Bret Heckenberg

SEAW Spokane President 2011

November 10, 1968 - April 18, 2013Born in Arcata, California, Bret A. Heckenberg grew up on California's North Coast and graduated from Enterprise High School in Redding in 1986. In 1992 he earned the BSCE with Structural Emphasis from California State University -Sacramento. Bret began his career in engineering with Cole Yee Schubert & Associates, Sacramento 1992-97, and while there volunteered to assess building damage after the 1992 Northridge Earthquake. In 1997 he moved with his family to the Portland area, where he worked with KPFF Consulting Engineers 1997-2002. His design of Hillsboro Stadium received national recognition with the 2000 American Institute of Steel Construction Engineering Award of Excellence. He continued with ABHT Structural Engineers (founding principal) 2002-07 and PACE Consulting Engineers before joining LSB Consulting Engineers in Spokane 2009-11. At the time of his death, in Cheney, he managed the company he founded, Heckenberg Structural Engineers.Over the course of his career he managed projects valued at over $150 million -- hotels, parking garages, bridges, hospitals, office towers, stadiums, and arenas located in North America, Asia, Africa, and Europe. His experience allowed him to develop a strong working knowledge of classical as well as contemporary structural systems, including composite framing, eccentric braced frames (EBF), special moment-resisting frames (SMRF), passive energy dissipation systems, and base isolation mechanisms for seismic force mitigation. Bret worked on medical, bio-medical, and high-tech projects located in areas of high seismicity. Projects included performance-based site specific seismic design for structures located immediately adjacent to active faults. Additional design considerations included blast mitigation, minimizing damage to building contents and components, and immediate occupancy following an anticipated seismic event.

According to his family, Bret's "personal life and hobbies revolved around his love for the outdoors, and for conquering many lofty challenges. He climbed Mt. Shasta several times, earned his pilot's license, and enjoyed hunting fishing, camping, hiking, and travelling. He particularly loved returning with his three sons to the family farm in Iowa, home of many happy childhood memories."

Posted May 2013

Primary souces: Heckenberg cv provided by LSB Consulting Engineers; Heckenberg family recollections provided to SEAW