Conference Program
As the labor shortage for skilled trade workers continues to burden the industry, MEP contractors are looking towards pure retention and workforce optimization efforts as a way to increase their bottom line. Hear from a Procore partner and your peers on how they approach data collection and optimization to better understand their workforce productivity and maximize their labor resources
Speakers

Gary Fuchs is a Sr. Product Specialist at LaborChart. Prior to LaborChart, Gary was VP of Construction at Westphal Electric. He and his wife Cheryl are proud parents of three daughters and 10 grandchildren. Gary enjoys woodworking, golf, hunting, fishing, and working with LaborChart. In his past, Gary was a volunteer firefighter and basketball official.


Eric Tucker is a technology strategist who has been building cloud ecosystems for more than a decade. He currently leads integration partnerships for the trades at Procore. In this role, Eric works with market-leaders and startups to bring innovations to specialty contractors.


Brian Witt specializes in building the LaborChart community and oversees strategic initiatives with industry and technical partners. Prior to his current role, Brian was one of LaborChart’s first Account Executives and helped lead sales processes and new business growth for the organization. Brian’s operational background stems from his time as an Infantry Officer in the US Army. He is an alum of the Construction Science & Management Program at Kansas State University.

Speakers

Bryan Williams, Portfolio Manager, Building Construction Field Systems, Trimble Inc. Bryan has over 30 years of international experience working in the construction industry as a site engineer, construction surveyor, project supervisor, and consultant. He has spent the last 16 years developing and marketing intelligent positioning solutions for the construction industry as part of Trimble’s Building Construction group.

After two decades in technology, Jeff Sample gives away his expertise in this engaging hands-on experience. You will dive into the 5 step process and collaboratively learn alongside your peers in this session. You will leave with a new process and tools to support your organization’s journey into digital transformation. Empower yourself and your company to thrive during the technology evolution ahead and create a sustainable approach for evaluating, selecting, and implementing transformative technology.
Speakers

Jeff Sample has devoted the past 20+ years to transforming companies. Jeff optimizes companies throughout the construction industry by designing solutions, optimizing strategic advantages, and breaking down information silos. His passion for outdoor adventure and Ironman competitions garnered him the moniker “The Ironman of IT.”
As Industry Evangelist for Join, Jeff promotes collaboration and the transformation of preconstruction to help project teams reach their potential. His depth of IT experience in various industries and his passion for continuous improvement have made Jeff a popular speaker and vocal thought leader in construction, spending much of his time educating on multiple topics to better the industry as a whole.

You have created the list of process improvement topics and now it’s time to execute but where do we start. Let’s walk through the step-by-step process to achieving productivity improvement. Bring a project topic or walk through the exercise as you complete an A3 form. The exercise will help you see the thinking behind the problem solving. Leave the workshop will new tools and actionable items to meet your operational excellence goals.
Speakers

Amanda Comunale is an AEC Fabrication, Operations and Technology industry leader. Ms. Comunale’s career has spanned both the private and public sectors. Recently she was the Chief Operations Officer of GTP Services, the leading MEP Software Solutions company. Ms. Comunale was responsible for overseeing GTP’s Marketing, Strategic Planning, and Operations. Amanda served as the Director of VDC for Victaulic, where she was responsible for overseeing Victaulic’s global estimating, fabrication, BIM and construction technology initiatives that benefitted and supported Victaulic’s customers and its strategic growth objectives. Prior to Victaulic, Amanda served as Vice President of Operations Services for S. A. Comunale an EMCOR company, where she was responsible for managing the day-to-day operations such as purchasing, IT, safety, human resources, transportation, and LEAN. It was there that she realized her passion for construction and how processes and technology are changing the industry. Ms. Comunale has a distinguished history with numerous national and community organizations, including service with the MCAA WebLEM+Plus Taskforce. She is also the Vice Chairman of the Stephen A. Comunale Jr. Family Cancer foundation, dedicated to providing gap financial funding to cancer patients and family members. She received a B.A. in Political Science from Union College in Albany, New York and her Executive MBA from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.

Although VDC software can help drive productivity gains downstream, it can be a time intensive solution. Many contractors have tried to reduce that time through coding solutions or software that has coding built in that can shortcut repeatable processes. In this session, Jeff Elwell will share how some of these solutions work and help attendees build their own solutions using their own devices. This session will demonstrate Dynamo, Trackvia and Revit platforms.
Speakers

Jeff Elwell is the Director of Innovation and Technology at EM Duggan in Canton, MA. His focus is on BIM, Revit, and the automation of processes for design and construction as a whole. Jeff’s role includes innovation research from multiple disciplines on technological advances. He has a passion for discovering new processes and efficiency and modifying their application to mechanical contracting. He believes that a key motivator in driving industry progress is transparent exchange of if ideas and workflows. He has nine years of experience in the industry between engineering and mechanical contracting.

Adding a 3D Scanner to your construction process can offer up significant advantages. In addition to capturing existing spaces and equipment, it can be used to verify field conditions, spaces and fabrication specifics. In this session, you will learn tips and tricks for improving your processes, productivity and workflows when implementing a 3D scanner.
Speakers

Bryan Williams, Portfolio Manager, Building Construction Field Systems, Trimble Inc. Bryan has over 30 years of international experience working in the construction industry as a site engineer, construction surveyor, project supervisor, and consultant. He has spent the last 16 years developing and marketing intelligent positioning solutions for the construction industry as part of Trimble’s Building Construction group.

Explore how Milwaukee Tool’s MX battery platform is furthering the drive to eliminate cords & gas fumes to address user issues, frustrations, and hazards on the jobsite. These trade-specific solutions are delivering the future jobsite without cords and noisy gas powered engines, leveraging a breakthrough cordless battery platform. In this session you’ll have the opportunity to explore new products and understand the integrated safety features improving the jobsite.
Speakers

Kevin Gee joined Milwaukee Tool in 2012 and has held roles related to Product Development & Marketing in Canada, Hong Kong, and the US. Currently, he is responsible for overseeing the strategy and product development for the company’s MX FUEL Cordless Equipment System. In this position, Kevin leverages his background, his passion for cordless, and his product knowledge to further disrupt the equipment space.

As the need for faster delivery times of fabrication increases, so does the need for increased speed of getting fabrication assemblies and work instructions to the shop. With MSUITE’s new Cloud Spooling feature, users of all skill levels can create advanced work packages and assemblies right from a web browser, in seconds.
Speakers

Britton Langdon is the founder and CEO of MSUITE, a construction software company located in the Midwest. With more than a decade in the construction industry, Britton uses his construction experience to spearhead the design and implementation of MSUITE’s products. Prior to MSUITE, Britton served as the Director of Support Operations & Business Development at an MEP where he directed their design and fabrication processes.

Construction robotics is beginning to infiltrate the industry by performing repetitive workflows, capturing jobsite data and performing work in conditions too dangerous for humans. In this session, attendees will see how Trimble is working with Boston Dynamics to implement construction hardware with robotics.
Speakers

David Burczyk is the Construction Robotics Lead at Trimble where he is responsible for the business area management and the strategic product development of the Trimble construction robotics solutions. With over twenty years of AEC industry experience promoting technology and collaboration among design and construction teams, David is focused on the development and implementation of tailored construction robotic solutions to advance the field productivity of AEC contractors, architects, and engineers.

A construction project is an interconnected web of data – from bid documents to BIM content, from Plans to POs and everything in between – not unlike a social network with connections of 1st degree, 2nd degree, and beyond. This presentation will introduce a new data network technology built on top of the DADO platform to help get instant insights from these relationships, and understand the impact of changes to the network of project data. Imagine being able to instantly see all documents and content impacted by a design change for example – this is now possible!
Speakers

Jake Olsen, P.E. is Co-founder and CEO of DADO, a construction software company that leverages powerful indexing algorithms and industry-specific search to automate document administration and ensure teams can find and collaborate on the most relevant project information. Jake was previously VP of Engineering at DEWALT where he built a team dedicated to developing and providing software and consulting services for architects, engineers and contractors. Jake has worked in the industry as an engineer and entrepreneur for over 20 years both in the USA and abroad developing new products, software and businesses to transform the way we build. Jake holds a master’s degree in Structural Engineering and is a licensed Professional Civil Engineer in California.

As projects get bigger and more complex, there are more people and equipment moving between locations than ever before. Throughout this, do you know where your valuable assets are? In this hands-on session, you will understand how to leverage hardware & software tracking technology to control your logistics on the jobsite, reduce loss, and improve your bottom line.
Speakers

Andy Lambert is responsible for leading product management and partnerships within the Milwaukee One-Key platform. Andy leverages 20 years’ experience in construction and construction technology as a proven leader in evolving the adoption of technology throughout the construction industry. Andy began his career as an IBEW Inside Wireman, but has since held positions of Solution Consultant, Director of Account Management, and Director of Construction Technology at a Construction ERP firm, and most recently Group Program Manager and Director of Product at Milwaukee Tool.

The MEP Innovation Conference kicks off with a roundtable with some of the industry’s most important behind-the-scenes leaders. Leaders from all three organizations – MCAA, NECA and SMACNA, will be on hand to discuss the importance of innovation within the MEP Trades. They will tackle how vital it is for contractors to continue to embrace technology and lead the building industry on practices and processes. Following their presentation, Lawrence Smith, VP & GM of Trimble will welcome everyone to the conference and introduce our final presentation of the evening.
Speakers

Hailing from a family of electrical contractors, Davis graduated from Louisiana State University in 1975. After graduation, he entered the JATC apprenticeship and successfully completed the program in 1979. Davis worked as a journeyman for several years until assuming a management role in 1984. After taking on leadership responsibilities, Davis worked with the day-to-day production as well as estimating bids, personnel decisions and contract negotiations.
Bob Davis Electric Co. Inc. was founded in Shreveport, La. in 1922 by Robert Milton “Bob” Davis, Sr. After Bob’s death in 1946, his son, Robert “Milton” Davis, Jr. took over leadership of the company and was named president. Upon Milton’s retirement in 1990, Kirk Davis assumed the role as president of the company and served as president until April 2019. Davis’s son Todd Davis took over the duties as president at that time and continues in that capacity. Bob Davis Electric is Shreveport’s oldest operating electrical contractor and does work throughout Louisiana and East Texas. The company covers all areas of electrical services, specializing in residential, commercial, and light industrial with an emphasis on power requirements for telecommunications companies, generator installations, and retail maintenance.
Bob Davis Electric joined NECA in 1923. Since then, the company has been actively involved with NECA at the local and national level. Kirk Davis became involved when he attended his first national convention in 1979 in San Francisco. Locally, Davis has served on the Board of Directors and the Negotiations Committee and as Vice President and President. He has been elected to multiple terms as Governor of the North Louisiana Chapter, NECA. He also served as President of the Louisiana Council. Nationally, Davis served on the Marketing Committee, the Disaster Relief Fund Committee, and the Workforce Development Committee. He was inducted into the Academy of Electrical Contracting in 2011. Davis has served as the District 3 VP for the last four years.
Davis has observed a gradual improvement in labor relations and working conditions for employees over the years, adding that there is now a heavier emphasis on better safety training and the needs of contractors to be successful. NECA offers members valuable resources through field services and educational programs.
Kirk has been married to his wife Becky for 46 years. They have two adult children, Todd and Tricia, and five grandchildren, with whom they enjoy spending time. Family activities include beach trips, spending time at the family farm, family lake house, and attending LSU tailgates. Kirk and Becky are active in their church, First United Methodist Church of Shreveport.


Armand Kilijian became President of the Mechanical Contractors Association of America at the association’s Virtual Education Conference in March 2020. Armand is the President of O’Brien Mechanical, Inc. II, a family-owned, full-service plumbing/piping/HVAC contractor headquartered in San Francisco, CA. The company self-performs a wide range of plumbing and piping installation work for commercial projects throughout the Greater Bay Area. His thirst for professional knowledge brought him to the Northern California MCA where he held leadership positions including the offices of president, vice president and treasurer. In addition, he was a member of the organization’s board of directors, as well as a member of the Budget and Nominating Committees. He co-chairs the Northern California MCA Local 38 Negotiating Committee and is a trustee of the UA Local 38 Trust Fund. Armand’s first experience with MCAA was at an annual convention. He went on to chair the Plumbing Contractors of America (PCA) and serve on the Education, Construction Technology, and Management Methods Committees. He was elected to the MCAA Board of Directors in 2012. On a personal note, Armand enjoys spending time with his wife, Tamar, and their three children, Shant, Talar, and Aram. The family keeps busy with the kids’ sporting events, as well as volunteering as coaches and scouting assistants within the Armenian community. The family enjoys traveling, snow skiing, and just hanging out in San Francisco whenever they get a chance.


