Charles H. Thornton Towering Builder of Towering Buildings by Richard G

Great Achievements notable structural engineers Charles H. Thornton Towering Builder of Towering Buildings By Richard G. Weingardt, P.E. ® Along with such elite engineering accomplishments, Thornton is chairman emeritus of the Salvadori Center, founded in the 1970s by the engineering legend Mario Salvadori, which each year graduates hundreds of struggling New York City (NYC) middle-school students in mathematicsCopyright and science and in the use of architectural and Thornton in the classroom teaching youngsters structural principles engineering principles. Thornton by using a rope bridge model. Courtesy of C.H. Thornton and Thornton-Tomasetti Group. is also the founder of the ACE Mentor Program, a non-profit, NYC-based ENR top 500 design firms. Although still organization that offers guidance to inner- a consultant to TT, Thornton retired from city high-school students in Architecture, the firm in January 2005, when he founded Construction and Engineering. ACE also Charles H. Thornton and Company, LLC, offers high-school seniors and college stu- a management and strategic consulting firm dents counseling and scholarships. The located in Easton, Maryland. Charles H. Thornton. Courtesy of C.H. Thornton and Thornton- program is purposely designed both to aid Charlie was born on April 11, 1940, in Bronx, Tomasetti Group. young people and to pump fresh blood New York, the second son of Charles H. and into a construction industry critically short Evelyn (Heinemann) Thornton. Charles, Sr., In addition to being a structural engineer- of talent. The NYC program has spawned a skilled electrician and bricklayer, was the ing icon, Charles Henry “Charlie” Thornton, more than a dozen other ACE programs in chief building inspector for Bronx, NY, when Jr. has made a significant impact by inter- cities across the country. In 2001, Engineering his three sons were youngsters. While growing esting students in engineering and attracting News-Record (ENR) presented Thornton up, Thornton said, “There were always con- much-needed talent to the profession. In with its prestigious Award of Excellence, struction materials like stacks of bricks in our the area of high-rises, he is best knownmagazine for with the citation: “For championing ACE; back yard for building things. Our life as boys his structural design of Petronas Towers and for being the consummate mentor and was like the Leave It To Beaver television se- TaipeiS 101, each theT tallest buildingR in the roleU model; for comingC to the aidT of an riesU and I thought myR parents were WardE and world upon its completion. In addition to industry in brain-drain mode; and for tak- June Cleaver. My parents never fought and impressive edifices such as these, greatly ing ACE national.” we did everything together.” adding to Thornton’s stature as a giant in Thornton Tomasetti (TT), the firm Thornton All three Thornton youngsters – Bill, Charlie the profession are countless high-profile, and Richard Tomasetti founded in 1977 after and Robert – liked being outdoors and spent mixed-use projects and numerous innova- purchasing Lev Zetlin Associates (LZA), grew much of their childhood together hiking, tive sports facilities, including Comiskey from a 50-person local firm to a 500-person, hunting, boating and canoeing. When he was Park in Chicago, Pepsi Center in Denver, multi-disciplinary, global engineering firm ten, Charlie and Bill kayaked on the dangerous Anaheim Arena in California, and the Bulls- with annual gross revenues of more than $60 waters under the Whitestone Bridge, without Blackhawks Stadium in Chicago. million. In 2007, it was ranked 150th in the

American Airlines Hanger. Los Angeles and San Francisco, CA. Courtesy of C.H. Thornton and Thornton-Tomasetti Group.

STRUCTURE magazine 69 June 2008 After receiving his bachelor’s degree from Manhattan College in 1961, Thornton went straight to New York University (NYU) for a master’s degree – and he started working part- time for Lev Zetlin, a pacesetting APPROVAL and outspoken consulting structural engineer. After earning his master’s® FOR YOUR degree in 1963, Thornton continued on with Zetlin’s firm – Lev Zetlin Associates (LZA) – while taking classes at NYU for a doctoral degree in Petronas Towers, Kula Lumpur City Centre, Malaysia, 1998 structural engineering, which he re- (452 meters tall) Courtesy of C.H. Thornton and Thornton- ceived in 1966. Charismatic, bril- Tomasetti Group. liant and arrogant, Lev Zetlin was difficult to work for but a master at lifejackets,Copyright something that did not meet with getting clients to try innovative structural

the approval of their parents. Bill, the oldest systems – and to pay top dollar for structural ? and the first Thornton to go to college and engineering services. “He was a big picture earn a PhD, was an inspiration to Charlie. thinker who always got owners to pay the Charlie’s interest in becoming a structural proper fee to do it right,” said Thornton. engineer was sparked early. His father often Early in his career with LZA, Thornton POOR QUALITY? UNDERSTAFFED? ! took him to construction job sites, and he worked on the first of many of his

LOOMING DEADLINES? LOOMING remembers his father calling his attention outstanding projects, two giant hangars for to the engineers when they were present. American Airlines. These super hangars, NEED TO INCREASE PROFITS? They were always well-dressed and looked which housed 747s and other jumbo jets impressive. Thornton recalled his father of the future, were located in Los Angeles pointing them out and saying, “See that and San Francisco. Working with his future www.STRUCTUREmag.org

