FPE Alumnus Among First to Receive Glenn L. Martin Medal

Story courtesy of and based on the original by Poole Fire Protection.

Department of Fire Protection Engineering (FPE) alumnus Jack Poole, PE, FSFPE (B.S. '86) and Principal at Poole Fire Protection was awarded one of the first-ever Glenn L. Martin Medals from the A. James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland. The award was in recognition of his significant professional achievements and exceptional service to the Clark School community, in particular to the Department of Fire Protection Engineering.

The award was bestowed on a total of nine individuals who have made significant contributions to the mission and ideals of the A. James Clark School of Engineering. All nine recipients accepted the award in person at the Annual Recognition Dinner Celebrating Philanthropy, Service and Leadership, held in the Riggs Alumni Center at the University of Maryland. FPE Professor and Chair James Milke presented Poole’s award, which reads: For his tireless efforts as an advocate for the field of fire protection engineering and volunteer leadership in the Department of Fire Protection Engineering in the A. James Clark School of Engineering. (Read Milke's introduction [PDF] and Poole’s acceptance speech [PDF].)

Poole received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Fire Protection Engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park, in 1986. He is a Registered Fire Protection Engineer (P.E.) in 49 States and three U.S. Territories, and has 28 years' experience in the fire protection industry. He is the Principal of Poole Fire Protection, which has headquarters in Olathe, Ks. and offices in Oklahoma City, Guam, Bahrain, Italy and Africa.

As an alumnus of the University of Maryland, Poole serves as the Co-Chairman of FPE’s Board of Visitors, is a member of the FPE Curriculum Advisory Committee, served on the Clinical Professor Search Committee, is a Co-Chairman of the Fire Protection Engineering Alumni Club and serves on the Legacy Campaign Committee for the Professor of the Practice.

In addition to being a Fellow of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE), he is on the SFPE Board of Directors and is its Treasurer-elect. He also serves on the SFPE Education Committee, is a member of several NFPA Technical Committees, the ICC, SAME, and NSPE, and is a Past President of the American Backflow Prevention Association.

Poole’s service to the FPE and the University of Maryland includes:

serving as Co-Chair of the FPE Board of Visitors and recently assembling the By-Laws for the organization;

serving as Co-chair of the University Alumni Club, and was one of its original members and organizers;

serving as a member of the Clinical Professor Search Committee;

serving as a member of the Legacy Campaign Committee to raise money for the Professor of the Practice;

serving as a member of FPE’s Curriculum Advisory Committee and helping to write the department’s latest program educational objectives;

serving as a guest lecturer at a several of the ENFP classes;

attending the fire protection engineering career fair on a regular basis; and

hiring interns and new graduates from the University of Maryland’s Fire Protection Engineering program.

About Glenn L. Martin

As one of the nation's aviation pioneers, Glenn L. Martin was a barnstormer who taught himself to fly. In the early 1900s he established the Glenn L. Martin Company to build airplanes. In 1929 he moved the organization, called the Martin Aircraft Company at that point, to Middle River, Maryland (about 45 minutes North of University of Maryland). Martin made his company the leading airplane manufacturer in the nation, producing the bombers, flying boats and other craft that helped the Allies win World War II. In the course of doing so, Martin and his company also developed the next generation of Glenn L. Martin with Franklin D. Roosevelt and aviation pioneers, providing training and experience to William Boeing, Donald Douglas, Lawrence Bell and James S. McDonnell, who all worked for Martin before launching their own corporations. In 1944, in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of engineering at the University of Maryland, Glenn L. Martin made a gift to the university of $1.7 million to establish instruction and research in the aeronautical sciences. He made a second gift of $800,000, named in honor of his mother, Minta Martin, the following year. Today, under the university's careful stewardship, Martin's endowment is valued at approximately $56 million and remains a major source of research funding for the faculty, staff and students of what is now the A. James Clark School of Engineering.

To learn more about Glenn L. Martin's engineering achievements and his contributions to the University of Maryland, read the speech delivered by Professor Darryll Pines (PDF), Dean of the A. James. Clark School of Engineering, before the announcement of the medal recipients.

For More Information:

Read Milke's introduction before presenting Jack's award (PDF)
Read Poole’s acceptance speech upon receiving this prestigious award (PDF)
View the bios of all nine recipients of the Glenn L. Martin Medal
Read the A. James Clark School of Engineering’s official press release about the event.

Published December 8, 2014