Auburn Alumnus Ryan Hill Selected for 20 Under 40 Award

Ryan Hill, IS4S vice president and site lead at our Opelika location, was awarded the 2025 20 Under 40 Award by the Auburn Alumni Association’s Young Alumni Council.  

This annual award recognizes twenty young alumni and friends of Auburn University “for extraordinary accomplishments, significant professional achievements and distinguished service to others.” Two major criteria for selection are (1) the nominee’s impact in their industry, field, or community, and (2) their demonstration of the Auburn Creed.  

Ryan’s impact is readily apparent at IS4S. He has developed the Opelika site dramatically, building up a multi-site, multi-range facility that provides ultra-fast, creative, and unique solutions to government and commercial partners. His personal expertise is indispensable, and he’s designed and executed thousands of incendiary, explosive, and ballistics tests over the years.  

Zac Shotts, IS4S vice president and site lead at our North Alabama Range, said “This honor reflects not only Ryan Hill’s exceptional professional achievements but also his unwavering commitment to leadership, innovation, and community impact. As the Opelika site lead, Ryan has been instrumental in expanding our technical capabilities, fostering a culture of collaboration, and mentoring the next generation of engineers. His leadership, technical expertise, and perpetual optimism have made a tremendous impact—both within IS4S and across the broader Auburn community. Ryan’s recognition is a testament to the excellence, ingenuity, and service he brings to every project. War Eagle and well done, Ryan!”  

Ryan serves on the Auburn University Mechanical Engineering Advisory Board and was a previous member of the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering’s Young Alumni Council. “Auburn has been such a huge part of my life,” he said. “I have always considered it an honor to simply be an Auburn Alumni. I am humbled to be a part of this group. I am ever grateful to the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering for the foundational knowledge they instilled, and to Auburn University for the experience, both as a student and as an alum. I'm also grateful to IS4S for the endless opportunities to do something meaningful and impactful.”  

Awardees were recognized on October 17th at a reception and awards ceremony, and were also presented and applauded on the field prior to the Auburn University vs. University of Missouri football game on October 18th. 

For more information, read the Auburn Alumni Association's summary and Ryan’s full biography.  

Congratulations to Ryan for this well-deserved recognition!