Adam Buck, a Senior Fire Protection Designer at VERTEX, is a seasoned professional specializing in Fire Protection Engineering Services. With an A.S. in Instrumentation from the University of Rhode Island and certifications including OSHA 10 and NICET III, Adam has received special training in various areas, such as Autodesk Certified Professional: AutoCAD and Victaulic Vortex Design. In the realm of Fire Protection and Life Safety, Adam is a key contributor, offering expertise in system design, performance-based design, hydraulic analysis, code consulting, audits, surveys, inspections, and more. With 23 years of experience in Fire Alarm and Suppression, Adam joined VERTEX in August 2023, showcasing a dedication to quality and excellence, backed by his U.S. Navy veteran status and ongoing pursuit of CFPS certification.

Mr. Daly is a Senior Project Manager within the Environmental Insurance team. Mr. Daly’s primary duties include management of junior team members, oversight of loss control for petroleum, heavy metal, and indoor air pollution insurance claims to ensure projects are conducted as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible, as well as initial claim investigation. Specific duties include remedial activity proposal and cost estimate review, development of cost allocations, assistance with regulatory negotiations, invoice audits, scientific analysis of laboratory data and scientific reports, and general oversight of environmental remediation. Mr. Daly’s is the Seattle office’s Health & Safety Lead which includes assisting in preparation of Health & Safety Plans and leading periodic office Health & Safety awareness training and discussions. Mr. Daly has significant expertise in environmental remediation projects in both urban and remote areas of Alaska, as well as experience and a deep understanding of regulatory requirements for several other states, including Oregon, Ohio, and Wisconsin.

Mr. Pacheco is a Consultant II in the VERTEX’s Irvine office. He earned a B.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Rutgers University – New Brunswick.

Mr. Pacheco brings a background in project management across a diverse range of projects throughout his 8 years of field experience including ground up construction of boutique hotels and luxury senior assisted living facilities, rehabilitation of a sewer lines, and implementation of underground and aerial fiber networks. His field experiences include project management, subcontractor management, daily inspections, and scheduling. He brings extensive knowledge of contract documentation, best practices, owner’s representation, and field work standards. This includes a full array of construction administration duties such as punchlist, inspection, submittal/RFI/change order, and CO/close-out procedures.

Grant Dickson is a graduate of the University of North Florida, where he studied Mechanical Engineering. During his time in school, he gained internship experience in MEP design of healthcare buildings and design/construction management of wastewater projects. Experience included usage of various software, including REVIT, AutoCAD and IESVE. Additionally, basic field work and handling the submittal and RFI processes were tasks he regularly performed. Following his graduation, Grant transitioned to a fire protection designer role, focused on fire sprinkler and fire alarm permit drawings and fire alarm and fire suppression system evaluations.

Libby has more than 25 years of progressive experience in business management, accounting, payroll, technical writing and proposals, and over five (5) years Human Resource experience. Libby began her early career in business administration in a variety of industries, earning her bachelors degree in Business Administration in 2009. She has also taken part in continuing education and professional development programs, earning her SHRM-CP certification and State of Florida Notary designation

Luke has over 10 years of experience in the construction industry including experience on the architectural side of construction. He is an integral part of the Team working onsite managing the day-to-day activities to maintain the schedule and budget for the project. Luke is responsible for communications between architect and contractor and owner groups, as well as for tracking QA/QC issues and managing the cost management process. Luke has excellent organizational skills and is able to clearly convey information to the Team to maintain a professional and collegial environment. Luke has been a member of the Vertex Team, which handles multiple, large projects for Boston University, including the brand-new Center for Computing & Data Sciences, the Center for Integrated Life Sciences & Engineering (CILSE), and the Goldman School of Dental Medicine.

Mr. Keely, IAAI-CFI, is a Certified Fire Investigator through the International Association of Arson Investigators.

He has over 32 years of experience investigating fire and explosions, beginning in November 1991 as a patrol Deputy Sheriff with the York County Sheriff’s Department, York County, Maine. While employed with the York County Sheriff’s Department, he specialized in Fire and Explosion investigation and was promoted to Detective/Deputy Sheriff in 1995. Duties as a major crimes investigator included the investigation of fires and explosions to determine origin and cause in cooperation with municipal, state and federal law enforcement authorities within Maine and other states.

Tiffany W. Chang is a Project Manager working within VERTEX’s Litigation Support Group. She graduated from New York University in 2015 with a degree in Environmental Studies and a minor in Environmental Biology. Continuing her education, she received her M.S. in Urban Systems Engineering and Management in 2017, also from New York University.

Ms. Chang has a strong background in civil and environmental engineering. Over the last 3 years with VERTEX, she has experienced a variety of litigation projects ranging from common issues such as home settlement to more catastrophic ones such fire and tornado damage. The projects have been located all over the continental US and included contract estimates of up to $100 million. Ms. Chang’s responsibilities have included construction estimation, report preparation, contract document composition, and litigation support.

