Otto Maatsch, a New York civil engineer active with ASCE’s Metropolitan Section for many years, has died at 90.
Maatsch, P.E., F.ASCE, was a former purchasing manager for Westvaco Corporation, the materials and packaging company now named MeadWestvaco.
Born in Nebenstedt, Germany, Maatsch grew up in Brooklyn, New York. Joining the U.S. Army, he served in the Korean War and with the Army Corps of Engineers in the Panama Canal Zone. His first job was as a bricklayer. He became a civil engineer upon earning a master’s degree from the City College of New York. He would return to CCNY as an engineering instructor.
“Otto supported the ASCE Met Section for decades, serving as president in 1995-1996, then in numerous subsequent roles,” said 2017 Section president Arthur J. Alzamora Jr., P.E., M.ASCE.
Those roles included representing the section on the Metropolitan Engineering Societies Council, including a tenure as secretary. He also was treasurer of the NY State Council.
Maatsch also was a liaison for the Met Section at the Region 1 Assembly. Until recently, he remained highly active with the section’s technical groups and at the board and state levels.
In 1999 Maatsch was honored with ASCE’s Thomas C. Kavanagh Service Award, which recognizes a professional for exceptional service and dedication to civil engineering, especially in support of the Met Section.
