The Distinguished Alumni Awards recognize ECE Alumni who have achieved exceptional success in their profession, made significant contributions to society, or brought distinction to their alma mater.
The UF ECE department recognizes alumni in four categories:
- Young Alumni who are 40 or under, who have risen rapidly in their chosen field, or who have made outstanding contributions through civic and social activities. The award also recognizes qualities of integrity and leadership based upon their achievements since graduation.
- The Distinguished Alumni Award for Academic Excellence recognizes alumni for significant achievement in an academic setting with an emphasis on teaching, research or other contributions to education.
- The Distinguished Alumni Award for Entrepreneurship and Innovation recognizes alumni for significant achievement in research, design, creation or ideation of an original idea or concept, or achievements in a startup or self-made business.
- The Distinguished Alumni Award for Career Achievement recognizes alumni for significant achievement in business or institutional leadership and/or professional accomplishments.
2026
Distinguished Alumni for Academic Excellence
José C. Príncipe (Ph.D. ‘79) is a distinguished professor of electrical and computer engineering and biomedical engineering at the University of Florida, a leader in signal processing, machine learning and
computational neuroengineering for decades. He joined UF in 1987 after academic posts in Portugal and has become one of the field’s most influential scholars.
Príncipe earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Porto and a master’s degree and Ph.D. in electrical engineering from UF. His research centers on adaptive systems, information‑theoretic learning, neural networks and brain‑machine interfaces — areas that intersect engineering, artificial intelligence and neuroscience.
A pioneer in computational intelligence, he founded the Computational NeuroEngineering Laboratory (CNEL), a globally recognized hub that blends machine learning with biological inspiration. His work has produced mathematical frameworks that model cognitive processes and enable machines to learn from complex, real‑world data. Over his career, he has authored hundreds of papers, supervised more than 100 Ph.D. students, and pioneered advances in information‑theoretic learning and neural modeling.
Príncipe’s contributions earned him fellowships in the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the National Academy of Inventors. He received the IEEE Neural Network Pioneer Award, the IEEE Shannon‑Nyquist Technical Achievement Award and the SEC Faculty Achievement Award.
He has led the global scientific community, serving as editor‑in‑chief of IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, president of the International Neural Network Society, and contributing to major AI and engineering education initiatives.
Today, Príncipe remains a central figure in advancing brain‑inspired intelligent systems and shaping the future of AI, neuroengineering and signal processing through scholarship and mentorship.
Distinguished Alumni Award for Career Excellence
Charles “Chuck” Kung (BSEE ‘86, MSCS ‘88) grew up in Jacksonville, Florida, and came to the University of Florida, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering in 1986 and a master’s degree in computer science in 1988.
He headed west to the Bay Area in the preinternet era, cutting his teeth as a software engineer at ROLM Systems, Acuson and Netlabs. When the internet arrived, Kung joined Yahoo! in its early days, where he
managed Yahoo! Sports and helped bring fantasy sports to the platform.
After seven years at Yahoo!, Kung stepped away to focus on family and began a second act as an angel investor — most notably as an early advisor and investor in WhatsApp. That success allowed Kung and his wife, Lisa Guerra, to establish a foundation dedicated to giving back to their respective alma maters and supporting the next generation of students.
These days, he’s still learning, still investing, and cheering on his two sons, Joshua and Jacob, as they make their own way through college.
Distinguished Alumni Award for Career Excellence
Phil Marcoux (BSEE ‘79) is a technology executive, strategist and industry thought leader whose distinguished career spans electronic manufacturing, semiconductor packaging, and AI‑assisted design and production. Widely recognized as a pioneer in electronics assembly, he was named the “Father of Surface Mount Technology (SMT)” in the U.S. by IPC for his foundational contributions.
Marcoux champions AI‑assisted electronic manufacturing and design, advising companies on AI‑driven approaches that enhance quality, yield and operational efficiency. He serves as an AI‑Assisted Manufacturing and Design Facilitator and Consultant at PPM Associates and as Group Leader for AI for Electronics Industry at the Printed Circuit Engineering Association (PCEA).
