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Special Achievement Awards
Thanks for Helping Us Recognize Exceptional Steel Industry Professionals
The next nomination period for the 2026 Industry, Designer, and Educator Awards will open in mid-2025.
Guidelines for Special Achievement Awards
The individual should have:
- completed a project or research that showed innovation and originality and helped to advance the use of structural steel
- made a positive and substantial impact on the structural steel industry
- been recognized by the individual's peers
Congratulations to our five Special Achievement Award recipients for 2024. Read the full Press Release here.
A Special Achievement Award provides special recognition to individuals (industry members, designers, or educators) who have demonstrated notable singular or multiple achievements in structural steel design, construction, research, or education. This award honors living individuals who have made a positive and substantial impact on the structural steel design and construction industry.
Past Recipients
2024
- Caroline R. Bennett, PE, PhD - Charles E. & Mary Jane Spahr Professor and Chair, University of Kansas
Recognized for advancing knowledge about the behavior of hot-dipped galvanized steel structures. - W. Samuel Easterling, PE, PhD, F.SEI, Dist.M.ASCE - James L. and Katherine S. Melsa Dean of Engineering, Iowa State University
Recognized for Steel Diaphragm Innovation Initiative (SDII) research that drove impactful changes to standards governing the use of metal deck diaphragms in steel structures. - Matthew R. Eatherton, SE, PhD - Professor, Virginia Tech
Recognized for Steel Diaphragm Innovation Initiative (SDII) research that drove impactful changes to standards governing the use of metal deck diaphragms in steel structures. - Jerome F. Hajjar, PE, PhD - CDM Smith Professor and Department Chair, Northeastern University
Recognized for Steel Diaphragm Innovation Initiative (SDII) research that drove impactful changes to standards governing the use of metal deck diaphragms in steel structures. - Benjamin W. Schafer, PE, PhD - Hackerman Professor of Civil and Systems Engineering, Johns Hopkins University
Recognized for Steel Diaphragm Innovation Initiative (SDII) research that drove impactful changes to standards governing the use of metal deck diaphragms in steel structures.
2023
- Patrick M. Hassett, SE - President, Hassett Engineering, Inc.
Recognized for advancing the state of the art in erection engineering on projects ranging from the Walt Disney Concert Hall to Micron’s Giga Factory. - Ronald J. Janowiak, SE, PE - retired from Exelon
Recognized for leading the adoption of the Specification for Safety-Related Steel Structures for Nuclear Facilities (ANSI/AISC N690-18) by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
2022
- Gian Andrea Rassati, PhD, and James Swanson, PhD - Associate Professors, University of Cincinnati
Recognized for their research on the behavior and design of bolted steel connections and their major contributions to the latest national design specifications for high-strength steel bolts (RCSC Specification). - Susan Burmeister, SE, PE - President, S2B Structural Consultants, and
Larry Kloiber, PE - Consultant, LeJeune Steel
Recognized for contributions to the advancement of fabricated structural steel through the writing of AISC's Design Guide 36: Design Considerations for Camber.
2021
- Scot Becker, PE - Deputy Administrator for Regions of DTSD, WisDOT
Scot Becker is recognized for his contribution to the development and adoption of a steel twin tub girder system redundancy simplified method within the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.
Scot Becker is the Deputy Administrator for Regions of the Division of Transportation System Development (DTSD) at the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT). He has been in this role since September of 2019. As Deputy Administrator for Regions, he leads the five Wisconsin DOT regions in planning, developing, and operating safe, reliable, and efficient multimodal transportation systems. Previously, he spent eight years as Director of the Bureau of Structures, which oversees program, policy, design, maintenance, and administration of the state’s 15,000 transportation bridges and ancillary structures.
Additionally, Becker is the Vice Chair of the AASHTO Committee on Bridges and Structures (COBS). Prior to this appointment, he was the State Bridge Engineer representative for 13 years as the primary voting member for Wisconsin. He has served on the T-5 technical committee for loads and chaired the T-19 software and technology committee for nine years.
