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California State University, Fresno​

James “Jim” R. Provost, Professional Engineer, was born in Fresno and attended Fresno schools. He is a 1962 graduate of California State University, Fresno's Lyles College of Engineering, where he received a degree in civil engineering. ln 2008, he was honored by the Fresno State Alumni Association as "Top Dog" for the Lyles College of Engineering. Jim obtained his professional license from the California State Board for Professional Engineers as both a civil engineer and an agricultural engineer. In 1968, he was a founding principal of Provost and Pritchard Engineering Group, Inc. and served for many years as chairman of the board for the company. Provost and Pritchard has more than 20 licensed engineers and a staff of 145 employees, with offices in Bakersfield, Visalia and Fresno.

Jim is a retained consultant and manager of several water districts and has served as manager for Mid-Valley Water District and Root Creek Water District; as president of the Board of Directors of Angiola Water District; and as engineer for the Kings River Water Association. He has been a member of Consulting Engineers and Land Surveyors of California; American Society of Civil Engineers; American Society of Agricultural Engineers; Center for Irrigation Technology (life member); and American Water Works Association (life member). He also served on the Fresno County Air Pollution District Hearing Board, the Fresno County Water Advisory Committee and as a director with Security First Bank.

During his professional career, Jim worked on hundreds of complex engineering projects that required substantial research, assessment, design and implementation. These projects have improved the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in California. In addition to his professional work, Jim also served as a historian for the Kings River Water Association. In this capacity, he spent countless hours researching the history of the Kings River and contributed to numerous publications over the years. He authored the book "Development of the Kings River," in which he chronicled the history and development of the Kings River area and provided full documentation of the project, including construction, lawsuits, verdicts and water schedules.

ln recognition of his more than 50 years of professional contributions in civil engineering, especially in the San Joaquin Valley; for his intellectual curiosity; and his passionate research and writing on water in California, the Board of Trustees of the California State University and California State University, Fresno are proud to confer upon James R. Provost the honorary degree of Doctor of Science.