CHARLES H. THORNTON (1940-2023)

BY CYNTHIA HOFFMAN
SUBMITTED BY THE NAE HOME SECRETARY

Charles Henry Thornton Jr., founding principal of international engineering firm Thornton Tomasetti and founder of the ACE Mentor Program, died in Maryland on Dec. 12, 2023, following a brief illness. He was 83 years old.

Charlie, as he was more commonly known, served as chairman and CEO of Thornton Tomasetti and retired in 2004. During a career that spanned some 60 years, he played a leading role in the design and construction of some of the world’s most famous structures while helping to transform a small New York engineering firm into the international multidisciplinary organization it is today. He was inducted into the National Academy of Engineering in 1997 for the design of major structures worldwide.

“Charlie was a visionary, foreseeing the needs of structural engineering, our clients, the building industry, and the public it serves,” said Richard Tomasetti, the founding principal of Thornton Tomasetti. “He was equally dedicated to mentoring everyone in our firm, our partners, and future generations through his founding of the ACE Mentor Program of America. I am fortunate to have had Charlie as my partner and friend for more than 60 years and to have shared in his inspiring journey that helped people achieve more than they ever imagined.” (Richard Tomasetti was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2004.)

Under Charlie and Richard’s leadership, the firm developed a reputation for innovation and excellence, often taking on technically challenging projects that others said couldn’t be done. Working with many of the most talented architects of the day, the firm amassed a portfolio of high-rise buildings, airports, sports and entertainment venues, transportation hubs, and special and long-span structures, many of which have set industry standards for innovative thinking. These include some of the first supertall towers — Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Taipei 101 in Taiwan — and countless iconic structures around the world.

Charlie was born on April 11, 1940, in the Bronx, New York, to Charles Sr. and Evelyn (nee Heinemann). He was the second of three boys. Charles Sr. was an electrician and bricklayer who later served as chief building inspector for the borough. Young Charlie would often visit construction sites with his dad, who would talk about how the engineers and architects were responsible for making the design decisions and overseeing the work. During summers in high school and college, Charlie worked in construction, where he learned firsthand how buildings came together. He was also inspired by his older brother, William, who was the first in the family to attend university, eventually earning a Ph.D. in engineering. (William Thornton was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2013.)

Charlie earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Manhattan College in 1961 and a master’s degree in structural engineering and a Ph.D. in structural mechanics from New York University in 1963 and 1966, respectively. As a student, he came to the attention of innovative structural engineer Lev Zetlin, who had been teaching advanced structures at Manhattan College. Charlie’s thesis studies of cable nets were an ideal complement to Lev’s designs, such as the double-layer bicycle wheel roof system that was first developed for the Utica Memorial Auditorium in New York.

He joined Lev Zetlin Associates (LZA) in 1960 and worked on multiple pavilions at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York, which helped put the firm on the map. Another important project during his LZA tenure was the design of the American Airlines 747 SuperBay hangars in San Francisco and Los Angeles, which called for an orthotropic steel deck in hyperbolic paraboloid configurations as webs for huge roof cantilevers. Charlie helped bring Manhattan College classmate Richard Tomasetti, who had been working in the aerospace and submarine industries, to LZA in 1968 to collaborate on the hangar design.

In 1971, Lev Zetlin accepted an offer from construction materials manufacturer Gable Industries to buy the firm. Six years later, Charlie and Richard were able to rise to the challenge of buying the firm back from Gable in the middle of a recession and turning it private. The firm mostly focused on mid-rise buildings and long spans. In 1981, Thornton Tomasetti designed its first tower, the 40-story One Tampa City Center, which upon completion was the tallest building in Florida. From there, the firm began building a reputation as an innovator in tall building design. Its early projects included 180 Maiden Lane and several buildings at the World Financial Center, including its iconic Winter Garden in New York City. By 1991, the firm’s engineers were working on the Petronas Towers, an interlinked pair of 88-story skyscrapers. It held the record as the tallest building in the world until it was surpassed by another Thornton Tomasetti project, the 101-story Taipei 101, which was the first skyscraper to exceed a half kilometer in height.

Charlie was also a recognized expert in collapse and structural failure analysis. In 1978, he played an integral role in the investigations of two major structural collapses: the Hartford Coliseum roof in Connecticut and the Willow Island cooling tower disaster in West Virginia, which is believed to be the deadliest construction accident in U.S. history. He also served on the Federal Emergency Management Agency team that investigated the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

After retiring from Thornton Tomasetti, Charlie continued to serve in an advisory position for a number of years. He also started his own management and consulting firm, Charles H. Thornton & Company, and three other construction-related businesses.

Charlie’s dedication to the field of engineering went beyond project work. One of his passion projects was the ACE Mentor Program, a nonprofit organization he founded in 1994 that introduces high school students to potential careers in the architecture, construction, and engineering industries. Initially started in New York City, professionals from 17 firms and 90 students were divided into teams typical of the design and construction process. It is estimated that 100,000 students have participated in the program since its onset.

According to ACE, each year more than 10,000 students and 4,000 mentors, including several from Thornton Tomasetti, take part in the program through its more than 75 affiliates. It has a presence in more than 200 cities across the United States. In 2011, the ACE Mentor Program was honored by President Barack Obama with the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring.

Charlie also held leadership roles in the Salvadori Center, a nonprofit founded by eminent engineer Dr. Mario Salvadori aimed at motivating younger New York City students to learn about STEM fields. He also had a lasting impact on several generations of engineering students as a visiting and adjunct professor at Cooper Union, the Pratt Institute, and Manhattan College in New York; Princeton University in New Jersey; and Catholic University in Washington, D.C.

In addition to his induction into the National Academy of Engineering, Charlie received numerous accolades during his career. He was inducted into the National Academy of Construction in 2005. He was named an honorary member of the American Society of Civil Engineers in 1999 and the American Institute of Architects in 2006. He was awarded the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Hoover Medal in 2002 and the Benjamin Franklin Medal in Civil Engineering from the Franklin Institute in 2003. Charlie was presented with the National Building Museum’s Henry C. Turner Prize in 2008, the Construction Industry Institute’s Carroll H. Dunn Award of Excellence in 2009, the American Institute of Steel Construction Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010, and the American Society of Civil Engineers’ Outstanding Projects and Leaders Award in 2013. Together with Richard Tomasetti, he received the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat’s Fazlur R. Khan Lifetime Achievement Medal in 2012. It was the first time the award was given to two individuals jointly.

Beyond his professional achievements, Charlie enjoyed sailing and painting and spending time with his family. He is survived by his wife, Carolyn; his children, Diana, Kathy, Becky, and Charles III; his grandchildren, Ryan, Kaitlin, Casey, Andrew, Brandon, Meghan, and Charles IV; and two great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his brothers, William and Robert.

Charlie was known as an engaging storyteller. He delighted in sharing the backstories behind the firm’s successes, many of which were included in his memoir, Charles H. Thornton: A Life of Elegant Solutions, which was published in 2014 (with Amy Blades Steward; CreateSpace Publishing). His sailboat, as well, was named Elegant Solution.

“Engineering, at its core, is about shaping the future,” Charlie wrote. “It is through our collective efforts that we have the power to create structures that not only stand tall but also stand as reminders of human ingenuity.”

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Cynthia Hoffman is the communications manager at Thornton Tomasetti.