Session Speakers

Mr. Anderson began his career working for a Bridge Contractor in the Midwest. For seventeen years he was employed by the Department of Transportation; holding various positions including fifteen years as a lead safety and employee development instructor. With 24 years of experience in construction, Mr. Anderson came on board with AGCMO as safety consultant. Soon after he was tasked to lead AGCMO’s Suicide Awareness & Prevention in Construction Program. His passion and personal experience with Mental Health and Suicide Awareness runs deep; with his leadership the program has spread nationwide. Having a background from working alongside and leading “boots on the ground” employees, to employee and leadership development; along with safety training. Mr. Anderson brings real world knowledge and experience to the industry.

Frank recently joined CRP as the Director of Loss Prevention and isprimarily responsible for leading the development of our loss prevention services.  In this role, he oversees a team of colleagues who specialize in helping owner, developer, and contractor clients identify, assess, and effectively manage the various risks associated with their construction operations.  In addition, Frank’s experience managing a team of EHS professionals on large complex construction projects throughout the Northeast will deliver direct results to our clients.

Frank previously spent over 7 years at Skanska USA Building Inc. where he was responsible for the execution of 1 million-to-350-million-dollar projects in sectors such as healthcare, pharmaceutical, manufacturing, higher education, and retail. Frank was a key player with Skanska USA developing and delivering training programs for both the building and civil business units.  One in particular was focused on understanding OSHA’s recordability, reportability and electronic reporting requirements.

Frank is a 1994 graduate of Temple University, having earned a Bachelors’ Degree in Environmental Engineering Technology. In 2001 he received a Master of Science degree from Saint Joseph’s University in Environmental Health and Safety Management.  He earned his Certified Safety Professional (CSP) designation in 2008.  Frank currently resides in North Wales, PA with his wife Susan. Frank has one daughter who is an emergency room nurse for the Jefferson Health System and a son-in-law who is a Philadelphia Firefighter.

Frank is also a volunteer firefighter and an EMT for the North Penn Volunteer Fire Company and is currently the Deputy Chief. Frank has won the highly coveted fire fighter of the year award for his efforts and is an adjunct professor at Temple University’s Civil Engineering Program.

Danette Beck is the Head of Industry Verticals and National Construction Practice Leader at USI Insurance Services. Danette is an experienced National Industry leader with a demonstrated history of working in the construction insurance industry. Skilled in Negotiation, Enterprise Risk Management, Analytical Skills, Team Building, and Construction, Danette provides guidance and direction on risk management and insurance issues for construction industry clients. Danette is a strong operations professional with a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) focused in Risk Management and Insurance from University of Georgia – Terry College of Business.

Blaine Beckman received his Master’s Degree in Business Administration with a focus in Management from Texas A&M San Antonio with high honors and was inducted as an honorary member of Sigma Alpha Pi (The National Society of Leadership and Success). Blaine began his construction career as a framing carpenter before working his way through the construction ranks as lead carpenter, foreman, superintendent, project manager, Vice President and is currently the President for F.A. Nunnelly General Contractor, a commercial contractor in San Antonio that was established in 1922. Currently, he serves as a member of the National Business Development Forum Steering Committee and prior to his involvement with the BD Forum he had the pleasure of working through the chairs and serving as President of the AGC Board of Directors for the San Antonio Chapter.

Todd Bressler is a construction lawyer who has been in-house and general counsel for several privately held construction companies. Todd has provided counsel to the operations and corporate teams of his companies with responsibilities including the evaluation of proposed delivery methods and procurement procedures to assist in connection with potential projects, as well as the negotiation and preparation of project documentation including owner agreements, subcontracts, purchase orders, professional service agreements, joint venture agreements, construction guaranties, and required lender documents. In addition, Todd manages outside litigation counsel with respect to construction, real estate, regulatory and employment-related claims, as well as advising the team regarding terminations, leaves of absence, and coordinates and conducts internal investigations to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements. One of Todd’s critical roles is providing consultation for corporate risk management evaluating contract language and insurance programs to appropriately manage the varying levels of uncertainty and risk for his company.

Tonya’s focus is on expanding relationships and partnerships to help build structures that build communities. She has worked in the construction industry since 2005. Tonya is an active member of the Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) Atlanta Chapter and serves on the board of directors for the Douglas County Chamber of Commerce, the Douglas County Education Foundation and University of West Georgia Foundation.