GIVE G.E.T. A CALL OR VISITSITE! OR WEB CALL OUR A G.E.T. GIVE fellow? He’s an engineer and a really smart guy. partner Richard Tomasseti while both men Plus, when it gets really hot or cold, he can go were still in their 20s, Thornton developed inside. That’s what you should become.” the first-ever stressed-skin hypars, using light- While in junior and senior high, and during gage steel elements, to create long cantilevers summers while in college, Thornton worked and large column-free clear spans. Because at construction, hammering nails, pushing of the complexity of the structure, he got magazinewheel-barrels, pouring concrete and erecting involved with the contractor’s means and steel and timber beams and columns, and methods for erecting it. This is something in S T R doingU surveying. TallC and skinny inT high whichU Thornton still believesR – he is a Emajor school, Charlie did not participate in school proponent of building information modeling ADVERTISEMENT – For Advertiser ADVERTISEMENT Information, visit FAX: 502-589-2240 FAX: sports or extracurricular activities – and he (BIM) and of structural engineers controlling PHONE: 502-589-0149 PHONE: developed a painful shyness. geometry and dimensions, since the structural After graduating from Iona Preparatory systems are the first ones constructed. School in New Rochelle, NY, Charlie In 1971, Thornton was a member of the entered Manhattan College to study civil LZA management team responsible for the engineering. He did not especially like the transition of the firm into Gale Industries, a mandatory pre-engineering coursework, but New York Stock Exchange company. From WWW.GLOBALENGTECH.COM once he got into engineering classes, he was in his element. He could not get enough of them. With his brother Bill as an example, his plan was to go for the highest degree he could get in engineering. 304 WEST LIBERTY STREET, SUITE 421 LIBERTY SUITE WEST 304 STREET, 40202 KENTUCKY LOUISVILLE, GLOBAL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGIES, LLP In 1957, while employed at a summer job onThank the constructionyou for reviewing of the this 60-story ad proof Chasefor the upcoming issue of STRUCTURE® Magazine. YOU DESIGN IT. WE DRAFT IT. DRAFT WE IT. DESIGN YOU ManhattanTo ensure Bank that theheadquarters, proper advertisement Charlie met forhis your company is run, please print out this firstdocument, engineer ﬁ ll out role the information model – belowEugene and Fullam. fax it to us at: 608-524-4432. Though only 29 years old at the time, DRAWING Fullam Yes,was thein chargead looks of ﬁ constructingne. one of the deepest foundations in Manhattan. Said Thornton,No, we“Gene require impressed the following upon changes: me that you don’t have to be 50 before you succeed. It made me want to be like him.” American Airlines Hanger under construction. Los 024 OF 102 Angeles and San Francisco, CA. Courtesy of C.H. Thornton and Thornton-Tomasetti Group. If we recieve no fax within 48 hours of this email, we will assume that there is no change necessary and will run the ad as presented here. Thank you for your assistance. STRUCTURE magazine 70 June 2008

Inside_Cover_Outside_Cover_Perfe1 1 5/7/2008 2:17:31 PM 1971 to 1977, in spite of the 1973 Arab As a recognized expert in structural analysis, oil embargo and the worst recession for the an international engineering lecturer and a construction industry since the 1930s, the global businessman, Thornton has become company doubled in size and was profitable. a leader of men and women around the In 1977, Thornton and Tomasetti purchased world, and a role model and mentor to many. Gale’s LZA Group, eventually renaming it William Bast, principal in charge of TT’s the Thornton-Tomasetti Group (TTG), the forensic group in Chicago, said, “Charlie is predecessor to today’s Thornton Tomasetti one of my main role models and mentors.® (TT). By 1993, TTG’s annual revenues had Always encouraging and supportive, he helped grown from $3 million to $16 million, and build my confidence. Once, I was engaged as the company had succeeded in becoming an expert witness on a lawsuit and, one day, one of the leading structural and forensic in walked one of the most famous structural engineering firms in the U.S. engineers in the country, representing the Once he had graduated from college and opposing party. It really rattled me. I told started his career, Thornton vowed to get Charlie about it and he said, ‘Oh, don’t worry over his severe shyness, and to hone his about it. You can hold your own with him. communications and leadership skills to the Your position and analysis of the situation fullest. CopyrightTo get over his tendency to withdraw and engineering problem are correct.’ And he and hesitancy about public speaking, he was right. I was able to ‘hold my own’ with taught at Cooper Union. It helped him come that engineering superstar.” out of his shell. He now speaks, with no In 1978, Daniel Cuoco, current TT presi- reservations and with great ease, to any size dent, worked closely with Thornton on the audience, within and outside the profession. company’s first high-rise, One Tampa City Says Thornton, “I’m as comfortable speaking Center. The structural system for the 40- to a group of a couple thousand people as I story, high-profile building was a classic am a small gathering of close friends.” “Denver Frame,” a concrete center core re- Over the years, in addition to Cooper sisting all lateral forces and structural steel Union, Thornton has been a visiting lecturer framing all around it carrying the vertical or professor at such institutions of higher loads. The core was constructed using slip learning as Catholic University, Princeton form techniques. The latest finite element University, Pratt Institute and Manhattan computer analysis was employed in design- College. He holds four honorary degrees, ing the structure. Said Cuoco, “Charlie’s not from Connecticut, Clarkson, Hartford and afraid to speak his mind and he is always Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Thornton is looking for new, different and better ways magazinea registered professional engineer in 25 states, to do things – and always trying to get people and the author (or co-author) of numerous around him to do the same. ‘To think outside S T R technicalU papers, asC well as a book,T Exposed theU box,’ is an understatementR for Charlie.”E Structure in Building Design, published by During the schematic design phase for the McGraw-Hill in 1993. Petronas Towers, which used super-high- ADVERTISEMENT – For Advertiser Information, visit ADVERTISEMENT Information, – For Advertiser