Stacy Zerr works as Director of PreConstruction Services for The Waldinger Corporation headquartered in Des Moines, IA. An Iowa State University dual-engineering graduate, Stacy is a licensed Professional Engineer in six states. She also earned an MBA from Regis University.
Her interest in construction began on her family’s residential construction business and her roles have included design engineer, estimator, project manager, and VDC manager. She previously worked for QuickPen and Trimble – software and hardware developers for the mechanical construction industry.
Stacy is passionate about using technology to improve construction process, productivity, and safety. She enjoys collaborating with others and serves on the MCAA Technology Committee, Women in the Mechanical Industry Committee, MCAA Project Management Education Committee, and SMACNA Technology Committee. Outside the industry, she is on the Board of Directors for YMCA of the Rockies.
Stacy and her husband, Randy, have been married for 21 years. They have 17-year-old twins, Tanner and Morgan, and three rambunctious dogs.




In his role as Senior Director of Product Management and Marketing, Chris leads the global product strategy and go-to-market for Trimble MEP. In his four years with Trimble, he has transformed the strategy to focus on cloud and providing more value to MEP contractors. Prior to Trimble, Chris held a number of leadership roles at software technology companies, making positive impacts in the areas of product management, business development, customer success, and implementation.

James Benham from JBKnowledge will demonstrate three companies that are using machine learning and artificial intelligence on construction sites today.
Speakers

James Benham is a maker, a creator, and an innovator. He started his journey as a tech entrepreneur in his Texas A&M dorm room in 2001 and has had a wild ride of challenges and successes ever since. James and his amazing team at JBKnowledge built and sold one of their products, SmartBid, in a groundbreaking deal with ConstructConnect in 2018. They have since built and grown two other products, SmartCompliance and TerraClaim. JBKnowledge currently has over 240 employees in the USA, Argentina and South Africa and is a leading provider of technology products and services for Insurance and Construction. Based in College Station, Texas, James served two terms on the College Station City Council and served for 5 years as an adjunct professor of Construction Science at Texas A&M. He’s a pilot with a passion for aviation and flies himself to most of his meetings and also plays the piano and the guitar. James’s philosophy for fellow entrepreneurs is to build self-funded businesses that are financially sustainable and growth oriented – an ideology that was passed down to him by his successful entrepreneur father. As the CEO of JBKnowledge, James continues to innovate tech for the Insurance and Construction industries. You may have even heard him sharing his wisdom and insights as the host on his popular weekly podcasts: The ConTechCrew and The InsureTech Geek, or in one of over 400 conferences he has spoken at in the last 15 years. James also was recently appointed by Texas Governor Abbott to serve as a Regent on the governing board of Texas Southern University. Please welcome James Benham.


David Burczyk is the Construction Robotics Lead at Trimble where he is responsible for the business area management and the strategic product development of the Trimble construction robotics solutions. With over twenty years of AEC industry experience promoting technology and collaboration among design and construction teams, David is focused on the development and implementation of tailored construction robotic solutions to advance the field productivity of AEC contractors, architects, and engineers.


Josh Kanner is Founder & CEO of Newmetrix. Newmetrix reduces safety risk in the AEC (architecture, engineering and construction) industry through the use of artificial intelligence. Most recently he was co-founder of Vela Systems, a pioneer in the use of web and tablet workflows for construction and capital projects. The company was acquired by Autodesk in 2012 and was rebranded as BIM360 Field. He enjoys hiking, skiing, travel and being a dad to his two boys.


Adam is a Florida Bar Board Certified Construction lawyer, and is currently the co-managing partner for the Miami Office of a preeminent national construction law firm. Adam’s representation of contractors and developers includes contract negotiations, project administration and project close-out. In addition to his legal career, Adam has significant experience as an entrepreneur, working with start-ups and established business in the health care, fitness and personal hygiene industries. Adam serves as an Adjunct Professor at the Terry W. Stiles School of Real Estate Development at the H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship and Nova Southeastern University.
Adam graduated with highest honors from the University of Florida, with a Bachelor of Science in Finance, and earned both his Law Degree and Master’s Degree in Business.

We start day two with insights from NECA’s Vice President of Industry Development, Ron Bailey, discussing how to achieve your highest leadership potential. We will then dive into a presentation on ways that data is shaping the construction process. Chris Peppler of Trimble will share how the decisions made in design connect to estimating, fabrication, analytics, internal, and external teams.
Data and workflows are always a topic of discussion in construction today. But what does that really mean and where can a contractor get started? This session presents a vision for the construction industry that puts project, model, and managed item data at the core of what the industry must adopt to unlock downstream workflows for prefabrication, procurement, and the supply chain. In doing so, construction can become more predictable and profitable for contractors.
Speakers

Lt. Gen. Ronald Bailey is a national leader who joined NECA as Vice President, Industry Development, in 2020. At NECA, he is working on creating executive training programs, expanding the scope of workforce development, implementing diversity strategies, creating partnerships with institutions of higher learning, and leading the charge on recruitment programs that bring new, skilled workers into the industry. This includes a focus on recruiting ex-military personnel to NECA member companies and various Chapter positions.
At his alma mater, Austin Peay State University, Bailey was a student athlete and member of the ROTC program. He graduated from the University in 1977 with a degree in biology. He was a varsity member of the football team, and he turned the skills he learned at Austin Peay into a distinguished career in the U.S. Marine Corps.
In October 1979, he was assigned to Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina, as a Series Commander, Battalion S-3 and Commanding Officer of Company F, 2d Recruit Training Battalion. During this tour, he earned a masters degree in business management and administration from Webster University.
From August 1997 to 1998, Bailey attended National War College, Washington, D.C., where he earned his second masters degree in national security strategy.
In June 2013, Bailey was promoted to Lieutenant General and assigned to Headquarters Marine Corps as the Deputy Commandant for Plans, Policies, and Operations, where he served as the top Marine responsible for guiding deployment plans and force-structure policies. He also served as the advocate for the service’s ground combat element, acting as a liaison between Marines carrying out missions worldwide and the leaders planning them in the Pentagon.
Bailey went on to be the first African-American to command the 1st Marine Division where he oversaw more than 25,000 Marine and Sailors.
“Leadership is about influence and relationships – relationships with the American people,” Bailey said, while serving as commanding general of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, “Our nation’s citizens expect us to be America’s expeditionary force in readiness committed to their protection at home and abroad; we will honor that expectation with the professional and empathetic execution of our mission within their communities nationwide.”
Bailey’s awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal with bronze oak leaf, Legion of Merit with combat V, Meritorious Service Medal with 2 gold stars, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with gold star, the Navy Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, and the Combat Action Ribbon.
Bailey retired from the U.S. Marine Corps after 40 years of service, on September 1, 2017. Prior to joining NECA, he served as Vice President of External Affairs at Austin Peay, where he was responsible for Public Relations, Marketing, Advancement, Strategic Planning, as well as acting as President of the Foundation for the university.


In his role as Senior Director of Product Management and Marketing, Chris leads the global product strategy and go-to-market for Trimble MEP. In his four years with Trimble, he has transformed the strategy to focus on cloud and providing more value to MEP contractors. Prior to Trimble, Chris held a number of leadership roles at software technology companies, making positive impacts in the areas of product management, business development, customer success, and implementation.


Joseph Lansdell is the President of Poynter, Indiana’s largest full-service sheet metal and custom metal fabricator. Poynter’s capabilities include fabrication and installation of ventilation and exhaust systems, vent and fume hoods, architectural cladding, tanks, and pressure vessels, structural components, handrails, custom fabrication, and prefabrication solutions.
Joseph served as SMACNA president (2016-2017), in all national officer roles, and on the board of directors (2007 – 2011). He currently serves on the National Pension Fund and the National Joint Adjustment Board. In addition, he was recognized as a business leader in Indianapolis by being named to the Indianapolis Business Journals 40 under 40 in 2011.
His passion for serving the customers of the construction industry is unparalleled. Convincing young people that the construction industry can be a multi-faceted, exciting career is something he has been actively involved in for many years.
Continuous improvement is a staple in his professional life. Recently, he became an industry advocate for Prefabrication. Already an expert in single shop fabrication, Lansdell has developed a new 55,000 sf facility dedicated to multi-trade and modular construction.
He has contributed locally through involvement on the boards of the Coalition of Construction Safety and the Indiana Construction Roundtable (ICR). Most notable is his involvement as a mentor for smaller/diverse businesses in the ICR Mentor/Protégé program.

Contractors that are starting down the path to digitize their operations need to consider a new set of tools and processes. This session, geared to project managers and VDC personnel will look at best practices for file structure, data security, data sharing, and the basic software used to manage it. Whether you are building from the ground up or optimizing already existing workflows, this session will explore some best practices to bring you further into the digital age.
Speakers

Jared is the VDC (Virtual Design and Construction) Manager at Big State Electric in San Antonio, TX. Jared attended ITT Technical Institute in 1993 and specialized in drafting. After realizing he could not draw a straight line with a pencil, he decided to focus on the emerging field of CAD. Jared learned Autocad R12 DOS, and so found his love for drafting. He began working in the electrical field right out of school in the GIS field and was introduced to BIM in 2002. In 2006 he started BIMCAD Solutions focusing on the BIM aspect of the electrical field. Jared was blessed to get the opportunity to model and coordinate the low voltage system for the World Trade Center Tower 1 and Oculus. As a small business owner, he learned the concept of saving clicks, is saving money, and began automating any routines that he could to improve productivity. He provided BIM services to Big State Electric working on large jobs over a number of years. In 2015 he decided to fold up shop and work with Big State Electric full time, where he helped build a BIM department, and began implementing the automation philosophy using Dynamo (Revit scripting software). Big State has fully integrated prefabrication capabilities, with modeling and coordination and shifted from BIM to VDC or virtual construction. If it gets installed in the field it will be added to the model. Big State is always looking for emerging technology, and innovative processes to try to improve on the accuracy and speed of the entire workflow. Jared is passionate about teaching BIM and 3D modeling to just about anyone who will listen, as well as the technology that goes along with it. When not at work, he loves being on a boat fishing or at the beach with his high school sweetheart of 27 years and grandchildren.


Travis came into the construction industry in 2016 from the software development world and is currently serving as the Leader of Innovative Technology at Helm Mechanical. Travis uses his experience in research, development, and the application of emerging technologies toward helping Helm Mechanical lead the construction industry’s digital transformation.


Matt has been working in the construction industry in one capacity or another for the last 20+ years. Currently he is the Chief Information Officers at Rosendin and is focused on brining new technology to the business and the construction industry as a whole. With his experience working for both a General Contractor and a Specialty Contractor he has been able to help mesh construction processes with new technology so that they are usable and functional for all.

To ensure that next generation of manpower is ready to use modern tools and building practices, communication and coordination is essential between contractors and their local JATC’s. In this session, expert trainers will share best practices on how to develop educational programs, train for new technology, and re-train the workforce when necessary. They will share tips and techniques to approach holistic worker education and empower innovators to drive the future of construction.
Speakers

Ron McGuire originally had his sights set on the University of Minnesota — sheet metal work was just something his father did. Once he realized that college wasn’t for him, he took a summer job at a sheet metal shop, enrolled in the sheet metal program at St. Paul Technical College in St. Paul, Minnesota, and changed his life’s trajectory.
After graduating from the 15-month program, McGuire entered the union apprenticeship and graduated in 1997. Three years later, he took a computer-assisted drawing class and jumped into heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) design as part of a five-member team at United Sheet Metal. When he became an instructor at Sheet Metal Workers Local 10 in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, his two careers merged and he began instructing computer-aided building information modeling (BIM).
McGuire worked as a full-time instructor at St. Paul’s Technical College for two years before accepting a position with the International Training Institute (ITI), the education arm of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART) workers, as its BIM specialist in 2009. In 2020, he was brought on as the ITI’s director of research, development and technology, where he will ensure thousands of apprentices and members are educated on technology’s leading edge.


Joseph Lansdell is the President of Poynter, Indiana’s largest full-service sheet metal and custom metal fabricator. Poynter’s capabilities include fabrication and installation of ventilation and exhaust systems, vent and fume hoods, architectural cladding, tanks, and pressure vessels, structural components, handrails, custom fabrication, and prefabrication solutions.
Joseph served as SMACNA president (2016-2017), in all national officer roles, and on the board of directors (2007 – 2011). He currently serves on the National Pension Fund and the National Joint Adjustment Board. In addition, he was recognized as a business leader in Indianapolis by being named to the Indianapolis Business Journals 40 under 40 in 2011.
His passion for serving the customers of the construction industry is unparalleled. Convincing young people that the construction industry can be a multi-faceted, exciting career is something he has been actively involved in for many years.
Continuous improvement is a staple in his professional life. Recently, he became an industry advocate for Prefabrication. Already an expert in single shop fabrication, Lansdell has developed a new 55,000 sf facility dedicated to multi-trade and modular construction.
He has contributed locally through involvement on the boards of the Coalition of Construction Safety and the Indiana Construction Roundtable (ICR). Most notable is his involvement as a mentor for smaller/diverse businesses in the ICR Mentor/Protégé program.