Amanda Michel is an Industrial Hygienist with one year of experience in the environmental industry. She is a certified asbestos inspector, asbestos project manager, asbestos project designer, certified air sample analyst per the NIOSH-582 Method, and certified mold assessment consultant. Field experience and expertise include the oversight of asbestos abatement projects, collecting and analyzing air samples per the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), conducting inspections/surveys for the presence of asbestos containing materials (ACM), lead paint in residential buildings, construction oversight and vapor mitigation system (VMS) inspections, and Phase I Environmental Site Assessments. Additionally, she has completed her OSHA 10 – Construction Industry Outreach and Fall Protection Awareness trainings. She is a 2021 graduate from St. Vincent College with a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering and a minor in Mathematics.

Mr. William Dauhajre is a Consultant III with VERTEX’s Tampa office. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Florida International University in Miami, Florida.

Mr. Dauhajre specializes in Structural Engineering and oversees both small and large-scale commercial and residential projects. He is proficient in the preparation and expediting of structural contract documents in accordance with the current state codes and standards of construction.

Mr. Dauhajre has also worked on a wide array of projects including single-family and multifamily residences, offices, retail, airports, hotels, schools, and warehouses. As part of Mr. Dauhajre experience in the construction and engineering inspection scope, he has performed punch lists and detailed inspections, submittal/RFI/change order/additional services reviews, and CO/close-out procedures. Moreover, he has been involved with estimating, bidding, and proposals, as well as analyzing the scope, budget, and schedule of multiple projects.

Amanda Turner joined VERTEX’s Environmental Remediation Division in August 2021 as an Environmental Scientist working primarily in the states of New Jersey and New York.

Ms. Turner has four years of experience in the field of environmental consulting, including Preliminary Assessments, Phase I Environmental Site Assessments, and Phase II Subsurface Investigations. She has field experience in the collection of soil, groundwater, indoor air, and sub-slab soil gas, as well as the oversight and direction of subcontractors. Ms. Turner has technical report preparation and due diligence experience including site reconnaissance, research of historical information, interpretation of environmental databases, and documentation review.

Chris has over 20 years of experience in the design and construction industry. He is a licensed architect with an extensive background in designing, coordinating and detailing construction projects. As a Project Architect, Chris led new construction and renovation projects through all phases of design and construction for public and private clients in seven states. His projects included educational facilities, containment laboratories, university dormitories, high profile assembly spaces, as well as hospitality and multi-family residential buildings. At VERTEX, Chris has been the Construction Site Manager/Project Manager on Municipal, MSBA School, and University projects. Chris has a focused approach to each project with his attention to detail and solutions-based problem-solving skills. He is an excellent communicator and maintains a supportive team environment.

Dave Strzempko is a Vice President and Head of Loss Control. Responsibilities include: internal corporate risk management; management of teams providing private sector Loss Control assistance (underwriting) and Loss Control / Risk Management services on active construction OCIP and CCIP risks; and management of environmental insurance accounts (claims). Mr. Strzempko has 30+ years of experience in the environmental industry with the last 15 years focused on the insurance industry and attendant Loss Control services.  Mr. Strzempko has served as an expert witness providing litigation support and/or actively participating in several environmental insurance legal matters based on his education, training, and extensive experience in the remediation of releases of oil and hazardous materials, understanding of costs for remedial activities, and knowledge of compliance and reporting requirements. Mr. Strzempko’s legal support proceedings have included depositions, interrogatories, mediation, arbitration, and trial testimony.

Mr. Maxwell has over almost 25 years of experience in management, engineering, expert witness support, claims management, and risk assessment and is a Vice President of the Forensic division at VERTEX. Mr. Maxwell is a Professional Engineer (PE) in multiple states, is a Registered Roof Consultant (RRC), and a Project Management Consultant (PMP). This education and experience enables him to opine on building costs and defects from both a damages and liability perspective utilizing a design and construction approach. Mr. Maxwell is an expert witness who provides testimony and expert support to construction defect casees with a special emphases in roofing, waterproofing, and costs.

Mrs. Wieland has over 16 years of experience working in the environmental industry. Mrs. Wieland has professional experience in conducting various environmental due diligence projects, including Phase I and Phase II site assessments, for a variety of clients involving municipal, commercial/retail, industrial, and transportation sites. She has experience managing various projects in the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) Voluntary Cleanup Program (VCP) and Leaking Petroleum Storage Tank Program (LPST) as well as the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) VCP and Petroleum Bulk Storage (PBS) Program.

