SEAOSC Names Russell McLellan Young Engineer of the Year, Honors SGH Project Roberts Pavilion at Claremont McKenna College
The Structural Engineers Association of Southern California (SEAOSC) recently recognized Simpson Gumpertz & Heger as part of its annual awards celebrations. SGH Staff Member Russell McLellan is the organization’s 2019 Young Engineer of the Year, while Claremont McKenna College’s Roberts Pavilion Athletic Center received the Award of Excellence for New Construction as part of the 2019 Excellence in Structural Engineering Awards program.
Young Engineer of the Year: Russell McLellan, P.E.
SEAOSC honored Russell McLellan at the organization’s 2019 Year-End Technical Summit & President’s Luncheon on 19 June 2019, which highlights significant achievements and contributions from its members. Russell received the Young Engineer of the Year award, given to a younger member in recognition for their outstanding contributions to SEAOSC, the engineering profession, and the community.
Russell McLellan with SEAOSC President
Mehran Pourzanjani
Russell is part of SGH’s Structural Engineering division in Los Angeles, where he brings a breadth of experience investigating, analyzing, and retrofitting existing buildings. He is an emerging leader for SEAOSC and a member of the organization’s Existing Buildings Committee and Young Member Committee. He played a significant role in developing the SEAOSC Design Guides for soft, weak, and open-front wood framed buildings and for non-ductile concrete buildings, and served as a key member of the SEAOSC Safer Cities Reconnaissance Team to Mexico City following the 2017 Central Mexico Earthquake.
“Russell is truly deserving of this honor. He brings great ability and passion to everything he does, whether it’s in the office, in the field, or serving the profession with his colleagues and peers,” said SGH Associate Principal and Structural Engineering Division Head Kevin O’Connell. “His energy is infectious, and I know he will continue to affect positive change for SGH and SEAOSC for many years to come.”
Award of Excellence: Roberts Pavilion, Claremont McKenna College
SEAOSC recognized SGH for its role in Claremont McKenna College’s Roberts Pavilion Athletic Center project with the Award of Excellence for New Construction, the highest honor in the category. Kevin O’Connell accepted the award on behalf of SGH at the organization’s 2019 Safer Cities Gala and Annual President’s Dinner on 5 June 2019, which celebrates achievements in structural engineering through the 2019 Excellence in Structural Engineering Awards program.
Kevin O’Connell, Joe Moody, and SEAOSC President Mehran Pourzanjani
SGH provided structural engineering design and building enclosure consulting on the new Roberts Pavilion, which dramatically redefines what a college athletic venue can be. The 120,000 sq ft, state-of-the-art athletic pavilion goes beyond traditional wellness space, serving as a social hub that brings students and faculty together to achieve CMC’s forward-looking community goals.
“It is an honor to receive this award from SEAOSC,” said James Parker, SGH Senior Principal and Principal in Charge for the project. “The structural design includes many important features, including buckling-restrained braced frames for the lateral-load-resisting system; long-span steel trusses over the arena and gymnasium; cantilevered walkways and monumental staircases; and shallow foundations with singular tension piles as seismic hold-downs. By taking a forward-looking, multidisciplinary approach, the Roberts Pavilion project team delivered a beautiful and multifaceted space that the college will enjoy for generations.”
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