Join us at the Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park for AGC’s Technology Conference
Tentative Agenda Is Subject to Change | All Times Are Listed in Central Daylight Time (CDT)
Click the “Learn More” Toggle For More Details On Each Session. Learn More About This Year’s Speakers By Clicking Their Name to Read More About Their Construction IT Background.
Tuesday, August 22, 2023
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Visit Oracle’s Industry Lab
In partnership with Oracle, AGC has organized a visit to Oracle’s Industry Lab in Deerfield, IL, just a quick trip from downtown Chicago.
This 30,000-square foot facility provides a job-site simulated environment to develop new ideas and create solutions leveraging technology from Oracle and more than 42 industry partners. This visit will be specific to Engineering and Construction and exclusive to registered conference attendees.
The bus for the Oracle Tour will depart at 9 AM from Level B-2 of the Fairmont. Upon exiting the elevator bank, turn right and proceed up a short ramp and through the revolving door to the Autolobby. Learn More.
1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
IT Boot Camps – Part 1
Presented by Greg Smith, Yates Construction, Dwain Wood, Yates Construction & Will Sharp, HDR; Calvin Kam, Ian Howell
$99 to attend this year’s boot camps. Not sure which one you want to attend? Just register in advance for either boot camp and decide on-site how long you’d like to spend in each session!
Meet the Speaker: Greg Smith, Yates Construction
With over 30 years of technology experience in the Architecture/Engineering/Construction industry, Greg’s focus is on innovation in the design and construction process, helping project teams to deliver quality and efficiency on their projects. Greg has been an adjunct professor at Washington State University, teaching BIM and VDC courses, and has guest lectured at many other universities.
In his personal life, Greg lead a non-profit corporation, “Success Thru Sports”, dedicated to helping disadvantaged kids develop leadership and life skills through athletics. Focused around basketball, one of his youth teams was recognized as a top-25 team in the Pacific Northwest. An avid sailor, Greg has raced and cruised around the Pacific Northwest, at times floating along serenely on inland waters, or hanging on for dear life offshore in the mighty Pacific Ocean.
Meet the Speaker: Dwain Wood, Yates Construction
My Dad was a mechanical contractor, so I grew up in construction and have been involved in construction for the past 55 years. I’ve been a Project Executive with Yates with 23 years with Yates, and the last 10 years in the VDC/BIM Department. Currently semi-retired and continue to train staff at Yates.
Meet the Speaker: Will Sharp, HDR
Will is HDR’s Global Director of Highway’s and has 35 years of experience in highway planning and design. He is actively involved in many national BIM for Infrastructure industry efforts including the AASHTO Joint Technical Committee on Electronic Engineering Standards, buildingSMART USA Roadway and Bridges Industry Committee (co-chair), ACEC National Digital Delivery efforts, Transportation Research Board Digital Delivery efforts, American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) Innovation and Technology Forum (co-chair), and the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) U.S. National BIM Program Steering Committee.
Construction firms and their IT direction are a perennial conversation. How do we lead tech? Who leads? Construction firms have far more reliance on good IT. Topics to deal with abound. How does today’s CIO, working with senior management, determine what to prioritize, how to staff, how to effectively deploy. What is the role of business in IT initiatives and how to create an effective partnership. Alignment of IT with the business is more important than ever. This boot camp will cover the concepts of IT Governance at a foundational level and then build into more intermediate and advanced topics from there. This will include:
- The Business/IT Partnership matrix
- IT decision making
- Measuring and reporting progress
- Developing and communicating an IT strategy
- How to manage innovation
- Role of a PMO
- Structure of today’s IT department
- Managing shadow IT intentionally
If you are trying to decide how IT fits in your organization and how to become a tech forward organization, this intensive workshop is for you.
Presented by: Christian Burger, Burger Consulting Group & Angus Frost, Burger Consulting Group
$99 to attend this year’s boot camps. Not sure which one you want to attend? Just register in advance for either boot camp and decide on-site how long you’d like to spend in each session!
Meet the Speaker: Christian Burger, Burger Consulting Group
Christian Burger is the President of Burger Consulting Group, an IT consulting firm based in Chicago. Christian has worked within the construction industry for 25 years, originally with FMI before starting his own firm in 1997. Much of his work at the firm is focusing on IT strategy and leadership for BCG clients. Christian is also involved in best practices process work during the implementation phase.
Christian publishes regularly for industry journals and is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and trade shows. He also teaches a technology course at Northwestern University’s Masters in Project Management program.
Meet the Speaker: Angus Frost, Burger Consulting Group
Angus Frost joined Burger Consulting Group in December 2005 to as a Senior IT Consultant; specializing in IT organizational and infrastructure planning and management. He also supports other consultants with software selections and implementations from a technical perspective. He regularly supports clients with CIO services, Data Integration and Data Management consulting. He has also had a significant role in build-out of Burger Consulting knowledge base and support systems. Angus has previously worked with the construction industry for over twenty years primarily as a Chief Technology Officer.
Angus has a Bachelor of Science degree in Information Management from Thames Valley University London, England and a Bachelor of Arts, Business and Finance from Kutztown University Kutztown, Pennsylvania/ Brunel University Gerrards Cross, England.
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Networking Break with Sponsors
Sponsored By:
3:30 PM – 5:00 PM
IT Boot Camps – Part 2
Take a deep dive into what drives a successful BIM/VDC practice while staying above the weeds with the expert guidance of Yates Construction’s Greg Smith. In this three-hour boot camp we will go over how to plan and implement VDC across an organization, applying digital workflows to construction projects, and discuss IT considerations for VDC.
Presented by Greg Smith, Yates Construction, Dwain Wood, Yates Construction & Will Sharp, HDR
$99 to attend this year’s boot camps. Not sure which one you want to attend? Just register in advance for either boot camp and decide on-site how long you’d like to spend in each session!
Construction firms and their IT direction are a perennial conversation. How do we lead tech? Who leads? Construction firms have far more reliance on good IT. Topics to deal with abound. How does today’s CIO, working with senior management, determine what to prioritize, how to staff, how to effectively deploy. What is the role of business in IT initiatives and how to create an effective partnership. Alignment of IT with the business is more important than ever. This boot camp will cover the concepts of IT Governance at a foundational level and then build into more intermediate and advanced topics from there. This will include:
- The Business/IT Partnership matrix
- IT decision making
- Measuring and reporting progress
- Developing and communicating an IT strategy
- How to manage innovation
- Role of a PMO
- Structure of today’s IT department
- Managing shadow IT intentionally
If you are trying to decide how IT fits in your organization and how to become a tech forward organization, this intensive workshop is for you.
Presented by: Christian Burger, Burger Consulting Group & Angus Frost, Burger Consulting Group
$99 to attend this year’s boot camps. Not sure which one you want to attend? Just register in advance for either boot camp and decide on-site how long you’d like to spend in each session!