Becker has been with WisDOT for 26 years and worked three years as a consultant prior to joining the department. He holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Wisconsin, Madison and is a licensed professional engineer. - Jamie F. Farris, PE - Bridge Division Deputy Director, Texas Department of Transportation
Jamie Farris is recognized for her contribution to the development and adoption of a steel twin tub girder system redundancy simplified method within the Texas Department of Transportation.
Jamie F. Farris, PE, is the Deputy Director of the Bridge Division at Texas Department of Transportation. In her role, she assists in overseeing planning, geotechnical and structural plan preparation, construction and maintenance, safety inspection, and PS&E review, among other operations. Farris graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering and a Master of Science in Civil Engineering with an emphasis in Structures. She joined TxDOT Bridge Division in 2003 after spending three years in the consulting world. - Dale Ison - Executive Vice President of Advanced Technical Services, Tampa Tank Inc. / Florida Structural Steel
Dale Ison is recognized for his contribution to Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing. - Gary W. Wisch, PE - Vice President, Engineering, DeLong's, Inc.
Gary Wisch is recognized for his contributions to the AASHTO/NSBA Steel Bridge Collaboration and the NSBA Executive Council to promote the use of steel bridges.
Gary W. Wisch, PE has worked for DeLong’s Inc., an active NSBA/AISC fabricator member, for 38 years. He spent his first seven years as a research engineer and the subsequent 31 years as the Engineering Vice President. In this role, Wisch supervises all engineering, drafting, and quality control functions. Over the years, Wisch has been involved in numerous civic, religious, educational, and professional organizations. He has served on several NSBA/AASHTO Collaboration task groups, beginning in 1998. He began representing DeLong’s on the NSBA Executive Council in 2008 and recently served four years as chair of the Executive Council.
Wisch has been married 36 years. He and his wife, Jackie, have three children and three grandchildren.
2020
- Michel Bruneau, PhD, PEng, F. CAE, F. ASCE, F. SEI, SUNY Distinguished Professor, University at Buffalo
Michel Bruneau is recognized for his groundbreaking work in developing and promoting SpeedCore, a concrete-filled composite plate shear wall system that is revolutionizing the speed at which steel-framed buildings are constructed. His research and lab tests on tall shear walls were extremely valuable to the implementation of the system. Bruneau received AISC’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019 and the T.R. Higgins Lectureship Award in 2012. - Ron Klemencic, PE, SE, Hon. AIA, Chairman and CEO, Magnusson and Klemencic Associates
Ron Klemencic is recognized for his groundbreaking work in developing and promoting SpeedCore, a concrete-filled composite plate shear wall system that is revolutionizing the speed at which steel-framed buildings are constructed. He led the development of the system, working with AISC, MKA engineers, steel fabricators, and university researchers. - Rex I. Lewis, President, Puma Steel
Rex Lewis is recognized for the creation of a welding competition and scholarship program at Laramie County Community College, which is serving as the inspiration for others in the industry to begin similar programs. Lewis also received AISC’s Board of Directors Award in 2017. He has made significant contributions to the AISC Board of Directors, including his past service as chair. He is well known for his support of early fabricator involvement and green construction. - Amit H. Varma, PhD, Karl H. Kettelhut Professor of Civil Engineering, Purdue University
Amit Varma is recognized for his groundbreaking work in developing and promoting SpeedCore, a concrete-filled composite plate shear wall system that is revolutionizing the speed at which steel-framed buildings are constructed. His research and lab tests on tall shear walls significantly contributed to the successful implementation of the system. Varma received AISC’s Special Achievement Award in 2017 and Milek Fellowship Award in 2003.
2019
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Heather Gilmer, PE, Steel Operations Manager, HRV Conformance Verification Associates, Inc.
Honored for her work in leading the development of both the S2.1 Steel Bridge Fabrication Guide Specification and G2.2 Guidelines for Resolution of Steel Bridge Fabrication Errors. - Francesco M. Russo, PE, PhD - Vice President & Technical Director, Bridge Engineering, Michael Baker International
Honored for his contributions to the advancement of knowledge in inspection and emergency rehabilitation of complex steel structures.
