American Society of Civil Engineers, Illinois Section Recognizes Two Illinois Tollway Professionals With Highest Honors
The American Society of Civil Engineers, Illinois Section awarded two Tollway professionals top honors in 2025:
- Deputy Chief of Program Implementation Jeffrey Allen, P.E., is the Government Civil Engineer of the Year, and
- Senior Project Manager for Planning Ahmad Nafakh, P.E., is the Young Government Civil Engineer of the Year.
These awards recognize the breadth of talent across the Tollway, from engineers starting their careers to seasoned professionals leading some of the largest infrastructure projects in the state.
In fact, ASCE recognized the unusual nature of having two winners from the same agency in the same year, adding that the achievements of Allen and Nafakh justified the top honors.
“Typically, there are not multiple winners from one agency within the same year,” said ASCE Awards Committee Chair Michael Kowalski. “But in this case, it was clear that the contributions of both Jeff and Ahmad to the engineering industry warranted recognition. Their careers and stories highlight the importance of utilizing experience and enthusiasm toward driving excellence and innovation within the public sector. Jeff and Ahmad are both valuable assets to the engineering community and ASCE is very pleased to honor them.”
Jeff Allen
Jeff Allen’s technical expertise in construction management has been forged throughout his more than 30-year career, including 12 years at the Tollway, nearly two decades at an engineering firm and stints at the city of Joliet and the Illinois Department of Transportation.
His ability to communicate with multiple project teams and numerous stakeholders has made him uniquely qualified to lead some of the largest infrastructure projects in the Tollway’s history.
His current project? Leading the $4 billion Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294) Project reconstructing and widening the Tollway from Balmoral Avenue and to 95th Street. As if the 22-mile stretch was not challenging enough, the heavy construction work on the roadway, bridges and interchanges must be done adjacent to multiple working railroads, near an international airport and along utility corridors.
The project requires technical excellence as well as constant collaboration with cross-functional teams, communities, residents and customers.
“There are few other engineers who touch this many people’s lives and carry this level of responsibility,” said Chief Engineering Officer Manar Nashif. “Jeff’s strong leadership and organizational skills have been on display while managing this long-running, multi-contract project.”
In addition, Allen continues to mentor the next generation of engineers, serving as a judge in engineering contests at local high schools and participating in mentorship programs that allow students to shadow him to gain first-hand knowledge of engineering skills and principles. He earned his degree from Marquette University.
Ahmad Nafakh
Ahmad Nafakh may be at the start of his career, but he stands out for his versatility and enthusiasm for the field of civil engineering.
When he joined the Tollway as a senior project manager in 2017, he brought with him experience at the Illinois Department of Transportation and a master’s degree in civil engineering. He quickly distinguished himself for his knowledge of best practices and innovations and ability to communicate across departments at the Tollway and with outside partners.
At the same time, he began – and then finished – a Ph.D. program in civil engineering at the University of Illinois Chicago, another example of his dedication to the field.
“With his versatility, problem-solving skills and commitment to public service, Ahmad truly represents the next generation of civil engineering leadership,” Nashif said. “It is especially impressive that he has taken on many of these projects while also working to complete his doctoral degree.”
Nafakh currently manages portions of several projects, including to modernize tolling infrastructure systemwide
At the same time, he is involved in a variety of other roadway projects and studies. These include participating in a Tollway program to study how connected-vehicle technology can be used to recommend modifications for improved traffic flow, as well as contributing to safety analyses for the Tollway, in particular studying the factors that contribute to crashes in roadway work zones.
Nafakh earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Purdue University, a Master of Science degree and a Doctoral degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois Chicago.