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Welcome Reception
Sponsored By:
Wednesday, August 23, 2023
8:00 AM – 8:45 AM
Breakfast for All Attendees
Sponsored By:
8:45 AM – 9:00 AM
Kickoff Remarks
9:00 AM – 9:15 AM
Address from AGC Vice President Todd Roberts
9:15 AM – 10:15 AM
General Session | Leaning Into Construction Chaos
In this interactive session, Charlie Dunn, Project Story Teller DPR Construction, will introduce you to the chaos facing construction project teams. As you prepare for the preeminent IT Conference for construction, you must connect with the project teams we support. Through workshop-style exercises, storytelling, and audience participation you will learn about the influence of Lean practices and innovation transforming construction.
Presented by: Charlie Dunn, DPR Construction
10:15 AM – 10:30 AM
Tech Demo #1
This Tech Demo Will Be Presented by: Eveart M. Foster, Autodesk
Meet the Speaker: Eveart M. Foster, Autodesk
Eveart Foster is an Integrations Subject Matter Expert at Autodesk, Inc., a global leader in software for designers, builders, engineers, manufacturers, 3D artists, and production teams. Eveart leverages his experience in enterprise technology implementation, gap analysis, customer success and product management to advance digital transformations across people, processes, and solutions in the construction industry. He has strategically held positions as both a user and creator of various technologies to increase utilization and impact of construction technologies from preconstruction to handover.
He also serves as Associate Board President at Working in the Schools (WITS); Chicago’s largest literacy nonprofit, providing mentorship to public school students and professional development to teachers. To sharpen his communication skills, Eveart periodically performs improv, delivers speeches, and occasionally hops on podcasts to provide construction industry expertise. You can find him on the Contech Crew, Bricks and Bytes, and Work Done Right podcast episodes.
Eveart graduated from Indiana State University with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. Notable achievements include the Best Overall Project at the Chicago AEC Hackathon 3.5, Building Design + Construction Magazine’s 40 under 40, and Chicago Crain’s Business Magazine 20 in their 20s.
Sponsored By:
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM
Networking Break with Sponsors
Sponsored By:
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Breakout Sessions
Meet the Speaker: Patrick Hennessy, Harkins Builders
Patrick Hennessy is currently the Director of Scheduling and Analytics for Harkins Builders, Inc., a general contractor based in the DC Metro area. In his role at Harkins, Patrick leads project controls efforts for all projects in preconstruction and construction, including planning and scheduling, scheduling and cost risk analysis, and delay impact analysis and mitigation. Additionally, Patrick is leading the data and analytics efforts at Harkins including data extraction, transformation, visualization and analysis to provide the right information, at the right time, for data driven decision making to take place throughout every facet of the organization. Part of his role is also continually improving organizational processes through the use of emerging technology and software solutions.
In addition to his role with Harkins, Patrick is a Director with Construction Intelligence Solutions, LLC, a professional services firm specializing in project controls and construction technology. Patrick’s role as a Director includes assisting clients with construction schedule management and analysis, data analytics and business intelligence implementation, and digital transformation through emerging technology.
Patrick received his undergraduate degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 2014, and his master’s degree from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business in 2021. Before joining Harkins in 2018, Patrick worked for both Aegis Project Controls and Deloitte as a Project Controls Consultant assisting Owners and General Contractors across the country with schedule management, forensic schedule and cost analysis, and schedule delay analysis. Patrick is a member of AACE International, the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Association of General Contractors (AGC), where he holds the certifications of PSP, PMI-SP, and CM-Lean from each organization respectively.
Managing/PM Track
Ready to join us again on a wild ride through Miller-Davis Company’s digital transformation journey? In this exciting session, we’ll be sharing the latest updates as we continue to shake up the way we do business and interact within the construction industry.
Over the past year, we’ve made some incredible progress, from reimagining our preconstruction department to embracing the power of cloud infrastructure. We’ve even implemented a brand-new prequalification system and hosted some amazing team-building sessions that have brought our team closer than ever before.
But that’s not all – we’ve also learned some valuable, and hard, lessons along the way. We’ll be sharing our ups and downs while developing our strategies for making better innovation decisions. You won’t want to miss this incredible opportunity to learn from our implementation experiences, as Warren Buffet said, “It’s good to learn from your mistakes. It’s better to learn from other people’s mistakes.” Therefore, come and learn from ours!
Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a digital newcomer, you’ll come away inspired and energized to take your own digital transformation to the next level.
Presented by: Ariel Castillo, Miller-Davis, & Jack Abate, Miller-Davis
Meet the Speaker: Ariel Castillo, Miller-Davis
Ariel Castillo is an innovation manager at Miller-Davis Company. His focus is on aligning people, processes, and technology to create new capabilities, improve project delivery, and optimize resources, whether designing, building, maintaining, or selling a project. Working in the industry since 2010, he has become an authority on BIM and emerging technologies in Latin America. He’s an approved CM-BIM Instructor and has spoken at many industry conferences, including AGC IT, Autodesk University among others. He creates content for the industry through his SocialTek podcast, and is a co-host of the ConTech Crew podcast. Ariel was featured in 40 Under 40: Construction Champions of 2019.
Meet the Speaker: Jack Abate, Miller-Davis
Jack Abate is Vice President – Construction Operations at Miller-Davis Company in based in Kalamazoo, Michigan. With over 30 years in the construction industry, he has guided dozens of high-profile projects through the preconstruction phase to successful project completion. He is a member of the AGC of Michigan Continuing Education Committee and is a LEED Green Associate, and a featured presenter at national conferences and on industry podcasts. Today, Jack lends his expertise to drive Miller-Davis’ ambitious approach to meeting the demands of 21st-century construction and enhance its level of service.
Security Track
Jeff DeRamus started his career at Shook Construction after graduating college. Over the past (26) years, he has helped the organization build a best-in-class technology infrastructure. He was introduced to the current cybersecurity landscape the hard way, survived the ordeal & now hopes to help others avoid the catastrophic impact of cybercrime.
Presented by: Jeff DeRamus, Shook Construction
Meet the Speaker: Jeff DeRamus, Shook Construction
Jeff DeRamus started his career at Shook Construction after graduating college. Over the past (26) years, he has helped the organization build a best-in-class technology infrastructure. He was introduced to the current cybersecurity landscape the hard way, survived the ordeal & now hopes to help others avoid the catastrophic impact of cybercrime.
ConTech Track
Today, many construction companies across their entire enterprise are striving to align the production efficiency with scheduled activities through the use of reality capture and BIM-enabled workflows. The exponential growth in data acquisition and application of BIM, paired with ever more aggressive delivery schedules, calls for introduction of solutions that transcend the current algorithmic capabilities and venture into AI territory with the goal of achieving better control and higher level of predictability through the real time analysis of production, resources and jobsite conditions.
