Initiated in 1992, the Hall of Distinction recognizes and honors UK College of Engineering alumni for exemplary professional accomplishments, outstanding character and an ongoing commitment to community service. Every member of the Hall of Distinction is honored with a plaque in the lobby of the Ralph G. Anderson Mechanical Engineering Building. All members are listed here.
Damon Barber (B.S. in Mining Engineering, 1990)
Since 2014, Damon Barber has been the senior managing director of Liberty Metals & Mining. In his 30-year investment banking career, Barber has advised and assisted companies on over $70 billion of mergers and acquisition activities and over $20 billion of debt and equity capital raisings. Barber has served on the board of directors of Yara Dallol B.V., Atalaya Mining Plc, Ram River Coal Corporation, CST Mining Group, Marcobre S.A.C. and Baralaba Coal Company. While managing director of Baralaba from 2018 until 2021, he oversaw and directed the development of the Baralaba North metallurgical coal mine into commercial production. He graduated with his MBA from the Wharton School of Business in 1996.
Don Kelly (B.S. in Civil Engineering, 1965; M.S. in Civil Engineering, 1967)
Don Kelly was the Kentucky secretary of transportation from 1991-1995, the longest anyone had held the position at the time. In this position, he was chairman of the American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials Advanced Transportation Systems, the ADVANTAGE I-75 Policy Committee and the ITS America Advanced Rural Transportation Systems Committee. In 1995, the American Public Works Association named him one of the Top Ten Public Works Leaders in North America. Previously, Kelly worked at Murray State University as associate professor of Engineering Technology, interim vice president for University Relations, assistant to the president for budget and legislative affairs, director of Rural Development and executive director of the MSU Foundation.
Gregg Coleman (B.S. in Electrical Engineering, 1985)
Gregg Coleman is the founder and president of InLine Automation Group, a production line company that operates in three states. He sold it to Gray, Inc in 2018 and it now operates as InLine Engineers LLC, a Gray Company. In 2001, he also founded CRG Technologies, which was sold in 2021 and now operates as CRG Automation. Previously, Coleman was the vice president of engineering for Automation Technologies, Inc. Under his leadership, the company grew 300%. Coleman supports scholarships in the UK College of Engineering and Children of Fallen Patriots, he is a supporter of the Kentucky Science Center and he serves on the UK Advisory Board for the College of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Jesus Caban (M.S. in Computer Science, 2006)
Jesus Caban is the chief of Clinical and Research Informatics at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center National Intrepid Center of Excellence. His software design has received the Defense Health Agency Innovation Award, the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States HealthIT Award and the Federal HealthIT Innovation Award. In 2016, he was selected as the vice chair of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers Visualization conference. In 2017, he founded the American Medical Informatics Association Visual Analytics Work Group. In the past eight years, he has been an adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University and Uniform Services University. He received his Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Maryland Baltimore County in 2009.
Lisa Ernst (B.S. in Chemical Engineering, 1986)
In her 35 years at Procter & Gamble, Lisa Ernst served as engineer, director of research and development, and vice president of research and development. She retired as senior vice president of R&D for Oral Care and the consumer health sector leader of R&D in 2022. During her tenure, Crest and Vicks became $1 billion brands and Oral B Power and Head & Shoulders became $2 billion brands. She has sponsored P&G’s R&D Hispanic Affinity Network, African American Network and Women’s Network. P&G awarded her the Kathy Fish North Star Award for her work towards setting product standards. At UK, she has served on the board of the Gaines Foundation, the Dean’s Engineering Advisory Council and the Lewis Honors College Advisory Council.
Uday Deshpande (M.S. in Electrical Engineering, 1992; Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, 1999)
Uday Deshpande is the chief technical officer of D&V Electronics, which produces solutions for test components and modules used in electric vehicles. Deshpande has worked for Sunbeam-Oster, Globe Motors, Black & Decker, DeWalt, General Atomics, Ingersoll Rand and CNH Industrial. He speaks five languages, has ten U.S. patents awarded or pending and has several publications. Deshpande continues to serve as an active member of the Society of Automotive Engineers and the Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers. Deshpande is passionate about supporting teachers and has worked with Classroom Central, United Way and Habitat for Humanity for several years. He has also organized fundraisers for Voice of World, an orphanage for disabled children in India.