished Engineering Fellows at a banquet hosted at Bryant-Denny Stadium on April 26.
Each year, the College of Engineering inducts a select group of alumni and supporters as Distinguished Engineering Fellows. Recognition as a Fellow is the highest commendation given to those who have strengthened the reputation of the College.
The 2025 class includes James R. Azar, of Marietta, Georgia; Jeffrey W. Barker, of Knoxville, Tennessee; Dr. Vikram Gopal, of The Woodlands, Texas; Tim King, of Huntsville; Curtis O. Taylor Jr., of Huntsville; and Bonita Vincent, of Eutaw.
For complete biographies of this year’s Distinguished Engineering Fellows, visit the event page.
James R. Azar
James “Jim” Azar is a distinguished technology entrepreneur, computer scientist and business leader with a career spanning four decades in enterprise software development, systems management and IT consulting. After co-founding two prior successful companies, Azar founded Rhino USA in 2005. The company provides secure data backup services to small and medium-sized businesses, helps organizations safeguard critical data, and enhances its clients’ resilience against data loss and cybersecurity threats.
Jeffrey W. Barker
Jeffrey Barker’s career with Chevron spanned nearly forty years, where he held key engineering, operations and management roles. In his final role with the company, Barker served as project portfolio manager, where he oversaw an annual capital budget worth $800 million for oil and gas production and processing. In recognition of this exemplary service, Barker received the company’s highest project management certification as well as the company’s President’s Award and Chairman’s Award.
Dr. Vikram Gopal
Since 2015, Dr. Vikram Gopal has served as senior vice president and chief technology officer at Ascend Performance Materials. Under his leadership, the company holds more than 700 patents and generates over 20% in specialty margins. Gopal was previously vice president of technology at Invista, where he spearheaded the launch of the company’s engineering polymers and nylon pipe businesses, which went on to capture over 15% of the global market and addressed a critical challenge in oil collection.
Tim King
Tim King has worked with MTSI since 2008. Under his leadership, the office was added to the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber’s Best Places to Work Hall of Fame after receiving the distinction over 14 consecutive years. King became vice president in 2014 and began his current executive position in 2017. In this role, King leads MTSI’s Army and Missile Defense Division and is the Huntsville site lead, where he oversees business operations and aligns customer markets across six states.
Curtis O. Taylor Jr.
Curtis Taylor is founder and CEO of Linc Research Inc. Under his leadership, the company has pioneered cutting-edge solutions, earning multiple patents, many in collaboration with NASA, and served clients including USSOCOM, Army PEO Aviation, SOFWERX and ARPA-E. The company’s contributions have been recognized with accolades including the NASA MSFC Small Business Subcontractor of the Year and the prestigious Nunn-Perry Award from the Department of Defense’s Mentor-Protégé Program.
Bonita O. Vincent
Bonita Vincent has dedicated more than 25 years of service to IBM, where she has played a pivotal role in advancing technology and driving innovation. Her ability to navigate complex challenges and collaborate across global teams propelled her into influential roles, through which she has helped shape the future of technology. Today, she serves as an operations leader supporting IBM Consulting, leading strategic initiatives that harness AI and automation to enhance efficiency, boost productivity and accelerate business growth.
