CFSEI JOHN P. MATSEN AWARD FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE
2024 AWARD WINNER

The Cold-Formed Steel Engineers Institute (CFSEI) has named Reinhold Schuster, Ph.D., P.Eng as the recipient of the 2024 CFSEI John P. Matsen Award for Distinguished Service. The award recognizes the significant contributions of an individual who has volunteered time, talent and resources to the cold-formed steel industry. It was renamed in 2016 to honor John P. Matsen, P.E., founder and principal of Matsen Ford Design Associates in Waukesha, Wisconsin, who passed away in June 2015.  Dr. Schuster was recognized during the 2024 CFSEI Expo held in Tucson, Arizona on May 20-22.

Dr. Schuster’s contributions as an educator, researcher and specification contributor are unparalleled. 

As an educator, Reini created and taught a graduate cold-formed course at the University of Waterloo.  But Reini’s lecturing transcends the university classroom.  He co-developed the AISI one-day cold-formed steel course for practitioners.  He and Roger LaBoube presented that course continuously in the United States from 1996 to 2013 under the auspices of AISI, LGSEA and ASCE.  Reini also teamed with Dr. Steve Fox and offered the one-day course in Canada under the auspices of the CSSBI. In 2023 Reini and Roger co-developed for CFSEI the update to the AISI one-day course which will be offered as an on-demand course on the CFSEI website.  Reini’s passion and commitment to education of the cold-formed steel community is unmatched. 

Reini’s research and creative interests lie in the area of cold-formed steel structures.  He supervised a research team that engaged in both experimental and analytical studies.  These research efforts developed solutions that have been adopted by AISI and Canadian standards and used by structural engineers engaged in the design of cold-formed steel structures. 

Since 1978 Reini has served as the chair of the CSA S136 committee.  This is the committee that writes the Canadian cold-formed steel design standard.  During this same time Reini has been extensively involved in the AISI Committee on Specifications.  Because of Reini’s involvement in both committees, the two countries' design specifications remained in sync.  In fact, his efforts led to the creation of the North American Specification.  He served as the chair of the AISI North American Specification Subcommittee which was charged with harmonizing the design standards across the continent.