Lynn Hicks—2010 Managerial Engineer of the Year

Lynn is the engineering, heritage, and recreation staff officer for the National Forests in North Carolina. He is recognized for outstanding results in implementing American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) projects, storm recovery projects, aquatic passage projects, and road maintenance. Some of his projects include $13 million in ARRA funds for major trail rehabilitation; historic building and fire tower rehabilitation; recreation facility deferred maintenance; and replacing campground wastewater systems, recreation area/campground restrooms, and road and trail bridges. Lynn also managed over $40 million in storm recovery road, bridge, facility, and trail projects across the forest between 2004 and 2008. His skills in project and program management, facilitation, and communication help him foster a positive work environment of high productivity and innovation.

Lynn received a bachelor's degree in forest engineering from the State University of New York (SUNY) College of Environmental Science and Forestry at Syracuse University. He is a licensed professional engineer in North Carolina and Michigan. He began his Forest Service career in 1978 at the Hiawatha National Forest where he helped to develop the initial land management plan. He moved to the Wayne-Hoosier National Forest in 1983 as a civil engineer. Lynn was promoted to assistant forest engineer for the Monongahela National Forest in 1990 and became forest engineer in 1995. He accepted his current position with the National Forests in North Carolina in 2001.

Lynn has been a Rotary Club member in Elkins, WV and in Asheville, NC. He served as president of the Elkins Rotary Club in 1999. He currently is a member of the Professional Engineers of North Carolina. He has been married for 20 years. Lynn enjoys exercise and fitness, sports cars, auto racing, brewing beer, home improvement, woodworking, and gardening.