TTI’s Katie Turnbull Named 2026 Outstanding Alumni by Texas A&M College of Architecture

Four former students have been selected for the College’s highest honor.

The College of Architecture at Texas A&M University has selected four distinguished former students as recipients of the 2026 Harold L. Adams ’61 Outstanding Alumni Award.

The College will honor the recipients at a banquet on Friday, Nov. 13, at the Texas A&M Hotel and Conference Center. The award is the College’s highest honor and recognizes former students whose careers have made lasting contributions to their professions, communities and the built environment.

Selected through a rigorous nomination and review process, the honorees represent the college’s excellence across design, planning and construction disciplines. Out of more than 16,000 College of Architecture former students, fewer than one percent have earned this distinction.

The following have been announced as 2026 Harold L. Adams ’61 Outstanding Alumni:

• Frank “Teddy” A. Peinado ’88
• Michael Rey ’99
• Dave Stauch ’79
• Katherine F. Turnbull, Ph.D. ’93

Full profiles of each honoree are available below.

Founder and CEO, Peinado Construction

Frank “Teddy” A. Peinado ’88 has built more than a construction company. Through his work as founder and CEO of Peinado Construction, he has helped create jobs, mentor future construction leaders and support veterans, first responders and Aggie students.

Peinado Construction is a Texas-based design-build contractor specializing in industrial, distribution, data center and office facilities. Since founding the firm in 2010, Peinado’s teams have delivered approximately 75 million square feet of tilt-wall construction. Headquartered in Frisco, the firm operates across Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, the Rio Grande Valley and El Paso.

Peinado grew up in El Paso as the son of a Mexican immigrant. After attending New Mexico Military Institute with plans to seek a West Point appointment, his father’s death during his senior year redirected him to Texas A&M. Here, he joined the Corps of Cadets and Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity and earned a bachelor’s degree in construction science in 1988. He later pursued graduate studies in construction management.

Before starting his own firm, Peinado spent two decades supervising more than 20 million square feet of construction. 

Under his leadership, Peinado Construction has grown into one of the region’s leading industrial contractors. The firm’s portfolio includes large-scale projects for clients such as Toyota and Caterpillar, as well as developments at DFW International Airport. Known for its expertise in industrial tilt-wall construction, the company has managed projects valued in the billions and has consistently ranked among Engineering News-Record’s Top 400 Contractors.

Peinado’s professional achievements have earned national and regional recognition, including Hispanic Businessman of the Year from the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Congressional Patriot Award, Latino Leaders’ Maestro of Entrepreneurship Award and multiple Aggie 100 honors.

Peinado also supports future generations of construction leaders. Today, Peinado Construction actively recruits and employs Aggies, providing internships, mentorship and career pathways for young professionals entering the construction industry. Several Aggies have built their early careers through the firm, continuing Peinado’s commitment to developing future construction leaders.

In support of the College of Architecture, he endowed two Department of Construction Science scholarships: the Frank A. “Teddy” Peinado Scholarship in Commercial Construction and the Peinado Industrial Tilt-Wall Construction Scholarship. He also supports programs across Texas A&M, including the 12th Man Foundation, equestrian teams and student-focused philanthropic initiatives.

A former member of the Corps of Cadets, Peinado has carried his commitment to service into his support for veterans and first responders. He supports organizations including Carry the Load, Helicopters for Heroes, 22Kill and Sons of the Flag.

Javier Palomarez, president and CEO of the U.S. Hispanic Business Council, said Peinado’s impact extends far beyond construction.

In a letter of support, Palomarez called Peinado “a builder in every sense of the word: of buildings, of businesses, of opportunity and of community.”

Peinado’s commitment to building extends to the next generation of Aggies, including his own family. He lives in Aubrey and has two daughters, Scarlett ’28 and Ava ’30, who are both Texas A&M students.

Principal and Managing Director, Gensler

Aggie architect Michael Rey, AIA, NCARB, ’99 has helped shape places of memory, learning and civic life, from the Texas A&M Bonfire Memorial to the future Alamo Visitor Center and Museum. Born in Lima, Peru, Rey moved to San Antonio at 7 years old, beginning a lifelong connection to the city.