Scott Crosby is an Engineering in Training (EIT) with a strong foundation in civil engineering, site development, and drainage design at VERTEX. Holding a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Vermont, Scott’s expertise extends to various projects, including the design of educational institutions such as Central Falls High School, Coakley Middle School, Watertown High School, and Fall River Pre-K Modulars. His skills encompass site layout, hydrology and hydraulic analysis, utility design, grading, and construction document preparation. Additionally, Scott has contributed to projects like Amgen Slope and Field Stabilization, Harvard Pacific Stormwater Pipe Repair, and the Walpole Pool Replacement Study, demonstrating his versatility and commitment to engineering excellence.

Curtis Grupe is a Project Engineer at The Vertex Companies LLC with a diverse background in industries such as Aerospace, Construction, and HVAC. He holds the designation of Engineer-in-Training (EIT) and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Texas Tech University. Curtis has ambitions to pursue a Masters Degree in the future.

Robert Fitzburgh has 25 years of professional experience in a wide variety of management responsibilities as a consultant in the areas of insurance, surety and environmental consulting. He has a proven track record of designing, implementing, and managing large projects profitably and independently. He has extensive skills in project management claim investigation, litigation support, regulatory compliance, industrial hygiene, health and safety, cost estimating, project planning, customer relations, purchasing, and vendor management. Mr. Fitzburgh is the Division Manager for the California office of VERTEX and is responsible for oversight of company operations in the southwestern US.

Heidi Klein is a Project Manager of Forensics in the Denver, CO office. Heidi received her Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines and her Master of Civil Engineering (Structural) from Johns Hopkins University. Heidi is a licensed professional engineer in Colorado, Iowa, Mississippi, Texas, and Wyoming and has provided expert testimony in forensic engineering, building envelopes, and roofing. Heidi has additional certifications as a Haag Certified Inspector for Residential, Commercial, and Wind, a Haag Certified Reviewer, a Certified Residential Thermographer, a Certified Level 1 Thermographer, a member of the Cal OES Safety Assessment Program, and a Certified Inspector from the Exterior Design Institute. Prior to joining Vertex, Heidi’s experience included forensic engineering related to property claims (hail, wind, fire, hurricane, flood, etc.), construction defect, premise liability such as trip/fall and personal injury cases, seller’s disclosure disputes, and third party construction observations.

Mr. Duverge is a Consultant out of VERTEX’s New York office and has been a part of a variety of surety projects ranging from the enlargement of an Air Force Base hangar in New Hampshire to renovating an Elementary School in Pennsylvania. Mr. Duverge graduated from Lafayette College in 2018 with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and is currently pursuing his Masters of Engineering degree in Construction Engineering and Management at the University of Colorado Denver.

Mr. Gant is a graduate from the University of North Carolina Wilmington where he obtained a B.S. in Environmental Science. With Vertex, Mr. Gant has 3 years of claim investigation work regarding cause, origin, and timing discovery for underground storage tanks (UST), oil and gas pipeline releases, and mold losses. Currently, Mr. Gant serves as a Project Manger at the VERTEX. In this position Mr. Gant is responsible for providing loss control, claims management services, conducting site inspections, and field oversight. His field work experience includes, UST removal oversight, mold remediation oversight, asbestos remediation oversight, as well as, indoor and outdoor air quality monitoring.

Mr. Ayrapetov has over 10 years of consulting experience advising owners, architects, engineers, contractors, insurers, and counsel on a wide range of projects in public and private sectors, including mass-transit, rail, highway, heavy civil, bridge, energy plant, wastewater treatment facilities, US Army projects, and also major commercial projects such as hotels and resorts. Additionally, Mr. Ayrapetov has over 10 years of experience working on numerous tenant improvement projects.

Steven Platt has over 20 years of experience as an Architect, General Contractor and Owner’s Representative. Steven is a License Architect and General Contractor. His work types have included mixed-use, hospitality, commercial and residential, including interior and food service design. Steven has managed both an Architectural and General Contracting offices in Washington and California. He has also completed projects throughout the Pacific Northwest. His project management experience includes bidding, managing, subcontractor negotiations, site visits and project closeouts. As owner representative for a developer, Steven managed mix-use projects, including solicitation of consultants and contractor selection.

Mr. Stedje is an environmental professional who specializes in site investigation, cost, and risk analysis, permitting, construction management and cleanup oversight. He has evaluated projects ranging from small scale commercial and residential developments to multi-billion-dollar industrial facilities. Mr. Stedje manages and directs a variety of due diligence environmental site assessments, designs comprehensive subsurface investigation programs, interprets analytical and field data, formulates, and communicates regulatory strategies to clients, prepares and manages regulatory compliance submittals, and plans remediation programs. He is a licensed Professional Geologist that has conducted assessment and cleanup actions under a variety of state and federal regulatory programs. As Regional Vice President at VERTEX, he provides operational leadership for the Southeast Environmental Service group.