In addition to doing their primary job, VDC Managers must juggle many demands from internal and external customers. This session will cover how considerations like manpower loading, progressing coordination, and constructability review are all important while being flexible enough to handle emergency changes and schedule shifts. It will also consider how to manage the right work for the right level of detailer, using VDC helpers and specialists to manage repetitive aspects of BIM like hangers and spooling.
Speakers

Doug Smith got his start as a pre-apprentice plumber with Local 286 in Austin, Texas.
He worked on and around various projects until 1988, when he was hired at Dynamic Systems and began detailing for them. He progressed thru the ranks and took control of the design group, building it to over 100 designers.
Doug has recently taken the role as Director of Technology, which he feels is as much about Technology as it is about processes and practices. His current role is to streamline all groups with the common goal of increased productivity and efficiency, ensuring a more competitive and profitable workplace.
Through his involvement in multiple peer groups and industry organizations, Doug has toured many companies and seen multiple ways to perform certain tasks. His current position allows him to implement best in class methods to achieve the best results.


Adam S. Davis is the Virtual Design & Construction Manager and has been involved in the Electrical BIM environment for over 10 years. He has published “Achieving Spatial Coordination Through BIM”, National BIM Standard v2.0, developed manufacturer’s software for Revit and was an early adopter of AR/VR solutions for construction. Along with his VDC background, he has been involved in planning and executions from the project level to the enterprise. From specific animations of work tasks to full 5D sequenced models, Adam works to leverage models to support fabrication & field installations. Outside of work, Adam has a history of volunteering for many organizations including the Habitat for Humanity Board, Son’s of the American Revolution Board, Hope Foundation of the Mahoning Valley Board, SCCA and other events local to Youngstown, Ohio.

Speakers

Amy Marks, VP, Industrialized Construction Strategy and Evangelism at Autodesk is known throughout the world as the “Queen of Prefab.” At Autodesk, she informs product strategy, thought leadership and convergence consulting for customers incorporating industrialized construction methodologies. Prior to joining Autodesk, she defined the language, process and frameworks that are adopted by companies, universities and countries around the world reflecting the convergence of Design-Make-Operate models. Notably, Amy was appointed by the Singapore government’s Building & Construction Authority as an international expert to advise its design and construction productivity roadmap. Her thought leadership and tenacity, leading alongside the government and industry, resulted in unprecedented change and innovation – catapulting Singapore to worldwide recognition in the Industrialized Construction space. She is a graduate of the University of Florida and an alumna of the Harvard Business School.

Ever wish that another trade on your project would be more receptive to your team’s viewpoint? Ever wonder why another team on a job makes decisions in the way that they do? This roundtable discussion will focus on sharing and learning varying perspectives from multiple trades during project coordination. Better understanding of the concerns and workflows of the rest of the design team is essential to improve productivity and coordination to drive project success.
Speakers

Jeffry A. Fuentes is a seasoned global executive with 20+ years of experience delivering highly complex enterprise projects across industries and continents.
He is currently the Executive Vice President at New York based Aurora Electric. Jeffry is a creative and resourceful multicultural professional with a natural ability at forging relationships across all levels of the organizations and institutions he works for.
Jeffry led an engineering team to develop and to manufacture the backbone systems for the MTA Rolling Stock Project for NYCT, LIRR and MNR.
He was an integral member of the team that implemented Lean manufacturing in Azur Artigianato in Italy.
Jeffry is known for stepping up to any challenge, for being persistent and for using a variety of resources to acquire the most knowledge when planning and developing strategies. When doing business with an individual, Jeffry takes into consideration not only business aspects but also religious beliefs, political connections, foreign issues, and cultural background. He has been able to align, shape, create and manage his portfolio based on the understanding of the cultural (Industry) differences that exist. A native of Costa Rica, he is fluent in Spanish, Italian and English and possess a good knowledge of Portuguese.
Jeffry is a strong believer of constant professional development. He holds a master’s degree in Program and Project Management from Brandeis University. He is in possession of the Project Management Professional Certification (PMP) by the Project Management Institute.


Stacy Zerr works as Director of PreConstruction Services for The Waldinger Corporation headquartered in Des Moines, IA. An Iowa State University dual-engineering graduate, Stacy is a licensed Professional Engineer in six states. She also earned an MBA from Regis University.
Her interest in construction began on her family’s residential construction business and her roles have included design engineer, estimator, project manager, and VDC manager. She previously worked for QuickPen and Trimble – software and hardware developers for the mechanical construction industry.
Stacy is passionate about using technology to improve construction process, productivity, and safety. She enjoys collaborating with others and serves on the MCAA Technology Committee, Women in the Mechanical Industry Committee, MCAA Project Management Education Committee, and SMACNA Technology Committee. Outside the industry, she is on the Board of Directors for YMCA of the Rockies.
Stacy and her husband, Randy, have been married for 21 years. They have 17-year-old twins, Tanner and Morgan, and three rambunctious dogs.


Todd Byxbe is the Vice President of Miller Engineering Company, one of the largest full service mechanical contractors in Northern Illinois. Based in Rockford Illinois, Miller Engineering Company serves it’s customers needs in the HVAC, Sheet Metal, Electrical, Plumbing and Refrigeration services. Miller Engineering Company delivers value to their customers in the Healthcare, Retail, Industrial, Educational, Waste-Water Treatment, Government, High Rise, Hospitality, Energy and Mission Critical sectors. Todd is on the Board of Director for SMACNA and has worked at Miller Engineering for over 30 years.
On a personal note, Todd enjoys playing competitive Ice Hockey, serving on numerous Committees and Boards both locally and Nationally.
Todd’s has 2 children:
Grant (25) was a US Marine and currently is enrolled at DePaul University in Chicago.
Mackenzie (24) lives in Milwaukee working for Kohl’s Corporate as an Asset Allocation Specialist.

Every problem has not found a solution in construction. Many people feel that to come up with an answer, it will take inventing the solution ourselves. The purpose of this roundtable is to help contractors adapt existing solutions through artful use instead of going through the pain of development, upkeep and modifications. This session will begin with a presentation of examples of adapting existing hardware and software before moving to a roundtable discussion set to identify problems with unknown solutions. After the problems have been identified, participants will reset their tables to work on some of the problems discussed in order to brainstorm possible adaptations.
Speakers

Jeff Elwell is the Director of Innovation and Technology at EM Duggan in Canton, MA. His focus is on BIM, Revit, and the automation of processes for design and construction as a whole. Jeff’s role includes innovation research from multiple disciplines on technological advances. He has a passion for discovering new processes and efficiency and modifying their application to mechanical contracting. He believes that a key motivator in driving industry progress is transparent exchange of if ideas and workflows. He has nine years of experience in the industry between engineering and mechanical contracting.


Jonathan is CEO of SteelToe Consulting LLC, a firm that specializes in helping construction companies integrate and implement modern construction technology and workflows to improve and streamline their businesses. He also works as a construction startup advisor and as a software product manager for construction software. In addition to conducting research and reporting for industry groups through its MEP Innovation Lab, and helps develop hardware and software solutions for the construction space.

As contractors begin to digitize their operations, one of their first needs is to make sure the information that they are coordinating in house is shared with their team on the project site. This session will cover strategies and tools that can be used to manage RFI’s, design iterations, labor tracking, schedules and communications.
Speakers

Brian Russ has been with the Allison-Smith Company for the past 15 years where he is currently a Project Manager. Brian graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology where he received a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering degree prior to beginning his career with the Allison-Smith Company.


Travis came into the construction industry in 2016 from the software development world and is currently serving as the Leader of Innovative Technology at Helm Mechanical. Travis uses his experience in research, development, and the application of emerging technologies toward helping Helm Mechanical lead the construction industry’s digital transformation.


Zach has extensive experience with preplanning projects. Due to the nature of his work in large out of state projects, he has developed expertise in preplanning and scheduling for large projects with limited deliveries. In some cases, only one delivery could be coordinated for a multi million dollar facility. Zach handles project controls, schedule and equipment management releases for multiple projects. Zach’s ability to integrate technology into projects has enable him to become an excellent problem solver for challenging projects.

For every piece of software that you include in your tech stack, a master service agreement (MSA) is typically clicked through without much thought put behind it. Every time you accept the terms of an MSA, you are accepting a certain level of risk that can have ramifications for your company. Data security, ownership and transference need to be considered. Service level agreements that guarantee uptime and inform users of updates or procedures when lapses in service are important to understand. Most notably, many of these terms are negotiable with the vendor to offset some risk of business interruptions and performance.
Speakers

Adam is a Florida Bar Board Certified Construction lawyer, and is currently the co-managing partner for the Miami Office of a preeminent national construction law firm. Adam’s representation of contractors and developers includes contract negotiations, project administration and project close-out. In addition to his legal career, Adam has significant experience as an entrepreneur, working with start-ups and established business in the health care, fitness and personal hygiene industries. Adam serves as an Adjunct Professor at the Terry W. Stiles School of Real Estate Development at the H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship and Nova Southeastern University.
Adam graduated with highest honors from the University of Florida, with a Bachelor of Science in Finance, and earned both his Law Degree and Master’s Degree in Business.


Lindsey Miller is the new Head of Sales for Document Crunch. Lindsey attended Fort Hays State University on a track scholarship (400m hurdles) and graduated in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in marketing. After graduation, Lindsey was immediately brought on as a Sales Representative for a large Power Tool company in New Orleans, LA. She was transferred to New York City where she achieved record sales in one of the toughest markets in the US. Throughout her 11 years in the construction industry, she brings experience in Distribution Sales, End User Sales & Strategy, Sales Team and National Account Management. Lindsey recently finished her MBA in December of 2020 from Strayer University, Jack Welch Executive MBA Program where she graduated with honors. She lives in Tulsa, OK with her rescue dog Pickles spending her free time at the lake or traveling with friends and family or doing CrossFit.

Join us in this informative session as Jeff Miller from Harrell Fish Inc demonstrates their connected estimating, modeling and prefabrication workflow. This connected workflow significantly increases the accuracy of their estimates, reduces the effort it takes to track earned values, and eliminates the need for paper on the shop floor.
Speakers

Jeff Miller graduated from Purdue University in 2007 and has been working with Harrell-Fish Inc.(HFI) ever since. He began his career in project management and then in 2014 started up HFI’s Virtual Construction Division. Miller manages the team on BIM Coordination, 3D Modeling, Fabrication Spooling, Laser Scanning, and Robotic Layout to assist the pre-construction and rough-in phases. In addition to supporting HFI’s internal projects, their Virtual Construction Team also supports outside contractors achieve their goals.


As Trimble’s VDC Portfolio Manager, I am responsible for overseeing the development of Trimble’s North American VDC products which includes products like: SysQue, EC-CAD, FabShop, MEPContent for Fabrication (ITMs), Connect2Fab and Model Based Estimating.
I came to Trimble through an acquisition and have been with Trimble for over 3 years now.
Prior to working for Trimble I was the president of a company called EastCoast CAD/CAM. EastCoast had been around since 1976 and was wholly focused on developing CAD and CAM solutions for contractors.
I spent 20 years and the majority of my career with EastCoast and during that time I had the opportunity to work with many contractors and in all aspects of my company.


Britton Langdon is the founder and CEO of MSUITE, a construction software company located in the Midwest. With more than a decade in the construction industry, Britton uses his construction experience to spearhead the design and implementation of MSUITE’s products. Prior to MSUITE, Britton served as the Director of Support Operations & Business Development at an MEP where he directed their design and fabrication processes.

This presentation is leadership focused. It is designed to help you understand the vitality of a comprehensive diversity program that engage and improve the interactions of a diverse set of stakeholders within an organization. We will talk about how the best leaders include everyone around them and make everyone smarter and productive.
Speakers

Lt. Gen. Ronald Bailey is a national leader who joined NECA as Vice President, Industry Development, in 2020. At NECA, he is working on creating executive training programs, expanding the scope of workforce development, implementing diversity strategies, creating partnerships with institutions of higher learning, and leading the charge on recruitment programs that bring new, skilled workers into the industry. This includes a focus on recruiting ex-military personnel to NECA member companies and various Chapter positions.
At his alma mater, Austin Peay State University, Bailey was a student athlete and member of the ROTC program. He graduated from the University in 1977 with a degree in biology. He was a varsity member of the football team, and he turned the skills he learned at Austin Peay into a distinguished career in the U.S. Marine Corps.
In October 1979, he was assigned to Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina, as a Series Commander, Battalion S-3 and Commanding Officer of Company F, 2d Recruit Training Battalion. During this tour, he earned a masters degree in business management and administration from Webster University.
From August 1997 to 1998, Bailey attended National War College, Washington, D.C., where he earned his second masters degree in national security strategy.
In June 2013, Bailey was promoted to Lieutenant General and assigned to Headquarters Marine Corps as the Deputy Commandant for Plans, Policies, and Operations, where he served as the top Marine responsible for guiding deployment plans and force-structure policies. He also served as the advocate for the service’s ground combat element, acting as a liaison between Marines carrying out missions worldwide and the leaders planning them in the Pentagon.
Bailey went on to be the first African-American to command the 1st Marine Division where he oversaw more than 25,000 Marine and Sailors.
“Leadership is about influence and relationships – relationships with the American people,” Bailey said, while serving as commanding general of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, “Our nation’s citizens expect us to be America’s expeditionary force in readiness committed to their protection at home and abroad; we will honor that expectation with the professional and empathetic execution of our mission within their communities nationwide.”
Bailey’s awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal with bronze oak leaf, Legion of Merit with combat V, Meritorious Service Medal with 2 gold stars, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with gold star, the Navy Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, and the Combat Action Ribbon.
Bailey retired from the U.S. Marine Corps after 40 years of service, on September 1, 2017. Prior to joining NECA, he served as Vice President of External Affairs at Austin Peay, where he was responsible for Public Relations, Marketing, Advancement, Strategic Planning, as well as acting as President of the Foundation for the university.

