May 23, 2002

Dear Dr. Cheng:

I was very pleased to read in the Ole Miss Engineer that a student chapter of the Institute of Transportation Engineers has been chartered at Ole Miss. I received a BSCE at Ole Miss in 1951 and have been a member of ITE since 1956.

I live in San Diego, California, so I can’t do much to assist the chapter on a regular basis. But I can lend my moral support. Also I am on the campus about once a year and would be happy to meet with chapter members if that would be helpful and appropriate.

Let me tell you a little about my background. I was a NROTC student at Ole Miss and spent three years in the Navy. Almost by accident I took a job with the City of San Diego as a junior traffic engineer in 1954. I stayed there fifteen years working almost exclusively in long-range transportation planning. We worked closely with CalTrans to plan the interstate system in the region. I managed the transportation and traffic input to the “All American City” community planning effort. During that period I won the ITE’s Past President’s Award for my paper “Economic Balance of Transportation Modes.”

I left the city in 1969 to join Alan M. Voorhees & Associates, opening and managing the company’s consulting office in Seattle. I completed studies in the Pacific Northwest, California, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Texas and Washington, D.C. I later joined colleagues in the Transpo Group back in Seattle.

I closed my career as Manager of Highway Engineering for the Automobile Club of Southern California, the oldest and largest of the AAA clubs. I was active with the Transportation Research Board and state and national intelligent transportation groups.

My wife and I regularly attend class reunions at Ole Miss. In fact we were on campus April 3^rd to lobby for a new McCain Hall to house the ROTC units. Although my background doesn’t fit well with current programs at Ole Miss, if you would like to have someone discuss planning and consulting, I would be happy to oblige. I’ll probably be back to Ole Miss in March or April 2003 for a reunion.

Good luck with the student chapter and let me know if I can help in an advisory capacity.

Sincerely,

Alton Keith Gilbert

June 2, 2002

Dr. Cheng,

I received the Ole Miss Engineer yesterday. Thank you very much. I have seen the newspaper before but do not remember getting it on a regular basis.

I have recently corresponded by email with Jim Bramuchi, BSCvE 1951. Jim was a classmate of mine, and now lives in Florida. It is very good to get back in touch with the old gang.

I plan to be on campus next on April 9-12. 2003. On that Wednesday I believe I will be giving a brown bag lunch talk about Admiral John S. McCain at Barnard Observatory. The Observatory used to be named McCain Hall after the Admiral. The ROTC alumni reunion is planned for Friday and Saturday.

Best regards,

Keith Gilbert