Alberici

Robins & Morton

Bay Tank & Boilderworks, dba BT Metals, Inc., is a family owned fully-certified and professional fabrication and metal sales business. Founded by J. Chris Lovfald after WWII to meet the structural needs of the lumber and fishing industries. BT Metals has provided quality service to the Humboldt County area for over sixty years. BT Metals recently expanded into the Metal Sales arena and serves as the only metal distributor in Eureka California. Bay Tank is now supplying metal to five separate markets, Energy, Construction, Defense, Transportation and Marine. Under the leadership of Lee Cunningham BT Metals has expanded to service the entire west coast and the nation. The goal of our metal sales division is to be the diversity supplier for all things metal. BT Metals is certified as a Small Business Enterprise, Woman Business Enterprise, HUBZone, CPUC Woman Owned Business, New York Port Authority and VTA. Ms. Cunningham has served in various leadership roles in the construction industry, including on the Cal Trans/SBA Committee, High Speed Rail Committee, and President of Women Construction Owners & Executives and is a proud supporter of diversity and inclusion in the construction industry.

Nora Degnan started in 2004 as a project estimator/project manager at Thorne Associates, Inc., a large drywall, acoustic ceiling, plaster, and carpentry specialty contractor in Chicago. Since then, she became a vice president and part owner alongside her dad, uncle, and cousin. In addition to her leadership roles in the office, Nora is involved on the board level in various local and national organizations including Chicagoland Associated General Contractors (CAGC), Chicago Building Congress (CBC), Midwest Wall and Ceilings Contractors (MWCC), and Mid-America Regional Bargaining Association (MARBA). She is also a proud member of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) Chicago Metro #325 Chapter and Professional Women in Construction (PWC) Chicago.

Mike serves the Members of American Contractors Insurance Group (ACIG) as a Safety Consultant, supporting their premier general building, heavy civil, and industrial / specialty contractors.  He is a Certified Safety Professional with 14 years of safety and health management experience.  He also holds a Masters in Safety Sciences from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.  He is a proud member of ANSI/ASSP Z359 standards committee for Fall Protection and Fall Restraint, and is also a member of the Construction Safety Research Alliance at University of Colorado at Boulder.

Joe is responsible for improving the safety, production, and quality of field operations via Linbeck’s Lean Operating System. He has a unique passion for Lean implementation, continuous improvement, and a ruthless pursuit of waste elimination within Linbeck’s projects, teams, and overall organization. Joe is also the Co-Author to The Lean Builder, a business fable written for field leaders and last planners.

Michael Evans is a leader representing Milwaukee Tool Talent Training. Michael has spent the last 20 years learning and leading in multiple roles within Milwaukee. Michael is a servant leader focused on the education of Milwaukee teams to serve our partners and end users in the construction industry. Michael leads, designs, and delivers engaging hands-on training, taking user, application, and product knowledge to a best-in-class level of immersive experiential learning.

With more than 20 years in the communications arena, Lisa’s experience includes spearheading internal and external communications via a balance of online and offline channels, engaging clients & members, driving awareness, and analyzing efforts through qualitative and quantitative methods. Lisa’s role at AGC MA is to increase engagement with member CM’s, GC’s, Subcontractors, and Service Providers by implementing and overseeing innovating new communications and social media strategies & tools. She oversees multiple committees and their respective programming including; Building Women in Construction (BWiC) and the public relations and marketing efforts of all Chapter news, events, programs, and activities. Lisa holds a BS in Visual Communications/Business & Marketing from the University of Phoenix and an MS in International Marketing from Boston University. She currently sits on the SMPS (Society for Marketing Professional Services) Board of Directors Boston Chapter as Vice President and serves as an Advisory Committee Member with the AGC of America Business Development Forum Steering Committee, the Policy Group for Tradeswomen Issues (PGTI) and the Greater Boston American Apprenticeship Initiative.

Provides strategic leadership and direction in construction innovation via the implementation of business process ecosystems, technology, unique insurance solutions, and enhanced customer service initiatives across all lines of business. Dedicated to supporting AXA XL’s construction customers’ innovation efforts and technological maturity, and by extension, advancing the construction industry to new heights in this fourth industrial revolution. Thought-leader, ambassador, and spokesperson for AXA XL, authoring articles and presenting at industry events and educational organizations.