This talk will present how contractors and owners from different industries have leveraged Reconstruct’s visual production management system for achieving production efficiency on their construction project. We will present how images and videos from 360 cameras, drones and smartphone cameras are used within computer vision algorithms to automatically generate 3D reality models over project timeline. Integrated with BIM and schedule, we will also show AI algorithms compare reality models with 4D BIM to track progress and identify risk for potential delays. We will share insights on the underlying work processes, and will share lessons-learned that will pave the way for achieving real time analysis of production, resources and jobsite conditions.
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Lunch
Sponsored By:
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
General Session | A Tale of Two Projects: How Gaylor Electric is Leveraging Analytics to Eliminate Fade
Data Track
As the VP of Business Intelligence at Gaylor Electric, my mission is to empower our users to measurement-focused accountability by uncovering and communicating the stories in our data through intuitive visuals to eliminate emotion from the decision making process.
In this presentation, I will illustrate some of the stories that we have found in our data that have empowered our teams to make significant changes. A large portion of the presentation will be around our Labor Curve which tells the story of a project. I will also dive into some of our historical results and how I have converted these lagging indicators into leading Indicators.
Presented by: Jack Hineman, Gaylor Electric
Meet the Speaker: Jack Hineman, Gaylor Electric
Jack Hineman serves as the Vice President of Business Intelligence at Gaylor Electric. An IT professional of nearly 20 years, he spent the first 12 years of his career working as an IT Consultant. Jack joined Gaylor as the Network Administrator in 2016, and soon after his role evolved into a sole focus on Business Intelligence. With the ability to develop leading-edge reports and visualizations, Jack was able to reveal a story within Gaylor’s data that reinforced existing theories or helped to cultivate new insights regarding Gaylor Electric’s future.
In Construction, decisions are often made based on anecdotal evidence. Jack’s mission is to empower users to make data-driven decisions by analyzing data and creating intuitive visualizations to mitigate emotion from the decision-making process.
2:00 PM – 2:15 PM
Tech Demo #2
This Tech Demo Will Be Presented by: Ryan Mays, HCSS
Meet the Speaker: Ryan Mays, HCSS
Ryan Mays is a Director of Sales at HCSS. Ryan has been with HCSS for 9 years and helps construction companies all across the country identify and solve business problems using the HCSS suite of software and hardware. Ryan received his undergraduate from Texas A&M University and his MBA from University of Houston. He is a truck and heavy equipment enthusiast. Additionally, he is passionate about achieving operational and business efficiency in Construction.
Sponsored By:
2:15 PM – 2:45 PM
Coffee & Cookie Social with Sponsors
Sponsored By:
2:45 PM – 3:45 PM
Breakout Sessions
Data Track
The construction industry has a reputation for being inefficient and costly, and many teams are resistant to change. However, by implementing Lean practices, teams can significantly increase efficiency, improve communication, and reduce waste.
In this presentation, we will share our experience using elements from the Scrum framework with enterprise-wide data analytics to highlight process and productivity issues that the Boldt Production System acts to counter. We will provide a case study example of the Shrine project, where we were able to save two months of schedule time and engage the team based on dashboard data to enable easier and better project delivery.
In addition, we will address the common challenge of how to implement Lean practices even when it seems too late. The session will provide practical knowledge and tools to help attendees overcome resistance to change and successfully implement Lean practices in their own projects, ultimately leading to improved outcomes and a more efficient construction industry. We will cover topics such as how to read data from Power BI dashboards, listen to project teams report out, and make decisions to get involved. Our one-month Sprint cycle using Scrum training will be emphasized, as well as how to conduct a deeper dive into metrics that require closer attention.
Attendees will learn how to bridge the gap between the current state and the desired future state of a construction industry that is open to change and focused on continuous improvement.
Whether you are in the planning, design, construction, or maintenance phase of a project, this presentation will provide valuable insights and practical strategies for successfully implementing Lean practices in your organization with data.
Presented by: Felipe Engineer-Manriquez, Registered Scrum Trainer, MBA
Meet the Speaker: Felipe Engineer-Manriquez, The Boldt Company
Felipe Engineer-Manriquez is a construction change-maker, international keynote speaker, author, and Project Delivery Services Director at The Boldt Company. He is a Registered Scrum Trainer™ (RST) and known for implementing Lean Construction and Agile practices daily. Felipe’s contributions to the industry earned him the Lean Construction Institute Chairman’s Award. Learn more about his “Construction Scrum” book or connect with Felipe at https://thefelipe.bio.link/
Managing/PM Track
This session will bring forward various 3rd party reach and statistics of the shocking waste associated with passively managing technology. This isn’t about processes for selecting tech, or increasing adoption. This is the business case for formalizing technology management as a part of business operations much like accounting/finance, legal/risk, HR, and Operations.
The statistics will show that on average for the lower half of construction companies there is upwards of $375,000 per year to save simply by staying on top of the tech inventory, contracts, etc. For the upper half of the industry, this savings opportunity is in the millions. Don’t take our word for it, let’s go through the statistics and case studies both in construction and in other industries.
This presentation does not promote technology brands or products. It does not promote particular consulting or advisory firms. The numbers and the logic speak for themselves, and it is startling.
This session will include Jay Snyder, as the lead speaker, Shane Deville – CEO of TriArc Construction to copresent as a contractor in the lower half of the industry, and Rob Leutheuser – VP at Christman to copresent as a contractor in the upper half of the industry.
The presentation will be guided by a slide deck to further illustrate the points and support various methods that the audience consumes information.
Presented by: Jay Snyder, Big Blue Innovations; Shane Deville, TriArc Construction; Rob Leutheuser, Christman
Meet the Speaker: Rob Leutheuser, Christman
Rob manages Christman’s VDC Team, who are primarily responsible for constructing and coordinating 3D construction models used for estimating, scheduling, conflict resolution and facilities management purposes and works directly with each design and client team, in conjunction with trade contractors, to implement their system-specific models into one collaborative project model.
Rob‘s understanding of the technology and skills facilitating the collaborative process of BIM helps the team resolve coordination problems prior to installation and with optimized solutions enhancing system performance in the long term. Rob also leads Christman’s Innovation Initiatives and co-leads the development of the Construction Technology Team with their Director of Data Management and Application Development.
This presentation takes a closer look at how SharePoint failed to meet Pepper Construction’s objectives.
Presented by: Kevin Soohoo, Egnyte; Jennifer Suerth, LEED AP, Pepper Construction
ConTech Track
Geospatial data relates to information having an association with a place on earth. A street address will get you somewhere, but it is not enough to build your next construction project. With the ubiquitousness of smartphones, increasing availability of accurate layout equipment, and increasing popularity of drones, it is now easier than ever for those of us without a land surveying degree to understand the geospatial data from our projects.
