Edward D'Alba, 2002 Engineer of the Year in the Delaware Valley, addressed the assemblage and highlighted, with pride, a few of the many outstanding accomplishments of the engineering profession. He identified perseverance, inspiration, and teamwork as personal qualities that he admired in his engineering colleagues. He used his personal experience of being part of a rowing team on the Schuylkill River to illustrate the values
of perseverance and teamwork. He said, "The daily practice on the river at 5:30 AM and the dedicated work of veterans teaching beginners were lessons that still influence me today." On the river he learned that teamwork can win over size and strength. He spoke about the importance of the team concept when working on engineering projects. He praised and thanked his colleagues for their dedication and perseverance over the years. He shared the award of Engineer of the Year with his coworkers.
