Isaac GaetzPE, SE, LEED AP

Mr. Gaetz has over 17 years of experience in management, structural design engineering, and forensic engineering and is a Vice President of Operations. Mr. Gaetz is responsible for Vertex’s national forensic operations including overseeing our technical work product and managing our forensic team members.

Mr. Gaetz’s wide range of professional and structural engineering experience includes the design of numerous commercial, industrial, institutional, and residential structures throughout the United States. Mr. Gaetz has extensive experience with on-site field work and has conducted approximately 800 forensic site inspections. Mr. Gaetz has also performed the analysis of structural and building failures throughout the United States. Mr. Gaetz has inspected buildings and structures for defects, including: collapses, roof and building envelope failures, construction defects, water intrusion, wind damage, snow damage, earthquake damage, foundation failures and settlement, vehicle impacts, and fire damage. Mr. Gaetz has provided engineering opinions which were utilized in both insurance claims and litigation files.

Mr. Gaetz is an expert in the design, construction, and repair of steel, concrete, wood, and masonry structures, and has extensive knowledge of existing, historical, and antiquated building systems. Mr. Gaetz’s design experience includes serving as the sole, and responsible engineer in charge of the design of new structures as well as a collaborative team member on the design of multiple high-rise structures in the city of Chicago. Mr. Gaetz has performed structural engineering design on low, mid, and high-rise structures, in the residential, commercial, industrial, institutional, government, education, aviation, and health care sectors. Mr. Gaetz was deployed for catastrophe response work following Hurricanes Matthew, Irma, and Michael as well as tornado and earthquake events and the 2020 Midwest Derecho Windstorm.

Education & Certification

M.S., Structural Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology
B.S., Civil Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology

Professional Engineer (PE) – Civil/Structural, State of IA, IN, KY, MD, MI, MN, MO, OH, PA, SC, TX, WI
Professional Engineer (PE) – Structural, State of DC
Structural Engineer (SE), State of HI, IL
Professional Engineer (PE) – Civil, State of IL
LEED Accredited Professional

Associations

American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) – Professional Member
Structural Engineering Association of Illinois (SEAOI) – Professional Member
The Masonry Society (TMS) – Existing Masonry Committee Member
Chi Epsilon – Civil Engineering Honor Society Member
Village of Wilmette, Illinois, Transportation Commission Board Member 2015-2022