Austin, TX: William F. Baker, Partner at Skidmore Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM), has been named a member of the National Academy of Construction (NAC). The Academy’s members are drawn from a select roster of professionals who have made demonstrated contributions to the construction industry. Baker’s NAC election citation noted his “outstanding qualifications as a structural engineer leading that discipline with SOM and having acted as a chief structural engineer on outstanding buildings worldwide.”
Baker joined SOM, a worldwide architectural and engineering firm, in 1981 and was elected Partner in 1996. While widely regarded for his work on supertall buildings and long-span roof structures, Baker may be best known as the engineer of Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the world’s tallest manmade structure. He has received recognitions from a number of Professional Societies, including ASCE’s OPAL Award; he is also a member of the National Academy of Engineering. Baker holds degrees from the University of Missouri and the University of Illinois. He is a registered engineer in over 40 states and is a resident of Illinois.
The National Academy of Construction was chartered in 2000 as a non-profit organization to advance the American construction industry. Elected through an extensive selection process, its membership consists of individuals whose careers have contributed to their organizations and to the advancement of the construction industry nationwide. Membership is diverse, reflecting the multiple roles, sectors and contributors to the industry. The academy is headquartered at The University of Texas at Austin. To learn more about the academy, visit www.naocon.org.
About Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM) is one of the leading architecture, interior design, engineering, and urban-planning firms in the world, with a 75-year reputation for design excellence and a portfolio that includes some of the most important architectural accomplishments of the 20th and 21st centuries. Since its inception, SOM has been a leader in the research and development of specialized technologies, new processes and innovative ideas, many of which have had a palpable and lasting impact on the design profession and the physical environment. The firm’s longstanding leadership in design and building technology has been honored with more than 1,700 awards for quality, innovation, and management. The American Institute of Architects has recognized SOM twice with its highest honor, the Architecture Firm Award—in 1962 and again in 1996. The firm maintains offices in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., London, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Mumbai and Abu Dhabi.