Building a Legacy

In February, Jim Wiethorn, B.A. ’73, Ph.D., was elected as a new member of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), which is among the highest professional honors in the field of engineering. Election to the NAE is reserved for individuals whose research, practice and educational advancements in engineering have made a lasting impact. Wiethorn’s formal induction will take place at the NAE’s Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 5.

One of the world’s foremost experts in crane engineering, Wiethorn began his Baylor journey in a completely different area of study: dentistry. In his third year at Baylor, he realized that particular path was not for him.

“I woke up Dec. 18, 1970, in a cold sweat thinking I was going to look down somebody’s throat the rest of my life,” Wiethorn recalled with a laugh. “It just made me stop and say, ‘Holy cow, what am I doing?’ I’ve grown up in construction. My grandfather was a contractor, my dad was a contractor. I’ve been around construction all my life.”

Wiethorn built a formidable career as a forensic engineer, traveling the world to investigate nearly 1,360 crane accidents. He is also founder and chairman of International Crane & Construction Safety Solutions LLC, in Sugar Land, TX.

“To be able to know that the work I have done, that if I send just one person home at night that would have otherwise been killed or seriously injured, that makes it all worthwhile,” Wiethorn said.

Beyond Wiethorn’s professional service on committees such as the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), he has also served as a long-time member of the Baylor School of Engineering and Computer Science’s Board of Advocates. His imprint on campus includes the construction of multiple campus buildings, such as the Wiethorn Building, Hooper-Schaefer Fine Arts Building and restoration of Carroll Science Hall.