By Stephen Kirk, CVS
On December 12, 2021, Geza Emmerich Kmetty, PE, CVS peacefully passed away. He spent 81 wonderful years with family and friends but was called to be with his wife Esther who preceded him in 2017.
Geza was born in Hungary in 1940 as World War II raged. During the Hungarian revolution in 1956 he escaped the oppression, leaving his parents behind. Geza escaped to Austria and made his way to the United States as an immigrant where he started a new life and adventures as a teenager. He first lived in Denver graduating from high school and starting at Regis College.
Geza moved to Phoenix, AZ and graduated with a degree in civil engineering from Arizona State University (ASU). Over a distinguished career he established engineering companies and built a respected reputation with colleagues across the industry.
I had the opportunity to teach the Value Methodology to Geza in the late 1990’s. He loved the process and promoted it to the Flood Control District of Maricopa County (FCDMC) with whom he was employed at the time. Geza was involved in many Value Engineering (VE) studies saving millions for the state. In addition, he developed the FCDMC Value Analysis processes for scoping and project prioritization that are now engrained within the organizations culture. Geza worked as an independent VE facilitator for many state and federal projects in over 15 states and in his native Hungary.
As opportunities arose, Geza was one of my team engineers for road and highway projects in Kuwait. He loved function analysis and its power to improve the design of projects.
Geza was an avid fan of VE, promoting it with anyone he would strike up conversation. He would also nurture new generations of engineers through teaching and mentoring and through many generous donations to provide resources that have helped to make today’s Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at ASU among the leading engineering schools in the country.
Geza helped set up the first graduate course in VE at ASU. He then was a co-instructor for several years. Students loved his stories and his passion for VE.
Services for Geza were held March 4 at St Theresa Catholic Church in Phoenix, AZ. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations be made to the Kmetty Family Endowment at the Arizona State University Foundation, benefitting Civil Engineering students at ASU.
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