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The New Mexico State University Alumni Association honored two College of Engineering alumni during Homecoming 2017 celebrations.
Eloy Torrez, founder, owner and president of SEI Group, Inc. was honored as the College of Engineering Distinguished Alumnus.
The Distinguished Alumni awards, established in 1956, recognize living NMSU alumni who have achieved national or international distinction through their accomplishments, leadership and meritorious service that reflects the quality and advancement of NMSU.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering in 1970 from NMSU, the Hondo, New Mexico, native graduated from UCLA with an engineering master’s degree in 1976.
Torrez begin his career as an entry-level engineer with Hughes Aircraft Company, and in only 14 years he became the chief engineer of the Maverick missile system and a laboratory manager.
Torrez founded the SEI Group, Inc. in 1996. For the past 16 years, the company has been listed in the “Hispanic Business Magazine” Top 500. SEI provides engineering, construction, facility operation and maintenance, energy saving and security technologies to the U.S. Department of Defense and other federal agencies.
He has kept close ties to NMSU throughout his career, serving on the Engineering Dean’s Advisory Council and as president of NMSU’s Klipsch School of Electrical and Computer Engineering Academy. He has made generous contributions to the Society of Women Engineers, the Dean’s Fund for Excellence, and endowed a scholarship in memory of his parents, Eloy Torrez and Savina Salcido.
Most recently, Eloy funded the Eloy Torrez Family Learning Communities in Engineering, which offers peer tutoring and mentoring services to all engineering students.
Also recognized was Frank Seidel, this year’s recipient of the James F. Cole Memorial Award for Service. Seidel is a 1982 graduate of the College of Engineering and president and founder of Seidel Technologies.
The James F. Cole Memorial Award for Service, established in 1966, recognizes those who have shown progressive support, dedicated involvement, and impactful civic and humanitarian service at NMSU and within the communities around them, and notable professional service.
Seidel has more than 35 years of experience in the oil and gas industry and attributes much of his success to the education and opportunities he received at NMSU. He serves on several boards and committees, including the NMSU Foundation Board and Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering Industrial Advisory Board, and serves as the CHME Academy Chair.
Seidel Technologies, has sponsored Arrowhead Center’s Entrepreneur Encounters program which brings successful entrepreneurs to campus. He is an active member of the NMSU Campaign Committee and Aggie Athletics Club.
Seidel is also a generous financial contributor. He and his wife, Jennifer, have supported an endowed scholarship for a chemical engineering student. In 2016, they provided the funding for the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering to have its own brew lab, which will help expand the department expand a popular field of study for chemical engineering students.
Seidel and Torrez were recognized along with other NMSU distinguished alumni during a dinner held Friday, Oct. 27 by the Alumni Association.