Rey is principal and managing director of Gensler’s San Antonio office, where he leads public, civic, cultural, higher education and mixed-use projects across Texas and the United States. Since joining Gensler in 2021, Rey has led major projects including the Alamo Visitor Center and Museum, UTSA’s San Pedro II academic building and a new graduate programs building for Texas A&M’s Mays Business School.

Rey graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s in environmental design from Texas A&M in 1999. He and his wife, Julie, both attended Texas A&M and graduated that year. He later earned a Master of Architecture with honors from Yale University in 2005, where he received the AIA Henry Adams Certificate.

His career has included leadership roles at Jacobs, Office 4 Architecture and Overland Partners, where he built a portfolio of public, civic, cultural and institutional projects before being recruited to lead Gensler’s San Antonio office. At Overland, his work included civic and community projects such as Texas Public Radio’s headquarters and the ChildSafe Harvey E. Najim Children & Family Center.

Among Rey’s most meaningful projects is his work on the Texas A&M Bonfire Memorial. As part of the Overland Partners team, Rey contributed to a project that required a careful balance of remembrance, restraint and design excellence. The Bonfire Memorial, dedicated to the 12 Aggies who died in the 1999 Bonfire collapse, has become one of Texas A&M’s most significant campus landmarks and a nationally recognized example of how architecture can honor grief and collective memory.

Rey’s award-winning work reflects his commitment to public impact, from places of remembrance such as the Texas A&M Bonfire Memorial and Dallas Holocaust Museum and Center for Tolerance to educational and community spaces such as the UT Student Activity Center and ChildSafe.

Alan B. Colyer ’81, retired design director and principal at Gensler and a 2003 recipient of the Outstanding Alumni Award, said Rey brought the reputation and leadership needed to guide Gensler’s San Antonio office.

“At the time we recruited Michael to lead our newest office in San Antonio, we needed a leader who was highly respected in the city, a trusted advisor to key decision makers, and with a reputation for the design and execution of signature projects,” Colyer wrote in a letter. “Under Michael’s leadership, in a very short span of time, the office has tripled in size and spearheaded high-profile projects.”

Rey’s connection to Texas A&M has remained constant throughout his career. He has returned to campus as a lecturer and critic, speaking on topics including the Bonfire Memorial, leadership through collaboration and the Alamo as a lesson in leadership. He has also served as a design review critic and supported students through the Department of Architecture’s industry advisory group, A+AIC, as well as related excellence funds.

Rey and his wife, Julie, have four children — Turner, Lucia, Tripp and Linden — and he credits his family and faith as foundations of his life and work.

Founder and Senior Principal, CPM Texas

Dave Stauch ’79 has spent more than 45 years guiding complex public, civic, commercial and nonprofit building projects across Central Texas, including the $187 million restoration and expansion of the Texas Capitol.

Stauch is founder and senior principal of CPM Texas, an Austin-based firm that helps clients manage complex building projects from planning through construction. He previously co-founded Herndon, Stauch & Associates, serving civic and nonprofit clients.

Stauch earned a bachelor’s in building construction (now construction science) from Texas A&M in 1979. While studying, he was recognized as a Distinguished Student and served as a senior officer in the Corps of Cadets’ Ross Volunteer Company, which helped shape his leadership approach throughout his career.

One of Stauch’s most significant achievements came during his tenure as project manager for the State Preservation Board, where he oversaw the Texas Capitol Restoration and Extension program from 1990 to 1995. The project included the restoration of the Capitol, the underground Capitol Extension and the restoration of the 1857 General Land Office Building.

It earned state and national recognition for historic preservation and remains one of Texas’ landmark public construction efforts.

Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry ’72 praised the project’s lasting quality and significance.

“As Texas governor from 2000 to 2015, I was able to see the enduring quality of the work and attention to detail that remains to this day,” Perry wrote in support. “The success of the Texas Capitol Restoration and Extension brought much national acclaim to Texas as the largest and most successful capitol restoration in the country.”

His additional work includes the Mason County Courthouse, the Paramount and Stateside Theatres, Seaholm Power Plant redevelopment and the Thinkery.

