Central Dewitt Hall of Fame Induction Class 2014 Alan Nabb Central Dewitt Hall of Fame Induction Class 2014

Inducted for Outstanding Contributions as a distinguished graduate of Central High School

Biography Alan Nabb is a 1963 graduate who spent 45 years dedicated to public service.  He served a 22-year career with the United States Air Force reaching the level of Lieutenant Colonel.  He has earned the Bronze Star Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Meritorious a Service Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon, Air Force Training Ribbon and Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross.  In 1990 he began a private career and in 2002 he was awarded the Distinguished Service Award for actions he took on 9-11 by the Metropolitan Transit Police.

Article from the Observer Alan Nabb brings people together, thanks in part to decades of public service in the mass-transit and telecommunication industries. Alan and Errol, identical twin brothers, were born in Davenport. The Nabb’s moved to DeWitt just in time for Alan and Errol to enter first grade with Central Community Schools. During their time at Central, Errol said some of the teachers truly made a lasting impact on Alan, himself and other students. “They provided us with a lot of guidance and incentive for the students to do better,” Errol said. “Joseph Beck taught mathematics, Larry Cederoth taught economics and Keith Winston taught chemistry and physics. Those are the three I can remember making a lasting impact. I think part of that success was laid at the academic level at Central. It gave a good foundation to allow people to go on to executive level careers, be it military, private level industry or academics.” Errol, freshly retired and living in Arkansas, attributes Alan’s success to both their education and upbringing. “It’s the background, people call it the Midwest work ethic,” Errol said. “Our parents were always that way and we strived to do the best we could.”

The Observer (cont.) Errol and Alan shared some quality time walking to school together. “It must have been about six or seven years we walked to school,” Errol said. “We lived on U.S. 30 west of DeWitt. It wasn’t the easiest thing competing with the 55 mph speed zone on your bike.” The brothers spent a considerable amount of time together throughout their high school years, including a majority of their college career helping care for their father, who was disabled. “We spent quite a bit of time together,” Errol said. “We certainly took most of our high school classes together. For three of the four years of college we were able to stay at home, and Augustana offered some scholarship opportunities.” After graduating from Central in 1963, Alan traveled to Rock Island, Ill., to Augustana College where he studied mathematics and physics and graduated in 1967. Errol also attended Augustana, studying accounting. Following his time at Augustana, Alan began his career in the U.S. Air Force. In June 1968, he completed officer training school at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. From there he completed the communications officer course at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Miss.

The Observer (cont.) After obtaining the necessary training, Alan bounced around to various assignments related to telecommunications and networking between 1969 and 1980 with stops at Fort Monmouth in Eatontown, N.J., Korat Royal Air Base in Thailand, Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base in Kansas City, Mo., and Eielson Air Force Base in Fairbanks, Alaska. And, in between all of those assignments, he was able to obtain his two master’s degrees. In 1974, Alan earned a master of science degree in telecommunications from the University of Colorado. In 1977, he earned a master of arts degree in management from Webster University in St. Louis. He was also promoted to major during his assignment in Fairbanks. It was a busy time, but Alan didn’t slow down. In 1981, he completed a telecommunications systems staff officer course at Keesler Air Force Base and received the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association Honor Award for outstanding student in the class. In 1985 Alan was promoted to lieutenant colonel while on assignment at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Wash. He ended his service in the military in 1990 after an assignment at Kirkland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, N.M.

The observer (cont.) Alan earned numerous accolades during active duty in the Air Force, including six meritorious service medals, a National Defense Service Medal and a Bronze Star. During the 1990s, Alan held several upper- management positions in the communications field including a stint as project manager at Symboint Inc. in Washington, D.C., where he led a $23 million project to upgrade network infrastructure in 17 U.S. Department of Defense medical treatment facilities in the U.S. and overseas. Dale Barber, a high school friend, said Alan’s success is well earned. “He was a very bright young man when we went to school, and it doesn’t surprise me that he found success,” Barber said. “Alan worked very hard, and he was a great student.” In 2000 Alan moved into the public transit field as a project manager for the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, which operates the second largest metrorail system in the U.S. Today, he is the assistant general superintendent for automatic fare collection, communications and shops and material support at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. He oversees 400 technicians, supervisors and managers in that role. Overall, Alan has 45 years of public service experience, including 13 in the public transit sector and 22 in the Air Force.

Induction speech Inducted for Outstanding Contributions as a Distinguished Graduate Alan Nabb is a 1963 graduate of Central High School. Since that time, he has spent 45 years dedicated to public service and is a role model as a Hall of Fame Distinguished Graduate. After graduating from Central in 1963, Alan attended Augustana College in Rock Island, IL earning his B.A. in Mathematics and Physics. Upon leaving college he entered and served a 22- year career with the United States Air Force successfully completing Officer Training School, Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas in 1968. Over his career, his military promotions have included Second Lieutenant in 1968, First Lieutenant in 1969, Captain in 1971, Major in 1980 and Lieutenant Colonel in October of 1984. He also received a Masters Degree in Telecommunications from the University of Colorado in 1974 as well as a Masters Degree in Management from Webster University in St. Louis in 1977. While in the military he served in Texas, Mississippi, California, New Jersey, Thailand, back to California, Colorado, Missouri, Alaska, back to Mississippi, Washington, Illinois finishing as Chief, Strategic Communications and Information Systems Branch, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, Kirkland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He has been awarded or decorated with the following military honors: Bronze Star Medal (1971), Air Force Commendation Medal (1971), Meritorious Service

speech (cont.) & video Medal (1977) with First Oak Leaf Cluster (1980), Second (1983), Third (1985), Fourth (1988) and Fifth (1990). He also has garnered the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor and Four Oak Leaf Clusters and Excellence Award with Two Oak Leaf Clusters. He was the recipient of the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with Three Service Stars, Air Force Overseas Short and Long Tour Ribbons, Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon with Four Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Force Training Ribbon and Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm and Campaign Medals. After retiring from active military service in 1990 he began a private professional career with Science Applications International Corporation (IL & VA) and Symbiont, Incorporated (Washington DC) leading multi-million dollar projects including vast improvements in medical treatment capabilities for service members and veterans. In 2000 he began a transit career, working for Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. In 2002 he was awarded a rare Distinguished Service Award from the Metropolitan Transit Police Department for actions he took relative to 9-11. In 2008 he was promoted to Assistant General Superintendent and to this date has provided leadership for several crisis situations, directly contributing to the safety of public rail transportation throughout the world. He and his wife Rita currently live in Virginia. Please help me welcome the newest member of the Central High School Hall of Fame, 2014 inductee… Alan Nabb.