Ron Klemencic - AIA Honorary Member 2014, ASCE Fellow 2017

Ron Klemencic earned the Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Purdue University in 1985 and his Masters in Structural Engineering from the University of California Berkeley in 1986.

He worked with Robinson, Meier, Juilly & Associates 1986-1988 and KPFF Consulting Engineers 1988-92 before joining the firm now known as Magnusson-Klemencic Associates. He currently serves as Chairman and CEO of the firm, headquartered in Seattle with offices in Chicago, Shanghai, and Riyadh.

Just two months before the terrorist attacks of September 11, Ron Klemencic began his 5 years of service as Chairman of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH). In the months following the attacks, he became the industry’s voice on the design and safety of high-rise buildings, with his perspective disseminated through public statements and appearances as well as through numerous publications, including a set of guidelines and safety enhancements to make tall buildings more robust and defensible.

Ron has also served on the Board of Directors of the American Concrete Institute and the Charles Pankow Foundation, as a voting member of multiple American Concrete Institute committees, and as a member of the Chicago Committee on High-Rise Buildings, the Concrete Technology Advisory Committee of the Portland Cement Association, the American Society of Civil Engineers, and the Urban Land Institute, among his extensive professional activities.

Projects

Ron's designs cover the spectrum of project types and materials. Ron’s international experience includes projects in 23 countries, such as 112-story Doha Tower in Qatar, 49-story 21st Century Tower in Shanghai, the 73-story HighCliff Apartments in Hong Kong, and 65-story The Royalton in Manila. His recent work includes Aqua in Chicago by Studio Gang Architects; Brickell CityCentre in Miami by Arquitectonica; and Transbay Tower in San Francisco, designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli with Kendall/Heaton Associates.

Presentations and Publications

Ron has published widely in the field of tall buildings, including "Where Do we Go From Here? - In the Aftermath of the World Trade Center Attacks" in the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat Journal 2003 Spring Issue. In August 2013, he presented "Performance-Based Seismic Design" (PBSD) as Keynote Speaker at the 2013 Structural Engineering Congress in San Jose, Costa Rica.

In addition to presenting on a variety of structural design issues at professional conferences around the world, Ron has instructed graduate students at the University of Washington, University of California Berkeley, and University of Illinois, among others. His published research papers in the field of tall buildings include research results on post-tensioned floor slabs and reinforced concrete core wall connections, large-scale reinforced concrete link (coupling) beams, dual-plate composite core walls (steel plate shear walls), and more. He led a 12-year national campaign that instigated the development and adoption throughout the US of PBSD methodology for high-rise buildings, aimed at providing buildings with increased safety, reliability, and flexibility at a reduced cost.

Honors and Awards

In 2002 the Purdue College of Engineering honored Ron with its Civil Engineering Alumni Award. In 2007 Structural Design of Tall and Special Buildings Journal named Ron Structural Engineer of the Year, and in 2008 Engineering News Record cited him among Top 25 Newsmakers for his work advancing Performance Based Seismic Design.

In 2014 the American Institute of Architects named Ron among 10 Honorary AIA Members, citing his notable contributions: "Thanks to the quality of his structural engineering work, in particular his work on tall-building design, many world-renowned architects have had the freedom to realize the full potential of their designs. Klemencic’s work has helped redefine skylines, revitalize urban centers, and establish international standards for structural design."

In 2017, ASCE honored him as a Fellow.

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