We are proud to announce that Jamie Davis, P.E., LEED AP, President and Principal of Ryan Biggs Clark Davis, is the recipient of the 2026 Paul Haller Structural Design Award.

Paul Haller was a dynamic engineer who helped revolutionize the design of structural masonry. Awarded by The Masonry Society at their Annual Meeting in Milwaukee, WI last month, the award honors an individual engineer or engineering firm that has advanced the understanding and practice of structural masonry through elegant, efficient, and innovative design. Over the course of her 38+ year career, Jamie has been an advocate for the rehabilitation, design, and application of masonry in structural engineering projects and industry wide. Her commitment extends beyond design; she ensures projects are executed properly in the field and actively educates clients, contractors, and owners on masonry best practices, significantly elevating industry awareness and standards. Jamie is directly involved in the investigation, rehabilitation, historic preservation, and new design of masonry projects. While high-profile projects often capture more attention, the smaller projects are equally important in shaping public perception of masonry as a durable, economical, and sustainable material. Through her deep expertise and attention to detail, she has successfully managed hundreds of projects that promote the use of masonry across the Northeast. She has lent structural design expertise to the restoration of dozens of masonry buildings on the historic Cornell University campus including the envelope renewal of the landmark 1891 McGraw Tower. Another of her projects, Breckenridge Place, was showcased as a masonry project case study highlighting the contemporary yet timeless composition of the building material.

A major component of enhancing the knowledge of masonry in practice is ensuring expertise is passed on to the next generation of engineers. Jamie actively mentors our staff, fostering their proficiency in masonry design and construction. Through her regularly hosted “masonry chats,” in-house training seminars, and one-on-one guidance, she equips emerging engineers with the technical insights to lead projects to success. Her mentorship extends beyond the walls of the firm; she has also served as a mentor to students in the Penn State Architectural Engineering program, her beloved alma mater, continuing her dedication to shaping the future of the profession.
 
Jamie was recently featured in Masonry Restoration magazine spotlighting eight women making significant contributions in the historic restoration industry. The feature highlighted her professional journey and impact on the field. She also shared advice with women in the engineering field and emphasized the importance of mentorship.
 
A founding member of the BIM-M Initiative, Jamie was a key member of the Architectural and Structural Modeling Groups. BIM-M was created in 2013, and its mission was to unify the masonry industry alongside supporting industries through the development and implementation of BIM for masonry. She holds the CD-BIM credential, an assessment-based certificate that establishes the knowledge and understanding of concepts of BIM and detailing practices, further affirming her expertise. She summarized the initiative in an article for Masonry Magazine.
 
As Past Chair of BIM-M and current active member, she presents at conferences across the country, showcasing the latest innovations to a broader audience. For over a decade, she has remained at the forefront of using BIM to design successful projects.

Jamie has been a featured speaker at Masonry Training Days in Upstate NY, where she presented grouting techniques. Her sessions covered mix design, code requirements, and proper installation practices, sharing practical knowledge with contractors, engineers, and industry professionals.A published author, Jamie wrote an article for Structure magazine titled, “Delegated Design of Masonry” suggesting a paradigm shift to have masonry designed and detailed by those who do it the right way. Earlier this year, she authored a follow-up article highlighting the newly published guide from the Block Design Collective. She co-authored “Masonry Scapegoat – Structural Investigation Reveals the True Culprit” for the 14^th North American Masonry Conference highlighting findings from three of the firm’s masonry projects.Jamie is licensed to practice in NY, CT, and GA, and is a LEED-accredited professional. She maintains memberships in ASCE, AISC, ACI, and the Mason Contractors Association of America. She holds committee positions with ACEC-NY and is on the Board of Directors for the National Design Assistance Concrete Masonry Checkoff Program.

Her active involvement in The Masonry Society (TMS) has been instrumental in her continued growth and leadership within the field. She is a Voting Member of TMS 402/602 Main Committee, and a member of subcommittees “Structural Members, Reinforcement, and Connectors,” and “Construction Requirements.”
 
Jamie helped pioneer the “Women in Masonry/Olene Bigelow Fellowship” award, established to help increase female participation in TMS. Her leadership within the organization has included serving as Secretary/Treasurer and she is the organization's President-Elect.
 
Jamie exemplifies the spirit of the Paul Haller Structural Design Award through her unwavering dedication to advancing the practical understanding and use of masonry. For her lasting impact, technical leadership, advocacy for masonry use, and tireless dedication to TMS and the structural engineering profession, we are proud to recognize and celebrate this well-deserved honor.