Not all leaders are loud and in your face. They don’t have to demand recognition of their status or demand obedience from their subordinates, and they aren’t motivated by the number of awards they can hang on their walls.
Occasionally, a leader is simply recognized and respected because of their calm and quiet way of offering advice and providing mentorship or direction. They look for opportunities to help. They ask the right questions and make those around them feel heard and seen by listening.
Luckily for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Kansas City District, these leadership qualities are found in Eric Shumate, the Deputy District Engineer and the chief of Planning, Programs and Project Management Division.
In recognition of these qualities and his extensive work within the community, Shumate was inducted into the Missouri University of Science and Technology Academy of Civil Engineers on April 9, 2026, a tremendous honor considering only 406 engineers have been inducted into the academy since its inception.
The academy, established in 1972, is dedicated to recognizing outstanding civil engineers for their contribution to the profession, leadership and involvement with Missouri S&T. Shumate graduated from the university, known as University of Missouri – Rolla at the time, in 1996, and has remained engaged with the campus ever since through providing technical talks, supporting recruiting events, attending networking nights and supporting student groups.
Not only has he continued to remain involved with the school, but he has also served within his community as an alderman for the city of Kearney, Missouri, and participated with the city’s planning and zoning commission. The Kearney First Baptist Church is another community-based institution that benefited from Shumate’s time and attention. There, he served in numerous positions, including on the finance and building committees, as well as a local handyman as part of their “maintenance free” neighborhood initiative.
Chance Bitner, chief of the Hydraulic Engineering Branch, worked for Shumate when he was the chief of Engineering Division for the district and understands first-hand why he was nominated for the award. Bitner was only too happy to provide some information for the nomination package.
"Having worked directly for Eric for about half of my career, it is no surprise to see not one, but three people independently decide to nominate Eric for induction into the Missouri S&T Academy of Civil Engineers, and to see that pass with a full vote of the committee,” Bitner said. “While helping with the nomination package, I could see his work experience and volunteerism spoke for itself, and the recognition received is well deserved, which reflects well upon USACE to see that in our district's senior leaders."
Melissa Corkill, a graduate of the university and now the chief of the Civil Works Programs Branch, recounted her experience with the academy and explained why being nominated and inducted is a significant honor.
“When I was a student, portraits of the Academy of Civil Engineers lined the walls. These were former students that had made an impact in the world of civil engineering and were now being recognized by their alma mater for that,” Corkill said. “I was very involved in the civil engineering department as a student—an officer in ASCE and Chi Epsilon, the civil engineer honor society.”
Corkill said, as an officer in those organizations, she interacted with academy members when they came back to speak to the student organizations. They had dinner with them and received mentorship from them.
“They were the example of what we could become someday and what receiving an education from UMR could do for you.Still to this day, I read the newsletters from the civil engineering department to see who made it into the academy,” said Corkill. “When I heard that Eric Shumate made it into the academy, I almost cried with pride.He made it.”
Michelle Shumate, Eric’s wife, helped provide information for his nomination packet to Robert Holmes, a current academy member who is a senior principal engineer for Wright Water Engineers, Inc. He notified Shumate of his nomination and acceptance in an email.
“Scott Preston, Joel Burken and I nominated you to be considered for induction into the Missouri S&T Academy of Civil Engineers,” Holmes wrote. “I am very happy to report that your nomination package was accepted by the nomination committee a few months back, and I just got word that it passed a full vote of the academy membership. A big congratulations to you!”
Michelle and Eric were married in 1993 when he was a sophomore at the university and became a father soon after. He managed to maintain a 4.0 GPA throughout his time there and throughout graduate school at the University of Iowa.
Notwithstanding his dedication and ability to relate and mentor employees and engineering students, his family has remained his top priority.
“One of my favorite, endearing qualities of Eric is being an awesome ‘girl dad,’” Michelle said. “He has always been supportive in all of his daughter's interests—whether it be baking, dance, volleyball, horses or chamber choir. He has showed up and encouraged her to do what she loves.”
Shumate also finds time every weekend to connect with his son who lives a few hours away through online gaming. It is a unique and effective way for the two of them to catch up with one another through a mutually enjoyable pursuit.
“In 2016, we opened our home to a foreign exchange student from Japan. Haruna, 16 at the time, got to experience his ‘girl dad’ skills first-hand. Eric came home from work one evening and found Haruna upset after a difficult phone conversation with her mother. Being the first on the scene of a teenage girl in tears, he quickly called for an impromptu ice cream run. His compassion and empathy for others shines through in the quiet ways he shows up, making others feel seen, safe and valued,” Michelle said.
Not to be left out, she also shared that he has always made space for her to pursue her passions, too, whether she was behind a salon chair, jet-setting around the world as a flight attendant or now working as a designer for a construction company.
“He has supported me through every chapter with unwavering belief in my abilities.”
If you ask Google what makes someone a good leader, it will give you a thousand different results with links to leadership books, definitions, lists of qualities, and graphics comparing good leaders to bad leaders.
What defines Shumate as a true leader within the Kansas City District is not his position as the highest civilian in the organization, but his ability to relate to people where they are and to listen. It is his selfless service to his family, to his community, to the Army and to everyone he meets along the way.
| Date Taken: |
04.22.2026 |
| Date Posted: |
04.22.2026 09:01 |
| Story ID: |
563317 |
| Location: |
US |
| Web Views: |
18 |
| Downloads: |
0 |
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This work, A life of service earns top civilian scholastic honor, by Diana McCoy, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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