JOHN BANICKI:
 
JOHN BANICKI




 
 
 
 
 
Founder and Chairman Emeritus, Testing Engineers & Consultants Inc., in Troy. In an engineering career that spans 50 years, Banicki was directly involved in the construction of a multitude of Michigan landmarks, including Ford Auditorium, the Detroit Renaissance Center, and the People Mover. In 1966, he and his wife, Katherine, founded Testing Engineers & Consultants (TEC), which provides environmental and geotechnical services as well as indoor air quality services, construction materials testing, and building and infrastructure services. Banicki has been active in such organizations as the Michigan Society of Professional Engineers (MSPE) and the National Society of Professional Engineers since 1959; he is past president and recipient of the 1979 MSPE Engineer of the Year Award and is an elected fellow. He is a long-time member, past board member, and chairman of the Construction Activities Committee, as well as an elected fellow with the Engineering Society of Detroit. He is past president of the Construction Specifications Institute and past secretary/treasurer of the American Concrete Institute (Michigan Section). After serving as a pilot in World War II, Banicki attended Wayne State University, where he was inducted into the Engineering Hall of Fame.


WHERE BORN: "Detroit."

MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSONS: "Of course my parents, some of my professors and people that I worked with in the early days were really influential, helping me do things that I wanted to do in the future."

LAST BOOK READ: "The Bible."

WORDS THAT DESCRIBE ME: "Motivated to see the Detroit area growing to what it was and keep on growing. I was involved in major projects in this area like building Beaumont Hospital, the Renaissance Center, riverfront development, the casinos, and other major structures."

WHERE MY FIELD/INDUSTRY IS HEADED: "New technology is coming in continuously. Things we used in the past were good but we need to use new equipment and technology to be efficient and use new designs. We have to stay up-to-date and look over the horizon to see what’s coming next."

FAVORITE TECHNOLOGICAL GADGET: "I don’t really have one. I’m trying to learn a lot of things, too."

FAVORITE PLACE: "Michigan in the summer and down south in Florida in the winter."

FAVORITE HOBBY: "I love music. I studied the piano and went to Cass Tech in Detroit and played the trumpet. I was the bugler for the Lone Ranger Show, which was broadcast from the top of the Maccabees Building at WXYZ."

FAVORITE FOOD: "A good New York steak and all of the embellishments to go along with it."

MY HIDDEN TALENT: "An appreciation of people who are doing good, and trying to do good myself for [the benefit of] everybody that I come in contact with."

HOW I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED: "As a loving father and husband. I believe in religion, and I was brought up to believe that God is forever. I want to be remembered as a loving guy who appreciates the good things that people do, and I want to help them to do those good things. That I was involved in the regeneration of our area and in mentoring people to help do that."

Grant Thornton Website At the annual awards reception in April 2009, one Leader & Innovator from the previous 12 months will be selected as the Grant Thornton Leader & Innovator of the Year.