Cary Kopczynski, P.E., S.E., FACI, FPTI
CKC Structural Engineers

Nominated by the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Structural Engineers Association of Washington

Cary Kopczynski, P.E., S.E., FACI, FPTI, CKC Structural Engineers, has been selected as the recipient of the 2025 Professional Engineer-of-the-Year Award in recognition of his outstanding service to the engineering profession, his lifetime achievements as a visionary leader committed to structural engineering innovation and excellence, and his leadership of the Seattle Chapter of the Structural Engineers Association of Washington and the American Concrete Institute.


With more than 45 years of experience, he has become known for designing high-rise towers in the Pacific Northwest and beyond thanks to his more than two dozen towers of 20 stories or more in Seattle and Bellevue and more than 80 regional, national, and international awards for engineering excellence. His extensive experience combined with his ongoing commitment to innovation and new technology has enabled him to create technically state-of-the-art designs that reflect a keen understanding of efficient construction. He has made it his mission to focus not just on design, but on design collaboration and construction productivity. In recognition of his many contributions to structural engineering, he was honored with a 2024 Outstanding Projects and Leaders Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers.


He has been actively engaged with multiple technical societies throughout his career. He served as President of the Seattle Chapter of the Structural Engineers Association of Washington and President of the Washington Chapter of the American Concrete Institute (ACI). He also served as the National President of ACI after serving 20 years on the technical committee responsible for writing the concrete building code used throughout the United States and adopted by more than 60 countries.


He has been a Rotary International member for 30 years and served as President of the Bellevue Breakfast Rotary Club. He is a long-time member of the Bellevue Downtown Association and has served on the Bellevue Construction Codes Advisory Committee.