Obituaries

East People: May 2026 Updates

Mon, 18 May 2026 11:59:00 -0400

Updates about construction professionals in the East region.

Obituary: Ironworkers Union President Walter Wise, 74, Led New Safety Initiatives

rubind@enr.com (Debra K. Rubin) — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 10:18:00 -0500

Former chief studied university-level civil engineering before pursuing a craft career, ultimately taking local, regional and national union top roles.

Obituary: Black & Veatch Veteran James L. Barnard, 90, Was Water System Safety Pioneer

manniona@enr.com (Annemarie Mannion) — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 12:52:00 -0500

The innovative engineer made a global impact, guiding the design of more than 100 biological nutrient removal facilities worldwide, including projects on five continents.

Utah Contractor Ralph L. Wadsworth, 91, Pioneer in Accelerated Bridge Construction, Dies

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 12:48:14 -0500

Contractor founder and former CEO led the company to build numerous high-profile highway and bridge projects across Utah, Idaho, Montana and Arizona.

Frank Gehry, 96, Was Architect Who Pushed Construction Into the Digital Era

gottliebb@enr.com (Bryan Gottlieb) — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 18:20:01 -0500

Pioneering designer's death marks a key chapter in construction innovation, as his digitally driven methods forced contractors, engineers and fabricators to reinvent how complex buildings are delivered.

Obituary: Robert A.M. Stern, 86, Multi-Faceted NYC Architect, Firm Leader and Academic

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 15:39:00 -0500

Designer founded and led Robert A.M. Stern Architects, also known as RAMSA, and served as dean of the Yale School of Architecture

Remembering Denver Contractor Richard "Dick" Saunders

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 16:46:14 -0500

Saunders Construction founder leaves a lifetime legacy in the Denver community and industry that will be felt for generations.

Erik Verboon, 46, Walter P Moore Senior Principal, Left Big Legacy in Too Short Life

gottliebb@enr.com (Bryan Gottlieb) — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 08:38:36 -0400

Architect-engineer had co-led the firm’s New York City office and advanced enclosure design on projects from New Orleans Airport to Allianz Field stadium in St. Paul, Minn.

Obituary: Richard N. Weeks, 97, Led Weeks Marine to Growth; Kathryn Jablokow Is Manhattan U. Engineering Dean

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 11:59:00 -0400

Updates about construction professionals in the East region.

Obituary: Former Contractor CEO Ralph Korte, 90, Leaves Legacy of Industry Firsts

manniona@enr.com (Annemarie Mannion) — Thu, 28 Aug 2025 18:17:00 -0400

Founder and former CEO of St. Louis building contractor The Korte Co., died on Aug. 26.

Obituary: Mark Casso, 70, Advocated for Industry CEOs to Boost Performance, Influence

rubind@enr.com (Debra K. Rubin) — Sat, 05 Jul 2025 18:15:00 -0400

Construction Industry Round Table president created and led its National Design and Construction Competition, an annual event for high school students to present current CEOs with solutions to real industry challenges.

Obituary: Gerard Neumann, 83, Was NYC Marine Contractor CEO, Regional Industry Leader

Sun, 25 May 2025 11:30:00 -0400

Former US Navy Seabee officer who led city-based marine and sewer contractor Spearin, Preston & Burrows and key local projects, died April 5, said a family obituary.

Obituary: Russ Burns, Clayco Chairman and Former CEO, 65, Led at Right Time

manniona@enr.com (Annemarie Mannion) — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 12:39:00 -0400

Executive who joined the firm during tough economic times in 2008, helped build it to become a giant reporting $7.6 billion in revenue in 2024.

Dana Crawford, 93, Led Historic Preservation Efforts in Denver and Beyond

Mon, 27 Jan 2025 12:07:25 -0500

Crawford's preservation work began with efforts to save historic Denver buildings in the 1960s and would extend to projects in dozens of communities across the U.S.

Obituary: Jim House, 87, Was Mechanical Contractor Leader

choa@enr.com (Aileen Cho) — Thu, 03 Oct 2024 13:23:27 -0400

Former pipefitter was an early leader of MEP prefabrication in the U.S.