Mr. Jacobson is an accomplished Project Manager at VERTEX based in the Scottsdale, Arizona office. He has over seven years of expertise in environmental, health & safety, and engineering consulting. His extensive experience encompasses various projects, including Field Engineering, Construction/Workplace Safety Management, Property Condition Assessments (PCAs), Industrial Hygiene/Building Sciences, Environmental Due Diligence, and Remediation Services. He has demonstrated proficiency in working with different commercial properties, including public/military, multifamily, office/retail, industrial storage/warehouse, hotel, undeveloped land, manufacturing facilities, and manufactured housing communities.

Mr. Jacobson’s extensive environmental consulting background encompasses hazardous material site investigations, exposure assessments, site characterization, remedial investigations and design, removal of underground storage tank (UST) systems, hydrogeologic field studies, site development, brownfield redevelopments, construction and demolition oversight, pre-construction services, regulatory permitting, risk assessments, visual assessments of ADA compliance and evaluating seismic risk. He has spearheaded numerous Phase II Subsurface investigations and remediation projects, including sampling soil, soil gas, indoor air, and groundwater, overseeing soil boring, monitoring well installation, and excavation. Moreover, Mr. Jacobson possesses comprehensive expertise in building sciences, including identifying, designing, abating, and remedying hazardous substances like asbestos, mold, radon, and lead. He is also well-versed in developing, operating, and monitoring public and private drinking water and wastewater systems.

Danyielle N. Carlson has extensive experience in the business administration and project advisory fields. She has exceptional organizational and communication skills. Danyielle works well with her clients and consistently strives to exceed their expectations. As Assistant Project Manager for VERTEX, Danyielle plays an integral role for the Project Advisory team managing several projects. Additionally, she is proficient accounting and receivables.

Danielle Reed is an accomplished Office Administrator with a wealth of experience at VERTEX since 2015. With a strong background in business administration and management, Danielle expertly supports the Environmental Vertical and daily operations in the Pennsylvania office, she also routinely coordinates current jobs with our subcontractors for various clients.. Her 15-year tenure in administration, including 7 years at VERTEX, has honed her skills in expense management, proposal and report production, and general office support. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from Neumann University.

Lauren Segovia is a Project Engineer at VERTEX with expertise in construction management, construction estimating, cost analysis, and litigation support. She has worked on numerous projects, providing assistance with estimating, cost analysis, onscreen takeoffs, and report preparation. Lauren has also served as an Assistant Project Manager, conducting cost and quantity analysis, cost of repair estimates, and assisting with liability reports. Her experience spans a wide range of residential and commercial projects, demonstrating her strong background in construction and project management.

Mr. Tatum Rhyne is a graduate of an ABET accredited Engineering College with a Bachelor’s degree emphasized in Mechanical Engineering, with previous experience in project management.

Mr. Rhyne is a Consultant at VERTEX working primarily in Surety and Construction Defect files. At VERTEX, Mr. Rhyne’s typical responsibilities include: investigation of Surety performance and payment bond claims; investigation and scope preparation on Construction Defect files; management of project vendors; preparation of owner pay applications; technical reporting of project work and progress; active communication with all parties involved in a project including clients, owners, project staff and subcontractors; job file organization and maintenance; acquisition of pricing for and preparing subcontract and/or owner change orders.

Nick has over 20 years of experience working on a wide array of environmental, oil & gas and natural resource projects throughout the United States. He has project management and execution experience developing investigations as the responsible party in charge of product, staff, operations, subcontractors, clients and budgets. Nick has completed projects under the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s (TCEQ’s) Spill Prevention and Control, Municipal Solid Waste, Underground and Aboveground Storage Tanks, Dry Cleaner Emergency Response and the Texas Risk Reduction Program rules as well as the Texas Railroad Commission rules; Clean Water Act; Federal Safe Drinking Water Act; Missouri Department of Natural Resources; New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP); and Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP).

Jessica Korte has over 10 years of experience in the environmental industry field completing Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (ESA), Phase II ESAs including soil, soil vapor, and groundwater characterization, quarterly monitoring and reporting, comprehensive site modeling, corrective action planning, site mitigation plan preparation and implementation, and case closure reporting for a variety of sites. Ms. Korte has been involved with various remediation projects encompassing remedial technologies such as groundwater pump and treat, air sparge, soil vapor extraction, oxygen pulse injection system, and in-situ treatment.

Real Estate professional with a background in architecture and design. Currently working as a real estate project manager; responsible for simultaneously managing multiple real estate projects during various stages of construction to ensure quality, schedule and budget while analyzing potential risks. In the process of completing the WELL AP exam, which focuses on evolving buildings to have a positive impact on human health and wellness.