Rick Khan is responsible for helping the company continue to find new and smarter ways to advance the construction industry. Rick has spent the past 26 years in the business of helping people through innovation, with the last 16 years dedicated to the construction industry. He is an internationally recognized AEC industry thought leader, keynote speaker, and self-proclaimed technology nerd whose leadership blends passion, integrity, and trust with a constant focus on safety.

Mandi is a Central Washington University alum of the safety and health management program and currently serves as the director of safety for AGC of Washington. She also has a bachelor’s degree in foreign language and teaches Spanish for supervisors in the construction industry. She recently earned her master’s degree in Safety & Health Management and published a thesis and employer best practice guide on mental health interventions in construction. Mandi has worked in AGC’s safety department for 20 years, helping members with safety programs, training, doing safety team inspections, working on legislative/regulatory issues pertaining to safety, and serving on various safety committees. Mandi currently serves as the co-chair of the AGC of America Chapter Safety Leadership committee. Mandi enjoys spending time camping and traveling with her family, including her 14-year-old daughter and 10-year-old triplets. Mandi was the only safety professional selected by Construction Business Owner for the 2019 class of top 20 Outstanding women in construction from 200 nominees and was featured in their November 2019 issue.

Jennifer Lacy has been with Robins & Morton for 17 years and is responsible for the continued advancement of Robins & Morton’s Building Forward approach, based on Lean philosophies. She has spoken at multiple Lean Congress events as well as regional LCI Community of Practice Events and is active on Lean committees and organizations.

Jim Lynch leads Autodesk’s efforts to create and deliver products and services that accelerate the construction industry’s transformation from analog-based processes to digital workflows. Jim manages all aspects of business operations within Autodesk Construction Solutions, including product design and development, marketing, sales, and customer success. Jim and his team are focused on delivering innovative, cloud-based solutions to help the global construction industry reduce risk and increase margins using Autodesk construction products. Previously, Jim served as the company’s vice president of the Construction Product Group. In his 20+ year tenure at Autodesk, Jim has held several key leadership roles in AEC product development, product management, and marketing efforts. He was a key contributor in scaling Revit into one of Autodesk’s flagship products and establishing BIM as an industry standard.

Thomas joined CRP as the Sr. Loss Prevention Manager at the start of 2021.  He is primarily responsible for leading the safety, health and risk management strategies for the organization concentrated on servicing the CRP clientele in the NY Metro and New England regions.  In this role, Thomas works hand in hand with the senior leadership and safety staff of owners, developers, and contractors to help assess and improve their risk mitigation and safety programs.  This direct approach helps to improve the bottom line of their organization and further protect these entities’ most important assets, their employees.

Thomas is a strategic thinker and a natural leader in the safety field.  He has built an extraordinary reputation for being able to work with various types of contractors and deliver a best-in-class approach to assist clients in their journey to improve safety and claims management within their respective firms.

Thomas has dedicated his entire career to the construction safety field. He started out as a project safety manager for large, sophisticated general contractors prior to joining Construction Risk Partners.  Thomas gained experience on reputable projects such as Boston’s Central Artery project and the Pentagon Renovation project post 9/11.  Thomas then spent the next thirteen years as the regional service lead for risk control at one of the top insurance carriers, managing large contractors with significant retention programs.  From 2017 through 2020, Thomas was the Corporate Safety Director for a $300+ million dollar, top 400 ENR general contractor managing all aspects of field safety, claims management and insurance.

Thomas graduated from Keene State College with a B.S in Occupational Safety, in the safety honors society.  Thomas has continued his professional development over his career holding many industry certifications.  He also currently sits on the national safety committee for the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) organization and is an active member in the NYC Chapter of the NYS Association of General Contractors (AGC).

Thomas currently resides in Connecticut with his wife, Karin, and their (2) sons.  In addition to being an avid sports fan, he enjoys golfing, boating, snowboarding and coaching youth sports.

Steve Malany first become interested in construction management while completing his architecture studies at the University of Idaho. From there, he went on to earn a degree in Construction Engineering Management from Oregon state University in 1990, and soon joined P&C construction. He was quickly impressed with just how accessible members of the previous ownership group were, along with the firm’s overall team approach. Since becoming part owner in 2005, Steve has done his share to maintain and enhance P&C’s inclusive nature in how we work together to manage and complete large-scale construction projects throughout the state.

