Chapter History

Pittsburgh Chapter CSI was organized in 1957 and granted a charter by the Institute on February 15, 1958, and incorporated as a non-profit organization in July 1958. The names of 25 full members and 36 associate members appear on the Charter.

The first Chapter President was Raymond A. Fisher, AIA, Professor of Architecture at Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie-Mellon University). Following his term as Chapter President, Raymond Fisher was elected Regional Director of Area 3, Middle Atlantic District (now the Middle Atlantic Region), a position he held until his death in 1959. Harry Ray Nay of the Pittsburgh Chapter was appointed to serve the remainder of Fisher’s term.

Other Pittsburgh Chapter members who have been elected Director for the Middle Atlantic Regional include Paul Pittsford in 1978, Kenneth Nagie in 1993, and Brian Trimble in 2004.

The “Specigram” is Pittsburgh Chapter’s monthly newsletter, so named at Charles J.S. Lewis’ suggestion in November 1958. “Specigram” evolved from a news bulletin to a professionally-produced, award-winning publication. With the introduction of the CSI Pittsburgh web site and broadcast e-mail capabilities, Chapter members now receive meeting notices by email and visit the website for Chapter news and information.

In 1980, the Chapter held its first annual Building Products Show. Through 1991, the Show was held at the Expo Mart in Monroeville. In 1992 and 1993, the Show moved to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, and from 1994 through 1998, had been held at the Sheraton Station Square. The Building Products Show was retired after the 1999 show.

In 1983, the Chapter established a Refresher Course for the Institute’s Certified Construction Specifier (CCS) program, an examination given annually since 1977, to certify those who prepare specifications. Since then, the Institute added additional certifications and modified the course which is now known as the Principles of Construction Documents course. In 1995, the Pittsburgh Chapter was selected as a Beta-testing site for the Certified Construction Contract Administrator (CCCA) exam. The Pittsburgh Chapter is proud to have numerous CCS, CDT, CCCA, and CCPR recipients.

The Pittsburgh Chapter created the Roswell H. Johnson Specifications Competition and a memorial award in honor of Mr. Johnson, a Chapter member and specifications writer who won numerous awards in the CSI National Specifications Competitions in the mid-1960’s. This annual competition ran for many years and was open to specifiers from local firms on submissions of local projects.

The Harry Ray Nay Memorial Award was created to recognize those individuals who serve at the Region level, in an outstanding manner, for the benefit of the Pittsburgh Chapter. In 1990, at the direction of Sandra Hundley, President, the Chapter created the Raymond A. Fisher Award to recognize those members who have been active in the Chapter for 15 years, and have represented the Chapter at region and national levels. Winners of all Chapter awards are honored at the annual Chapter Awards Banquet.

In October 1965, the Chapter sponsored, hosted, and programmed a Tri-Regional Conference in Pittsburgh, a Middle Atlantic Regional Conference in 1973, 1985, 1995, and 2005. Annually, chapter members travel to other Chapters in the Region and to attend the CSI Middle Atlantic Region conference or National CSI Convention.

In 1990, former Chapter President Kenneth Nagie, FCSI, CCS, AIA, architect and specifications writer, became the first Pittsburgh Chapter member to be elevated to Fellow of the Institute.

In 1992, the Chapter sponsored the creation of a new Region Award in honor of longtime Chapter member, George C. Neuhausel, to recognize members of Region chapters who have served for 15 consecutive years or more, and have not received any Region honor awards.

In 2000, former Chapter President Sandra A. Hundley, FCSI, CCS, R.A., architect, became the second Pittsburgh Chapter member to be elevated to Fellow of the Institute.

In 2007, former Chapter president George Merges, Jr. becomes the third member to be elevated to Fellow of the Institute.

In 2008 the Chapter celebrated its 50th anniversary with a formal event that featured many distinguished guests from the Region and Institute, as well as Raymond Brooks, the last remaining original Charter Member.

From 2007 – 2013 the Chapter received CSI’s Outstanding Chapter Commendation.

From 1958 through 2025, the Pittsburgh Chapter has had 38 presidents from various segments of the industry.
 
Past Chapter Presidents
1958-1959    Raymond A. Fisher 
1959-1960    Morton E. Ackerly 
1960-1961    Marshall G. Lindsay 
1961-1962    Leland W. Cook 
1962-1964    Edmund C. Jacquel 
1965-1966    Roswell H. Johnson, Jr. 
1966-1968    Arthur E. Prack, Jr. 
1968-1969    Leonard L. Mitchell 
1969-1970    William N. Manning 
1970-1972    Richard E. Adasiak 
1972-1973    Edward W. Cable, Jr. 
1973-1974    Donald L. MacLachlan 
1974-1976    Kenneth Tyson Nagie, FCSI 
1976-1978    John A. Hill, Jr. 
1978-1980    Zygmunt A. Rice 
1980-1982    George Merges, Jr. 
1982-1984    Paul M. Pearson 
1984-1986    Vincent O. George 
1986-1988    Charles A. Brown 
1988-1990    Brian Joos 
1990-1992    Sandra A. Hundley, FCSI 
1992-1994    W.J. Bonner 
1994-1996    Roger A. Mallory 
1996-1998    George Merges, Jr., FCSI 
1998-2000    Sheila Cartiff 
2000-2002    Jerry Churray 
2002-2004    Martin J. Thornton 
2004-2006    Scott Keener 
2006-2008    RonnaLeah Prindible 
2008-2010    David Miller 
2010-2012    Robert Bailey 
2013-2015    Michaeleen Vargo 
2015-2016    Bill Vernon 
2017-2018    Rich Strayer 
2018-2019    Martin J. Thornton 
2020-2022    Kelly Brown

2022-2024    Matthew Lander 

2024 - present   Brian E. Trimble