In a perfect world a successful tech implementation would end when the check is written. In this session we will go through the standard management pitfalls that prevent purchase and successful implementations. Not only will we talk about the pitfalls we discuss the multiple solutions. It’s about adapting process and technology to meet your company’s objectives.
Speakers

Amanda Comunale is an AEC Fabrication, Operations and Technology industry leader. Ms. Comunale’s career has spanned both the private and public sectors. Recently she was the Chief Operations Officer of GTP Services, the leading MEP Software Solutions company. Ms. Comunale was responsible for overseeing GTP’s Marketing, Strategic Planning, and Operations. Amanda served as the Director of VDC for Victaulic, where she was responsible for overseeing Victaulic’s global estimating, fabrication, BIM and construction technology initiatives that benefitted and supported Victaulic’s customers and its strategic growth objectives. Prior to Victaulic, Amanda served as Vice President of Operations Services for S. A. Comunale an EMCOR company, where she was responsible for managing the day-to-day operations such as purchasing, IT, safety, human resources, transportation, and LEAN. It was there that she realized her passion for construction and how processes and technology are changing the industry. Ms. Comunale has a distinguished history with numerous national and community organizations, including service with the MCAA WebLEM+Plus Taskforce. She is also the Vice Chairman of the Stephen A. Comunale Jr. Family Cancer foundation, dedicated to providing gap financial funding to cancer patients and family members. She received a B.A. in Political Science from Union College in Albany, New York and her Executive MBA from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.

While construction is an agile process, contractors manage to waterfall schedules that force them to be reactive instead of proactive. This session will discuss how to apply an agile process to your projects where you adapt and plan for change, identify key milestones to make decisions and chart alternate paths based on the conditions of the project.
Speakers

Jeff Sample has devoted the past 20+ years to transforming companies. Jeff optimizes companies throughout the construction industry by designing solutions, optimizing strategic advantages, and breaking down information silos. His passion for outdoor adventure and Ironman competitions garnered him the moniker “The Ironman of IT.”
As Industry Evangelist for Join, Jeff promotes collaboration and the transformation of preconstruction to help project teams reach their potential. His depth of IT experience in various industries and his passion for continuous improvement have made Jeff a popular speaker and vocal thought leader in construction, spending much of his time educating on multiple topics to better the industry as a whole.


Based in Washington state, Darren’s unique ability to leverage multiple every day technologies in interesting ways to solve complicated and laborious tasks has been valued by users around the world. Down to earth and approachable, he’s always willing to help his peers anytime of the year even outside of industry conferences. Darren’s background includes a wide variety of disciplines such as Construction, Engineering, Manufacturing, LEAN, Information Technology, Computer Programming, Author and Technical Editor. His lectures and labs are not just a training opportunity for others but a venue which connects him personally with users helping him learn as well.


Jonathan is CEO of SteelToe Consulting LLC, a firm that specializes in helping construction companies integrate and implement modern construction technology and workflows to improve and streamline their businesses. He also works as a construction startup advisor and as a software product manager for construction software. In addition to conducting research and reporting for industry groups through its MEP Innovation Lab, and helps develop hardware and software solutions for the construction space.

While fabrication can drive increased productivity and safety to a project, how people track productivity is different for each contractor. This roundtable will ask attendees what are you tracking in your fab shop and what are you doing with the data? It will also look into best practices, shop layout, flexibility, retooling, and how productivity is impacted by workload.
Speakers

Steve has been involved in the Union electrical industry for 40 years. He was a charter member of Rosendin’s Lean Steering Committee. He was a commercial electrical inspector for the city of Los Angeles from his retirement from Local 11 in 2006 until 2010. He left the city for the position of Field Support Services Manager for the southern California region of Rosendin Electric. He is currently the Corporate Director of Prefab and Packaging for Rosendin Electric. He is also a member of the city of Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety, and Los Angeles County Department of Building and Safety –Electrical Technical Advisory Committee. He has been with the Los Angeles County Electrical Training Institute since 1996, and has been one of their managing Senior Instructors since 2015. He prefabbed and packaged the first job he ever ran in 1986 and has also developed prefab and packaging departments for multiple contractors in the Los Angeles area. His current duties for Rosendin Electric include: Strategic planning and oversight of Rosendin’s ten regional prefab and packaging facilities, helping to smooth flow of prefab workflow processes and helping to promote standardization of processes across region lines, interacting with and helping to set up and support regional field support services operations facilities, design and creation of prefab shop specific tools; means and methods, and workflow processes and helping Rosendin reach its Prefab and Packaging goals of Creating Flow: Plan-Prefab-Package-Deliver.


Electrical engineering graduate from Texas A&M (2005) that began his career with a global consulting firm that performed any Engineering and Construction under the sun (CH2M Hill). Served in many roles at CH2M including detailed design engineer, project engineer, project manager, and practice lead. Came to Brandt in 2018 and served in design project management, Director of Engineering and now Vice President of Virtual Design and Engineering roles. Currently responsible for Engineering, VDC and Commissioning for all of Brandt (MEP), which encompasses design production, design management, virtual design production, construction technologies and commissioning.
Over my career I have had the fortune of working for companies who are people centric and share the same values that I have outside the office. That, along with my experience at Texas A&M, has engrained in me a particular affinity for creating culture. By moving from a project focus to a people focus in my career, I have been afforded the intangible right to do just that. I care deeply for developing people professionally and technically and will continue to do it as long as I live.

While most contractors have participated on projects that have used BIM software before, there is a steep learning curve to the software, process and gains that can be made from using it. This session will walk attendees through some initial considerations like hardware and software, training, basic workflow and how to use the data beyond contractual obligations in order to offset these costs with improved productivity.
Speakers

Marcus Ebenhoeh has worked in the construction industry for over 20 years. Starting with residential construction in the early 2000’s, Marcus joined the Commerical Construction Industry as a Sheet Metal Apprentice in 2006. While in the Sheet Metal Trade, his work experience is as a fabricator, installer, mechanical detailer, project manager, and currently is the BIM Department Manager at Dee Cramer INC. Construction Technology has always been an interest to Marcus where he has lead the implementation of Robotic Total Station layout and 3d Laser Scanning at Dee Cramer. In his personal time, Marcus enjoys spending time and traveling with his wife Tammy and daughters, Sadie and Sophia, reading books, and operating the family farm.


Jared is the VDC (Virtual Design and Construction) Manager at Big State Electric in San Antonio, TX. Jared attended ITT Technical Institute in 1993 and specialized in drafting. After realizing he could not draw a straight line with a pencil, he decided to focus on the emerging field of CAD. Jared learned Autocad R12 DOS, and so found his love for drafting. He began working in the electrical field right out of school in the GIS field and was introduced to BIM in 2002. In 2006 he started BIMCAD Solutions focusing on the BIM aspect of the electrical field. Jared was blessed to get the opportunity to model and coordinate the low voltage system for the World Trade Center Tower 1 and Oculus. As a small business owner, he learned the concept of saving clicks, is saving money, and began automating any routines that he could to improve productivity. He provided BIM services to Big State Electric working on large jobs over a number of years. In 2015 he decided to fold up shop and work with Big State Electric full time, where he helped build a BIM department, and began implementing the automation philosophy using Dynamo (Revit scripting software). Big State has fully integrated prefabrication capabilities, with modeling and coordination and shifted from BIM to VDC or virtual construction. If it gets installed in the field it will be added to the model. Big State is always looking for emerging technology, and innovative processes to try to improve on the accuracy and speed of the entire workflow. Jared is passionate about teaching BIM and 3D modeling to just about anyone who will listen, as well as the technology that goes along with it. When not at work, he loves being on a boat fishing or at the beach with his high school sweetheart of 27 years and grandchildren.

Keeping your tech stack operating smoothly can take a heavy amount of effort. Internally, getting all of the API’s to communicate the right information back and forth takes an investment in either a 3rd party software integrator or a full time coder. Externally, there is also the challenge of working with tools that the rest of the design team is using. This session will help contractors better understand integration best practices and tools that can be used to communicate properly.
Speakers

Nathan Wood has emerged as an innovation thought leader across the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry. Nathan’s experience with Virtual Design and Construction (VDC), Lean process improvement, and Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) has led him to realize how even proven technology solutions can often result in adoption failure and lost ROI. Nathan blends his passion for open collaboration with real world skepticism to produce a pragmatic strategy for digital standards adoption in
the AEC Industry. As Chief Enabling Officer of SpectrumAEC, Nathan addresses the people and process challenges with transformation through his thought leadership and
innovation workshops. To address technology’s challenges, Nathan is also Executive Director of the Construction Progress Coalition (ConstructionProgress.org), a nonprofit
organization advancing the adoption of digital collaboration standards between design, build, inspect, and operate professionals.

Service contractors face a specific set of needs when it comes to their core operations software. Beyond essential areas of accounting and payroll, service software needs to integrate dispatch, billing, sales, and support functions. This can get further complicated for companies that perform construction and service.
This session will help companies understand the complexities of service software integration. This includes software customization, upkeep, and training.
Speakers

Scott’s career can be defined in many ways by the phrase “service to others”. He has a true passion coupled with an impressive history of furthering the growth and development of others through strong leadership and collaborative learning environments. Scott’s dedication to the advancement of others is evidenced by his commitment to the multitude of organizations that continue to benefit from his experience, expertise and leadership ability.


Woody Woodall is the managing principle of Customer Focused Solutions, Inc. He focuses on assisting contractors and associations achieve their strategic goals through education and collaboration. Woody has had a long and distinguished career in the mechanical contracting industry. He has held numerous positions in the mechanical field. By being so engaged in the industry, he has been able to see and experience the cutting edge processes that truly can make service groups the best in class in their areas. Woody started as a Steamfitter with Local 602 in the Washington DC area. After completing his apprenticeship, he went on to become an Instructor for the Union Apprentice Program in Washington, DC. Through his passion for teaching, he has since become an integral part of the education offerings with Mechanical Service Contractors Association (MSCA). He was instrumental in helping develop many of the educational offerings, including the HVAC 101 program and the Sales Institute. Woody has received many accolades through his career including Certified Instructor through the United Association, served on several committees through Mechanical Contractors Association of Metropolitan Washington (MCAMW), served as Chairman of the Education Committee on the national level, served on the Board of Managers of MSCA, was National Chairman of MSCA and received the “D.S. O’Brian Award of Excellence” for outstanding contributions to the industry. But his most prized award was “All Star Dad” awarded to him by the National Fathers Day Counsel and nominated by his children. Woody has retired from the day-to-day mechanical service business and is now focused full time on Customer Focused Solutions, Inc.

BIM can drive large productivity savings, but only if everyone is on the same page. This session will show a case study of how contractors can leverage BIM for great productivity gains. Then it will focus on ways that PMs can impact that productivity both positively and negatively. It will look at how to manage a project efficiently, what we expect from the foremen about dates, and stress timely communication of concerns.
Speakers

Eric is responsible for the Pre-Construction project side of the VDC Operations at John W. Danforth as well as the development and maintenance of company VDC software’s, standards and procedures.


With over 20 years’ experience work on large project delivery, Dan has built numerous pharmaceutical plants at Bristol Myers Squibb, Merck Sharp & Dohme, and Roche Molecular. He has extensive experience as a project manager, estimator, and engineer but most recently worked to develop Binsky’s world class virtual construction organization. Dan recently completed training to become a LEED accredited professional and is a leader of Lean and LEED process throughout Binsky & Snyder.

Waste on the jobsite can involve physical materials, be tracked by effort, include time lost to re-work, or even refer to redundant actions required by your team. In this session, industry leaders will explore different methods to define project ‘waste’ and opportunities to assess and minimize waste in your processes. Whether you are building a new procedure from the ground-up or optimizing a workflow that already exists, join us to explore ways that you too can begin to eliminate waste across your business.
Speakers

Based in Washington state, Darren’s unique ability to leverage multiple every day technologies in interesting ways to solve complicated and laborious tasks has been valued by users around the world. Down to earth and approachable, he’s always willing to help his peers anytime of the year even outside of industry conferences. Darren’s background includes a wide variety of disciplines such as Construction, Engineering, Manufacturing, LEAN, Information Technology, Computer Programming, Author and Technical Editor. His lectures and labs are not just a training opportunity for others but a venue which connects him personally with users helping him learn as well.


