References

The following is a collection of recommendation of what people have said about me since 2003 to 2021 ending with a bonus presented by John Rempe President and Chief Executive officer of Balfour Beatty, US Civil.  But the two recommendations with the most impact is the last two recommendation back around 2003 from a math teacher at my junior college, and my electrical engineering professor. My junior college math teacher she gives me great praise for improving class participation then she continues on mentioning how my leadership may be over looked at first and gives more and more examples how this is not the case, and I remember spending immense amount of time with my electrical engineering professor trying to soak up as much knowledge as I could, now I see everything he taught was a great foundation for the future.

Faith Center Construction
P.O. Box 512, Memphis, TN 38028

Lary Smith
FC Contractors
P.O. Box 512
Memphis, TN 38028

Re: Recommendation for Zelalem N. Bell-Sparrow
I am the CEO of FC Contractors for approximately 30 years. Over the thirty years, I have been the leading contractor for many different large-scale government and private contracts. My Firm has built churches, police stations, houses, worked on lead removal projects throughout the city of Memphis as a private and federal contractor.

I have worked very closely with Zelalem N. Bell-Sparrow during the summer of 2017. He served as an on-site electrical engineer on multiple construction projects.

Zelalem has excelled in this role, exhibiting one of the highest level of productivity have seen in electrical engineering during my 30-years with the company.

While working with him, I noticed his positive attitude toward completing a task and noticed his enthusiasm to grow and lean when working on new things. Zelalem took a special interest in the process of applying for government bids and contracts.

Zelalem has a good working ethic without any reservation I highly recommend Zelalem for whatever he desires to achieve, and I hope I will have the opportunity to work with him in the future.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

SUBJECT: Recommendation Letter for US Coast Guard Selection Committee

1. I have known Mr. Bell- Sparrow and his family for more than twenty years and can attest to him being the finest young men that I have ever known. I would describe him as a mature, respectful, self-disciplined, and focused individual.  He is at a tenacious problem solver, who will pursue a problem and/or opportunity to its’ fullest completion.

2. I am proud to count as one of Mr. Bell-Sparrow’s friends and supporter.  I only regret that I couldn’t persuade him to join the U.S. Air Force.  I give my strongest recommendation that he be offered an appointment within the U.S. Coast Guard. For further recommendation, I can be reached DSN 445-7500

2003

Major General - (Retired)

Dear Sir or Madam:

Mr. Bell-Sparrow was one of my students while studying for an electrical engineering degree at Hampton University during the years of 2003 to 2006.  My first experience with Mr. Bell-Sparrow is when a device he created was mistaken for a “malicious device” by the police who were looking for a fire in the building, and the device was brought to me.  My peers and I were so impressed with his creation he was given a job at the university as a teacher’s assistant working in one of the electronics labs.

During the time I was one of Mr. Bell-Sparrow’s professor I was continuously amazed with his commitment to understanding the field of engineering, he had a passion for acquiring and utilizing the information he gathered.  As Mr. Bell-Sparrow studied at Hampton he was also in the process of becoming a Coast Guard Officer.  The discipline of the Coast Guard paired with his excitement about engineering made teaching him a very exceptional experience.  The courses that Mr. Bell-Sparrow most excelled in were the digital and analog circuit theory, and the senior’s cumulative final project.

I’ve gotten my Ph.D in Materials engineering from Madras, India, 1987 my research interests are but are not limited to analog methods, electric machines, sensors, embedded systems, non-destructive testing, and manufacturing technology. I’ve been part of the university for 12 years and in those 12 years of experience I found few students similar to Mr. Bell-Sparrow drive.

Mr. Bell-Sparrow is an exceptional student, one who is discipline and committed to the study and progress of engineering.   He will make a great addition to your schools student body.

Dr. Jagasivamani,

Thank you for helping in perusing my masters degree in systems engineering.  As requested, below are a few things I having been doing since last time I was your student:

Involved in the Coast Guard Student Engineering Program who’s goals include training officers for duty as naval engineers. The program is generic to all cutter classes and shall be administered in conjunction with a unit’s Engineer Officer of the Watch (EOW) qualification process. The unit’s Engineer Officer (EO) is responsible to ensure the student engineer is well versed in all aspects of the curriculum during the member’s first afloat tour.

My Task include:

• Managed the procurement of $690,000.00 of marine diesel fuel

• Responsible for operating a $10,000,000.00 ship plant propulsion

• Divisional Officer of Electrician – supervised 5 Electrician’s Mate

• Divisional Officer of Auxiliary Division – Supervised 11 Machinery Technicians

• Project Management

• Saved $17,000.00 by Planning a $3000.00 habitation improvement project to renew chill water isolation pipe Lagging

-The current insulation piping is the primary source of the mold issue that cause many crew health problems.

• Safety operation management

• Contract Officer Technical Representative (COTR) Training

• Military Acquisition and Procurement Training

-Made Technical suggestions on 5 different projects in an accumulated cost of $75,000.00.

Dr. Jagasivamani as stated in the e-mail I wrote to you earlier, I understand you are busy so I will write the reference and you may edit it as you see fit.