Doris I. Willmer

Doris I. Willmer
Doris I. Willmer (BS 72, MS 73)
Founder and President
Willmer Engineering Inc.

CEEAA Distinguished Alumni Award, 2010

For exemplary performance and outstanding achievement in the consulting engineering profession; for extensive service to civic, humanitarian and professional organizations; for strong commitment to encouraging women to join the engineering field; and for enduring support of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Illinois.

Biography

Doris I. Willmer earned her B.S. (1972) and M.S. (1973) degrees from the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  As founder and president of Willmer Engineering Inc., she brings 37 years of professional civil engineering consulting experience in design and management to Willmer Engineering as a Principal Consultant for environmental engineering projects. She is involved in all aspects of the company’s management and administration.

Willmer began her consulting career in Atlanta, Ga., with the design consortium for the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit System. She was a civil engineer project manager and designer for major commercial development, shopping malls and transportation projects throughout the southeast.  She also conducted applied engineering research, developing public productivity improvement programs for local governments, energy conservation programs for schools and hospitals, and evaluating regulatory impact on small businesses. In 1976, Willmer won an internship to serve on Senator Sam Nunn’s staff in Washington, D.C.  During that time, she prepared white papers and speeches for the Senator on energy conservation and fuel alternatives.

She is a Past President of the American Council of Engineering Companies/Georgia and is currently serving as Georgia’s National Director. She recently completed a five-year term on the Georgia State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors and served two years as chair. She is actively involved in middle school and collegiate mentoring programs and served five years as chair of Georgia Engineers Week Introduce a Girl to Engineering luncheon.

Her numerous awards include the 2009 ACEC/G President’s Award, 2004 Georgia Engineering Alliance Engineer of the Year in Private Practice, May 2002 Competitive Edge Magazine Woman in Business Profile, and 1983 GSPE Young Engineer of the Year.

She is married to Jim Willmer (BS 71, MS 72).  Their two children are also Illinois graduates: Sabrina (LAS 02) and James Carl (LAS 02).  Willmer’s sister is U of I alumna Brenda Ludowig (AHS 81).