His senior leadership experience includes CEO and co‑founder of ChipScale, Inc. — one of the first wafer‑level packaging firms — and co‑founder of an early full‑service SMT EMS company. He has also led as interim general manager at Epoch International Enterprises, executive director of MicroElectronics
Packaging and Test Engineering Council, vice president of sales and marketing at OSE‑USA, and in engineering roles at AWI, Signetics and Analog Devices.
As a subject‑matter expert in AI process control for electronics assembly, Marcoux has authored more than 250 business plans, technical papers, articles and presentations, and has presented at over 100 global symposiums. He is a named inventor on six patents and co‑owner of more than 40, with over 400 citations.
Marcoux has served in leadership roles with the Fab Owners Association and on the UF Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering Dean’s Advisory Board. He actively mentors and contributes through SCORE, Santa Clara University’s Bronco Venture Accelerator, Hope’s Corner, PCEA and Kiva. He earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Florida, and a master’s degree in electrical engineering and an MBA from Santa Clara University.
Distinguished Alumni Award for Career Excellence
William “Bill” Troner (BSEE ‘80, JD ‘84) is a retired patent licensing executive and intellectual property attorney with a distinguished career helping organizations maximize the value of their research and development through strategic patent licensing. He most recently served as a patent licensing executive at André-Troner LC, where he was also a managing member, advising clients that included some of the world’s best-known Fortune 500 companies.
Troner began his legal career as a patent associate at Barnes & Thornburg in Washington, D.C. (1984–1986), before joining the Harris Corp. in Melbourne, Florida, as senior intellectual property counsel (1986–1995). In 1995, he co-founded André-Troner Ltd. Co., where he spent nearly two decades leading
patent licensing efforts, structuring complex licensing agreements and helping clients realize significant financial returns on their patented technologies.
Beyond his professional work, Troner is deeply committed to service and philanthropy. He is a member and former board chair of the Health First Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the nonprofit Health First System and supports a broad range of other charitable organizations throughout Brevard County. He also serves as a member and is a past board chair of the UF Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering Dean’s Advisory Board, as a member of the ECE External Advisory Board and is a founding member of the Engineering Leadership Institute Board of Directors. Troner has been a guest lecturer over the years in a UF engineering innovation course. His involvement reflects a strong belief in giving back and advancing education, innovation and community health care.
Troner earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering (1980) and his Juris Doctor (1984) from the University of Florida. He is a member of the Florida Bar, the American Bar Association and the American Intellectual Property Law Association. Troner and his wife of 36 years, Lisa, have a son who graduated from both the colleges of engineering at the University of Florida and Stanford University.
2025
ECE Distinguished Alumni Award for Young Alumni
Jim Martz (BSEE ’09) received the Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering in 2009. He is senior vice president of engineering at Vast, a privately-held aerospace company working to develop artificial gravity space stations.
Martz is an accomplished engineering leader with over 15 years of experience at SpaceX, NASA JPL, Muon Space, and Zipline. Part of the initial SpaceX Starshield team, Martz also supported Falcon 9, Crew Dragon, and Cargo Dragon across various functions including flight power systems, mission operations, and avionics.
At the University of Florida, Jim was a student senator in student government, a member of the Machine Intelligence Lab and the Center for Intelligent Machines and Robotics. He competed in the Urban Challenge with Team Gator Nation, led the IEEE robotics team, and was a member of Florida Blue Key.
Jim lives in El Segundo with his wife Amy, their baby James, born in November 2024, and their dog, Lucy Martz.
ECE Distinguished Alumni Award for Academics
R. C. Gonzalez, Ph.D. (ME ‘67, Ph.D. ‘70), received the Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from the University of Miami in 1965 and the Master of Engineering and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Florida in 1967 and 1970, respectively.
He has been affiliated with the Center for Information Research at the University of Florida, and was a professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) until
1998. He is the founder of the Image & Pattern Analysis Laboratory and the Robotics & Computer Vision Laboratory at UTK. He founded Perceptics Corp. in 1982 and was its president until 1992. From 1994 to 1997, he was a distinguished professor and head of electrical engineering at the University of Tennessee, where he currently holds the rank of professor emeritus.