Shana Italiano offers nine years of experience in the architecture, interior design, and construction industries. Shana is involved with design and construction from the earliest stage of project schematic design to final construction. She works closely with clients and the project delivery team to ensure the project follows the specified standards, is functional, and economical.

Abi Davis is a graduate of Arizona State University (ASU), where she earned a Master of Science in Project Management and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with concentrations of study in Construction Management and Urban Planning and a minor in Sustainability.
While at ASU, Abi joined the Fulcrum team as a Project Coordinator Intern. Abi assisted project managers with Construction Draw Reviews, Plan and Cost Reviews and Due Diligence Reviews. Abi also developed a Cost Database of Fulcrum projects which all Fulcrum employees utilize. This Cost Database continues to advance Fulcrum as a Pivotal Resource in the construction industry.

Abi contributes to critical risk management and quality control practices as a Project Manager through on-site observations and review of project documentation during all stages of the construction life cycle. Abi also assists Fulcrum with Budget and Cost Analysis and Property Condition Assessments.

Christian Hayes joined the Jacksonville Beach VERTEX team of Fire Protection Engineering professionals in July of 2021, after graduating Suma Cum Laude from the University of North Florida where he studied electrical engineering and computer science. Christian has a very good professional and personal outlook, and is a great communicator. He is very proficient in AutoCAD, Microsoft Suite, programming fundamentals, and using his skills for his professional team and adequately growing his company. He is passionate in ensuring the safety of others via fire protection engineering drawings and reports, as well as developing custom automation tools to improve work efficiency.

In his spare time, Christian enjoys gymnastics; traveling; hiking and the outdoors; going to the beach; math tutoring; digital art; and website development. His greatest passions are physical fitness and nutrition, and spending time with friends and family.

As a Project Manager with Vertex, typical responsibilities include: managing selected assignments within the region; meeting budget and delivery timeframes; ensuring that assignments are executed with technical proficiency, accuracy, and professionalism; reviewing and interpreting plans and specifications; performing site investigations to assist in the preparation of technical reports with photos and graphics and claim synopses; inspecting properties and buildings; reviewing and interpreting building codes; analyzing project documents relating to defect and warranty claims; assisting with quantity takeoffs and cost estimating; assisting with file setup, filing, and documentation; making employee safety a priority, in accordance with corporate policy; representing Vertex to clients in a professional manner.

Prior to joining Vertex in 2016, Mr. Thomas spent 15 years in property damage restoration. He has held roles such as restoration technician, equipment supervisor, project manager, estimator, office manager and operations manager. Mr. Thomas has over 15 years experience in both unit cost estimating and time and material billing during large catastrophe events such as Hurricanes Dennis, Gustav, Ike, Irene, Flooding Event of Northeast Oklahoma in 2007, Flooding Event of Cedar Rapids, IA in 2008 and May 2013 Tornado Event in Moore, Oklahoma.

At VERTEX she has focused primarily on Owner’s Representation services including the 462,160 SF Mattison Estate Senior Living project in Upper Dublin, Pennsylvania. Ms. Ansley promotes an integrative project development process which facilitates project design and construction team members working together in a positive, non-adversarial manner to assure project success. In addition, she has performed building assessments for development feasibility studies, construction monitoring and construction document reviews during her time at VERTEX.

Tom Frieden earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology from James Madison University with a concentration in Environmental Engineering and additional areas of study including environmental soil science and hydrogeology. Upon joining VERTEX, Tom worked as a field scientist supporting large-scale development projects in Boston, MA where he oversaw excavation and managed the disposal of contaminated soils. Tom subsequently transferred to the Mid-Atlantic region where he continued to develop experience in remediation field methods and site investigations. Currently, Tom specializes in environmental site characterization and impacted soil management associated with commercial real estate transactions and redevelopment projects. Tom earned a Geologist-in-Training (G.I.T) designation from the National Association of State Boards of Geology (ASBOG) and is currently working towards his Professional Geology (P.G.) licensure.

Deborah Gabay is an experienced Associate Consultant specializing in various aspects of construction, from project management to quality control, with a strong academic background and industry certification. She earned her B.A. in Environmental Studies and M.A. in Urban Development from Binghamton Univeristy in 2018 and 2019, respectively. She wishes to continue her experience with consultant work with construction and engineering projects.

Ms. Emma Theisen is a recent graduate of Texas A&M University, with a Bachelor’s of Science in Civil Engineering. Emma is currently located in Vertex’s Denver office and using her educational background in Civil Engineering to help complete Civil Forensics Claims assignments. Emma completed a Capstone design project focused in Structural Engineering while at Texas A&M University, but is also well versed in Environmental Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Water Resources Engineering, and Transportation Engineering.

