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Structural Focus’ Samuel Mengelkoch Becomes EERI Southern California Chapter’s Newest President

Structural Focus’ Samuel Mengelkoch Becomes EERI Southern California Chapter’s Newest President

Los Angeles-area — Samuel Mengelkoch, S.E., was appointed President of the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI) Southern California Chapter. EERI is a national, nonprofit, technical society of engineers, geoscientists, architects, planners, public officials, and social scientists. Its objective is to reduce earthquake risk by advancing the science and practice of earthquake engineering, improving understanding of the impact of earthquakes on the physical, social, economic, political, and cultural environment, and advocating comprehensive and realistic measures for reducing the harmful effects of earthquakes. Mengelkoch has been an active member since joining EERI as a graduate student in 2001.

Mengelkoch is a registered California structural engineer with over 15 years of experience in building analysis, design, and construction administration for new, existing, and historic buildings. In addition to being a Project Manager for multiple Structural Focus projects, he is also responsible for organization of the firm’s earthquake response program and assisted DreamWorks Animation and the City of Glendale in developing the first post-earthquake Building Occupancy Resumption Program in Southern California.

Mengelkoch’s representative projects include the Wallis Annenberg Center Goldsmith Theater, a ground-up state-of-the-art performing arts center in Beverly Hills, renovation and seismic retrofit of the ROW DTLA Building 2 and restoration of the Santa Monica Professional Building that is now the Landmark piece of the Santa Monica Proper Hotel. In October 2005, Mengelkoch volunteered with the California Office of Emergency Services to provide structural engineering support in areas heavily damaged by Hurricane Katrina in and around New Orleans.