Member #20968, initiated in 1966 at the University of Missouri-Rolla (Chapter #35, installed in 1950) and elevated to Chapter Honor Member in 1995 at the University of Missouri-Rolla, where he was CE Dept. Chairman. He served as Faculty Advisor of the University of Texas at Arlington chapter from 1988-95. He received the James M. Robbins "Excellence in Teaching" Award in 1988. He was elected as Central District Councilor in 2000 and served in that capacity until elected as National Secretary-Treasure in 2006.

Dr. Petry received his BS from the University of Missouri- Rolla (1967), his MS from the University of Missouri-Columbia (1968), and his PhD from Oklahoma State University (1974). He taught at the University of Texas at Arlington from 1974-95 and at the University of Missouri-Rolla since 1995. He is a member of Tau Beta Pi and Sigma Xi, as well as ASCE and GI, ASTM, and ISSMFE. He has been a Registered Profession Engineer since 1977. Dr. Petry's specialty is Geotechnical Engineering, both in his teaching and in his consulting work.