Ara Shrestinian
Vice President, Laboratory Testing and Inspection Services
Professional Experience
Ara Shrestinian is the Vice President in charge of laboratory testing and inspection. He joined the Thompson & Lichtner Co., Inc. in 1956 as a testing engineer assigned to the firm's testing laboratories at the naval and air bases in Rota and Moron, Spain. He returned to Boston in 1957, became the assistant to the Vice President, Testing and Inspection Services in 1963, and was promoted to Vice President, Laboratory Testing and Inspection Services in 1974.
Mr. Shrestinian is responsible for the overall performance and operation of the firm's testing laboratory and staff of construction inspectors. He administers all routine testing assignments and works with clients in the development of special testing programs and procedures. In this latter role, he has been responsible for the design of many types of test apparatuses for field and laboratory testing of full-size and reduced-size assemblies and specimens. He also has been responsible for research assignments concerned with the properties of portland cement, bituminous concrete and building materials.
Mr. Shrestinian has been responsible for numerous engineering investigations assigned to the firm. He has been involved in the design of airports, highways, building foundations, retaining walls, and building structures of wood, steel and masonry. He has investigated structural failures and collapses, analyzed existing structures for load tests of structural elements, evaluated fire damage to structural components and designed repairs to and supervised the repair of structures.
Mr. Shrestinian has given expert testimony in various depositions, arbitrations and court appearances concerning the work of the laboratory and other investigations conducted under his direction.
Education
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, B.S. in Civil Engineering, 1951
Professional Registration
Registered professional engineer
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
State of New Hampshire
Memberships and Activities
American Society for Testing and Materials, Member, Committee C-9
American Concrete Institute, Past President, New England Chapter
Boston Society of Civil Engineers Section/American Society of Civil Engineers,
Past Chairman, Action Program Committee
Massachusetts Building Code Commission, Member, Construction Material Safety Board
Massachusetts Construction Industry Board, Past President, Board of Trustees
Other Professional Activities
Mr. Shrestinian has conducted seminars and given lectures on concrete and soils to meetings of American Concrete Institute and the Massachusetts Construction Industry Board. He also serves as an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association.