Cecilia Henderson is a Senior Project Manager with the Environmental Insurance team. Ms. Henderson’s current duties include preparing claim investigation and claim status reports, conducting site visits to oversee underground storage tank removal and pollution events, reviewing cost proposals and invoices to evaluate if costs are reasonable and necessary for remediation, reviewing historical site documents, evaluating laboratory data in context of applicable regulatory requirements, and evaluating source, timing, and potential intermingling of contaminant releases.

Ms. Henderson also assists the VERTEX Remediation group as needed with asbestos sampling, vapor sampling, and data evaluation tasks.

Ms. Henderson is the Colony Specialty Assistant Account Manager and VERTEX point of contact for the Washington Pollution Liability Insurance Agency (PLIA).

Mr. Eichenlaub has over a decade of experience in the due diligence practice. To date, he has been involved with over 1,400 properties totaling over 250 million square feet in over 45 US states, Puerto Rico, Mexico, China and Canada. Currently, Mr. Eichenlaub serves as a Senior Project Manager at VERTEX.

As a Senior Project Manager at VERTEX, Mr. Eichenlaub is responsible for specific job functions related to Property Condition Assessments (PCAs), Property Condition Screens (PCSs), Energy Savings Investigations (ESIs), Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) Assessments, Climate Vulnerability Assessments (CVAs), Carbon Risk Assessments, Mold Investigations, Construction Monitoring and other due diligence projects.

Mr. Fernandez has over 30 years of experience managing all facets of Construction, beginning as a site manager and growing into an international business unit manager for large multinational companies. He specializes in team building and ensuring that construction operations under his supervision result in the delivery of high-quality projects meeting or exceeding client expectations.

Mr. Fernandez worked in the South Florida construction market for over 20 years before beginning to work internationally in Latin America, based out of Panama.

He has worked in various sectors of the construction industry, his prior experience includes the construction and/or renovations of major projects such as Airports, Hospitals, Schools, Convention Centers, Luxury Hotels, large scale Residential Development projects, Multi-family Residential and Commercial buildings; as well as Civil infrastructure projects including Bridges, Roads, Potable Water Treatment plants and distribution systems, Waste Water Treatment Plants, Power Generation and distribution projects.

Mr. Murray has almost 6 years in structural design engineering and is a Forensic Engineer for VERTEX’s Forensic Engineering Department. Mr. Murray is responsible for performing inspections and generating technical reports for the Chicago/Midwest forensic engineering division.

Ms. Wade recently joined the VERTEX team of professionals as an Administrative Assistant, coming to VERTEX with more than 20 years of experience in an Executive Administrative Assistant role. She has a proven track record of C-Suite level executive support in the field of comprehensive design and engineering, surveying, planning and landscape architecture. Her background includes a variety of administrative and project related tasks including, but not limited to, contract and proposal preparation, invoicing, scheduling meetings, maintaining staff and conference room calendars, coordinating travel arrangements and maintaining confidentiality.

Dylan is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts Amherst College of Natural Sciences where he earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Building Construction Technology. He is currently finishing his Masters in Management from the University of Colorado. Dylan has worked on seven MSBA K-12 school projects in the role of both Assistant Project Manager and Construction Site Manager, balancing the role of the owners eyes on site as well as handling the paperwork and change order process. Dylan also worked in a dual role as Construction Site Manager and Project Manager on Boston University’s $300M Net zero Energy Data Science Project. He also was a member in the ESG subcommittee for VERTEX, specifically relating to the environmental portion, that created the companies ESG plan. Dylan is a hardworking, critical thinker with excellent collaboration and communication skills.

Andrew joined the VERTEX family in 2012 with over eight year’s experience in real estate lending, including construction and renovation loans and distressed assets/real estate owned (REO).

Prior to VERTEX, Andrew worked at a non-bank lender performing due diligence as well as ongoing monitoring of construction loans for resorts, hotels, marinas, and golf courses. Additionally, Andrew has experience and expertise in internal and external auditing, risk assessment, and lean process improvement and design (certified Six Sigma Black Belt).

Kate has over 15 years of experience in the design and construction industry. Having worked for an architect, contractor, and OPM, she has managed many MSBA, UMBA and private higher education projects. Kate has a thorough understanding of FF&E and technology packages having managed and coordinated them on multiple projects from design to completion. In addition, she oversaw renovations to a historical 27-unit mixed income apartment building on Nantucket and has worked with a Community Preservation Committee, Historical District Commission and MassHousing. Kate works on various capital projects including K-12 and higher education. With her well-rounded background, team player approach and effective communication skills, she fosters a collaborative environment for all. Kate is well-organized and goal orientated which provides the team the ability to stay focused and be effective for a successful project outcome.