In this session, the presenter will provide an overview of several processes used to analyze, visualize, and make use of the 2D and 3D information during the preconstruction and construction phases of a project. More specifically, the presenter will show specific examples of leveraging your smartphone GPS to visualize your position within a drawing using Geographic Information Systems and an iOS app called Avenza Maps, the use of accurate GNSS RTK layout equipment for accurately collecting data and efficiently performing quality control in the field (with Trimble and Emlid devices), and how to take your drone data to the next level to do quality control from the air (using Autocad). The presenter will discuss the software used, the processes, and jobsite examples.
Presented by: Carlos Zuluaga, Harkins Builders
Meet the Speaker: Carlos Zuluaga, Harkins Builders
Carlos is a Civil Engineer with a passion for construction, an incredible curiosity to learn every day, and a strong growth mindset.
After having experience in most lifecycle phases of a construction project, from bidding to handling a project’s warranty phase, Carlos found that with technology, an open mind, and a spark, anything can be improved and made interesting. It’s all about digging deep.
Carlos holds a B.S., Masters, and Ph.D. in Civil Engineering. During graduate studies, his academic research work focused on the ever-important topic of construction safety. Specifically, the development of engaging and effective training practices, the implementation of innovative technologies for safety management, and leadership in construction organizations.
At Harkins Builders, Carlos has been a boot-on-the-ground technologist, running work, and helping the organization improve with every project.
3:45 PM – 4:15 PM
Networking Break with Sponsors
Sponsored By:
4:15 PM – 5:30 PM
General Session | Inexpensive Solutions to Common IT Challenges
Grab a drink (beer & wine available) and join us for this fast-paced and fun open discussion on the best and most inexpensive solutions to your common IT challenges.
Sponsored by:
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Networking Reception
Sponsored By:
Thursday, August 24, 2023
7:30 AM – 8:00 AM
Breakfast for All Attendees
Sponsored By:
8:00 AM – 8:45 AM
General Session | Confessions of a CIA Spy – The Art of Human Hacking
Security Track
Most successful data breaches are initiated by human hacking. Threat actors carefully select, assess, and manipulate key employees within a target organization who in turn become the “insider threat.” Advanced social engineering techniques are employed to effectively circumvent the policies, procedures and technological controls put in place to safeguard proprietary information, client data and sensitive personnel records.
For over 20 years of his career with the Central Intelligence Agency, Peter developed expertise in the identification, assessment, and manipulation of insiders to breach the security of target organizations in pursuit of high-value foreign intelligence. He now shares his insight to help protect organizations and employees against external threats.
The audience will leave with:
– Why humans are so susceptible to human hacking
– An understanding of threat actors and their objectives
– How threat actors use social media platforms to identitfy and assess employees as potential insider candidates
– How insider motivations and vulnerabilities are leveraged into the design and execution of advanced social engineering techniques including Spear Phishing, Smithing, Vishing and Face-to-Face approaches
– The evolution and impact of Deepfake techology in human hacking schemes
– Three key actionable tips to prevent falling victim to human hacking.
Presented by: Peter G. Warmka, Counterintelligence Institute
Meet the Speaker: Peter Warmka, Counterintelligence Institute
Peter Warmka is a former Senior Intelligence Officer with the CIA having over 20 years of experience in breaching the security of target organizations overseas. He is an Adjunct Professor at Webster University’s Masters in Cybersecurity Program, Founder of Orlando, Florida-based firm Counterintelligence Institute, LLC, and author of the non-fiction book “Confessions of a CIA Spy – The Art of Human Hacking.”
He is passionate about using his expertise in helping city, state, and federal government entities, non-profits, academic institutes, private companies, and individuals to safeguard their sensitive proprietary and personal data.
He received a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a master’s degree in International Business Management from Thunderbird School of Global Management. Mr. Warmka is a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), a Certified Protection Professional (CPP) and Certified Instructor at CIA University (CIAU).
8:45 AM – 9:00 AM
Tech Demo #3
This Tech Demo Will Be Presented by: Nick Decker, Egnyte
Meet the Speaker: Nick Decker, Egnyte
Nick Decker is the Global Practice Leader for Construction at Egnyte. He is responsible for the growth and support of Egnyte’s general contracting and specialty contracting customers. Nick brings experience in the construction technology and innovation space from time at Bluebeam and Dusty Robotics. He originally comes from the construction and engineering industry, having worked for large contractors Kiewit and AECOM Hunt. Nick holds a Civil Engineering degree and MBA from Purdue University.
Sponsored By:
9:00 AM – 9:20 AM
Networking Break with Sponsors
Sponsored By:
9:20 AM – 10:05 AM
Breakout Sessions
Meet the Speaker: Tom Stemm, Trimble
Tom is the Vice President and Category GM of Construction Integrations at Trimble, a position that he started in January 2023 soon after the company he founded – Ryvit, which is now known as Data Xchange and App Xchange – was acquired by Trimble. At Trimble, Tom leads the company’s integrations department, helping to accelerate how Trimble and the larger construction ecosystem builds connections between commonly used applications and data sources, enabling the automatic flow of critical information across organizations and teams in real time.
Meet the Speaker: Benjamin Crosby, Yates Construction
Benjamin is a Site Manager for Yates Construction, a family-owned commercial and industrial contractor that provides a wide range of construction and building services. As Site Manager, Benjamin is responsible for L-H Battery Company’s new EV facility in Ohio (L-H Battery Company is a LG / Honda Joint Venture). Benjamin is also a building educator, helping contractors understand Virtual Design and Construction and how it will improve their projects and careers. He is a member of the AGC IT Forum Steering Committee, CMAA Professional Development Committee, and teaches in the AGC CM-BIM and CM-Lean Programs.
Meet the Speaker: Scott Green, Tarlton Corporation
Scott is the Director of Technology, Quality & Productivity at Tarlton Corporation, which provides general contracting and construction management services with an emphasis on higher education, life science, healthcare, industrial & civil, and power & energy markets. Tarlton self-performs vertical concrete and concrete restoration. Scott leads the technology vision for Tarlton. Scott works closely with project teams and departments to improve processes and deploy tools to create a modern experience. Prior to working at Tarlton, Scott was a project manager at Johnson Controls and an adjunct lecturer at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.
BIM/VDC Track
Assessing new project management systems can feel overwhelming. These systems are famously complex. How does the data flow through the system? What modules are in development? What integrations are offered and how robust are those integrations? The questions can feel endless. Once you feel you have a system that you want to pilot, implementation is complicated as well! Project Management systems are central to a project and company’s success. Disrupting that can be a sensitive topic.
