STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS
FOUNDATION
OF WASHINGTON
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Mission Statement

SEFW’s mission is to "advance the profession of structural engineering through scholarships, education, research, and outreach."

A 501(c)(3) charitable organization, SEFW serves in many capacities to fulfill this mission, such as hosting public forums on topics related to the built environment, awarding scholarships on behalf of the Structural Engineers Association of Washington, producing and promoting educational materials that support structural engineering, and much more!

Our History

In November 2010, a group of current and former elected leaders of the Structural Engineers Association of Washington (SEAW) envisioned an organization that would elevate and advance the profession of structural engineering. Howard Burton, President of SEAW at the time, recruited fellow professionals Mark D'Amato, Ed Huston, Jon Magnusson, Dave Peden, and Ted Smith for a Board of Directors and incorporated the Structural Engineers Foundation of Washington as a 501c(3) nonprofit.

Their first activities as a Foundation were to establish a lecture series (the first Fall Forum took place in October 2011), work with SEAW to create an online Structural Engineers Hall of Fame, and celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair with a self-produced 2012 documentary of Seattle Center structural engineers.

These activities set a precedent for great work promoting structural engineering, which has continued since the Foundation’s 2010 inception.

Read our recent Annual Reports for more information on our activities:

Annual Report

Board of Directors

Melissa Verwest, P.E.
‍Chair

Regional Sustainability Engineer, Knife River Northwest
Seattle, WA
Chair, 2023-present
Vice Chair, 2022-2023
Director, 2021-2022

Herb Ahten, P.E.
‍Vice Chair


District Sales Manager,
Verco Decking
Seattle, WA
Vice Chair, 2024-present
Director, 2022-present

Ted Smith
Director

Principal, Retired
Seattle, WA
Secretary/Treasurer, 2010-present
Vice Chair, 2018-2020
Founding Board Member, 2010

Peter Somers, P.E., S.E.
Vice Chair

Principal, Magnusson Klemencic Associates
Seattle, WA
Vice Chair, 2023-present
Director, 2019-2023

Pete Barlow, FACI
Director

Concrete Repair Consultant, Wetherholt and Associates
Seattle, WA
Director, 2020-present

Cale Ash, P.E., S.E.
Secretary/Treasurer

Principal andGroup Director, Degenkolb Engineers
Seattle, WA
Vice Chair, 2021-present
Director, 2020-2021

Howard Burton
Director

Principal, Seattle Structural
Seattle, WA
Director, 2014-present
Chair, 2010-2014
Founding Board Member, 2010

Scott Douglas
Director

Owner, Douglas Engineering
Seattle, WA
Director, 2016-present

Dick Hemmen
Director

Retired
Seattle, WA
Director, 2014-2015, 2021-present
‍Vice Chair, 2
Director, 2021-present

Shana Kelley
Director

Associate, KPFF Structural Engineers
Seattle, WA
Director, 2018-2020, 2021-present
Vice Chair, 2020-2021

Trevor Lunde
Director

Director of Virtual Design + Construction, GLY
Bellevue, WA
Director, 2022-present

Jared Plank
Director

Associate Principal, PCS Structural Solutions
Tacoma, WA
Director, 2023-present

Craig Roberts
‍Director

Principal, CT Engineering
Seattle, WA
Past Chair, 2023-present
Chair, 2020-2023
Director, 2018-2020

Marga Rose Hancock
‍Director

Owner, Marga Ink
Seattle, WA
Director, 2021-present
Communications, 2014-2021

Jhon Paul Smith
‍Director

Associate Professor, Seattle University
Seattle, WA
Director, 2024-present

Katie Bohocky, CAE Executive Director

2024-present

How incredible to have civil and structural engineering, including a high-profile firm and project in Seattle, featured on CBS....
SEFW was pleased to fund multiple scholarships for the Structural Engineers Association of Washington in June, including...
In partnership with the ACE Mentor Program of Washington, SEFW was pleased to fund a $5,000 scholarship for a high school senior....