Ms. LeBlanc is a Consultant I in VERTEX’s Irving, TX office. She earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and a minor in Chemistry from Louisiana State University. Prior to joining VERTEX, Ms. LeBlanc worked as a Project Engineer for a General Contractor completing multi-family construction projects in Virginia and Texas. Her responsibilities included facilitating project buy-outs, managing requests for information and submittals, and creating and tracking project procurement logs. She also has prior experience in Environmental Consulting which included project management and coordination, site assessments, remediation design and implementation, technical report writing, and data management.

Ms. Newton joined the VERTEX Team in 2021. Prior to working at VERTEX, she attended the University of Illinois at Chicago and completed a Master’s Degree in Structural Engineering. After graduation, she worked for a firm in Chicago for 3 years as a structural design engineer preparing drawings and calculation packages for the design of various types of building envelopes including curtain wall, storefront, window wall, skylight, metal panel and terra cotta panel systems. She gained valuable experience working on new and rehabbed structures all over the US and with a range of materials such as aluminum, glass, steel, wood, concrete and masonry.

Kevin Talley has over 5 years’ experience as a construction claims consultant, with a specialty in delay analysis, in addition to 5 years of experience in general contracting on projects ranging in value from $7mm to $50mm.

Ms. Hatch is a Project Manager within the Due Diligence/Remediation Division of VERTEX. She is a certified Engineer in Training and a graduate of Worcester Polytechnic Institute with a degree in both Environmental Engineering and Environmental and Sustainability Studies. She has experience with a wide array of projects including site investigations, soil remediation, groundwater treatment, indoor air quality, and stormwater management. She is also currently working towards her Master’s degree in Environmental Management at the University of Denver.

Ms. Sarles is a Project Manager at VERTEX. She earned a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from Villanova University. Ms. Sarles previously served in multiple construction management roles for a national General Contractor/Construction Management at Risk firm.

Christopher Smith has over 23 years of experience in civil and structural engineering, including project engineering, analysis, and design. This experience involves analysis, design, and investigation of structures and associated components. These structures also consisted of concrete and steel type frames or wood components. Mr. Smith currently serves as a Senior Forensic Engineer based out of VERTEX’s Fort Lauderdale office, providing structural damage assessments, cause and origin investigations, repair and design recommendations, and estimates for residential and commercial applications. He has experience in assessing damage, design, and repair pertaining to structural members, roof systems, foundations, and civil forensic services.

Kirk O’Brien has been a Licensed Architect since 1987, and long-time member in good standing of the American Institute of Architects, and very active in local chapter leadership. In private practice for twenty seven years as Principal of Aedifice Ideas > Architecture (now Ideas, Inc.) in San Diego & Los Angeles.

Mr. O’Brien began his career after graduating from the University of Idaho with a Bachelor of Architecture Degree in 1983, focusing primarily on Institutional/ Educational and Commercial projects, and Multi- and Single Family Residential work. With an interest in architectural history, also worked part-time as an adjunct professor at both the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising and The New School of Architecture in San Diego, California.

Mr. Stefan has approximately ten years of experience in indoor environmental consulting. His experience includes water sampling, water loss/moisture intrusion investigations, microbial assessments, HVAC assessments, LEED IAQ assessments and construction management plans, technical specifications and remediation plans, hazard communication programs, integrated pest management programs, various occupant exposure assessments in industrial and non-industrial settings, technical report writing.

Mr. Stefan also has experience as a regional manager, performing duties such as overseeing Industrial Hygiene teams, sales and client relations, report reviews, proposal creation, and IAQ training and education.

Mr. Ehrman has over 5 years of experience in environmental consulting and project management, serving clients at the federal, state, local levels as well as the private sector. He has a background in water treatment plant, groundwater pump and treat system, air sparge and soil vapor exhaust system operations. Compliance inspections including Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPPs), Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plans, construction SWPPPs, and hazardous waste and universal waste inspections. Compliance sampling including stormwater, industrial waste stream, groundwater, air, soil vapor and soil sampling. He also has experience in the field with construction equipment operation and construction site inspections. Mr. Ehrman has extensive experience with operation and maintenance of groundwater and wastewater treatment systems, as well as report writing and data collection and independently making and following a schedule for inspection completion. He has recently received the certification of Certified Indoor Environmentalist (CIE) from the American Council for Accredited Certification (ACAC).

Roy is a project management professional with 26 years of experience in commercial building, oil and gas, power, nuclear, and civil sectors. Specific international project assignments include ConocoPhillips APLNG Project, Woodside’s Pluto LNG Project, and Keppel Verolme Shipyard (Holland). A proven manager of large, cross-functional teams with specialist expertise in project management, schedule, and commercial management. He acted as delay expert on complex offshore projects in Europe following a successful domestic career working with major EPC Contractors and Clients, including; Bechtel, Lockheed Martin, and Westinghouse in the United States.

