Awards and Scholarship Night
Come join us for a night of celebration at the Awards and Scholarship Night! This exciting event will be held at Maggiano’s Little Italy located on Filbert Street in Philadelphia, PA, USA. Get ready to applaud and honor the outstanding achievements of our membership and ROTC students.
Awards Information
Supporting Member Firm of the Year: Schnabel Engineering
Schnabel Engineering has been a company member of SAME for 32 years and has been a solid and reliable supporter of the Philadelphia Post. Schnabel has been fostering Sharon Krock’s active involvement in the Philadelphia Post for over twenty years and encouraged her to pursue a national leadership position. Schnabel proudly supported Sharon, the Society’s 105th National President as she traveled throughout the country representing the Society. For at least the last two decades, Schnabel has consistently supported the Philadelphia Post’s Liberty Classic Golf Outing as a Hole Sponsor. Recognizing the importance of our future engineers and scientists, Schnabel Engineering sponsors at least two students at every year’s Awards and Scholarship night so Scholarship recipients can attend the event for free.
Young Member Award: Ryan Boonstra, PilieroMazza
Mr. Boonstra first began attending SAME events just before the outbreak of COVID in 2020 and became a member of SAME in 2021. Upon joining, he volunteered as a member of the Fundraising Committee and continues to serve on that committee. In 2025, he was elected to the Post Board of Directors and became the Chair of the Fundraising Committee. During his time on the Fundraising Committee, it has put on numerous social events, raising thousands of dollars for the Post. These events include Scotch and Cigar Night, Puttshack, Beat the Bomb, disc golf, a Philadelphia scavenger hunt, and a virtual wine tasting. The Fundraising Committee also established the Liberty Bell Sponsorship program offering companies an upfront sponsorship purchase which includes tickets to each fundraising event hosted during the year. This program has enabled the Fundraising Committee to continue putting on events with little overhead risk.
Notable Achievement Award: James Wood, USACE Philadelphia
As the Deputy for the Office of Small Business Programs for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia District, Mr. Wood’s primary goal is to serve as a bridge between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers” (USACE) mission and the small business community. He has consistently supported the SAME Philadelphia Post by serving as a speaker and panelist for its Small Business Program events. In this capacity, he provides industry partners with direct insight into USACE’s mission, acquisition forecasts, and strategies for navigating federal procurement. His aim is to foster transparency and collaboration, thus ensuring that small and diverse businesses have the maximum opportunity to contribute to our nation’s engineering challenges.
Service Award: Gordon Araujo, Jr., F.SAME, UGI Utilities
Mr. Araujo serves as the Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP) Program Manager for UGI Utilities, Inc. and has been an active member of the SAME Philadelphia Post since 2006. Recognized as a Fellow in 2022, Gordon currently serves as the Post Assistant Treasurer, a role following five years as Post Treasurer and three years as Assistant Treasurer. His leadership within the Post has centered on enhancing governance, specifically through modernizing financial transparency and standardizing reporting protocols for Board and corporate compliance. He previously spearheaded the digitization of the Post’s communications, migrating its web presence to the National platform and implementing data-driven social media and email engagement strategies. This dedication to organizational growth began early in his tenure; in 2016, Gordon attended the Emerging Leaders Alliance Workshop, the predecessor to the current SAME Leadership Development Program. His contributions were honored with the Post Young Member Award in 2016 and a Regional Vice President’s Medal in 2025. Gordon also serves on the steering committee for the Design and Construction Issues at Hazardous Waste Sites (DCHWS) Symposium, which was awarded the inaugural SAME Industry-Government Engagement Award in 2018. A Bucknell University alumnus with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and an M.S. in Environmental Engineering, he balances his technical career with extensive community service. He currently serves as the consistory secretary and IT director for his church, treasurer for a hiking club and a business league, controller for a community choir, and assistant scuba diving instructor.
Scholarship Information
This year the post has a total of up to $45,000 to be awarded to deserving student(s) enrolled in STEM programs that are positioned to develop into the next generation of military, government, and industry leaders. Nominations for the scholarships are solicited from local colleges and universities that have ROTC programs.