To advance the science of structural engineering

To assist the public in obtaining dependable structural engineering services

To encourage engineering education

To maintain the honor and dignity of the profession

To enlighten the public regarding the province of the structural engineer

To advance proper legislation and to oppose improper legislation affecting structural engineering practice

To cooperate with other professional organizations

To cultivate social contacts within its membership and, by closer association and a better mutual understanding, to discourage unethical and detrimental practice

To afford the public a reasonable assurance of the ability and integrity of its membership by requiring that those admitted shall have established and shall maintain a high professional reputation.

To secure uniformity of action among the individuals forming this Association upon the general principles herein set forth, and upon such policies as may be decided upon from time to time for the good of the profession.

The formation of the Structural Engineers Association of San Diego took place over a period of about 12 years beginning in the mid 1950s. At that time a small group of structural engineers in private practice began to meet for lunch occasionally to exchange views and discuss problems of mutual concern. This group consisted of Tom Atkinson, George Bauer, Stanley Burne, Robert Fogg, John S. Daniels, and John Ruskin. All of these engineers belonged to the Structural Engineers Association of Southern California, but seldom were able to attend the meetings, which were held in downtown Los Angeles.

Interest in a San Diego organization for structural engineers increased, and an enlarged group came into being encompassing most of the engineers in the San Diego area who were employed in a structural engineering capacity or who were interested as contractors, material suppliers, or consultants in related engineering disciplines. The group was very informal, originally going by the name Friends of Structural Engineering, replaced later by the title Structural Engineers of San Diego. The group held regular monthly meetings and sponsored many programs of technical and professional interest to those in structural engineering practice.

By 1967, over ninety members were in the organization, and it presented its qualifications to the Board of Directors of the Structural Engineers Association of California at its annual convention in September 1967 at Lake Tahoe. Shortly thereafter, SEAOSD formally came into being with ninety-one charter members. Charles B. Hope was the first elected president, serving for the year 1968.