Former MSPE Board Member, Michael Spence, PE Announces Retirement
After 48 years in the Boston mechanical and electrical consulting engineering field, MSPE member Michael Spence, PE, Executive Vice President of Bala|TMP Consulting Engineers, has announced his retirement as managing principal, effective this June. He will remain with the firm on a part time consulting basis.
Mike joined TMP’s predecessor firm, Scorziello Associates in 1974 designing numerous K-12 public and private schools, libraries, college, municipal and private sector projects. In 1982, the firm was acquired by The Mitchell Partnership, based in Toronto. Mike became a partner in the Boston office of TMP Consulting Engineers. TMP became an independent Boston firm in 1992 and Mike became the President in 2003.
In TMP’s 33 year history, over 2,500 projects were completed, ranging from simple engineering studies to major new buildings that shaped the Boston skyline. Mike was involved in over 600 of these projects as either as the primary HVAC Engineer, Concept Engineer or Principal-in-Charge. His career at TMP was bookended by two of his favorite projects: the addition/renovation of the John B. Hynes Convention Center beginning in 1982 and the Logan Airport Terminal B Addition/Renovation completed in 2014. The Hynes Convention Center project started out as a $26M City of Boston project that expanded into a $160M state project, requiring the formation of the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority. This project began design in 1982, opened in 1989 and was instrumental in the early growth of TMP. On the other end was the $150M, 175,000sf Addition/Renovation of Terminal B, one of the most challenging and interesting projects of Mike’s later career.
Other career highlights were the 440,000sf, LEED Certified renovation of Cambridge Rindge Latin High School, the project that initiated the rejuvenation of the UMASS / Boston campus: the $70M Student Union Building, the $71M Plymouth Trial Court Building and the 315,000 SF Springfield Putnam Vocational Technical High School.
In looking back over almost 5 decades of engineering, Mike noted, “The driving force of my career that allowed me to enjoy the work for so long was a true love and respect of architecture. Knowing the vital contribution that engineering played in the final product to make it a success was the connecting thread that kept me excited. I always felt that the architect, engineer and contractor was one entity that relied on each other to fulfill the owner’s need to create comfortable spaces where we all work, live and learn. I am blessed to have worked with some of the best people in the industry; people who have become true friends and have helped make my career wonderful and memorable.”
MSPE is grateful to Mike for his contributions to our industry and organization, including his past service on the MSPE Board of Directors. Best wishes for continued success, Mike!