Igor Karassik

Karassik was born to a wealthy Russian-Jewish family.[6] His father, a mechanical engineer, Ivan Karassik (1880—1969) was a son of a Kharkov merchant Nukhim-Perets (Peter) Karasik (c. 1849—1906). His mother Malvina Barjansky (1882—1967) was a daughter of an Odessa 1st guild merchant, composer, and pianist Adolf Barjansky (c. 1850—1900). Igor had an older sister Helen (1909—1990). The family immigrated to the United States in 1923[1][7] to escape the Russian Revolution.[8] He attended Carnegie Institute of Technology,[9] and also studied in Turkey and France.[3]

In 1934[9] or 1936,[3] Karassik joined the Worthington Corporation; by 1974, he was a vice-president.[10] He subsequently worked for Dresser Industries.[9] In 1980, he became the first recipient of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers' Henry R. Worthington Medal for achievement in the field of pumping.[11]

He wrote over 1100 technical articles and papers on pump use and maintenance,[3] as well as several books, including Centrifugal Pump Selection, Operation and Maintenance, Engineers' Guide to Centrifugal Pumps, and Centrifugal Pump Clinic;[8] he also co-wrote Pump Questions and Answers,[8] and co-edited Pump Handbook.[8]

In 1996, the Thirteenth Pump Users Symposium was dedicated to his memory.[12]