This session will illustrate the similarities from a CM/GC perspective between two of the leading project management systems: Autodesk Construction Cloud and Procore. With experts on both systems, we will speak unbiased with firsthand experience to the pros and cons of each system and have a winner at the end of this heavy weight bout! The objective is to arm the audience with enough information to walk away with a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of each product and which would be more beneficial for their company.
Presented by: Donnie Bogle-Boesinger, Findorff; Usamah Hayes, CSM Group
Meet the Speaker: Donnie Bogle-Boesiger, Findorff
Donnie Bogle-Boesiger is a Preconstruction Engineer for J.H. Findorff & Son out of their Milwaukee location. Though in the preconstruction department now, he has had opportunities to experience several aspects of the construction industry. Starting his tenure in the industry in 2015, Donnie grew a passion for construction technology quickly as a Project Engineer. Working on large warehouse projects allowed him to gain knowledge and dive into Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) workflows that occur within a project. By 2018, he stepped into the VDC role full time. He has been able to be a core partner on projects in many different sectors including industrial/manufacturing, healthcare, higher education, high rise multi-family, and hospitality.
Throughout this career, Donnie has consistently been a change agent for his companies and the industry. Within his first two years in the industry, he successfully implemented Procore as a new project management platform for a $150 million/year contractor. Through this process, he gained a lot of experience, specifically regarding the soft skills required to implement technology within a construction company. As a Virtual Design & Construction Specialist, he grew the team within his office from 1 to 4 full time employees, building a culture where BIM-enabled workflows are embedded at a detailed level within projects.
Donnie has had the opportunity to explore what the industry has in store, as preconstruction left him intrigued by its unique opportunity for improvement, leaving him wanting to explore this avenue deeper. Eager to begin learning more about preconstruction workflows, Donnie will enable his team with the skills to implement technology to a greater degree to create more accurate and consistent deliverables.
Meet the Speaker: Usamah Hayes, CSM Group
I’m the BIM Director at CSM Group. I started my BIM Journey as a field installation framer who moved on to prefabrication and then designing what I prefabricated in BIMs. This is where I learned about BIM and all that it could be. I’ve taught people how to use Autodesk software to create building information models, and I’ve assisted several firms in implementing BIM as an employee and a consultant. I’m extremely passionate about democratizing the use of BIM for the individuals who need it the most. The people who are physically assembling the buildings.
Security Track
This will be an update of recent trends in attacks, including updates of real life hacks from clients in the industry – sharing their story and lessons learned. In addition, we will conduct a live hacking demonstration to illustrate the ease of many common attack techniques.
Presented by: Joe Oleksak, Plante Moran & Kyle Miller
Meet the Speaker: Joe Oleksak, Plante Moran
Joe has more than 23 years of cyber security consulting and information technology audit experience in multiple industries (public and private) (regulated and unregulated.) Joe’s experience includes cyber security strategic planning, cyber security risk assessments, cyber security standards & compliance consulting (NIST, ISO, GLBA, HIPAA, etc.), IT audit, penetration testing and vulnerability assessments, web application security, PCI compliance, incident response, business continuity and disaster recovery management. Joe is a member of the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA), and the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium (ISC)². He attends and presents at multiple security and industry conferences annually, including the AGC, and has been published by several organizations such as Security Magazine, CFO.com, PC Today, and MedCity News. Joe is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), and a Certified in Risk and Information System Controls (CRISC).
Meet the Speaker: Scott Petree, Plante Moran
Scott is a partner in Plante Moran’s Cybersecurity consulting practice. Scott provides cyber consulting, assessment, and forensic services for companies in addressing information security risks and threats. He is a problem solver and offers sensible solutions for addressing cybersecurity risks to his clients.
ConTech Track
Case Study: In 2016, Rogers-O’Brien (RO) was contracted to build Magnolia Montessori School in Austin, Texas. Five years later, water was ponding at the entrances to buildings and infiltrating inside. The school contacted RO. The team used drone technology to quickly and easily get accurate surface data. Combining it with InfoDrainage, they could analyze the water flow on the surface. The result took less than an hour and gave them a heat map of low areas and surface drainage patterns, showing them where the problem areas were. They determined that the area drains were performing properly, but water retention caused by soil expansion was causing the flooding issues. This session will showcase how InfoDrainage and other tools can increase quality control on all your projects.
Presented by: Michael Clark, RO
Meet the Speaker: Michael Clark, RO
As a construction professional, Michael Clark has dedicated his 20-year career to seeking the “best way” in the industry. This unwavering drive has propelled him to the position of Director of Field Engineering at Roger’s-O’Brien, where he leverages his diverse skill set to drive innovation and propel the industry into the future.
Beyond his responsibilities at Roger’s-O’Brien, Michael is actively involved with the Construction Education Foundation. This organization shares his belief in educating the youths of today to become tomorrow’s construction leaders. Together, in a partnership with a local community college, they are trying to not only help those currently in the industry advance their career’s through formal classes, but to educate the younger generation on the advantages of a career in construction.
Passionate about advancing the industry, Michael constantly expands his knowledge to help propel our industry forward, weather that be through process, technology, or a combination of both. By pushing the boundaries and embracing new ideas, he strives to make a lasting impact on the construction field.
10:05 AM – 10:10 AM
Transition Break
10:10 AM – 10:55 AM
General Session | Analytics Unleashed: Finding Needles in a Data Stack
We are surrounded by data, yet starved for insights. Everyone wants to implement analytics, but often do not have the time or desired budget. In this session, we will clear away the clutter around data analytics, data science and big data to help you find that “needle in the data stack”. In addition, we will provide practical business intelligence implementation advice that can get the cycle of insights started and keep it flowing. Return on Investment is a big part of this puzzle, therefore, we will wrap by providing some helpful tips on gauging ROI within the analytics space.
Presented by: Derrick Jackson, Tilson
Meet the Speaker: Derrick Jackson, Tilson
Derrick Jackson has been in and around the industrial and construction industries his entire life (learning to operate and maintain heavy equipment at the age of 12). His passion for technology began in the prep ranks with CAD, which led to Engineering and a degree in Computer Science.
Professionally, his real world and operational management background coupled with his technical skill has allowed him to consistently stretch the limits of available technology under budget constraints.
Derrick currently leads the analytics practice for Tilson Technology Management. His team has implemented analytics solutions for several ENR 400 companies as well as smaller privately held firms.
10:55 AM – 11:10 AM
Tech Demo #4
Meet the Speaker: Scott Symington, Hilti
Scott Symington is an experienced and skilled Carpenter that has had multiple roles implementing Technology and process changes in Construction with Hilti Inc for over 20 years. Making construction better utilizing Technology has always been his passion and now leads as a Business Developer for Construction Robotics for Hilti North America.