Stacy Zerr works as Director of PreConstruction Services for The Waldinger Corporation headquartered in Des Moines, IA. An Iowa State University dual-engineering graduate, Stacy is a licensed Professional Engineer in six states. She also earned an MBA from Regis University.
Her interest in construction began on her family’s residential construction business and her roles have included design engineer, estimator, project manager, and VDC manager. She previously worked for QuickPen and Trimble – software and hardware developers for the mechanical construction industry.
Stacy is passionate about using technology to improve construction process, productivity, and safety. She enjoys collaborating with others and serves on the MCAA Technology Committee, Women in the Mechanical Industry Committee, MCAA Project Management Education Committee, and SMACNA Technology Committee. Outside the industry, she is on the Board of Directors for YMCA of the Rockies.
Stacy and her husband, Randy, have been married for 21 years. They have 17-year-old twins, Tanner and Morgan, and three rambunctious dogs.


Perry is Lean Executive Director at Parsons Electric. Perry’s interest in construction began with his family’s tradition of construction in carpentry and masonry fields. Perry served honorably in the United States Air Force. Following the service, he spent many years earning degrees in the technologies industry until he joined Parsons and began his electrical construction career where he has served for the last twenty years.

While fabrication can drive productivity gains, it doesn’t take a tremendous amount of space, tools or manpower to get started. What is important is shifting the mentality of your company, identifying early areas to fabricate, and building on successes. This session will act as a primer for contractors that want to understand the basics of mechanical, plumbing, sheet metal, and electrical fabrication.
Speakers

Doug Smith got his start as a pre-apprentice plumber with Local 286 in Austin, Texas.
He worked on and around various projects until 1988, when he was hired at Dynamic Systems and began detailing for them. He progressed thru the ranks and took control of the design group, building it to over 100 designers.
Doug has recently taken the role as Director of Technology, which he feels is as much about Technology as it is about processes and practices. His current role is to streamline all groups with the common goal of increased productivity and efficiency, ensuring a more competitive and profitable workplace.
Through his involvement in multiple peer groups and industry organizations, Doug has toured many companies and seen multiple ways to perform certain tasks. His current position allows him to implement best in class methods to achieve the best results.


Kyle Holmes is a Senior Vice President at The Brandt Companies, a MEP design/build firm based in Dallas, Texas. He oversees technology, business practices, and standards for MEP construction and service activities across multiple offices. Kyle helped develop the standards and workflow for BIM and FAB scope for sheetmetal, plumbing, piping, electrical, and mutli-trade assemblies.
Kyle has spent over twenty-two years with Brandt in various roles including Field Installer, Design Engineer, Project Manager, Estimating Manager, and BIM Director. He is currently focused on improving productivity for both design and installation teams by maximizing the use of BIM and FAB for scheduling, fabrication, and cost analysis. His teams have helped implement custom software created by Brandt to get accurate data regarding true productivity in the shop and the field. Kyle has a passion for understanding all the different workflows in design and construction so that he can find opportunities to improve productivity and results.
Kyle has a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Oklahoma State University and worked as a consultant for refinery designers prior to coming to Brandt. He currently resides in the Dallas/Fort Worth area in Texas, and frequently travels to Brandt’s other offices in Houston, and San Antonio. Kyle is married and justifies his horrible golf game by the fact that he loves to spend every spare minute with his wife and two children.


Todd Grossweiler has been with the Allison-Smith Company for the past 22 years where he is currently an Executive Vice President. Todd graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology where he received a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering degree prior to beginning his career with the Allison-Smith Company. He continues to seek out ways to innovate through processes, technology, and people. Maintaining good relationships with both his internal team and external customers is the foundation for his success. Todd believes that if you surround yourself with good people, then good things will happen.

Join us in this informative session as Tim Riedle from Icon Mechanical demonstrates their Revit based workflows and how Model-Based Estimating is an integral part of those workflows. iENG and Icon Mechanical work primarily on Design Build and Design Assist projects. Tim will demonstrate how Model-Based Estimating is keeping them better informed throughout their project lifecycle and enabling them to execute their projects with much more control, visibility and accuracy.
Speakers

Tim has 19 years of experience in engineering mechanical HVAC and Piping systems. He has worked on both the contracting and consulting side and has a wide breadth of experience on multiple project types and delivery methods (plan and spec, design/build, design assist). Tim helps lead a group of 40 engineers and BIM designers. He brings engineering perspective to projects, clients, and team members in design and construction.


Dustin is a Technical Sales Engineer for VDC products at Trimble MEP, North America. His mission is to empower contractors with cross-functional workflows across the Trimble MEP product portfolio, specializing in BIM. As an experienced Tradesman, Project Manager, Estimator, and VDC Technology Leader, he leverages real-world experience and expertise to create and improve workflows and processes to benefit the MEP Construction Industry. Dustin lives in Indianapolis, IN, with his wife and five children.

For contractors that perform BIM, leveraging the use of jobsite construction hardware is a great way to offset the investment made in the model by taking advantage of huge productivity gains. This session will detail the basics of using robotic total stations to fast track layout and hanger placement. It will also cover methods of increasing model development through use of a 3D scanner.
Speakers

Tim Bodor is the Manager of Virtual Construction for H.T. Lyons in Allentown, PA. He has over 20 years of experience in the MEP industry. He has worked on the MEP design side for over 17 years with an emphasis on Plumbing design and BIM/CAD. Has spent the last 11 years implementing and running the 3D laser scanning teams. He is an Autodesk Certified Professional for Revit MEP and an expert in phase based laser scanning.


Bryan Williams, Portfolio Manager, Building Construction Field Systems, Trimble Inc. Bryan has over 30 years of international experience working in the construction industry as a site engineer, construction surveyor, project supervisor, and consultant. He has spent the last 16 years developing and marketing intelligent positioning solutions for the construction industry as part of Trimble’s Building Construction group.

The stress that has been put on the global supply chain combined with a construction industry boom has caused tremendous problems in procurement and inventory management for contractors. Contractors using lean and just in time principles have had to rethink their strategy as simply getting enough materials has become a challenge for project managers.
Speakers

Based in Washington state, Darren’s unique ability to leverage multiple every day technologies in interesting ways to solve complicated and laborious tasks has been valued by users around the world. Down to earth and approachable, he’s always willing to help his peers anytime of the year even outside of industry conferences. Darren’s background includes a wide variety of disciplines such as Construction, Engineering, Manufacturing, LEAN, Information Technology, Computer Programming, Author and Technical Editor. His lectures and labs are not just a training opportunity for others but a venue which connects him personally with users helping him learn as well.

Building new capabilities within your business provides a huge opportunity to maintain competitive advantage and drive impact to the bottom line. Whether you serve two or more than ten specific sectors, this growth must be approached with a clear strategic vision to ensure success. Join us as this panel of industry experts shares best practices and multiple perspectives on how to grow your business through creating new streams of revenue.
Speakers

As president and CEO of Dynalectric Oregon, Dorin Nicorici is continually looking for ways to improve the construction process. He is the driving force behind the company’s mission of providing unprecedented value by creating a culture that encourages employee innovation, research into emerging technologies, and efficient execution of construction pre-manufacturing and installation. Under Dorin’s direction, the use of these leading-edge technologies and construction practices has helped Dynalectric Oregon rise to become one of the top electrical contractors in the Pacific Northwest.


Bill is a third generation principal owner of Gaston Electrical Co., Inc. out of Norwood, MA. Bill is responsible for Pre-Construction/Estimating, Pre-Fabrication, Finance and Accounting, Human Resources and Business Development efforts for Gaston Electrical. Bill holds both a BS in Finance and an MBA from Boston College. In addition, Bill is a Master Electrician and member of Local 103 IBEW.


Brian Morales is the founder and CEO of Pro-Cal Lighting Inc. located in Vista California. Brian leads his company as the chief visionary for its culture and growth as a small business. Due to his success as a small business owner and leader, Brian has become a national spokesman for small business and minority entrepreneurs. Locally, Brian sits on the Board of Directors for the San Diego Chapter of National Electrical Contractors Association and is the Chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee. Nationally, Brian is an Executive Board of Trustee member for the National Small Business Association and is Vice-Chair for Communication. He has been honored as Philanthropist of the Year from the Vista non-profit Operation Hope, and in 2019 received recognition from the San Diego Business Journal as one of the 40 Next Top Business Leaders Under 40. Brian has also received Congressional and Assembly recognition for his efforts with small business.


Kirk Wahlstrom has over 24 years of experience in the mechanical engineering industry. He joined Egan in 2018 and leads the building automation team. He is a strong sales professional who is well versed in HVAC, operations, team building, energy efficiency, and management. Past leadership roles for Kirk include Building Automation Department Manager, Project Manager, and Group Manager, and he earned his mechanical engineering degree from Northwestern University.

Your tech stack represents the technologies used to run your business. This suite of software and digital assets builds the framework for success within your organization. Join our multidisciplinary panel of construction experts as they explore best practices for procuring and scaling technologies. Learn how these pioneers navigate the construction tech market, identify, and deploy solutions, and adapt to the ever-changing digital world. Together we will explore how to assemble a technology collection that gives your business a competitive edge.
Speakers

Michael Parkes was born and raised in Rochester, NY. He was a graduate of Honeoye Falls-Lima High School and went on to earn his Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering from Clarkson University in 2003. Upon graduating from college he worked as an electrical engineer for O’Brien & Gere and then TRC where he became a licensed professional engineer in the State of New York. After eight years of working in the engineering consulting field he took a position with his family’s electrical contracting business (O’Connell Electric) as the Power Group General Manager and in 2019 was promoted to Vice President – Power Group. Michael’s group manages all of the company’s utility accounts which covers substations, underground T&D and overhead T&D. Michael is responsible for over 300 field and office employees and approximately $200 million in annual revenue. Michael currently serves as the ELECTRI Council Chair, is an ELECTRI Trustee and is a NECA Innovation and Strategy Task Force Member.


A third generation owner, Sean has participated in all aspects of the electrical construction company his grandfather started over 60 years ago. From fixing the company computers as a young boy to estimating as a young adult, and on to his current position as CFO, Sean has continued to use his technological gifts to enhance company operations. He currently sits on the Lutron Contractors Advisory Council and is a member of NECA’s Innovation & Strategy Task Force.


Todd Grossweiler has been with the Allison-Smith Company for the past 22 years where he is currently an Executive Vice President. Todd graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology where he received a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering degree prior to beginning his career with the Allison-Smith Company. He continues to seek out ways to innovate through processes, technology, and people. Maintaining good relationships with both his internal team and external customers is the foundation for his success. Todd believes that if you surround yourself with good people, then good things will happen.


Adam S. Davis is the Virtual Design & Construction Manager and has been involved in the Electrical BIM environment for over 10 years. He has published “Achieving Spatial Coordination Through BIM”, National BIM Standard v2.0, developed manufacturer’s software for Revit and was an early adopter of AR/VR solutions for construction. Along with his VDC background, he has been involved in planning and executions from the project level to the enterprise. From specific animations of work tasks to full 5D sequenced models, Adam works to leverage models to support fabrication & field installations. Outside of work, Adam has a history of volunteering for many organizations including the Habitat for Humanity Board, Son’s of the American Revolution Board, Hope Foundation of the Mahoning Valley Board, SCCA and other events local to Youngstown, Ohio.

Being a BIM Technician is a difficult job. You have to know software, how to build a job virtually like you would in the real world and even though you correctly draw something 99% of the time, you only hear about the 1% that was not drawn right. This roundtable will discuss how we recruit, manage and help mediate problems between the VDC department and the rest of the organization.
Speakers

Jonathan is CEO of SteelToe Consulting LLC, a firm that specializes in helping construction companies integrate and implement modern construction technology and workflows to improve and streamline their businesses. He also works as a construction startup advisor and as a software product manager for construction software. In addition to conducting research and reporting for industry groups through its MEP Innovation Lab, and helps develop hardware and software solutions for the construction space.

Before heading out to Harpoon Harry’s for our evening reception, we celebrate the end of day two with a little bit of fun. The program begins with leaders from all each association speaking about program developments in innovation and impacts on contractors. Following their message, there will be an awards ceremony highlighting the MEP Innovators of the Year. This award showcases the industry’s talent to experiment, research and share ideas that move the industry forward.
Speakers

Todd Grossweiler has been with the Allison-Smith Company for the past 22 years where he is currently an Executive Vice President. Todd graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology where he received a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering degree prior to beginning his career with the Allison-Smith Company. He continues to seek out ways to innovate through processes, technology, and people. Maintaining good relationships with both his internal team and external customers is the foundation for his success. Todd believes that if you surround yourself with good people, then good things will happen.