As a Consultant with VERTEX, Mr. Srinath Annu’s typical responsibilities include: develop and maintain project schedules and forecast; prepare owner pay applications; analyze and resolve construction field issues; manage the project vendors; prepare detailed report of project status; investigate and analyze surety performance and payment claims; communicate with all the parties involved in the assignments including clients, project staff, subcontractors and owners effectively; look after employee safety a priority both in-house and on-site; maintain job files and as-builts; prepare meeting minutes for all job meetings; solicit pricing for and prepare subcontract and owner change orders.

Sri recently authored the blog “Limiting Risks of Scope Gaps and Subcontract Exclusions in Completion Projects” that takes a look at scope gaps and subcontract exclusions as they relate to the success, or potentially failure of completion projects.

Emily has over ten years of experience in the design and construction industry. Her accomplished background includes roles in structural engineering design, general contracting, and owner’s project management. Emily’s vast experience facilitates effective communication with people viewing the project through various lenses. She has worked on a wide range of projects, including multiple public K-12 schools, accelerated repair projects, and a privately owned 24-story condo tower that achieved LEED Platinum status. As a Project Manager at VERTEX, Emily manages a variety of projects including K-12 and higher education facilities. With her team-oriented, hands-on approach, Emily executes projects by establishing clear goals and implementing realistic strategies to achieve those goals.

Steven is a Project Executive in VERTEX’s Owner’s Project Management (OPM) service area. He has nearly 40 years of construction management experience, 17 years of which has been with VERTEX, and prior to VERTEX, 10 years as a project manager for a MA general contractor exclusively working on MA public school construction.

Mr. Morrow has a strong background in residential and commercial buildings, structural systems, architectural systems, and building analysis. He is a licensed structural engineer in Hawaii, Massachusetts, Texas, and Florida. He has applied his knowledge as a member of the forensic engineering division at Vertex to provide clients with structural damage assessments, cause and origin investigations, and code compliant repair and design recommendations for residential and commercial applications. His experience includes assessing damage and recommending repairs on a wide variety of building systems, including structural members, roofing systems, and foundations.

Jonathan Hahn has been with VERTEX since its founding days and has worked on a great variety of projects ranging from heavy highway bridge/infrastructure to multifamily, mixed-use commercial/vertical construction including public and private schools, department of defense, and green energy projects. Mr. Hahn has served many roles in the field including construction manager, on-site monitoring, owner’s representative, and project manager for completion projects.

Mr. Bator has over 19 years of experience in the environmental consulting industry on a variety of pollution sites, including: petroleum releases, dry-cleaning releases, chemical explosions, truck rollovers, oil and gas pipeline releases, site redevelopment impacts, sedimentation events, and bulk storage facility releases.

Henry Stormer is the National Division Manager for VERTEX’s Fire Investigation Division. His primary responsibilities include management of origin and cause investigations nationwide for the insurance industry as well as conducting Cause and Origin investigations of fire and explosions.

Chris Phillips has over 30 years of progressively responsible and diverse experience in the disciplines of environmental compliance, industrial hygiene, due diligence and safety and currently serves as a Regional Vice President for VERTEX in the Western Region. Mr. Phillips is responsible for assisting with the development, management and execution of the Environmental business in the West, consistent with the company’s vision, mission and core values.

Mr. Crosby is a Senior Project Manager and New Jersey Licensed Site Remediation Professional with over 20 years of experience working on environmental due diligence and site remediation projects in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.

Keith Pitman joined Vertex as a Senior Forensic Electrical Engineer in 2022, bringing with him extensive work experience in forensic engineering, high voltage power systems, telecommunications, consulting, teaching, entrepreneurship, code compliance, and executive leadership. He holds a MSEE degree from Syracuse University and a BSEE from Cornell University. Mr. Pitman’s service record includes: a combined 18 years as the senior most executive of three different consumer owned electric utilities, 4 years as the co-founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of a large scale renewable power plant development business, and time as a staff member with a governmental electric utility regulatory department. A licensed Professional Engineer since 1995, Keith has served as a private consultant and trusted advocate for numerous clients including governments, utilities, industrial facility owners, and investors. In addition to his expertise in electrical engineering, Keith Pitman also has extensive experience in education, business management, real property valuation, public speaking, and as an elected public official.

Brandon Huffman has been employed as a Fire Protection Engineer for over 15 years.  He has extensive experience in fire alarm design, flame and gas detection design, fire sprinkler design, special hazard systems design, egress analysis and modeling, fire modeling and other general fire protection consulting services.  His experience includes projects in the military, governmental, commercial, industrial, LNG and oil and gas facilities.  He specializes in the design fire protection systems for commercial, residential, and industrial facilities.  He has been the lead engineer on multiple projects involving the design and engineering of fire alarm and mass notification systems, including high-rise buildings and campus wide systems.  He is an active member of the National Fire Protection Association and the Northeast Florida Chapter of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers.