THE AMERICAN SOCIETY
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 RADM Gable and RADM Wyatt (right) present the Harold E. Saunders Award to CAPT Yurso |
CITATION:
Since beginning his career as an engineer at the U.S. Navy Bureau of Ships prior to entering the Navy as an Engineering Duty Officer, Captain Joseph Yurso has spent over fifty years dedicated to naval engineering.
In the course of over thirty years of active duty in the Navy, Captain Yurso had a number of significant assignments including Chief Engineer on a surface combatant, as well as many tours at naval shipyards. His major commands included Commanding Officer at both SUPSHIP Groton and Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. For each of those assignments he was awarded the Legion of Merit. During his career Captain Yurso made a lasting impression on the Navy and the field of Naval Engineering. From the creation of submarine safety programs to the development of testing protocols which are still in use in the Navy today, Captain Yurso has demonstrated a passion for process control and improvement driving him to define critical elements, identify strengths and weakness and then develop and implement meaningful change to ensure process quality.
His passion for the Engineering Profession has extended far beyond his professional career to include active participation in many professional organizations, including his tenure as President of the Society in 1997-1999. He continues to serve on industry panels to assist the Navy in solving critical issues associated with Naval Engineering. Captain Yurso has left his mark, not only on the Navy and the field of Naval Engineering, but also on the next generation of engineers by mentoring middle school students in math and science, working closely with Old Dominion University to motivate engineering students as a visiting lecturer, and revitalizing the ASNE student section at Old Dominion University. Captain Yurso is a true professional and an excellent role model for many. His lifetime of service and achievement both to the US Navy and ASNE make him a truly worthy recipient of ASNE’s 2008 Harold E. Saunders Award.