With deep sorrow, the USPA has learned of the recent passing of Thomas Krzewinski.  Tom served as the USPA President in 2015 and as the engineering representative to the International Permafrost Association (IPA) Council from 2009 to 2020.  Tom helped organize five International Conferences on Permafrost (ICOPS): Norway, Russia, Germany, and two in Fairbanks.  Tom built a critical bridge between the engineering and scientific permafrost communities through his continuing activities with the USPA and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).

Tom started his long and prestigious engineering career on the design of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline after graduating the University of Minnesota, Duluth, moving to Alaska for final design and construction.  He then managed Dames and Moore's operations in Alaska, beginning an engagement with the Red Dog Mine that continued until his passing.  While at Dames and Moore he became active with development of infrastructure supporting oil development on Alaska's North Slope and other projects across the state.  He left Alaska for about 15 years to Duluth to manage an office of American Engineering.  Tom returned to Alaska in 2002 working for Golder Associates and Williams Sale Partnership (WSP) until the end of his career.  Tom advanced cold regions engineering through active involvement in professional organizations such as the IPA, USPA, ASCE, and the International Association for Cold Regions Development Studies (IACORDS).

Mr. Krzewinski became an internationally recognized expert in the field of Cold Regions Geotechnical Engineering across North America.  Too numerous to list, his projects included large infrastructure such as the Trans Alaska Pipeline System, the Red Dog Mine, multiple bridges and realignment of the Alaska Railway, a railway to the Ring of Fire mining area in Ontario, Canada, railroad facilities, and foundations for hundreds of bridges, buildings and earth embankments.  In 1998, he received the ASCE’s “Harold R. Peyton Award” for significant contributions to Cold Regions Geotechnical Engineering.  In 1999, he received the Construction Specifications Institute’s “Technical Certificate of Merit”, for devoted and selfless contributions advancing technology through research in Cold Regions Engineering.  In 2009, he received the Academy of Geo-Professionals Board of Trustees “Diplomate, Geotechnical Engineering (D.GE)” credential and was named the Alaska Engineer of the Year.  In 2010, he received the ASCE’s Can-Am Amity Award for a significant body of Cold Regions Engineering Work on both sides of the border in North America.  He served as a long-term Commissioner on the Municipality of Anchorage’s Geotechnical Advisory Commission (GAC) and as a Board level Director of the Resource Development Council of Alaska.  He served as a Past Region 8 Governor (representing Alaska) of the ASCE and served on the ASCE Codes and Standards Committee.   

Tom would regularly sign his emails with “Hey, how about those Vikings?”  Yes, the Vikings shall miss him too.