Richard Chilton awarded Professional Award in Civil Engineering

Richard Chilton was presented the Professional Award in Engineering (PAE) for Civil Engineering during the 2017 Speed School Homecoming celebration held October 13 at the Brown Hotel.

The award is based on outstanding career performance in engineering, exceptional efforts by an individual to foster the professional development of young engineering college students. exceptional ability in the planning and direction of significant and important projects in technical engineering; and individual contributions to technical engineering knowledgeRichard Chilton was born in Louisville, Kentucky and along with his brother Mark, both of which earned degrees at the Speed School, grew into the evolving family construction business, a company whose first project was plowing victory gardens during WWII. The Chilton family’s first campus excavation project was for the civil engineering building in 1956. Richard entered the Speed School in 1960, when it was still described as a “street car college,” and took his first classes in that same new civil engineering building. By 1972, Richard had added his Master’s in Civil Engineering from UofL as well as an MBA from the University of Kentucky.

The brothers went on to form RAM Engineering and Construction where since 1956, they have enjoyed hands on participation in over 80 construction projects on UofL’s campuses. Perhaps the most notable was the RAM site development contract for the UofL Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium.

Now, when driving through campus, Chilton’s impact is apparent among his contemporaries, a legacy built on 61 years of subtle changes to the University’s landscape. These changes have produced the University of Louisville as it is today, a modernized campus renowned in the region.

Richard is blessed with the love and support of his wife and family, who support him in his ongoing search for the next below ground adventure, while reminding him that life is about love and relationships.