2024 Metal Construction News Hall of Fame – Founder
For over half a century, James Fisher, PhD, has worked tirelessly to improve the metal construction industry. Throughout the course of his career, Fisher conducted research for the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) and the Metal Building Manufacturers Association (MBMA), which led to advancements in cold-formed steel specification. Further, he was one of the founders of CSD Structural Engineers in 1969, which was originally founded as Computerized Structural Design (CSD). Fisher and the organization developed and established the precursor to the International Accreditation Service (IAS) Metal Building Systems Inspection Accreditation program, which advanced the industry, and ultimately became compulsory for MBMA membership.
In addition, he was responsible for formulating low-rise steel buildings’ serviceability design criteria, providing guidance on factors such as drift and vibration. These standards would become the AISC Steel Design Guide 3, the principal resource used by the industry for such information. From 2003 to 2010, Fisher served as president of the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) Specification Committee—a crucial period that resulted in the combined methodologies of Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) and Allowable Stress Design (ASD) Specification in structural engineering. Moreover, he is regarded as an industry expert in crane runways and industrial buildings.
Always forward-thinking and insightful, Fisher recognizes the industry must continually develop with the times. “One of the newest challenges AEC firms face is for them to be cognizant of what is going on with artificial intelligence (AI),” he says. “Firms should take a role in making sure that AI is giving the
correct advice.”
Over the decades, Fisher has received numerous awards for his impact on the industry, including AISC’s T.R. Higgins Lectureship Award in 1984, the AISC Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000, and the J. Lloyd Kimbrough Award in 2006, which is AISC’s highest honor. Most recently, in 2024, the MBMA awarded Fisher the Duane S. Ellifritt Research Award in recognition of his contributions to the industry.
Undoubtedly, his impact has run the length and breadth of the industry. “Dr. Fisher has positively impacted the metal building industry by conducting research, leading codes and standards development, and authoring design guides,” says Lee Shoemaker, director of research and engineering at MBMA. “All of these activities are intertwined to understand structural behavior, to provide reliability through appropriate code provisions, and to help engineers correctly apply these codes to everyday design. He also was instrumental in establishing the certification program for metal building manufacturers that was a key factor in elevating the industry with respect to engineering, quality control, and manufacturing practices.”
Additionally, Fisher is renowned as an esteemed keynote speaker, giving lectures and presentations across the United States and Mexico. His leadership and integrity have not only contributed to a successful career, but garnered him the utmost respect throughout the AEC industry.
Fisher has proven to be a phenomenal mentor, providing invaluable advice to young engineers. “Be open to design suggestions
by contractors, fabricators, erectors, detailers, and material suppliers,” says Fisher. “They have practical knowledge gained in their day-to-day experiences of putting together many projects. This knowledge can be instrumental in achieving good designs.”
