Michael B. McCartney ’57

McCartney earned his degree in civil engineering from Alabama Polytechnic Institute (Auburn University), where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. Following graduation, he worked with the Florida State Road Department before joining Cone Brothers Contracting Company of Tampa, Florida. In 1962, he returned to Gadsden to join his father, M.H. McCartney, and to operate the family-owned McCartney Construction Company Inc. and Calhoun Asphalt Company Inc. that was in business from 1945-2018. In 1986, McCartney was instrumental in bringing the National Center for Asphalt Technology, or NCAT, to the Auburn campus and served as a founding board member. McCartney served as a member of the Auburn University Board of Trustees from 1979-93, serving as president pro tem for five years. He received many honors from Auburn, including an honorary membership in Chi Epsilon Engineering Society, Auburn Engineering Alumni Council’s Distinguished Auburn Engineer Award and Auburn’s highest honor, a Doctor of Science degree (Honoris Causa) in 1994. He was inducted into the Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame in 1998 and the Alabama Roadbuilders Hall of Fame in 2008.