ASTM International Committee C18 on Dimension Stone has honored Kurt R. Hoigard, P.E., Principal of Raths, Raths & Johnson,  Inc., with the Daniel W. Kessler Award of Meritorious Service.  C18 honored Hoigard for his continuous and outstanding contributions to the work of the committee. 

Hoigard resides in LaGrange, Ill.

An ASTM International member since 1987, Hoigard is chair of Subcommittee C18.01 on Test Methods and has been an active contributor to the revision of existing standards and the development of new ones, including ASTM's first standards for anchorage testing.  He has also been chair of the C18 main committee and a member of the Committee on Standards. 

Soon after graduating from the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, Ill., where he received both his bachelor's and master's degrees in civil engineering, Hoigard joined the Raths, Raths & Johnson, Inc. staff as an engineer. After being promoted to project engineer and then senior engineer, he assumed his current position with the firm in 1994.

A licensed professional engineer in 18 states, Hoigard specializes in the evaluation and repair of distressed buildings and structures.  This work includes condition surveys, plan reviews, structural calculations, material evaluations, and preparing plans and specifications for repairs to exterior envelope and structural elements.

In addition to ASTM International, Hoigard is a member of the American Architectural Manufacturer's Association, the American Concrete Institute, the American Institute of Steel Construction, the American Society of Civil Engineers, the National Society of Professional Engineers, the Structural Engineering Institute and the Architectural Engineering Institute.

Release #7844