It is with great sadness we must relay the news that founding ICRI Member and Past President, James E. (Jim) McDonald, passed away late last week. Jim’s involvement with ICRI goes all the way back to the beginning. Jim was a charter member, served on the Board, and served as ICRI President in 1999.
Jim also has served on the Technical Activities Committee (TAC) of ICRI as Member, Secretary, Review Chief. He also served as chair of the Repair Material and Methods committee. Among his many accomplishments and contributions to ICRI, Jim completed the original draft of the ICRI Concrete Repair Terminology document in 1998. He drafted another version of the Concrete Repair Terminology document in 2010. He drafted the original ICRI Task Group Manual in 1997 and drafted the ICRI Style Manual in 2007. He was also a contributor in the development of an outline and identification of appropriate documents for the 1st edition of the joint ICRI/ACI Concrete Repair Manual. He quite literally was involved and helped shape a majority of the technical offerings produced by ICRI over the past 31 years.
Through his many years of ICRI involvement, Jim has contributed his vast knowledge, but he has also been a friend, colleague, ally, and mentor to dozens of leaders in the repair and restoration industry. As Fred Goodwin said: “I will miss Jim, a friend, mentor, and amazing contributor to the Concrete industry. I am sad to hear of his passing and hope together we can keep his memory alive.” Longtime ICRI member and past TAC Chair Kevin Michols had this to say, “Jim advanced the quality and durability of concrete repairs through significant project work, practical research, knowledge sharing, and countless hours of technical committee work in industry organizations including ICRI and ACI.” He also added, “His expertise, wisdom, and giving spirit live on through his many contributions to the concrete repair industry.”
Jim has been an instrumental part of nearly all research and development of best practices in concrete repair for the last 5 decades. He was made an ICRI Fellow, was selected as an Honorary Member of ICRI in 2013, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Award by ICRI in 2017. He was also the very first recipient of the ICRI President’s Award in 2019.
Jim will be memorialized at Wright & Ferguson Funeral Home (106 Cynthia Street, Clinton, MS 39056) on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, at 1:00 pm. Our hearts go out to Jim’s wife, Jean, and his family during this difficult time of loss.
ICRI is making plans to further honor Jim’s legacy, and we will keep our members informed of these plans soon. Jim will be greatly missed.