Under his direction, Perceptics became a leader in image processing, computer vision, and laser disk storage technology. In its initial 10 years, Perceptics introduced a series of innovative products, including the world’s first commercially-available computer vision system for automatically reading the license plate on moving vehicles.
Gonzalez is a frequent consultant to industry and government in the areas of pattern recognition, image processing, and machine learning. He is author or co-author of two edited books and four textbooks in the fields of pattern recognition, image processing, and robotics, used in more than 1,000 universities and research institutions throughout the world. He is the coholder of two U.S. patents and is a fellow of the IEEE.
ECE Distinguished Alumni Award for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Bud Deffebach (BSEE ‘88) earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering in 1988 from the University of Florida and a Juris Doctor in 1992 from Emory University.
He was a managing member of Andre-Troner LC, a technology licensing firm. Deffebach specialized in semiconductor and digital imaging technologies and was involved in creating a more than a billion dollars of licensing revenue for his clients.
Deffebach then became involved as an angel investor and advisory member with early-stage companies. He has served as an investor, board member, and advisor to many technology startups (as well as a successful restaurant).
In 2016, Deffebach co-founded Groundswell Startups on the Florida Space Coast. Groundswell is a privately funded incubator and co-working space with companies that have raised over $150M and multiple exits.
Bud is married to Dr. Kim Deffebach, who he met as an undergraduate at UF. They have two children—both Gator graduates.
ECE Distinguished Alumni Award for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Randy Glein (BSEE ‘88) is a founder and managing partner of DFJ Growth. His career spans more than 35 years as a venture capital investor, operating executive, and entrepreneur. Randy has a long track record as a company builder and partner to visionary entrepreneurs who shape the future by bringing innovation and technological advancement to the world. He has led investments in numerous pioneering tech startups that have risen to industry leadership, including Anaplan, Anduril, Box, Cohesity, Coinbase, Hidden Level, Neuralink, OpenAI, Ring (Amazon), ScaleAI, SpaceX, Sumo Logic, Tesla, and Yammer (Microsoft).
Prior to DFJ, Randy was CFO of FeedBurner, a DFJ portfolio company acquired by Google. He also played instrumental roles in the formation and development of DIRECTV and XM Radio. Randy began his career as a systems engineer at Hughes Space & Communications.
Randy holds an MBA from UCLA Anderson, a Master of Science in electrical engineering from the University of Southern California, and a Bachelor of Science with high honors in electrical engineering from the University of Florida.
ECE Distinguished Alumni Award for Career Achievement
Robert Kemerait, Ph.D. (BSEE ‘60, MSEE ‘66, Ph.D. ‘71), is the former senior scientist at the Nuclear Treaty Monitoring Directorate at the Air Force Technical Applications Center for the US Air Force.
Dr. Kemerait entered active duty with the U.S. Army in 1954, working as communications chief in a combat engineering company for two years while stationed in occupied Germany. He was honorably discharged in 1957. He attended the University of Florida where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering in 1960, followed by a Master of Science degree in 1966.
Kemerait joined NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in 1963 as a guidance and control specialist on the Atlas, Delta and Agena rockets, including the Agena target vehicle for the Gemini spacecraft, as well as with the Centaur vehicle. He left NASA in 1969 to complete his Doctor of Philosophy in electrical engineering at UF, which he completed in 1971.
For three years, Dr. Kemerait served as assistant professor of electrical engineering at the Florida Institute of Technology. He joined ENSCO Inc. in 1974 as an AFTAC contractor, developing a research group of more than 30 people. He ended his tenure as division manager and vice president. From 1995 to 2005, Kemerait was chief scientist and vice president for Command Technologies Inc., specializing in international affairs, seismic system development, and data collection and processing. In 2005, Kemerait joined the Nuclear Treaty Monitoring Directorate, Air Force Technical Applications Center, at Patrick Air Force Base, as senior scientist. He retired in 2022.
He currently serves on UF’s ECE External Advisory Board.