Wen-Jo “Walter” Chiang passed away on the afternoon of Friday, August 7th, 2020, at the age of 76. Recognized as a leader in the environmental and civil engineering industry, Walter leaves a memorable mark for his kindness, generosity and his unmatched passion for education.
Born in China, Wen-Jo “Walter” Chiang grew up in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Walter received his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering in 1967 from Chung Yuan Christian University in Taiwan.
He came to Texas in 1968 as an engineering research assistant under Earnest Gloyna, Joseph F. Malina, and Wesley Eckenfelder, Jr., pioneers in industrial wastewater management and mentors to numerous practitioners, professors and students.
His area of expertise was in water and wastewater treatment plants, specializing in water quality assessments, process design, treatability studies, pilot plant studies, and alternative treatment technologies.
After working as Project Manager for Dow Chemicals (formerly Hydroscience, Inc.), Walter started his own firm, Chiang and Associates, Inc., in Arlington, Texas in 1980. Now headquartered in Dallas, the firm is known today as CP&Y, Inc. and has offices in McKinney, Fort Worth, Austin, Houston, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, and Phoenix. Under Chiang’s leadership, the firm evolved from an environmental services company to a multidisciplinary engineering firm and earned a reputation for performing high quality engineering and planning work.
Walter also served as an adjunct faculty member of the Civil Engineering Department at The University of Texas at Arlington from 1976 to 1991, teaching water and wastewater treatment design and industrial wastewater treatment. He served on the Civil Engineering Advisory Boards for both the University of Texas at Arlington and the University of Texas at Austin.
“Walter was a great friend of our department," said Department Chair Bob Gilbert. "He always wanted to know how our students were doing and how he and his firm CP&Y could help us. I will miss his warm smile and his Hook ‘em Horns sign.”
Throughout his 50 year career, Walter inspired countless individuals and earned many awards and accolades including the Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Distinguished Alumni award from the University of Texas; the Hall of Achievement Award from the College of Engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington; and the US Immigrant Entrepreneur Award from North Texas.