Starting the company in 2008 and working from his own dining room table, Martin has grown Atlas Marketing to include two offices with key leadership in vital areas. Built on the company philosophy of listen, engage, connect he is hard at work developing and managing the culture at Atlas to be collaborative, exciting, and effective. Martin also encourages his team to experiment with latest ideas and challenge the status quo, which ensures the Atlas culture will thrive.

Scott McKenna is the President of Catamount Consulting. He is a certified instructor with the Mine Safety Health Administration, and an OSHA Certified Construction Trainer. He has over 24 years of experience in the mining and construction industries and is active in multiple organizations. He has authored or contributed to several published articles and lectures on a regular basis to a wide variety of business and safety professionals. The Catamount Team provides expertise in all facets of construction, manufacturing, mining, firearms, and all facets of business. Scott is the head assistant varsity wrestling coach at Warrensburg Central School and has been for nearly 21 years. Over the last 7 years, the team has compiled over 150 wins and five consecutive years of Championship Seasons, as well as qualifying multiple wrestlers for the prestigious New York State Championships. McKenna believes that we are all coaches within the People Business. Regardless of your team, you must have high levels of emotional intelligence to assure everyone around you is coached to their particular level of high performance. Scott’s sport psychology approach to leadership training provides strategies to take you and your team’s performance to the next level.

Dr. Ricky McShane has been practicing occupational medicine for nearly 25 years. After completing his residency in 1999, he spent the next 10 years working in occupational clinics. From there, he went on to become the Owner and Medical Director of Occucare International. Dr. McShane currently serves as the Corporate Medical Director for multiple National and International Corporations across a wide array of industries, for which he provides leadership and expertise in developing corporate medical policies and procedures. Additionally, he pioneered the formation of an industry leading telemedicine-based injury management platform for construction. Over the years he has also served as the Medical Control Officer for Paramedics and Forward Operating Bases throughout Afghanistan and Africa for Department of Defense Contractors. After walking hundreds of jobsites and talking to thousands of workers throughout his career, Dr. McShane has become the professional medical voice and guide to industry leaders across the country, contributing his comprehensive knowledge of corporate occupational health and wellness.

Mr. Perlberg is on the ABA Forum on the Construction Law Steering Committee for the Contract Documents, the Executive Committee for the National Construction Dispute Resolution Committee (NCDRC) of the Arbitration Association of America (AAA), and the Advisory Board for Construction SuperConference Board. Previously, he served as General Counsel for the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA).

Brenda Radmacher focuses her practice on construction law, working as a counselor, litigator, and noted speaker on issues involving land owners, developers, general contractors, and design professionals. She has a multi-faceted practice handling litigation and providing advice and transactional counsel to her construction-industry clients. Brenda has experience advising clients on risk management best practices, drafting critical documents, contracts, and procedures, and effectively resolving disputes. With 25 years of experience working with construction contractors, construction managers, design professionals, developers, and owners, Brenda’s practice emphasizes resolving complex construction disputes through negotiation, mediation, and when necessary, arbitration and litigation, on projects in California, nationwide, and internationally.

As a graduate of Slippery Rock University in Environmental Health and Safety Management with more than 12-years of industry experience, Seth sits on the board of Chesapeake Regional Safety Council in Baltimore MD. He holds his CHST and CSP through the Board of Certified Safety Professionals. 2018 National Safety Council Rising Star Recipient.

Murphy Company

Lindsey Rem provides leadership for the continued development and alignment of an innovative technology and Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) strategy throughout the Family of Companies. She is also responsible for identifying new business models to ensure the long-term relevancy of the core business. Lindsey began her more than twenty-year career with Barton Malow working on projects in the field before becoming a part of the SAP Implementation team where she learned to effectively deploy technology across the company. Her strong passion for leveraging technology to increase project performance led her to establish a cohesive VDC and technology strategy across the company to increase Barton Malow’s competitive advantage. Lindsey obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in Law, Letters, and Society from the University of Chicago, where she was part of the varsity soccer team.