2018
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LeRoy A. Lutz, SE, PE, PhD, vice president emeritus, Computerized Structural Design (CSD Structural Engineers)
Honored for his work in advancing the state-of-the-art for the design of single-angle compression members and providing a simplified approach for the design of these members, which are commonly used as bracing members in steel buildings and bridges. He has served on various AISC committees over the years and presently serves on the TC3 and TC4 committees. -
Keh-Chuyan Tsai, SE, PhD, professor of civil engineering, National Taiwan University
Honored for his extensive work with U.S. researchers to conduct large-scale system level testing of structural steel seismic force resisting systems, leading to system-level verification of many of the AISC 341 provisions.
2017
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Domenic A. Coletti, PE, technical manager – structural engineering at Michael Baker International
Honored for leading the AASHTO/NSBA Steel Bridge Collaboration's Task Group 13 in developing and publishing the first two editions of Guidelines for Steel Girder Bridge Analysis. -
Amit Kanvinde, PhD, professor and chair at the University of California, Davis
Honored for his research on column connection details including requirements for column splices. -
Amit H. Varma, PhD, professor at Purdue University
Honored for facilitating the development, design and licensing of the next generation of nuclear power plants in the U.S. and around the world.
2016
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Glenn Bishop, P.E., SECB, FACEC, of LBYD, Inc.
Honored for his contributions as the leader of ACEC's CASE Guidelines Committee and the coordination of their work with the AISC Committee of the Code of Standard Practice. -
Brad Davis, S.E., Ph.D., assistant professor at the University of Kentucky, Lexington
Honored for his work on developing new tolerance criteria for steel-framed floors supporting sensitive equipment, which will result in more economical floor framing. -
Larry Fahnestock, P.E., Ph.D., associate professor at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana
Honored for for his work on the reserve capacity of low-ductility steel braced frames in areas of moderate seismicity, in which he quantifies the effects of reserve capacity in non-ductile frames, which may preclude the need for strict seismic retrofit requirements in moderate seismic regions. -
Vernon Mesler, adjunct faculty at Lansing Community College in Lansing, Mich.
Honored for imparting 40 years of welding, fabrication, hot riveting and corrosion repair skills on thousands of students, and for encouraging those students to pursue careers in the steel industry. -
Mark Saunders, S.E., past president and senior consultant at Rutherford & Chekene Engineers, San Francisco
Honored for his leadership and contributions to the design of seismic steel moment frames.
2015
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Abbas Aminmansour, Ph.D., associate professor, University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana
Honored for his contributions to the AISC Steel Construction Manual, Part 6: Combined Axial and Bending Tables, based on his Engineering Journal paper, "A New Approach for Design of Steel Beam-Columns." -
Terri Meyer Boake, professor, University of Waterloo
Honored for her book, Understanding Steel Design: An Architectural Design Manual, which provides a beautiful, compelling and thorough overview of steel construction through photographs, drawings, diagrams and texts. -
Ahmad M. Itani, Ph.D., professor, University of Nevada, Reno, and Ian G. Buckle, Ph.D., professor, University of Nevada, Reno
Honored for their work related to the seismic design of horizontally curved steel bridges. -
Ahmad Rahimian, chief executive officer, WSP, and Yoram Eilon, vice president, WSP
Honored for their innovative use of steel framing in the design and construction of One World Trade Center in New York City. -
Robert Shaw, president, Steel Structures Technology Center
Honored for his bolting and welding handbooks, which are comprehensive reference books that capture the common guidance engineers and constructors need for bolts and welds.
2014
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Christopher Higgins, Ph.D., P.E., professor at Oregon State University
Honored for his work on developing software imaging tools for use in the inspection of steel bridge gusset plates. -
John Moebes, director of construction at Crate and Barrel
Honored for his successful and rational use of technology in integrated project delivery methods to consistently reduce cost, accelerate schedules and enables the desired architectural scheme for steel construction in Crate and Barrel stores. -
James M. Ricles, Ph.D., P.E., Bruce G. Johnston professor of structural engineering, Lehigh University
Honored for his work related to designing steel structures for earthquake loading, including moment resisting connections and self-centering frames. -
Michael Culmo, P.E., vice president of structures and transportation at CME Associates, Inc.