Sponsored By:
11:10 AM – 11:30 AM
Networking Break with Sponsors
Sponsored By:
11:30 AM – 12:15 PM
Breakout Sessions
Data Track
As technology has evolved, stakeholders in the design and construction industry are provided with a plethora of tools at their disposal to capture, transfer, and validate project data; however, interoperability between applications as well as collaboration amongst stakeholders continue to be barriers for many in obtaining efficient workflows. Project teams and their technology infrastructure are stressed as stakeholders and their support systems seek to realize the potential embedded in data. Data is often trapped within an application or reaches a dead-end with one stakeholder or another. This result is more waste in the industry and this causes other project stakeholders to struggle to get the information they need or to simply recreate that data.
This panel will explore three key perspectives on data capture, transfer, and validation across applications and amongst stakeholders. We’ll discuss a designer’s, contractor’s, and owner’s perspective through the lens of challenges, opportunities, and solutions. What has each stakeholder representative done to overcome challenges, identify new opportunities, and deploy solutions? How have they been able to collaborate with each other and their own technology departments to maximize the value of quality data. We’ll also discuss initiatives that are occurring on the international and national level to help promote open data standards that decouple the data from the application, highlighting the updates to the National BIM Standards and the new U.S. National BIM Program and how they aim to drive the rapid development and adoption of next-gen standards.
Presented by: Johnny Fortune, National Institute of Building Sciences; Alex Belkofer, McCarthy Building Companies; Steve Hutsell, US Army Corps of Engineers; Paul Audsley, NBBJ Design
Meet the Speaker: Johnny Fortune, National Institute of Building Sciences
Johnny Fortune is a technology leader and subject matter expert in building information management (BIM) for the architecture, engineering, construction, and owner/operator industry. He serves as the Executive Director of the U.S. National BIM Program with the National Institute of Building Sciences, where he focuses on the program launch and implementation plan to improve efficiencies in the design and construction industry.
Fortune has more than 20 years of experience in computer-aided design and BIM management. Throughout his career, he has successfully helped many professionals adopt various levels of design and construction technology, from hand drafting to virtual design and construction. His vast experience includes developing BIM strategies, standards, training, workflows, and integration with external stakeholders.
Fortune is a contributing author for several national standards documents, including the USACE and VA BIM requirements. He also has presented at technology conferences, including Autodesk University, AEC Next, and BIMForum. Fortune enjoys utilizing technology for improving business and industry processes and focuses on building meaningful and lasting relationships.
Meet the Speaker: Steve Hutsell, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District
Steve serves as Chief of the Geospatial Section for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Seattle District, which supports local, regional and national BIM, Survey & Mapping, Civil Information Modeling (CIM), GIS, and CAD requirements and initiatives, collectively known as Advanced Modeling (AdM).
He has over 30 years of experience with AEC and Geospatial technology implementation and support at the USACE Fort Worth, Europe and Seattle districts, and at regional military installations, is a member of the Corps’ BIM/CAD Community of Practice, and is the founder of the USACE/Industry BIM & CIM Consortia in a partnered development of USACE AdM Contract Requirements for civil works and military projects.
Steve earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Architectural Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin in 1985.
Meet the Speaker: Paul Audsley, NBBJ Design
As Chief Information Officer, Paul Audsley leads all areas of NBBJ’s technology strategy and operations including design, building information modeling, design computation, collaboration, infrastructure, cybersecurity and project collaboration. He has a deep commitment to enhancing the effective use of technology to optimize the design and delivery process.
Paul has served in leadership roles on several of the world’s largest and most complex design and construction projects, including London Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 5, the Channel Tunnel between the UK and France, Hong Kong International Airport and more recently providing strategic design technology oversight for Kaiser Oakland Medical Center in California, South Eastern Louisiana VA Medical Center Replacement Hospital and a wide variety of both domestic and international projects.
He was a Past Chair of the buildingSMARTalliance overseeing development of the US National BIM Standard (US-NBIMS), he’s a member of the National Institute of Building Sciences, AutoDesk User Group International, AIA CIO Large Firm Roundtable and Past Chair of the AIA Columbus-Technology in Architectural Practice Group (TAP). Paul’s contributions have been widely recognized, including an AIA Presidential Citation for Integrated Project Delivery, an AIA Special Commendation for Technology – Model Progression Specification. Paul has also presented/lectured at a wide variety of venue’s including the annual Design Build Institute of America (DBIA) conference, ENR FutureTech, The Center for Integrated Facilities Engineering at Stanford, Penn State University, Forrester’s CXNYC and the American Bar Associations Forum on the Construction Industry.
BIM/VDC Track
Reality Capture has emerged as one of the most valuable technologies for documenting and communicating project progress, project quality, and assessing as-built conditions throughout a structure’s lifecycle. However, the reality capture landscape includes a number of solutions, all of which consist of different resolutions, speed, cost, and visual deliverables – enough variation to fatigue even the most innovative of AEC/O firms.
To help streamline the selection and implementation process of this valuable technology, we brought together an experienced panel with the most popular reality capture solutions within a simulated construction environment at the Oracle Industry Lab in Chicago, Illinois. There, we conducted experiments to help answer the very important question, “How do you choose which reality capture tool, process, and team is right for the job?”
Our experienced panel reviewed the various solutions, comparing the capture, post-capture and processing phases, to assess the reality capture data, repeatability, effectiveness, and efficiency across various use case scenarios. During the capture process, we recorded data such as process to capture, time to capture, level of skill required to capture, and more. Post-capture and -processing, we compared levels of resolution, quality of visuals, ease of use, and cost of capture, as well as the types of deliverables, achieving a similar virtual and measurable walkthrough experience from the input reality data, merged against 2D design and 3D BIM.
Join our panel to see our answers to the question “What is the right reality capture tool, process, and team for the job?” We will recap the experiment, including a presentation of the use-case scenarios, followed by a panel discussion of best practices around team, process, and tool for reality capture.
Presented by: Jennifer Suerth, LEED AP, Pepper Construction; Tomislav Žigo, Clayco Inc.; Dr. Mani Golparvar, Reconstruct; Frank Malangone, Oracle
Meet the Speaker: Jennifer Suerth, Pepper Construction
As Senior Vice President of Virtual Construction, MEP and Operations Technology, Jen provides strategic direction for Pepper Construction in these areas and serves as a key advisor to project teams on constructability and implementation strategies throughout the early stages of project design through construction and facility management. With more than 16 years of experience in architecture, engineering and construction, Jen leads teams to think creatively and solve problems for our clients in ways that are not expected, incorporating technology and virtual construction tools in to how we deliver work. She is a forward-thinking industry-recognized innovator, continuing to work to pilot new technologies and leverage tools in new ways. Jen helps deliver a consistent experience for clients, aligning technology with the firm’s operational needs from the office to the field. This includes setting standards across all locations, improving workflows and ensuring technology is consistently implemented and teams are thoroughly trained.
