HICKORY — City of Hickory Assistant Public Works Director Caroline Kone has been named the 2026 Government Engineer of the Year by the Professional Engineers of North Carolina, the city said July 23, 2026.
Kone received the award at the PENC Annual Conference in June and was formally recognized at the Hickory City Council meeting July 21.
The city said the honor goes annually to one PENC member employed by a municipal, state, or federal agency who shows dedication, integrity, and professionalism as a public-servant engineer. Nominees must be registered Professional Engineers or Engineer Interns in good standing with PENC and show a well-rounded mix of education, career work, professional involvement, and public service. Only one engineer statewide receives the award each year.
“Receiving the Government Engineer of the Year Award is a profound honor that brings immense gratitude, especially looking back on more than two decades of service in this profession,” Kone said. “This recognition reinforces my lifelong commitment to public safety and technical excellence. I promise to continuously uphold and demonstrate the strict ethical and professional standards I pledged to protect when I first took my oath as a Professional Engineer.”
Kone joined the city in October 2011. Roles listed are Traffic Engineer, Traffic Division Manager, Transportation Manager, Transportation & Engineering Manager, and City Engineer. She was promoted to Assistant Public Works Director/City Engineer in March and now oversees Solid Waste, Parks & Public Properties, Fleet, Central Services, Traffic, Street, and Engineering.
She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, with undergraduate work in transportation and graduate work in traffic engineering. She is a licensed Professional Engineer in North Carolina and a member of the Institute of Transportation Engineers, PENC, and the North Carolina Chapter of the American Public Works Association, where she serves on the executive board. The city said she is a graduate of the PENC Leadership Institute and has received the NC Section ITE New Member Award, the NC-APWA Streets Achievement Award, and Master Road Scholar recognition from the North Carolina Local Technical Assistance Program.
“Caroline’s commitment to excellence is evident in everything she does. Her expert knowledge, dedication to public service, and steady leadership make her an invaluable asset to our organization and the community we serve. This recognition is a true reflection of her hard work and professionalism. The award is very well deserved,” Assistant City Manager Steve Miller said.
The July 23 notice does not list other statewide finalists or a cash prize.
Official release from City of Hickory, July 23, 2026. https://www.hickorync.gov/assistant-public-works-director-caroline-kone-named-government-engineer-year