Honored for his championing of accelerated bridge construction in steel in many U.S. states. -
William Wood, Dr., Eng., professor at Portland State University
Honored for his work on narrow gap electro-slag welding and for providing technical support for the AWS D1.5 provisions on this subject. -
Terry M. Zwick, vice president/general manager at Atlas Iron Works
Honored for his outstanding work in advancing the success of NASCC: The Steel Conference. As chair of the technical planning committee, he helped maintain the conference as the pre-eminent event for those involved in the design and construction of steel buildings and bridges while also substantially improving the quality of sessions aimed at the fabrication community.
2013
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Mark V. Holland, P.E., chief engineer, Paxton & Vierling Steel Co.
Honored for his leadership in interoperability since the very beginning of AISC's effort in 1997. -
Steven C. Ball, S.E., vice president, John A. Martin & Associates, Inc.
Honored for his creative and bold structural engineering work in the application, testing and qualification of long-span steel Special Moment Frames with non-orthogonal connections in California for the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT) Program at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). -
Rafael Sabelli, S.E., principal and director of seismic design, Walter P Moore
Honored for his contributions to the literature on seismic design of steel and composite structures, both as an author and as chair of the seismic subcommittee of the AISC Committee on Manuals. -
Judy Liu, Ph.D., associate professor, Purdue University
Honored for her contributions toward improving structural steel education in universities through her development and maintenance of web enhanced teaching, her contributions to the Partners in Education committee and through the Tip Sheet newsletter. -
William J. Wright, Ph.D., P.E., associate professor, Virginia Tech
Honored for his contributions in the areas of fatigue and fracture behavior of structural steel, curved girder bridges and forensic investigations.
2012
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Robert Connor, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Purdue University
Honored for his work on fatigue and fracture of steel bridge structures. He rewrote the AREMA and AASHTO fatigue specifications, and his field measurements are the basis for the double cycle counts in the fatigue of orthotropic bridges. -
Samuel Easterling, Ph.D., Professor, Virginia Tech
Honored for his research on composite construction and his contributions to AISC 360, Chapter I, Design of Composite Members. -
Eric Hines, Ph.D., P.E., LeMessurier Consultants, Boston
Honored for his innovative use of long-span steel truss framing and cast connection for the Wind Technology Testing Center in Charlestown, Mass. -
Keith Landwehr
Honored for his leadership in the AISC Certification Committee and significant contributions to quality certification, as well as his work on the 2010 AISC Specification including the development of Chapter N. -
Jim McMinimee, Principal Engineer, JMC Consulting, L.C.
Honored for his leadership and innovation in steel framing solutions for a self-propelled modular transportation system. -
John Parucki
Honored for his more than a decade of leadership and great work as National Head Judge for the ASCE/AISC Student Steel Bridge Competition
2011
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Roberto Leon, P.E., Ph.D., Professor, Georgia Tech
Honored for his significant contributions to the AISC Specification for Structural Steel Buildings and the AISC Seismic Provisions for Structural Steel Buildings. Recognized for his research in the design of composite steel/concrete structural systems. -
William Segui, P.E., Ph.D., Professor, University of Memphis
Segui has fulfilled the educational needs of countless faculty and students with the publication of his textbook, "Steel Design." In his book he explains the design of steel structures clearly and thoroughly with many useful design examples. -
Atorod Azizinamini, Professor, University of Nebraska
Honored for his development of a new short-span bridge concept using a folded plate and inverted tub configuration. -
David Platten, Walter P Moore
Honored as structural principal in charge of the Dallas Cowboys Stadium for its innovative and record-setting long-span structure.
2010
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Ronnie Medlock, Vice President of Technical Services, High Steel Structures, LLC.
