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About the Contributors


Many experts have contributed to our Podcast series, providing expertise related to the construction industry.  Read more about these thought leaders below. 

Interested in being a Podcast contributor?  Contact us.
 
 
Paul Murray
Paul Murray is a professional engineer with 29 years of experience in various disciplines of mechanical engineering, ranging from field and application engineering to general management of a major construction company. He is currently the Director, Construction Operations, for the construction division of SNC-Lavalin Inc. in Ontario.

Paul was recently the site manager for the construction of the Portland Energy Centre, a 550 mega watt combined cycle power plant constructed in downtown Toronto, Ontario. This $700 million project was delivered on time and under budget.

Basheer Massad
Basheer Massad is the Commercial Director of Abu Dhabi for BK Gulf, a leading building services contractor within the UAE and Middle East markets. Since joining BK Gulf in 1995, Massad has worked as a trainee engineer, project engineer, project manager and contracts manager, with his specialty in high rise and commercial buildings.  He earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Jordan and an M.B.A. from Lester University in the United Kingdom. For more information on BK Gulf please visit www.bkgulf.com. 
Jared Rice
Jared Rice is a project manager for the Atlanta office of The Beck Group, one of the leading construction companies in the Southwestern United States.   He has more than 10 years of experience in the construction industry.  Additionally, Rice’s ability to plan and execute work effectively and his positive relationships with owners, architects and contractors have been valuable assets on all of his projects, including the MLK Federal Building,  Atlantic Center Plaza, Cumberland Center IV, Lakeside at Lenox Park and Cathedral of Christ the King, all located in Atlanta.    He is a 1997 graduate of the Milwaukee School of Engineering with degrees in architectural engineering and management systems. For more information on The Beck Group please visit www.beckgroup.com.
John Sommers
John Sommers, P.E., LEED® AP is an Associate at Henderson Engineers, Inc. in Lenexa, KS.  John is a graduate of Kansas State University with a degree in architectural engineering and has spent the last 10 years of his 16 service years with Henderson.  John is a mechanical engineer and one of the directors of sustainable design at HEI.   Sommers has led multiple LEED design projects and has recently been involved in the master planning of  a “living building” design project for the Land Institute in Salina, KS with the emphasis on working beyond LEED credits. For more information on Henderson Engineers, Inc. visit www.Hendersonengineers.com.
Patricia Cornelison
Patricia Cornelison is an Associate Principal at Arrowstreet, a Boston area architectural design firm.  She has a Batchelor of Fine Arts from the University of North Texas and a Masters in Architecture from the University of Texas at Austin.  Patricia has been Lead Designer and Project Architect for many award-winning projects since joining Arrowstreet in 1991.  Her longtime interests in Fine Arts and Industrial Design have given her a broad understanding of design ideas, materials and processes.  This knowledge results in creative and practical solutions to complex design problems.  She is a LEED Acredited Professional and was the project architect of the Artists For Humanity Epicenter, the  first LEED Platinum rated building in the city of Boston. For more information on Arrowstreet, Inc. visit www.Arrowstreet.com.
Rusty Gravitt
Rusty is the President of Gainesville Mechanical, Inc., a mechanical contracting company providing Commercial, industrial and residential services to Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
Tim Scott, Esq.
Tim Scott is a partner in the New Orleans office of the law firm, Fisher & Phillips. Among many job duties, Tim advises employers on a day-to-day basis on issues relating to compliance with the various state and federal laws applicable to employers. Additionally, Tim handles traditional labor law matters before the National Labor Relations Board, as well as arbitration of disputes involving collective bargaining agreements. Tim is also a frequent lecturer to employer and lawyer groups on a variety of employment law topics including the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Fair Labor Standards Act.  For more information on Fisher & Phillips please visit www.laborlaws.com.
Cindy DePrater
Cindy DePrater has over 29 years of construction industry experience in Pre-construction, Operations, Safety, Loss Prevention, Environmental, and Training. Ms. DePrater is responsible for monitoring and interaction of all the business units in the Midwest region. Under her direction, the Business Unit Safety Directors in the Midwest oversee the implementation of Turner Construction Company Safety and Health policies and guidelines.   For more information on Turner Construction please visit www.turnerconstruction.com.
Michael Kotubey
Michael Kotubey, President of Midwest Mechanical Contractors, Inc., brings over 30 years of experience to all phases of mechanical construction, including Sales, Engineering, Project Management, Operations Management and General Management. He is Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Mechanical Contractors Association of Kansas City and was elected to the Mechanical Contractors Association of America Board of Directors for a six- year term beginning in 2007. For more information on Midwest Mechanical please visist www.mmckc.com.
Stacey Wagner
Stacey Jarrett Wagner is the Managing Director of the Center for Workforce Success. As such, Stacey has oversight of all of the Center’s grant-funded projects for workforce development, training, and employment. Stacey works closely with business-led member associations, NAM members, and with the economic and workforce development communities. For more information on NAM please visit www.nam.org.
Chuck Wilk is a Product Manager at Victaulic. He has been at Victaulic for 11 years, with 10 years in product development.  Wilk earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Bucknell University and an M.B.A. from Lehigh University.
Matt Stevens, president, of Stevens Construction Institute, Inc. has been working with contractors as a management consultant since 1994. With over 30 years of experience including as both a specialty contractor and general contractor, Matt Stevens has been hired by dozens of clients and conducted hundreds of seminars across the country. He worked as a management consultant with FMI Corporation from 1997-2002. He earned an undergraduate degree in Construction Management from University of Louisiana -Monroe and an M.B.A. from Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida.