The Dean's Award for Achievement is given this year to our alumnus Mr. Lawrence L. Peckham. Each year the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences gives this, its highest honor, to someone who has made a substantial contribution to the practice of engineering or the applied sciences and/or has had an exceptional professional career. Quite often the recipient has also performed outstanding service for the school or university.

Mr. Peckham meets all of these criteria. He founded his own business, LPA Software, Inc in Rochester, New York, which has revolutionized supply chain planning software and become an industry leader in that field. He has also devoted much time to his alma mater, where he has served as a member of the school's Dean's Council, as well as guest lectured about his experiences in the field.

Mr. Peckham graduated from the University at Buffalo in 1969 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering. Upon graduation, he accepted a position in Distribution Engineering at the Xerox Corporation in Rochester. In that role, he designed and implemented warehouses across the United States. Within two years, he began developing computer models of the Xerox distribution system. The modeling led to significant changes in the way different Xerox products get distributed. Not the least change was the cessation of warehouse expansion and the dissolution of the Distribution Engineering function. Extending his computer modeling work led to studies in transportation; inventory control; inventory forecasting, ordering and deployment; machine repair and recuperation; marketing and pricing; configuration control and worldwide distribution.

In 1972, with his wife and two young children, Mr. Peckham returned to the University of Buffalo to obtain an MBA. To finance his schooling, he started his own business, LPA Software, Inc, which he ran out of his apartment. In 1974, he completed his MBA degree, finishing first in class, while traveling around the world implementing the computer systems he developed at home.

For the next 28 years, Mr. Peckham ran the company, averaging 25 per cent revenue and profit growth each year. When he retired as Chairman in 1999, LPA Software/Xelus, Inc. was recognized as the world leader in supply chain planning software for the high-tech, field service and maintenance, repair and overhaul markets. In the last five years, the company’s products have saved major corporate and military organizations billions of dollars in inventories and expense. Its customers include Dell Computers, Cisco Systems, Boeing, British Airways, Nissan and the US Postal System.

Mr. Peckham was one of three finalists selected by the Chamber of Commerce from 22,000 eligible companies for its “Rochester Small Business Person of the Year” in 1992 and 1996. He was named “1998 Business Person of the Year” by Business Strategies Magazine. LPA Software was one of Rochester's TOP 100 fastest growing companies in eight of the last nine years.

Mr. Peckham has been heavily involved in community activities for many years. Now retired, he is currently serving on board or committee positions with the American Heart Association; United Way; Rochester Chamber of Commerce; Industrial Management Council; Center for Governmental Research; Workforce Investment Board; Town of Webster Open Space Committee; Nazareth College Performing Arts Center; Rochester Institute of Technology — Nathaniel Rochester Society; UB Engineering and Applied Sciences Dean’s Council; Greater Rochester Enterprise - economic development agency.

To prove that there is life after work and retirement, Mr. and Mrs. Peckham are starting life over again with a beautiful one-year old daughter.