Honored for his vision in initiating the AASHTO/NSBA Steel Bridge Collaboration as a means to develop and implement standards for the construction of steel bridges, and for his continuing effort in shepherding the Collaboration to a highly regarded position within the community of bridge owners and designers. -
David Ware, CEO, Tennessee Galvanizing
Tennessee Galvanizing is honored for its efforts to reduce hazardous waste generation among steel galvanizers. -
Todd Helwig, Ph.D., associate professor, University of Texas, Austin
Recognized for his leadership in the area of stability of steel structures. He developed bridge girder bracing systems as well as short courses on bracing for stability that have been provided to thousands of practicing engineers throughout the U.S. -
Theodore P. Zoli, HNTB Corporation
Honored for his work on the S-shape cable-stayed Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge, which was converted from a concrete bridge to steel through use of design-build project delivery. -
Nabih F.G. Youssef, Nabih Youssef & Associates
Honored for the LA Live Project. His firm converted the 52-story structure from a concrete shear wall system to a steel building with a steel-plate shear wall system through performance-based design.
2009
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Jim Dager, President, Design Data (ret.)
Honored for the advancement of 3D steel detailing and the use of BIM in the steel industry. -
Robert Tremblay, Ecole Polytechnique, Montreal
Honored for his research in improving understanding and design of seismic-resistant concentrically braced steel frames. -
Masayoshi Nakashima, Kyoto University, Japan
Honored for sustained strong support of collaboration between the U.S. and Japan on research to improve the seismic performance of steel building structures. - John Ruddy, AISC, Chicago, IL
Honored for his work in fire protection and engineering of steel structures, including the creation of an AISC Design Guide on fire protection, and justification that steel construction is considered restrained for fire ratings.
2008
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John Ruddy, AISC, Chicago, IL
Honored for his work in fire protection and engineering of steel structures, including the creation of an AISC Design Guide on fire protection, and justification that steel construction is considered restrained for fire ratings. -
Joseph J. Hunt and William W. Brown, IMPACT
Honored for their work in developing and nurturing IMPACT, a labor/management partnership designed to bring together local unions and their signatory contractors to address mutual problems and create solutions to those problems. -
Joseph Burns, The Thornton-Tomasetti Group, Chicago, IL
Honored for his significant efforts in promoting and advancing the use of BIM and interoperability in the design and construction of major steel structures. -
Gus Bergsma, RAM International, a Bentley Solutions Center
Honored for his pioneering work in promoting an advanced solution to structural steel design that helped revolutionize the computerized design of structural steel buildings. - Michael Engelhardt, University of Texas at Austin
Honored for his enduring and pioneering contributions to the development of Eccentric Braced Frames.
2007
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Peter Wright, Chaparral Steel, Midlothian, TX
Honored for his significant work in statistics and analysis of the structural steel industry that has aided the development of metric-based marketing statistics. -
Chia-Ming Uang, University of California-San Diego
Honored for his outstanding contributions through advanced analysis and testing of moment frame connection configurations subjected to earthquakes. -
Douglas A. Foutch, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL
Honored for his outstanding contributions through advanced analysis to engineering knowledge of the performance of steel moment frames subjected to earthquakes. -
Ahmad Rahimian, Cantor Seinuk, New York City, NY
Honored for his groundbreaking work on the award-winning Hearst Tower in New York City.
2006
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Richard Schulte, Schulte & Associates, Evanston, IL
Honored for bringing rationality to the discussion of the destruction of the World Trade Center. -
Ronald D. Ziemian, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA
Honored for the innovative development of programs of advanced structural analysis and his key role in the use of the program in the development of the 2005 AISC Specification provisions for stability analysis and design of structures.