Beyond project delivery, he is recognized as an industry thought leader. In 2019, he founded the Crystal Ball Survey, a benchmarking initiative that gathers insight from more than 40 general contractors to track construction cost trends in Central Texas.

His service to the College of Architecture has centered on mentoring students in the Department of Construction Science. For nearly 12 years, he led upper-level Aggie construction law students on in-depth tours of the Texas Capitol, offering an “insider” view of the restoration and extension project. He has also served as a guest lecturer, speaking with students about the Aggie Core Values and their relevance to professional life. Over the years, Stauch and his firms have hired and trained dozens of Aggies, several of whom have gone on to leadership roles in other firms.

Stauch has also demonstrated a long commitment to civic service. As a member of the American Red Cross of Central Texas Board of Directors, he helped establish a shelter at the Austin Convention Center following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, serving more than 5,000 evacuees. His civic efforts include leadership with Austin Habitat for Humanity, the Central Texas Water Coalition and the Urban Land Institute.

His leadership has been recognized with the ULI Austin Influencer Award, the Red Cross Service Award and the Austin Habitat for Humanity Leadership Award. Stauch also received a State of Texas resolution for his work on the Capitol project, signed and presented by then-Gov. George W. Bush.

His work has left a mark on some of Central Texas’ most important civic spaces while helping prepare the next generation of Aggie construction leaders.

Stauch and his wife have two children, both Aggies, and four grandchildren.

Senior Research Fellow, Texas A&M Transportation Institute

Katherine F. Turnbull, Ph.D. ’93 has spent her career helping cities and transportation agencies improve how people move through communities. Her work has focused on public transportation, carpool and managed lanes, congestion reduction, air quality and more efficient transportation systems.

Turnbull is a senior research fellow at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, where she previously served for 22 years as executive associate director and associate director. Over the course of her career, she has led research for local, state, national and international sponsors while mentoring professionals and helping transportation agencies address complex mobility challenges.

She earned a Ph.D. in urban and regional science from Texas A&M in 1993. She previously earned a master’s degree in urban affairs from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee in 1976 and a bachelor’s degree in political science and history from the University of Minnesota Duluth in 1975.

At TTI, Turnbull helped build and lead one of the institute’s major research groups, guiding teams that studied how transportation systems affect communities, the environment and daily travel. Her research has helped shape national guidance on public transit, high-occupancy vehicle lanes, toll lanes, park-and-ride facilities and express bus service. Turnbull’s work has helped transportation agencies manage roadways more effectively, encourage alternatives to driving alone and improve transportation system performance.

Her research has also explored how new technologies can make transportation safer, more efficient and easier to manage across different modes of travel. She is known for facilitating partnerships among local and state agencies, universities and the private sector.

Gregory Winfree, agency director of TTI, highlighted Turnbull’s influence on transportation demand management.

“One of her most impactful achievements is her work in developing and implementing Transportation Demand Management strategies — initiatives that reduce congestion and improve air quality by encouraging alternatives such as carpooling, telecommuting and public transit use,” Winfree said in a letter.

Turnbull has also been a leading voice in national transportation organizations. She has served as chair or member of 23 Transportation Research Board councils, groups, committees, panels and task forces. She chaired TRB’s Technical Activities Council, which oversees hundreds of committees and task forces that help guide transportation research and practice nationwide, and also served on TRB’s Executive Committee. She currently serves on the Board of Advisors of the University of California, Davis Institute of Transportation Studies.

Turnbull has helped prepare generations of planners and transportation professionals through teaching, scholarships and graduate mentorship. As an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning, she has periodically taught public transportation planning and served on master’s and doctoral committees. She also served for many years on the Master of Urban Planning Advisory Committee.

In service to the College of Architecture, Turnbull established the Katherine F. Turnbull MUP Transportation Scholarship in 1994 and later endowed it, creating lasting support for future urban planning students.

Her career has been recognized with major honors from the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents, the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies and the American Road and Transportation Builders Association’s Transportation Development Foundation, among others. 

Through research, teaching and mentorship, Turnbull has helped make transportation systems more efficient, sustainable and responsive to the needs of communities.

Read more updates and news from our college at https://www.arch.tamu.edu/about/news/.

Article by Ana Renfroe, College of Architecture Marketing & Communications