Jen’s career spans award-winning structural engineering projects, leading our industry to adopt 3D design and construction practices while serving as one of the foremost thought leaders, conference speakers and interviewees on the use of virtual construction technology to deliver better buildings more efficiently. She has been recognized among Crain’s Notable Women in Stem, BD+C’s 40 Under 40, Builtworlds Top 50 Technology Adoptions Leaders, Women in Construction by Constructech Magazine, Chicago Building Congress Future Leaders and ENR Midwest’s Top 20 Under 40.
Jen holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Architectural Studies and a Master of Architecture, Structures, both from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Meet the Speaker: Tomislav Žigo, Clayco Inc.
Over the past twenty-five years, Tomislav Žigo has been actively implementing and using digital technology as a designer, builder, educator, and researcher.
His experience encompasses: digital technology use on large scale institutional, industrial, corporate and mission critical projects; research work in the field of Building Performance Analysis and Mixed Reality; construction process optimization and deployment of future technologies across the activities that define the AEC/O industry.
Chief Technology Officer for Clayco Inc. of St. Louis, he leads a multidisciplinary team of experts continually improving digital project delivery while being actively involved in shaping the future of the industry’s Digital Transformation.
Tomislav is a registered architect and holds a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Rijeka in Croatia and a Master of Architecture degree from Washington University in St. Louis.
Meet the Speaker: Dr. Mani Golparvar, Reconstruct
Dr. Mani Golparvar is the CSO and co-founder of Reconstruct, a Software-as-a-Service company that creates reality models from photos and 360 videos and integrates them with building information modeling (BIM) and project scheduling to visually track progress, analyze productivity, and proactively detect potential delays using predictive analytics; in turn empowering construction companies to keep their projects on schedule and on budget.
Dr. Golparvar is also Professor of Civil Engineering, Computer Science, and Technology Entrepreneurship at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His work in the area of computer vision, machine learning, and BIM has been the recipient of many awards including 2018 Walter Huber Research Prize from American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), 2017 National Top 20 Under 40 from ENR; 2016 Dan Halpin Award for Scholarship in Construction and 2013 James Croes Medal for innovation in Civil Engineering from ASCE; 2013 and 2010 CETI awards from FIATECH; and numerous best journal and conference paper awards. Reconstruct has also been recognized by several industrial awards including 2016 World Economic Forum most innovative startup company and 2016 Innovation Award from Turner Construction.
Meet the Speaker: Frank Malangone, Oracle
Frank Malangone has over 35 years’ experience as a technology leader within the engineering and construction (E&C) industry. During this time Frank has demonstrated his strength in tracking technology to positively impact E&C companies. He has a proven ability to implement innovative solutions targeted at improving organizational competitiveness.
Frank is now part of Oracle Construction and Engineering within the industry strategy team ensuring their products’ capabilities are aligned with industry trends. He meets with customers and partners, often at Oracle’s Industries Innovation Lab in Deerfield, IL communicating Oracle Construction and Engineering’s innovation vision for the industry and how Oracle’s products and related competencies can be applied to address the needs of their business.
Frank holds an MBA with a concentration in Business Technology. He often presents executive workshops and conference papers on current and future trends within the E&C industry and Oracle’s strategy for customers’ success.
Security Track
This session will be a panel of Cybersecurity professionals in the construction industry who have helped stand up and improve cybersecurity programs at their organizations. We will cover topics that help the audience understand where the program was when they started and where they are now and the key steps to getting there.
The session will be interactive with the audience while ensuring there are key actionable takeaways for every level of cybersecurity program.
Presented by: Rob Spencer, CAMP Construction, Tylar Alfred, CAMP Construction; Anthony Castano, SpawGlass
Meet the Speaker: Rob Spencer, CAMP Construction
Robert Spencer is the Chief Information Officer and Chief Administrative Officer for Camp Construction Services, a multi-family residential general contractor with multiple locations across the U.S. In this role, Robert provides the strategic vision and direction to achieve business objectives through excellence in information and technology, risk management, marketing, procurement, and the operations service department. Robert is a certified cybersecurity professional (CISSP) that instills and drives a mindset of “Digital Safety” across the organization. Robert has championed the formation of a Construction Technology team to drive digital optimization and transformation throughout the organization. Prior to joining Camp Construction Services, Robert was the Director of IT for SpawGlass and the Vice President of IT for Orion Group Holdings.
Robert has a passion for sharing ideas on driving technology adoption in the construction industry. He has been on panels speaking about “Lessons Learned When Investing in Construction Technology”, “Leveraging Data Analytics”, and “Connecting Project Management & Accounting Systems”. He has also published an article in CIO Applications about “Embracing Technology to Become More Than Just a Builder”.
Meet the Speaker: Tylar Alfred, CAMP Construction
Tylar Alfred, a Cyber Security Analyst, specializes in implementing security tools and digital safety culture to improve organizations security posture.
Meet the Speaker: Anthony Castano, SpawGlass
I began my cybersecurity journey as a service desk analyst, where I developed a fascination for the field. Pursuing my interest, I obtained a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity, equipping me with essential knowledge and skills. While studying for my degree, I transitioned into a cybersecurity analyst role, protecting systems and data from cyber threats. As I progress in my career, I remain dedicated to continuous learning and contributing to the ever-changing field of cybersecurity.
12:15 PM – 1:00 PM
Lunch
Sponsored By:
1:00 PM – 1:45 PM
General Session | Bridging the Gap – Becoming More Than Just a Tech Leader
Managing/PM Track
This session is intended to help the audience understand the importance of being more than just a technologist leading a team of IT professionals. Businesses are looking for high level leaders that understand and can solve core business problems and drive efficiency, not just someone to fix printers, set up iPads and install software.
They will walk away with solid concepts on how to market IT to the organization, how to gain influence across the organization, how to drive effective change, and how to develop a business mindset all of which lead to getting a true “seat at the table”
Presented by: Rob Spencer, CAMP Construction
1:45 PM – 1:50 PM
Transition Break
1:50 PM – 2:30 PM
Breakout Sessions
Unlocking the Metaverse: Blockchain, AI, Digital Twins and their Effect on the Construction Industry
BIM/VDC Track
Metaverse is the next evolution of the Internet while Blockchain is emerging as the next generation of data and financial management. How do these technology innovations affect you, your company and our industry? Join us for a discovery of how Building Information Models (BIM) and Digital Twins are becoming a key element of the metaverse and how Blockchain technologies like Smart Contracts and NFTs along with emerging technologies like AI and Chatbots that reside in the metaverse, are creating new workflows, challenges, and value propositions for our industry.
