George Washington, America's first President and an engineer
As President of the Potomac Company, George Washington tried to hire American civil engineers to plan and design the construction of the Potomac Canel, but without consensus of the company's board, the project was not undertaken by engineers. By 1823, the Potomac Canal was deemed a financial and engineering failure and it changed the view of engineering in America for the better.
For more information, search Engineering Village database Compendex 1884-2016: (((George Washington) WN ALL) AND ((civil engineering) WN ALL))
Trivia: Born February 22, 1732, today mark's George Washington's 284th birthday.