Joseph Lansdell is the President of Poynter, Indiana’s largest full-service sheet metal and custom metal fabricator. Poynter’s capabilities include fabrication and installation of ventilation and exhaust systems, vent and fume hoods, architectural cladding, tanks, and pressure vessels, structural components, handrails, custom fabrication, and prefabrication solutions.
Joseph served as SMACNA president (2016-2017), in all national officer roles, and on the board of directors (2007 – 2011). He currently serves on the National Pension Fund and the National Joint Adjustment Board. In addition, he was recognized as a business leader in Indianapolis by being named to the Indianapolis Business Journals 40 under 40 in 2011.
His passion for serving the customers of the construction industry is unparalleled. Convincing young people that the construction industry can be a multi-faceted, exciting career is something he has been actively involved in for many years.
Continuous improvement is a staple in his professional life. Recently, he became an industry advocate for Prefabrication. Already an expert in single shop fabrication, Lansdell has developed a new 55,000 sf facility dedicated to multi-trade and modular construction.
He has contributed locally through involvement on the boards of the Coalition of Construction Safety and the Indiana Construction Roundtable (ICR). Most notable is his involvement as a mentor for smaller/diverse businesses in the ICR Mentor/Protégé program.


Jake Olsen, P.E. is Co-founder and CEO of DADO, a construction software company that leverages powerful indexing algorithms and industry-specific search to automate document administration and ensure teams can find and collaborate on the most relevant project information. Jake was previously VP of Engineering at DEWALT where he built a team dedicated to developing and providing software and consulting services for architects, engineers and contractors. Jake has worked in the industry as an engineer and entrepreneur for over 20 years both in the USA and abroad developing new products, software and businesses to transform the way we build. Jake holds a master’s degree in Structural Engineering and is a licensed Professional Civil Engineer in California.


Stacy Zerr works as Director of PreConstruction Services for The Waldinger Corporation headquartered in Des Moines, IA. An Iowa State University dual-engineering graduate, Stacy is a licensed Professional Engineer in six states. She also earned an MBA from Regis University.
Her interest in construction began on her family’s residential construction business and her roles have included design engineer, estimator, project manager, and VDC manager. She previously worked for QuickPen and Trimble – software and hardware developers for the mechanical construction industry.
Stacy is passionate about using technology to improve construction process, productivity, and safety. She enjoys collaborating with others and serves on the MCAA Technology Committee, Women in the Mechanical Industry Committee, MCAA Project Management Education Committee, and SMACNA Technology Committee. Outside the industry, she is on the Board of Directors for YMCA of the Rockies.
Stacy and her husband, Randy, have been married for 21 years. They have 17-year-old twins, Tanner and Morgan, and three rambunctious dogs.

- Sponsored by:
- MILWAUKEE TOOL
Implementing new solutions into your process requires contractors to take into consideration more that what that product can simply do. MEP contractors need to understand more of the fundamental operations that a new solution will not only rely upon, but also replace. In this general session, Trent Leinenbach of North Mechanical will instruct attendees in using process maps of their technology stack to help determine where the holes are that need to be addressed. A clear understanding of the who is using existing software and determining their core needs is essential for make sure operations are continued. Britton Langdon from MSUITE will also join the discussion to show how to perform a root analysis of your operations. Many potential problems arise not from processes or solutions but culture. You might need to solve people oriented problems separately.
Speakers

Trent serves as the Leader of VDC and Operations Technology at North Mechanical Contracting. Trent came from the trades as a Journeyman Plumber from the UA Local 440 in Indianapolis. He is also a veteran of the United States Army where he served as a Psychological Operations Specialist.
Trent is also very involved outside of the day job where he sits on the MCAA Innovation Committee. He is also one of the Co-hosts and Co-founders of the Construction Dorkcast(Podcast). He also serves as a Delegate to the Construction Progress Coalition (CPC).


Britton Langdon is the founder and CEO of MSUITE, a construction software company located in the Midwest. With more than a decade in the construction industry, Britton uses his construction experience to spearhead the design and implementation of MSUITE’s products. Prior to MSUITE, Britton served as the Director of Support Operations & Business Development at an MEP where he directed their design and fabrication processes.


Sean McGuire is MCAA’s Director of Innovative Technologies. He has more than 20 years of experience in the construction industry with a focus on technology, fabrication and innovation. He leads MCAA’s efforts in construction technology, fabrication, research and plumbing.


Josh Bone started his career working with design teams, then transitioned into helping construction professionals leverage technology in both the preconstruction and construction phases. He has had the opportunity to work on hundreds of projects throughout his career, where he has delved deep into the VDC process. Bone has worked with companies like JBKnowledge, Graphisoft and Stanley Black & Decker. Bone envisions the trades playing a more active role in the design phases of projects in the future (DfMA), helping drive the increased delivery of offsite construction methods. He has also shared his knowledge with audiences and publications across North America as a frequent professional speaker, guest editorial contributor and podcaster.


Mark Terzigni is Executive Director of Market Sectors and Construction Technology. He started his career at SMACNA in 2008 as a Project Manager in the Technical Services Department. Early projects included SMACNA’s Seismic Restraint and Duct Leakage Testing Standards, as well as several apps such as The HVAC duct Construction App and the Leakage Testing Calculator. In 2014 Mark became the Director of Engineering and continued his work on SMACNA standards like the HVAC Duct Construction Standards and the System Air Leakage Test standard. Mark represents SMACNA at several industry organizations including ASHRAE (Past Chair of Duct Design), The International Code Council (PMG Code Council), International Association of Plumbing & Mechanical Officials (IAPMO), and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Mark’s current role, effective 2021 has him working with the MEP Trade Associations such as MCAA and NECA on a number of joint projects and events.
Prior to working at SMACNA, Mark was a Sales Engineer and Technical Service Engineer for McGill Airflow. Mark has a BSME from The Ohio State University.

As companies try to adapt to new technology and innovation, having a technology committee is vital to its success. This session will talk about approaches that can be taken to consider background, experience, diverse perspectives, and building team members to be more knowledgeable than yourself in different areas.
Speakers

Jeff Elwell is the Director of Innovation and Technology at EM Duggan in Canton, MA. His focus is on BIM, Revit, and the automation of processes for design and construction as a whole. Jeff’s role includes innovation research from multiple disciplines on technological advances. He has a passion for discovering new processes and efficiency and modifying their application to mechanical contracting. He believes that a key motivator in driving industry progress is transparent exchange of if ideas and workflows. He has nine years of experience in the industry between engineering and mechanical contracting.


Todd Grossweiler has been with the Allison-Smith Company for the past 22 years where he is currently an Executive Vice President. Todd graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology where he received a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering degree prior to beginning his career with the Allison-Smith Company. He continues to seek out ways to innovate through processes, technology, and people. Maintaining good relationships with both his internal team and external customers is the foundation for his success. Todd believes that if you surround yourself with good people, then good things will happen.

Modern sheet metal fabrication facilities take an investment of equipment, tools, software and facility space. Workflow between these elements is crucial to productivity and operations. This session will guide contractors through considerations and best practices.
Speakers

Scott Hoffman has been a sheet metal worker for over thirty years. He is currently the shop superintendent that manages sheet metal fabrication and assembly for Helm Mechanical in Rockford, Illinois. He has personally been a part of adding sheet metal fabrication to every shop he has worked in and the apprenticeship training center. In addition, he has spent 22 years as an instructor and 5 years as the Coordinator of Sheet Metal Workers Local 219 training center.Scott has been certified in all instructor-training classes that the ITI offers along with many other certifications in the trade. In addition to the training, he has received as an instructor he headed up the acquisition of a new training center for Sheet Metal Workers Local 219. He has been a presenter at the MCAA fabrication conference on Spooling. He is also a consultant to Roper Whitney manufacturing in Rockford Illinois.Work ethic, honesty and integrity are the things that Scott basis his daily work on. Hard work always pays off in the end and honesty and integrity always will gain respect and will make your path easier.Scott has been married to his Wife Margaret for 32 years. They have a 26-year-old daughter who just finished Law school and works at the courthouse and a 24-year-old son that works for UPS. Margaret is a Registered Nurse Manager. Scott loves working on cars and home projects along with singing in a gospel quartet for over 37 years.Every day we are faced with new challenges. Lee Iacocca once said, “We are continually faced with great opportunities cleverly disguised as insolvable problems”. My daily goal is to solve the problem.


Joseph Lansdell is the President of Poynter, Indiana’s largest full-service sheet metal and custom metal fabricator. Poynter’s capabilities include fabrication and installation of ventilation and exhaust systems, vent and fume hoods, architectural cladding, tanks, and pressure vessels, structural components, handrails, custom fabrication, and prefabrication solutions.
Joseph served as SMACNA president (2016-2017), in all national officer roles, and on the board of directors (2007 – 2011). He currently serves on the National Pension Fund and the National Joint Adjustment Board. In addition, he was recognized as a business leader in Indianapolis by being named to the Indianapolis Business Journals 40 under 40 in 2011.
His passion for serving the customers of the construction industry is unparalleled. Convincing young people that the construction industry can be a multi-faceted, exciting career is something he has been actively involved in for many years.
Continuous improvement is a staple in his professional life. Recently, he became an industry advocate for Prefabrication. Already an expert in single shop fabrication, Lansdell has developed a new 55,000 sf facility dedicated to multi-trade and modular construction.
He has contributed locally through involvement on the boards of the Coalition of Construction Safety and the Indiana Construction Roundtable (ICR). Most notable is his involvement as a mentor for smaller/diverse businesses in the ICR Mentor/Protégé program.

What are lean concepts and how have they changed the way that manufacturers have evolved their processes? What does this have to do with productivity in construction? Are we truly so unique that these methodologies don’t apply in construction projects or are there specific opportunities to assess and optimize our workflows through lean principles? This session will look at ways to modify and apply lean concepts, terminology, and processes to construction.
Speakers

Henry serves as the Preconstruction Executive for Southland Industries, after serving as the Sheet Metal General Superintendent for 13 years, and 34 years as a Union Sheet Metal Worker with Local 104 in Northern California. He was responsible for over 200 Sheet Metal Workers during his tenure and led Lean implementations on projects throughout Northern California on Southland projects. Henry’s strategy of field support included a mixture of a “boots on the ground” type of approach combined with practical theory and relationship building. This approach has allowed him to authentically build new Lean Champions within the company, and successfully strategize with clients by answering the number one question, “what’s in it for me”, which simply highlights how the ones closest to the work can actually benefit from Lean Practices. Henry also worked with Dr. Glenn Ballard to revise the Last Planner System® in 2019.
He currently sits on the National Board of Director’s for the Lean Construction Institute, (LCI) where he leads a task force designed to encourage the adoption of Lean practices from Trade Partners. Henry was the 2018 recipient of the prestigious LCI Pioneer Award. He is also the current Chair for the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), National Diversity & Inclusion Steering Committee.


Carrie has spent over 16 years in Operations roles including Manufacturing Engineering, Operations Management, and Lean/Six Sigma – getting her start in the automotive and aerospace industries. She has a B.S. in Industrial Technology with a minor in Plastics Processing and a M.S. in Project Management.
Carrie joined Milwaukee Tool in 2014 with Empire Level. She was instrumental in transforming Empire shortly after acquisition into the world-class manufacturing center that it is today by supporting numerous capital projects and driving a lean culture. In 2017, Carrie transitioned to a new role bringing the same lean culture to the Milwaukee Tool corporate office with a focus on business and transactional processes. Most recently she has also taken on the additional responsibility of continuous improvement at the Distribution Center.
Carrie has a passion for process improvement and working with all functions of the business to drive value by leveraging the powerful combination of people, process, and technology. Outside of work, Carrie enjoys running and spending time with her husband and two boys.


Perry is Lean Executive Director at Parsons Electric. Perry’s interest in construction began with his family’s tradition of construction in carpentry and masonry fields. Perry served honorably in the United States Air Force. Following the service, he spent many years earning degrees in the technologies industry until he joined Parsons and began his electrical construction career where he has served for the last twenty years.

For companies innovating and incorporating new tools, software, hardware, and processes can be met with a lot of resistance. How your company handles change management is going to impact the success of your implementation and training. This session will discuss how working as a team, collaborating, and problem solving can improve software and process adoption rate. These principles can be applied to fabrication, BIM, transportation, site coordination, and all areas of project success.
Speakers

Doug Smith got his start as a pre-apprentice plumber with Local 286 in Austin, Texas.
He worked on and around various projects until 1988, when he was hired at Dynamic Systems and began detailing for them. He progressed thru the ranks and took control of the design group, building it to over 100 designers.
Doug has recently taken the role as Director of Technology, which he feels is as much about Technology as it is about processes and practices. His current role is to streamline all groups with the common goal of increased productivity and efficiency, ensuring a more competitive and profitable workplace.
Through his involvement in multiple peer groups and industry organizations, Doug has toured many companies and seen multiple ways to perform certain tasks. His current position allows him to implement best in class methods to achieve the best results.