Obituary: Pat Galloway, 67, Was First Woman to Lead ASCE and a Risk Management Trailblazer

Wed, 02 Oct 2024 18:16:00 -0400

Pioneering civil engineer, whose early focus on megaproject risk management and arbitration made her an asset on global works, had a cancer diagnosis, says her firm Pegasus-Global Holdings Inc.

Obituary: Nabih Youssef, 80, Pioneered Performance-Based Seismic Design

Tue, 06 Aug 2024 09:30:00 -0400

Leading structural engineering expert is remembered by colleague as the "consummate professional."

Obituary: Jim Maxwell, 76, Was Innovator in Deep Foundations Work

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 17:41:29 -0400

Chair of Chelmsford, Mass.-based Hub Foundation Co. Inc. and cited earlier this year by The Moles for outstanding achievement, Maxwell died July 25 after a five year battle with Lou Gehrig's disease,

Obituary: Irvin Richter, 79, Pioneered Construction Claim Resolution, Project Management Consulting

rubind@enr.com (Debra K. Rubin) — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Innovator who founded and led claims and project management consultant Hill International in the 1970s and became a widely sought expert in both fields, died of complications from a stroke on June 22.

Obituary: Moles Leader Gerry Carty Was Heavy Construction Advocate

rubind@enr.com (Debra K. Rubin) — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 18:00:00 -0400

Contracting veteran, 91, led the now 600-member professionals group for two decades as executive director.

Obituary: George A. Greene, 94, was Silicon Valley Design Pioneer

rubind@enr.com (Debra K. Rubin) — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 02:50:00 -0400

Mechanical engineer, who designed early semiconductor and biotechnology facility clean rooms and related facilities and launched a consulting firm that was later sold to Ireland's largest engineer and project manager, died on Jan. 4.

Jim Rossberg, 65, Was Longtime ASCE Advocate for Improved Structural Standards

Fri, 29 Mar 2024 14:30:00 -0400

Managing director of engineering programs at the American Society of Civil Engineers retired in 2022.

C.C. Myers, 85, Was 'Larger Than Life' Bridge and Highway Contractor

choa@enr.com (Aileen Cho) — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 16:12:22 -0500

Former ENR Newsmaker was a "go-to" contractor on several major infrastructure emergencies in California, with a celebration of life set for Feb. 29 in Sacramento.

Obituary: James Patrick Judge Sr., 78, Was Concrete Pump Innovator

Tue, 02 Jan 2024 14:00:00 -0500

Florida executive formed three companies from the 1960s to the 1980s, becoming one of the largest concrete pumping companies in the Southeastern U.S, said a family statement.

Obituary: Charlie Thornton, 83, Was Design Innovator and Mentoring Champion

lewisw@enr.com (Scott Lewis) — Sat, 16 Dec 2023 12:25:00 -0500

Thornton Tomasetti co-founder and former CEO saw needs in project design and delivery and workforce skillbuilding until his Dec. 12 death

Obituary: Mort Downey, 87, Set High Bar as Six-Decade Transit Leader

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 16:45:00 -0500

Long career for transportation operations and finance expert included a long stint as the U.S. Transportation Dept chief operating officer and leadership of two major U.S. urban transit systems.

Peter Owen Shea Sr., 88, Tunneling Expert

lewisw@enr.com (Scott Lewis) — Tue, 31 Oct 2023 18:05:53 -0400

Shea was known for tackling some of the most difficult tunneling work.

Sherwin Asrow, Founding Member of Chicago Committee on High Rise Buildings, Dies at 101

manniona@enr.com (Annemarie Mannion) — Mon, 09 Oct 2023 17:27:18 -0400

During his career as a structural engineer, Asrow was involved with numerous major projects in Chicago, as well as updating the city's high-rise building code.

Tribute: Beverly Willis, 95—Architecture Pioneer, Advocate for Women

Sun, 08 Oct 2023 16:28:00 -0400

Design firm owner, ahead of her time in promoting wider use of new techniques and technologies and more recognition of women professionals, died on Oct. 1 in Branford, Conn.

Obituary: Michael Horodniceanu, 78, Was NYC's Rail Megaproject Maestro

choa@enr.com (Aileen Cho) — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 20:00:47 -0400

Former MTA Capital Construction chief navigated challenges both technical and political to guide completion of billions of dollars in projects to keep millions of city residents and visitors moving.