2005
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Daniel G. Fisher, Sr., Girder-Slab Technologies, LLC
Honored for the development and production of the Girder-Slab System and its positive impact on the steel construction market. -
Alan Davenport, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
Honored for his groundbreaking work to advance the state of wind analysis. -
Peter Naccarato, Girder-Slab Technologies, LLC
Honored for the development and production of the Girder-Slab System and its positive impact on the steel construction market. -
Jeffrey A. Packer, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
Honored for his work on HSS Connections. -
Donald White, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
Honored for his work on advanced beam and girder design criteria for buildings and bridges. -
Thomas Wosser, Degenkolb Engineers
Honored for his work in helping to develop the CASE Guidelines: A Guideline Addressing Coordination and Completeness of Structural Construction Documents
2004
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Jerome F. Hajjar, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Honored for the development of strength and performance theory and criteria for composite columns. -
Mark Mosher, Amfab Incoprorated, Bernalillo, NM
Honored for pioneering and innovative use of Electronic Data Interchange. -
Ivan M. Viest, IMV Consulting, Bethlehem, PA
Honored for his pioneering research and development work on composite design.
2003
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Gregory G. Deierlein, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Honored for his work in advanced frame analysis and design. -
Walter Gatti, Tensor Engineering Co., Indian Harbor Beach, FL
Honored for the rapid detailing of the redesign of the Weber Fall Bridge. -
James Glymph, Frank O. Gehry & Associates, Santa Monica, CA
Honored for implementing innovative steel designs and utilizing advanced technology to advance the use of steel design. -
Randolph Jefferson, Frank O. Gehry & Associates, Santa Monica, CA
Honored for implementing innovative steel designs and utilizing advanced technology to advance the use of steel design. -
Alford (Andy) Johnson, AISC Marketing, Chicago, IL (ret.)
Honored for implementation of the AISC Steel Solutions Center.
2002
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Barry L. Barger, Southern Iron Works, Inc., Springfield, VA
Honored for development of 2000 AISC Code of Standard Practice. -
Kim Roddis, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
Honored for development of internet-based teaching aid. - Charles W. Roeder, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Honored for his work on eccentrically braced frames.
2001
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Richard Avent, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA
Honored for his seminal work on advancing the field of heat straightening of steel members. -
Fred Haas, Consultant, Burr Ridge, IL
Honored for the development of the AISC Erector Certification Program. -
Stephen Mahin, University of California, Berkeley, CA
Honored for his leadership on the FEMA/SAC initiative. - Jeff W. Post, J.W. Post & Associates, Inc., Humble, TX
Honored for significant work on tubular steel and as a leading expert on heat straightening.
2000
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Franklin B. Davis, Consultant, Brookline, MA (previously Foster-Precise/Div. Of L.B. Foster Co.)
Honored both for his work in developing the AISC/NISD Detailer Training CDs and for his work in improving the NASCC. -
Ronald O. Hamburger, EQE International, Oakland, CA
Honored for shepherding new developments in seismic design developed through the FEMA/SAC initiative. -
Geoffrey L. Kulak, University of Alberta, Alberta, Canada
Honored for the Second Edition to the "Guide to Design Criteria for Bolted and Riveted Joints." -
James O. Malley, Degenkolb Engineers, San Francisco, CA
Honored for shepherding new developments in seismic design developed through the FEMA/SAC initiative. -
Dennis R. Mertz, University of Delaware, Newark, DE
Honored for developing LRFD for Bridges, which supplanted older LFD methods. -
Robert E. Shaw, Jr., Steel Structures Technology Center, Inc., Novi, MI (formerly with AISC Education Department)
Honored for Initiating the Student Steel Bridge Competition
1999
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Duane Ellifritt, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Honored for the initiation of the Steel Sculptures Program. -
Helmut Jahn, Murphy/Jahn, Chicago, IL
Honored for his work on the United Airlines Terminal in Chicago, which inspired both airport design worldwide and the growing use of exposed structural steel. -
C. Farnham Jarrard, Jr., Quality Auditing Co., Bristol, VA
Honored for advancement of AISC Certification Program. -
Helmut Krawinkler, Department of Civil Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Honored for work on Beam-to-Panel Connections and Seismic Analysis. -
Stanley D. Lindsey, Stanley D. Lindsey & Associates, Atlanta, GA
Honored for his work on partially restrained connections. -
Clark B. Olsen, Utah Pacific Bridge & Steel Corp., Pleasant Grove, UT
Honored for work on Highway 5 in Salt Lake City.