Started as a Journeyman moved into estimating and managing large complex projects and now helping to develop long term business relationships.


As a fourth-generation owner, Bob Snyder has worked and been involved in the mechanical contracting industry since his youth. Bob’s experience spans all aspects of the business including Sales and Estimating, Project Controls and Management, Engineering and Drafting, Purchasing, Information Technology, and Financial Management. In addition to office and management experience, Bob worked in tool and fabrication shops, spent time on the road in a service van working in the field with service technicians and developed hands-on skills on projects working with the plumber and pipefitter craftsmen.
As a graduate engineer, Bob has strong technical and design aptitude and has a vast understanding of both conceptual and technical aspects of mechanical systems. He also has a great level of experience in information technology and has been involved in designing the project control systems used at Binsky.
Bob has devoted significant time to the Mechanical Contracting Association of New Jersey and Industry Council, currently sits on the Board of Directors, and holds the position of Secretary/Treasurer. In addition, Bob has served as a Trustee on Plumbers Local 24 and currently on Pipefitters Local 475.
Industry Organizations and Roles
Mechanical Contracting Association of America, Chairman of the Industry Improvements Committee, Member of Technology Committee
Mechanical Contracting Association of New Jersey, Board of Directors and Past President
United Association, Pipefitter Local 475, Co-Chairman for Trust Funds
Plumbers Local 24, Past Trust Fund Member
Local 24, Local 475, Local 274 and Local 9, Negotiating Committee
NJ and PA Service & Refrigeration, Negotiating Committee
International Society of Pharmaceutical Engineers
Education
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Bucknell University, 1988

The amount of time spent on BIM for projects is continually under-estimated. Many contractors take an approach where they assign a certain percentage of the project cost towards BIM, and then predictably go over those hours. With no realistic expectation of staying within estimates, this creates a situation of constant pressure to reduce BIM hours with no feasible expectation to meet an allotted budget goal.
This roundtable will open the discussion on ways to build an appropriate estimate for BIM hours on projects. It will look at how to measure and track BIM hours, the downstream productivity impacts gained from the process, and how to build more realistic estimates for projects.
Speakers

Chris Weaver is Andy J. Egan’s Director of Technology and works to ensure the company is on the forefront of construction technology at a national level, even influencing new technology by working with the industry’s best software providers. He serves on the Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCAA)Technology Committee, the Michigan LCI Community of Practice (CoP) Vice Leader, the Ferris State University advisory board, and is a Past President of the American Subcontractors Association of Michigan (ASAM).


Dave Pikey is the Vice President of Corporate Technology for The Hill Group, a $300M Chicago-based organization engaged in construction and maintenance of mechanical building systems – all with a focus on energy efficiency and sustainability. Dave joined Hill in 1998 as a design engineer and has been developing process and technology around modeling, estimating, prefabrication, automation, modular construction and business intelligence since 2004. Dave has also run marketing and communication for The Hill Group. He is often an industry guest speaker sharing his experience on leveraging technology in a collaborative environment to deliver a better product in the construction process. Dave has a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics from Purdue University.

This recap session will provide attendees a chance to share the best takeaway ideas they heard from the many breakout, roundtables and hallway discussions. With so much content across multiple trades, this will be your chance to hear what happened in other sessions or best ideas coming from the program.
Speakers

Nathan Wood has emerged as an innovation thought leader across the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry. Nathan’s experience with Virtual Design and Construction (VDC), Lean process improvement, and Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) has led him to realize how even proven technology solutions can often result in adoption failure and lost ROI. Nathan blends his passion for open collaboration with real world skepticism to produce a pragmatic strategy for digital standards adoption in
the AEC Industry. As Chief Enabling Officer of SpectrumAEC, Nathan addresses the people and process challenges with transformation through his thought leadership and
innovation workshops. To address technology’s challenges, Nathan is also Executive Director of the Construction Progress Coalition (ConstructionProgress.org), a nonprofit
organization advancing the adoption of digital collaboration standards between design, build, inspect, and operate professionals.


Mark Terzigni is Executive Director of Market Sectors and Construction Technology. He started his career at SMACNA in 2008 as a Project Manager in the Technical Services Department. Early projects included SMACNA’s Seismic Restraint and Duct Leakage Testing Standards, as well as several apps such as The HVAC duct Construction App and the Leakage Testing Calculator. In 2014 Mark became the Director of Engineering and continued his work on SMACNA standards like the HVAC Duct Construction Standards and the System Air Leakage Test standard. Mark represents SMACNA at several industry organizations including ASHRAE (Past Chair of Duct Design), The International Code Council (PMG Code Council), International Association of Plumbing & Mechanical Officials (IAPMO), and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Mark’s current role, effective 2021 has him working with the MEP Trade Associations such as MCAA and NECA on a number of joint projects and events.
Prior to working at SMACNA, Mark was a Sales Engineer and Technical Service Engineer for McGill Airflow. Mark has a BSME from The Ohio State University.


Sean McGuire is MCAA’s Director of Innovative Technologies. He has more than 20 years of experience in the construction industry with a focus on technology, fabrication and innovation. He leads MCAA’s efforts in construction technology, fabrication, research and plumbing.


Tauhira Ali is a highly skilled technology strategist with more than 16 years of R&D and product design experience. As NECA’s Executive Director of Industry Innovation, she gathers insights from end users, industry experts, and tech providers to deliver awareness, education, and implementation strategies. Her work empowers the construction community to strategically leverage technical innovations and industry trends to overdrive process, productivity, and market share.
Tauhira has held R&D positions in the computing, automotive, aerospace, robotics, construction, and public relations industries. Her product development work has influenced thousands of physical and digital solutions found on the jobsite. In addition to her passion for driving new solutions, Tauhira is deeply committed to expanding and empowering all voices within technical industries and has been honored to work closely with many affinity and mentorship groups to advocate and elevate all members of the workforce.

As the labor shortage for skilled trade workers continues to burden the industry, MEP contractors are looking towards pure retention and workforce optimization efforts as a way to increase their bottom line. Hear from a Procore partner and your peers on how they approach data collection and optimization to better understand their workforce productivity and maximize their labor resources
Speakers

Gary Fuchs is a Sr. Product Specialist at LaborChart. Prior to LaborChart, Gary was VP of Construction at Westphal Electric. He and his wife Cheryl are proud parents of three daughters and 10 grandchildren. Gary enjoys woodworking, golf, hunting, fishing, and working with LaborChart. In his past, Gary was a volunteer firefighter and basketball official.


Eric Tucker is a technology strategist who has been building cloud ecosystems for more than a decade. He currently leads integration partnerships for the trades at Procore. In this role, Eric works with market-leaders and startups to bring innovations to specialty contractors.


Brian Witt specializes in building the LaborChart community and oversees strategic initiatives with industry and technical partners. Prior to his current role, Brian was one of LaborChart’s first Account Executives and helped lead sales processes and new business growth for the organization. Brian’s operational background stems from his time as an Infantry Officer in the US Army. He is an alum of the Construction Science & Management Program at Kansas State University.

Speakers

Bryan Williams, Portfolio Manager, Building Construction Field Systems, Trimble Inc. Bryan has over 30 years of international experience working in the construction industry as a site engineer, construction surveyor, project supervisor, and consultant. He has spent the last 16 years developing and marketing intelligent positioning solutions for the construction industry as part of Trimble’s Building Construction group.

After two decades in technology, Jeff Sample gives away his expertise in this engaging hands-on experience. You will dive into the 5 step process and collaboratively learn alongside your peers in this session. You will leave with a new process and tools to support your organization’s journey into digital transformation. Empower yourself and your company to thrive during the technology evolution ahead and create a sustainable approach for evaluating, selecting, and implementing transformative technology.
Speakers

Jeff Sample has devoted the past 20+ years to transforming companies. Jeff optimizes companies throughout the construction industry by designing solutions, optimizing strategic advantages, and breaking down information silos. His passion for outdoor adventure and Ironman competitions garnered him the moniker “The Ironman of IT.”
As Industry Evangelist for Join, Jeff promotes collaboration and the transformation of preconstruction to help project teams reach their potential. His depth of IT experience in various industries and his passion for continuous improvement have made Jeff a popular speaker and vocal thought leader in construction, spending much of his time educating on multiple topics to better the industry as a whole.

You have created the list of process improvement topics and now it’s time to execute but where do we start. Let’s walk through the step-by-step process to achieving productivity improvement. Bring a project topic or walk through the exercise as you complete an A3 form. The exercise will help you see the thinking behind the problem solving. Leave the workshop will new tools and actionable items to meet your operational excellence goals.
Speakers

Amanda Comunale is an AEC Fabrication, Operations and Technology industry leader. Ms. Comunale’s career has spanned both the private and public sectors. Recently she was the Chief Operations Officer of GTP Services, the leading MEP Software Solutions company. Ms. Comunale was responsible for overseeing GTP’s Marketing, Strategic Planning, and Operations. Amanda served as the Director of VDC for Victaulic, where she was responsible for overseeing Victaulic’s global estimating, fabrication, BIM and construction technology initiatives that benefitted and supported Victaulic’s customers and its strategic growth objectives. Prior to Victaulic, Amanda served as Vice President of Operations Services for S. A. Comunale an EMCOR company, where she was responsible for managing the day-to-day operations such as purchasing, IT, safety, human resources, transportation, and LEAN. It was there that she realized her passion for construction and how processes and technology are changing the industry. Ms. Comunale has a distinguished history with numerous national and community organizations, including service with the MCAA WebLEM+Plus Taskforce. She is also the Vice Chairman of the Stephen A. Comunale Jr. Family Cancer foundation, dedicated to providing gap financial funding to cancer patients and family members. She received a B.A. in Political Science from Union College in Albany, New York and her Executive MBA from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.

Although VDC software can help drive productivity gains downstream, it can be a time intensive solution. Many contractors have tried to reduce that time through coding solutions or software that has coding built in that can shortcut repeatable processes. In this session, Jeff Elwell will share how some of these solutions work and help attendees build their own solutions using their own devices. This session will demonstrate Dynamo, Trackvia and Revit platforms.
Speakers

Jeff Elwell is the Director of Innovation and Technology at EM Duggan in Canton, MA. His focus is on BIM, Revit, and the automation of processes for design and construction as a whole. Jeff’s role includes innovation research from multiple disciplines on technological advances. He has a passion for discovering new processes and efficiency and modifying their application to mechanical contracting. He believes that a key motivator in driving industry progress is transparent exchange of if ideas and workflows. He has nine years of experience in the industry between engineering and mechanical contracting.

Adding a 3D Scanner to your construction process can offer up significant advantages. In addition to capturing existing spaces and equipment, it can be used to verify field conditions, spaces and fabrication specifics. In this session, you will learn tips and tricks for improving your processes, productivity and workflows when implementing a 3D scanner.
Speakers

Bryan Williams, Portfolio Manager, Building Construction Field Systems, Trimble Inc. Bryan has over 30 years of international experience working in the construction industry as a site engineer, construction surveyor, project supervisor, and consultant. He has spent the last 16 years developing and marketing intelligent positioning solutions for the construction industry as part of Trimble’s Building Construction group.

Explore how Milwaukee Tool’s MX battery platform is furthering the drive to eliminate cords & gas fumes to address user issues, frustrations, and hazards on the jobsite. These trade-specific solutions are delivering the future jobsite without cords and noisy gas powered engines, leveraging a breakthrough cordless battery platform. In this session you’ll have the opportunity to explore new products and understand the integrated safety features improving the jobsite.
Speakers

Kevin Gee joined Milwaukee Tool in 2012 and has held roles related to Product Development & Marketing in Canada, Hong Kong, and the US. Currently, he is responsible for overseeing the strategy and product development for the company’s MX FUEL Cordless Equipment System. In this position, Kevin leverages his background, his passion for cordless, and his product knowledge to further disrupt the equipment space.

As the need for faster delivery times of fabrication increases, so does the need for increased speed of getting fabrication assemblies and work instructions to the shop. With MSUITE’s new Cloud Spooling feature, users of all skill levels can create advanced work packages and assemblies right from a web browser, in seconds.
Speakers

Britton Langdon is the founder and CEO of MSUITE, a construction software company located in the Midwest. With more than a decade in the construction industry, Britton uses his construction experience to spearhead the design and implementation of MSUITE’s products. Prior to MSUITE, Britton served as the Director of Support Operations & Business Development at an MEP where he directed their design and fabrication processes.

Construction robotics is beginning to infiltrate the industry by performing repetitive workflows, capturing jobsite data and performing work in conditions too dangerous for humans. In this session, attendees will see how Trimble is working with Boston Dynamics to implement construction hardware with robotics.
Speakers

David Burczyk is the Construction Robotics Lead at Trimble where he is responsible for the business area management and the strategic product development of the Trimble construction robotics solutions. With over twenty years of AEC industry experience promoting technology and collaboration among design and construction teams, David is focused on the development and implementation of tailored construction robotic solutions to advance the field productivity of AEC contractors, architects, and engineers.