Wayne has authored four books about business families the latest of which is Our Family Business Crisis and How It Made Us Stronger. Wayne has appeared on the Today Show, CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, “BusinessWeek: WEEKEND” and on the Retirement Living Network. Wayne is a Wall Street Journal Expert Panelist, has written hundreds of articles for various magazines and trade publications and has produced an acclaimed blog for over 15 years. Wayne has also been honored as a Fellow of the Family Firm Institute.

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.

Shannon Sapp first joined the company in 1996 after graduating from Auburn University in 1994 with a Building Construction degree. Shannon has been engaged in all facets of Merit projects including medical facilities, schools, historic renovations, churches, condominiums, and retail office buildings.
As president of the firm, Shannon focuses his attention on the overall operations of the organization including finances, human resources, and administration. Merit currently has almost 70 employees.

He is also engaged in project management and was the lead on ProvisionCARES Center for Proton Therapy centers in Knoxville, Franklin, Tennessee, and Orlando, Florida, all of which are cutting-edge healthcare facilities. Professionally, Shannon is actively involved with the Associated General Contractors of America, AGC Education and Research Foundation as well as the local Knoxville AGC Chapter. He has served as AGC Chapter President.

Bert Somers has over 25 years of experience in construction. He is currently the Contracting Manager of the Western US for Ferrovial Agroman managing a procurement pipeline of Design Build and P3 projects more than $4 Billion dollars of construction. His areas of responsibility include Business Development, including building joint ventures, client engagement and interaction, and procuring work. He has previously worked as a Foreman, Project Engineer, Project Manager, Estimator, Estimating Manager, and Director of Special Projects and Business Development for small and large contractors. Mr. Somers holds the PMP designation, has also held a California Contractors “B” Classification license and has worked in various positions including chief estimator and construction manager for commercial, residential, and multi-family building construction. He has served on the State Board of the AGC of California. He has a Bachelor’s of Business Administration with a Major in Insurance, Real Estate and Risk Management and an additional Major in Marketing.

Stacy Spector is the primary content and curriculum developer for Catamount Consulting’s Leadership Programs. Stacy is also a practicing attorney in Lake George, New York for over 20 years. She has spent over 15 years, along with her teacher husband and fellow Catamount team member, Jason Spector, in the areas of Empathy and Social Emotional Support in the education world. Stacy now uses the empathy space as a foundation for her work in leadership training for all organizations. Stacy’s unique background and experience offers a broad range of value to many individuals and groups in relation to employee engagement, culture building, and mindset mastery. Stacy regularly presents to National Conferences and Organizations on the topic of “Engaging Leadership”. Stacy’s mission is to help people develop stronger, more connected, human relationships, in the work environment.

Simeon been in the construction industry over 30 years and has managed diversity programs over 21 years. In his current role as Vice President, Mr. Terry oversees the companies Diversity and Inclusion program both internally and externally. This includes overseeing the cultural competency education, diversity compliance, affirmative action, recruiting/hiring, mentoring and business procurement diversity. Previously, Mr. Terry has held the position of Director of Diversity and Diversity Program Manager for Austin Commercial over his 22-year career with the company. In the Mentoring Program, Mr. Terry oversees for Austin, over 450 firms have graduated in the program and over $3.5 Billion has been spent with those firms.

As Skiles Group’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Keyan is responsible for driving corporate growth and guiding the company’s strategic direction while maintaining a dual focus on client service and nurturing a progressive company culture. With an emphasis on technological advancement, continuous improvement, and innovation in construction, Keyan shepherds the firm’s commitment to improving project delivery processes via Lean Construction and Lean project planning initiatives. Keyan is the co-author of the Shingo Publication Award winning book, The Lean Builder: A Builder’s Guide to Applying Lean Tools in the Field, which simplifies and clearly articulates the benefits of seven primary Lean concepts, and delivers them in a highly-relatable, immediately-applicable, and field-friendly manner.
Keyan also holds a patent for an award-winning crisis management communication and emergency response tool called Smart Safety where he serves as Chairman.

Todd’s project experience includes healthcare, commercial, residential, and non-profit. Todd has served in the construction industry for over seven years after graduating from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science in Construction Science. He has spent most of his career serving his clients in North Texas and is responsible for managing all aspects and phases of a project from start to finish and consults with clients and architects to assure overall client and team satisfaction.