KCTV 5 News, Kansas City’s local CBS affiliate, interviewed Frank Weis for its weekly “Faces of Kansas City” segment, which features prominent Kansas City residents who contribute to the community.
Weis graduated from the University of Missouri in 1942 and began his career as an Engineering Officer in the U.S. Navy. He served in World War II, including in the South Pacific, for two years before returning to Kansas City to work for the Kansas City Missouri Water Department as superintendent and assistant chief engineer. During the Kansas City flood of 1951, Weis lead a crew that prevented the lower concrete pump level of the Primary Lift Station from collapsing, which was responsible for all of Kansas City’s water supply at the time.
Three years later, Weis was offered the position as chief engineer at Smith & Loveless. Weis was Smith & Loveless’ first engineer hired by the company’s founders, B. Alden Smith and Compere Loveless. He began his career at S&L in 1954, and 56 years later, is still contributing to the company.
Today, his responsibilities as senior engineering consultant allow him to continue to design patented pumping and treatment equipment in addition to educating the company’s current younger engineers.
In addition to his more than 40 patents, Weis has also been recognized by industry peers and associations. In 1999, he was honored with the Henry R. Worthington Medal from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers for his career and achievements in pumping machinery. He also received the University of Missouri’s Distinguished Service in Engineering Award in 2005.
Weis has been married to his wife, Audrey, for more than 65 years. He has two sons who are both mechanical engineers, one of which followed in his father’s footsteps and has retired from the Kansas City Water Department. At 90 years old, he continues to jog three miles daily in the evening with his wife.
