Kenley received the prestigious recognition during the 35th annual INCOSE International Symposium, where the global systems engineering community gathered to celebrate this year's distinguished awardees.

 

The INCOSE Founder's Award represents the organization's most significant recognition, "intended to recognize outstanding individual contributions to INCOSE, be they a single event or significant events over a sustained period of service." In Kenley's case, it's decidedly the latter: a testament to three decades of transformative leadership that has shaped both the profession and the people within it.

 

The award also recognizes Kenley's role as a mentor and community builder, qualities that ensure his impact will continue through the countless students and colleagues he has influenced throughout his distinguished career. In an era where technical expertise alone is insufficient, his model of servant leadership demonstrates how professionals can create lasting change by investing in both the field and the people who advance it.

 

At Purdue, Kenley has revolutionized how the next generation learns systems engineering, particularly through his leadership in Model-Based Systems Engineering. His vision and expertise were instrumental in Purdue earning INCOSE Academic Equivalency status: a distinction that provides students with a direct pathway to professional recognition and validates the university's curriculum as meeting the highest industry standards.

 

Reflecting on receiving the Founder's Award, Kenley's response reveals the personal connections that have driven his professional service: "I joined INCOSE because I saw that my bosses at work were joining, and I quickly decided that I should contribute to help this collection of experts establish a community that advances the state of the art and practice in the field," he shared. "The bonus was a collection of kindred spirits from around the globe— the efforts of those who wrote letters of support was a very touching addition to friendships that have been a reward of their own."

 

Kenley's career embodies INCOSE's mission of creating "a better world through a systems approach." Through his work in education, industry, and professional service, he has consistently demonstrated how systems thinking can address complex challenges while building the communities needed to sustain progress.