www.STRUCTUREmag.org

Taipei 101, Taipei, Taiwan, 2004 (509 meters tall) Courtesy of C.H. Thornton and Thornton- Tomasetti Group.

STRUCTURE magazine 71 June 2008

Thank you for reviewing this ad proof for the upcoming issue of STRUCTURE® Magazine. To ensure that the proper advertisement for your company is run, please print out this document, ﬁ ll out the information below and fax it to us at: 608-524-4432.

Yes, the ad looks ﬁ ne.

No, we require the following changes:

If we recieve no fax within 48 hours of this email, we will assume that there is no change necessary and will run the ad as presented here. Thank you for your assistance.

Inside_Cover_Outside_Cover_Perfe1 1 4/25/2008 11:39:44 AM often repeated: regardless of complexity, you Patricia succumbed to Hodgkin’s Disease. should reach a reasonable structural solution Thornton married Carolyn Heldman on June using simple analogies and hand calculations. 6, 1981. They had one daughter, Rebecca. If not, re-check the computer model first!” Thornton is proud that his son Charles III, Thornton’s lifetime of achievements have at age 32, was Turner Construction’s project earned him countless awards and honors. manager in charge of Invesco Field at Mile- Significant ones are the 2001 Award of High in Denver and was crucial in the record- Excellence from ENR, 2002 Hoover Award setting stadium being completed on time® and from ASCE and several other engineering as budgeted. societies, 2002 Honor Award from the Thornton has pithy advice for today’s be- National Institute for Building Sciences ginning engineers and emerging leaders: “In (NIBS) and 2003 Award Medal from the your 20s, be a sponge, learning everything you Benjamin Franklin Institute. He is an honorary can and watching those around you who know member of ASCE and AIA, and a member how. In your 30s, develop lasting relationships, of the National Academy of Engineering. hone your communications skills and develop Active in numerous engineering and non- your full leadership potential. In your 40s, be engineering organizations, Thornton has held a leader in your company – or own your own Taipei 101, Taipei, Taiwan, 2004 (509 high positionsCopyright and elected office in many of firm. In your 50s, reap the benefits of all your meters tall) Courtesy of C.H. Thornton them, including: Manhattan College, board hard work and, in your 60s, do something else.” and Thornton-Tomasetti Group. of trustees; National Institute of Building This is exactly what Thornton did and is strength, 18,000-psi concrete as its main Sciences (NIBS), board member; Society doing. Not playing golf or idling away time, structural material, Leonard Martin Joseph, of American Military Engineers (SAME), he is busier today than ever.▪ Senior Vice President of TT, said, “Charlie national director and NYC Post president; filled one of his ever-present yellow scratch Applied Technology Council (ATC), board pads with hand calculations and sketches on of directors and president; Gunston Day Richard G. Weingardt, P.E., is the CEO the 24 hour trip back to New York from a School, board of trustees; Chesapeake Bay of Richard Weingardt Consultants, Inc. Kuala Lumpur meeting. He showed me the Maritime Museum, board member; Stamford Denver, CO. He is the author of eight pad, but held onto it while we designed and Yacht Club, board of directors; and Dolphin books. His latest Engineering Legends, analyzed the structure by computer. When Cove Yacht Club, commodore. published by ASCE Press, features numerous we were done, the close correspondence Thornton married Patricia Podaski on great American structural engineers. He can between the two methods was impressive September 9, 1961. They had three children – be reached at [email protected]. and reassuring. The lesson was clear, and Diana, Katherine and Charles III. In late 1978, S T Rmagazine ADVERTISEMENTU – For Advertiser Information,C visit www.STRUCTUREmag.org T U R E

STRUCTURE magazine 72 June 2008

Yes, the ad looks ﬁ ne.

No, we require the following changes:

If we recieve no fax within 48 hours of this email, we will assume that there is no change necessary and will run the ad as presented here. Thank you for your assistance.

Inside_Cover_Outside_Cover_Perfe1 1 5/1/2008 12:43:39 PM