You will learn how to cut through the jargon and implement sound strategies and approaches to meet the requirements of these new generational innovations. A live metaverse demo will be shown that will highlight construction processes and outcomes of the digital built environment. We look forward to having you join us on this incredible journey into the next generation of technology and its effect on the built environment.
Presented by: Paul Doherty, The Digit Group; Hugh Seaton, The Link
Meet the Speaker: Paul Doherty, The Digit Group
Paul is Chairman and CEO of TDG (the digit group www.thedigitgroupinc.com), a globally renowned and award-winning architect who is one of the world’s most sought after thought leaders, strategists and integrators of process, technology, and business. As seen on The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg TV, acknowledged by CNBC as one of America’s Business Titans and reported by Forbes as “Changing the World”, Paul is a Senior Fellow of the Design Futures Council and a Fellow of the International Facility Management Association (IFMA). Paul’s current work is as Chairman of TDG Global Ventures, a Smart City real estate development company that provides financing, design-build and innovative technology solutions around the world.
Concurrently, Paul is also the co-founder and producer of the critically acclaimed AEC Hackathon (www.aechackathon.com) that launched at Facebook Headquarters. His past successful ventures include Revit Technologies (Sold to Autodesk 2002), Buzzsaw (Autodesk 2001) and TRIRIGA (IBM 2011). His 2 latest books are being published this year, “Smart Cities: Reimagining the Urban Experience” published by Quality Press in May 2023 and “Unlocking the Metaverse: A Strategic Guide for the Future of the Built Environment”, published by John Wiley & Sons in September 2023.
Meet the Speaker: Hugh Seaton, The Link
Hugh began his career translating specifications for welding wire for Taiwanese engineers, and has been passionate about ensuring problem solvers have the information they need ever since. Whether it’s TV production for Pepsi in China, or mechanical specifications for a building in Colorado, many of the same issues apply.
This interest in empowering problem solvers has found its natural expression in modern artificial intelligence, where Hugh has led teams building products in eLearning, machine vision, and now LLMs.
Hugh is currently CEO of The Link, a software company dedicated to making construction documents consumable for owners, contractors and everyone who needs access to these critical documents. Prior to The Link, Hugh served as general manager at the Construction Specifications Institute. Hugh is graduate of Columbia Business School, and lives in Austin, Texas.
Leading a construction company’s technology initiatives has changed drastically over the past five years. In addition to the traditional concerns around security and infrastructure, CIOs and CTOs are now charged with so much more. Technology now fuels business’s growth, and overseeing budget, selection, implementation, adoption, and profitability are all starting to fall to this vital role. Hear real ROI data from partnership with FMI and AEMP, and learn from others on how they have successfully executed the technology leading role, what they’re still learning, and what they wished they knew when they started. This session will focus on three primary areas:
Selection: Starting the selection process for an organization’s technology journey can be daunting, and it encompasses more than just a single solution. Get the guide on how to evaluate tech options long term, understand how they will impact the overall organization, and how to ensure they all work together to create a solid technology ecosystem that saves time and money.
Communication: Ensuring each part of an organization is aware of a new platform or process is a pivotal part of rollout and continued success. Learn which stakeholder personas to empower so that communication throughout the organization is clear and cohesive, and how best to achieve each persona.
ROI: After selection, rollout, and communication, long term success is the top priority when proving ROI. Discover key metrics, strategies, and areas of focus to achieve the maximum return on a technology investment.
Presented by: Karen Wuerfl, Tenna; Rodney Dennis, GS Construction Inc.
Meet the Speaker: Karen Wuerfl, Tenna
Karen Wuerfl is a senior operations and technology leader who has spent her entire career in the construction industry. Her experience in construction technology spans multiple roles including her current position as Chief Operating Officer at Tenna, serving as the Chief Information Officer at J.F. White—a heavy civil contractor based in Boston, Massachusetts—and years of consulting experience guiding construction clients in the right direction while implementing construction software into their businesses.
Wuerfl has participated on several boards and committees including: AGC National IT Forum Steering Committee, Viewpoint Industry Advisory Board, Construction Industries of Massachusetts, Women in Transportation, J.F. White Executive Committee, and National Association of Women in Construction.
She brings extensive ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) and acquisition integration experience, with deep knowledge in systems such as ViewPoint Vista and Sage. Her knowledge lets her lead from both a business angle in terms of workflows and SOPs, as well as with the backend set up and data. This background, along with adept leadership skills, enables her to motivate construction business teams, drive process improvement, and enhance the collaboration between operations, accounting, and IT.
Meet the Speaker: Rodney Dennis, GS Construction Inc.
Rodney is a dynamic tech leader with a proven track record of driving success through technology in the construction industry. As the Chief Information Officer at GS CONSTRUCTION INC, he spearheads the organization’s technological strategy, implementation, and development. Under his visionary leadership, the company has experienced remarkable growth, increasing its annual revenue from 12 million dollars in 2021 to an impressive 60 million dollars in 2023.
With certifications as an Ethical Hacker Cisco Professional and a Certified Information Systems Security Professional, Rodney brings a wealth of expertise to his role. His dedication to staying at the forefront of technology ensures that he can navigate the complex IT landscape with precision. Rodney’s passion for problem-solving and his ability to leverage technology effectively have been instrumental in driving the organization to new heights.
As a sought-after speaker at industry conferences, Rodney represents the next generation of tech-savvy professionals in the construction sector. His insights and expertise on harnessing technology to revolutionize the industry make him a valuable resource for attendees. Rodney’s visionary approach, combined with his unwavering commitment to driving technological advancements, continues to set new standards of success in IT for construction.
Security Track
As the general contracting industry increasingly relies on digital systems, managing digital risk to avoid business disruption and other losses must become a core business function. Participants in this session will gain a better understanding of observed cyber threat trends relevant to the general contracting industry, what the data indicates are characteristics of more vulnerable organizations, and the specific steps you can take now to reduce the likelihood your organization will become a victim and recover quickly if you do.
Presented by: Sezaneh Seymour, Coalition
Meet the Speaker: Sezaneh Seymour, Coalition
Ms. Sezaneh Seymour is the Vice President and Head of Regulatory Risk and Policy at Coalition – a leading provider of innovative cyber insurance and security services. For nearly twenty years, Sezaneh has held various domestic and foreign policy roles at the nexus of national security, emerging technology, sustainability, and trade. She served as Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative in the Executive Office of the President where she was responsible for negotiating and enforcing trade agreements. She is the former Senior Advisor to the Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for Cyber and Emerging Technology on the National Security Council. Prior to these roles, she served at the U.S. Department of the Treasury and at the U.S. Department of State. She is a graduate of the National Defense University’s Eisenhower School and earned her Ph.D. from Virginia Tech.
2:35 PM – 2:50 PM
Conference Summary & Takeaways