The BKM-Gary E. Johnson Memorial Scholarship

As we celebrate Engineers Week 2022, BKM is pleased to announce the start of the BKM-Gary E. Johnson Memorial Scholarship.

Gary E. Johnson, Jr., PE, CxA, ATD, was optimistic, hard-working, energetic, and friendly, attributes that define remarkable Penn State alums. Gary graduated from The Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1987. A few minutes into meeting with Gary, one would understand his passion and love for the Nittany Lions and what it meant to be a Penn Stater for life. He maintained his friendships with his former roommates and classmates from Penn State and built relationships with other Penn State grads throughout his career.

Gary was beyond just an avid sports fan but a true admirer of sports statistics, including tracking player data, evaluating roster picks, and making predictions about winning outcomes. Gary was a devoted season ticket holder for the Baltimore Ravens and the Baltimore Orioles.

Following graduation from Penn State, Gary began his career at Burdette, Koehler, Murphy & Associates, Inc. (BKM), working directly under Tom Murphy, one of the company’s founders. After seven years with BKM, Gary joined a 400-person architecture and engineering (A/E) firm as the Mechanical Department Head for the Building Design Group, specializing in mission critical/data center designs for various government agencies. After ten years away from BKM, he returned to the firm in 2004 and joined James Barrett and Mark Flickinger as an owner. Shortly after returning to BKM, Gary started to expand BKM’s market to include data center facilities, culminating with the creation of BKM Mission Critical Facilities, Inc. (bkm-mcf) in 2007. The timing of this new entity coincided with Gary’s rekindling a working relationship with Richard Schlosser (President of TiePoint Engineering). In 2015, TiePoint Engineering, LLC merged with BKM to provide complete mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) design services for mission critical facilities. Gary was instrumental in the merger of the two firms and led the mechanical group at TiePoint-bkm. His passion led him to serve on the ASHRAE Technical Committee 9.9 Mission Critical Facilities, Data Centers, Technology Spaces, and Electronic Equipment.

Gary believed in being an active participant in the design team while remaining respectfully proactive in the project overall. Anyone who worked with Gary knew that “good enough is never good enough” for him or his team. As the son of a noted consulting engineer with a 50-year career, Gary heartily spent his entire professional career attempting to live up to the example set forth by his father (Gary, Sr.). Gary was an incredibly skilled and dedicated engineer but, more importantly, a loving father, husband, and friend. He is survived by his wife Stephanie and children Alex and Hannah Johnson. Alex has continued in his father’s footsteps, currently working as a mechanical engineer.

The BKM-Gary E. Johnson Memorial Scholarship is open to students pursuing a degree and in good standing in the Architectural Engineering Department (Mechanical option) in the Penn State College of Engineering. Gary’s legacy will continue the advancement in the built environment through the development of world-class architectural engineers.

Donations can be made to: 

DONOR AND MEMBER SERVICES
2583 Gateway Drive, Suite 130, Bristol Place One
State College, PA 16801

Include BKM Gary Johnson Memorial Scholarship in Architectural Engineering in the memo line.