A construction project is an interconnected web of data – from bid documents to BIM content, from Plans to POs and everything in between – not unlike a social network with connections of 1st degree, 2nd degree, and beyond. This presentation will introduce a new data network technology built on top of the DADO platform to help get instant insights from these relationships, and understand the impact of changes to the network of project data. Imagine being able to instantly see all documents and content impacted by a design change for example – this is now possible!
Speakers

Jake Olsen, P.E. is Co-founder and CEO of DADO, a construction software company that leverages powerful indexing algorithms and industry-specific search to automate document administration and ensure teams can find and collaborate on the most relevant project information. Jake was previously VP of Engineering at DEWALT where he built a team dedicated to developing and providing software and consulting services for architects, engineers and contractors. Jake has worked in the industry as an engineer and entrepreneur for over 20 years both in the USA and abroad developing new products, software and businesses to transform the way we build. Jake holds a master’s degree in Structural Engineering and is a licensed Professional Civil Engineer in California.

As projects get bigger and more complex, there are more people and equipment moving between locations than ever before. Throughout this, do you know where your valuable assets are? In this hands-on session, you will understand how to leverage hardware & software tracking technology to control your logistics on the jobsite, reduce loss, and improve your bottom line.
Speakers

Andy Lambert is responsible for leading product management and partnerships within the Milwaukee One-Key platform. Andy leverages 20 years’ experience in construction and construction technology as a proven leader in evolving the adoption of technology throughout the construction industry. Andy began his career as an IBEW Inside Wireman, but has since held positions of Solution Consultant, Director of Account Management, and Director of Construction Technology at a Construction ERP firm, and most recently Group Program Manager and Director of Product at Milwaukee Tool.

The MEP Innovation Conference kicks off with a roundtable with some of the industry’s most important behind-the-scenes leaders. Leaders from all three organizations – MCAA, NECA and SMACNA, will be on hand to discuss the importance of innovation within the MEP Trades. They will tackle how vital it is for contractors to continue to embrace technology and lead the building industry on practices and processes. Following their presentation, Lawrence Smith, VP & GM of Trimble will welcome everyone to the conference and introduce our final presentation of the evening.
Speakers

Hailing from a family of electrical contractors, Davis graduated from Louisiana State University in 1975. After graduation, he entered the JATC apprenticeship and successfully completed the program in 1979. Davis worked as a journeyman for several years until assuming a management role in 1984. After taking on leadership responsibilities, Davis worked with the day-to-day production as well as estimating bids, personnel decisions and contract negotiations.
Bob Davis Electric Co. Inc. was founded in Shreveport, La. in 1922 by Robert Milton “Bob” Davis, Sr. After Bob’s death in 1946, his son, Robert “Milton” Davis, Jr. took over leadership of the company and was named president. Upon Milton’s retirement in 1990, Kirk Davis assumed the role as president of the company and served as president until April 2019. Davis’s son Todd Davis took over the duties as president at that time and continues in that capacity. Bob Davis Electric is Shreveport’s oldest operating electrical contractor and does work throughout Louisiana and East Texas. The company covers all areas of electrical services, specializing in residential, commercial, and light industrial with an emphasis on power requirements for telecommunications companies, generator installations, and retail maintenance.
Bob Davis Electric joined NECA in 1923. Since then, the company has been actively involved with NECA at the local and national level. Kirk Davis became involved when he attended his first national convention in 1979 in San Francisco. Locally, Davis has served on the Board of Directors and the Negotiations Committee and as Vice President and President. He has been elected to multiple terms as Governor of the North Louisiana Chapter, NECA. He also served as President of the Louisiana Council. Nationally, Davis served on the Marketing Committee, the Disaster Relief Fund Committee, and the Workforce Development Committee. He was inducted into the Academy of Electrical Contracting in 2011. Davis has served as the District 3 VP for the last four years.
Davis has observed a gradual improvement in labor relations and working conditions for employees over the years, adding that there is now a heavier emphasis on better safety training and the needs of contractors to be successful. NECA offers members valuable resources through field services and educational programs.
Kirk has been married to his wife Becky for 46 years. They have two adult children, Todd and Tricia, and five grandchildren, with whom they enjoy spending time. Family activities include beach trips, spending time at the family farm, family lake house, and attending LSU tailgates. Kirk and Becky are active in their church, First United Methodist Church of Shreveport.


Armand Kilijian became President of the Mechanical Contractors Association of America at the association’s Virtual Education Conference in March 2020. Armand is the President of O’Brien Mechanical, Inc. II, a family-owned, full-service plumbing/piping/HVAC contractor headquartered in San Francisco, CA. The company self-performs a wide range of plumbing and piping installation work for commercial projects throughout the Greater Bay Area. His thirst for professional knowledge brought him to the Northern California MCA where he held leadership positions including the offices of president, vice president and treasurer. In addition, he was a member of the organization’s board of directors, as well as a member of the Budget and Nominating Committees. He co-chairs the Northern California MCA Local 38 Negotiating Committee and is a trustee of the UA Local 38 Trust Fund. Armand’s first experience with MCAA was at an annual convention. He went on to chair the Plumbing Contractors of America (PCA) and serve on the Education, Construction Technology, and Management Methods Committees. He was elected to the MCAA Board of Directors in 2012. On a personal note, Armand enjoys spending time with his wife, Tamar, and their three children, Shant, Talar, and Aram. The family keeps busy with the kids’ sporting events, as well as volunteering as coaches and scouting assistants within the Armenian community. The family enjoys traveling, snow skiing, and just hanging out in San Francisco whenever they get a chance.


Stacy Zerr works as Director of PreConstruction Services for The Waldinger Corporation headquartered in Des Moines, IA. An Iowa State University dual-engineering graduate, Stacy is a licensed Professional Engineer in six states. She also earned an MBA from Regis University.
Her interest in construction began on her family’s residential construction business and her roles have included design engineer, estimator, project manager, and VDC manager. She previously worked for QuickPen and Trimble – software and hardware developers for the mechanical construction industry.
Stacy is passionate about using technology to improve construction process, productivity, and safety. She enjoys collaborating with others and serves on the MCAA Technology Committee, Women in the Mechanical Industry Committee, MCAA Project Management Education Committee, and SMACNA Technology Committee. Outside the industry, she is on the Board of Directors for YMCA of the Rockies.
Stacy and her husband, Randy, have been married for 21 years. They have 17-year-old twins, Tanner and Morgan, and three rambunctious dogs.




In his role as Senior Director of Product Management and Marketing, Chris leads the global product strategy and go-to-market for Trimble MEP. In his four years with Trimble, he has transformed the strategy to focus on cloud and providing more value to MEP contractors. Prior to Trimble, Chris held a number of leadership roles at software technology companies, making positive impacts in the areas of product management, business development, customer success, and implementation.

James Benham from JBKnowledge will demonstrate three companies that are using machine learning and artificial intelligence on construction sites today.
Speakers

James Benham is a maker, a creator, and an innovator. He started his journey as a tech entrepreneur in his Texas A&M dorm room in 2001 and has had a wild ride of challenges and successes ever since. James and his amazing team at JBKnowledge built and sold one of their products, SmartBid, in a groundbreaking deal with ConstructConnect in 2018. They have since built and grown two other products, SmartCompliance and TerraClaim. JBKnowledge currently has over 240 employees in the USA, Argentina and South Africa and is a leading provider of technology products and services for Insurance and Construction. Based in College Station, Texas, James served two terms on the College Station City Council and served for 5 years as an adjunct professor of Construction Science at Texas A&M. He’s a pilot with a passion for aviation and flies himself to most of his meetings and also plays the piano and the guitar. James’s philosophy for fellow entrepreneurs is to build self-funded businesses that are financially sustainable and growth oriented – an ideology that was passed down to him by his successful entrepreneur father. As the CEO of JBKnowledge, James continues to innovate tech for the Insurance and Construction industries. You may have even heard him sharing his wisdom and insights as the host on his popular weekly podcasts: The ConTechCrew and The InsureTech Geek, or in one of over 400 conferences he has spoken at in the last 15 years. James also was recently appointed by Texas Governor Abbott to serve as a Regent on the governing board of Texas Southern University. Please welcome James Benham.


David Burczyk is the Construction Robotics Lead at Trimble where he is responsible for the business area management and the strategic product development of the Trimble construction robotics solutions. With over twenty years of AEC industry experience promoting technology and collaboration among design and construction teams, David is focused on the development and implementation of tailored construction robotic solutions to advance the field productivity of AEC contractors, architects, and engineers.


Josh Kanner is Founder & CEO of Newmetrix. Newmetrix reduces safety risk in the AEC (architecture, engineering and construction) industry through the use of artificial intelligence. Most recently he was co-founder of Vela Systems, a pioneer in the use of web and tablet workflows for construction and capital projects. The company was acquired by Autodesk in 2012 and was rebranded as BIM360 Field. He enjoys hiking, skiing, travel and being a dad to his two boys.


Adam is a Florida Bar Board Certified Construction lawyer, and is currently the co-managing partner for the Miami Office of a preeminent national construction law firm. Adam’s representation of contractors and developers includes contract negotiations, project administration and project close-out. In addition to his legal career, Adam has significant experience as an entrepreneur, working with start-ups and established business in the health care, fitness and personal hygiene industries. Adam serves as an Adjunct Professor at the Terry W. Stiles School of Real Estate Development at the H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship and Nova Southeastern University.
Adam graduated with highest honors from the University of Florida, with a Bachelor of Science in Finance, and earned both his Law Degree and Master’s Degree in Business.

We start day two with insights from NECA’s Vice President of Industry Development, Ron Bailey, discussing how to achieve your highest leadership potential. We will then dive into a presentation on ways that data is shaping the construction process. Chris Peppler of Trimble will share how the decisions made in design connect to estimating, fabrication, analytics, internal, and external teams.
Data and workflows are always a topic of discussion in construction today. But what does that really mean and where can a contractor get started? This session presents a vision for the construction industry that puts project, model, and managed item data at the core of what the industry must adopt to unlock downstream workflows for prefabrication, procurement, and the supply chain. In doing so, construction can become more predictable and profitable for contractors.
Speakers

Lt. Gen. Ronald Bailey is a national leader who joined NECA as Vice President, Industry Development, in 2020. At NECA, he is working on creating executive training programs, expanding the scope of workforce development, implementing diversity strategies, creating partnerships with institutions of higher learning, and leading the charge on recruitment programs that bring new, skilled workers into the industry. This includes a focus on recruiting ex-military personnel to NECA member companies and various Chapter positions.
At his alma mater, Austin Peay State University, Bailey was a student athlete and member of the ROTC program. He graduated from the University in 1977 with a degree in biology. He was a varsity member of the football team, and he turned the skills he learned at Austin Peay into a distinguished career in the U.S. Marine Corps.
In October 1979, he was assigned to Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina, as a Series Commander, Battalion S-3 and Commanding Officer of Company F, 2d Recruit Training Battalion. During this tour, he earned a masters degree in business management and administration from Webster University.
From August 1997 to 1998, Bailey attended National War College, Washington, D.C., where he earned his second masters degree in national security strategy.
In June 2013, Bailey was promoted to Lieutenant General and assigned to Headquarters Marine Corps as the Deputy Commandant for Plans, Policies, and Operations, where he served as the top Marine responsible for guiding deployment plans and force-structure policies. He also served as the advocate for the service’s ground combat element, acting as a liaison between Marines carrying out missions worldwide and the leaders planning them in the Pentagon.
Bailey went on to be the first African-American to command the 1st Marine Division where he oversaw more than 25,000 Marine and Sailors.
“Leadership is about influence and relationships – relationships with the American people,” Bailey said, while serving as commanding general of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, “Our nation’s citizens expect us to be America’s expeditionary force in readiness committed to their protection at home and abroad; we will honor that expectation with the professional and empathetic execution of our mission within their communities nationwide.”
Bailey’s awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal with bronze oak leaf, Legion of Merit with combat V, Meritorious Service Medal with 2 gold stars, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with gold star, the Navy Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, and the Combat Action Ribbon.
Bailey retired from the U.S. Marine Corps after 40 years of service, on September 1, 2017. Prior to joining NECA, he served as Vice President of External Affairs at Austin Peay, where he was responsible for Public Relations, Marketing, Advancement, Strategic Planning, as well as acting as President of the Foundation for the university.


In his role as Senior Director of Product Management and Marketing, Chris leads the global product strategy and go-to-market for Trimble MEP. In his four years with Trimble, he has transformed the strategy to focus on cloud and providing more value to MEP contractors. Prior to Trimble, Chris held a number of leadership roles at software technology companies, making positive impacts in the areas of product management, business development, customer success, and implementation.

