Judges

Tim Brook Tim completed a Bachelor of Architecture in 1979 and has 40 years of experience in the construction industry. In 1990, after working with several Sydney-based architects on commercial office buildings, schools, and retail, he joined Lawrence Nield & Partners (LNPA) to work on the new Children’s Hospital Westmead. Specialising in health projects with LNPA (later BVN), he has undertaken many Design Architect, Project Architect, and Project Director (architecture) roles. In 2007 Tim joined Bovis Lend Lease’s specialist Health SBU as a Project Manager / Design Manager on large PPP health projects. These included the PPP bid for the new Royal North Shore Hospital, the New Royal Adelaide Hospital and the $1.35bn Sunshine Coast University Hospital where he was responsible for the design management close-out of the Schematic Design and Design Development. Through his 12-year role at BLL/LL, Tim gained a broad experience of project brief and SOA preparation, design, contract delivery, project management and construction management which he brings to the role of judge for the MBA (NSW) Excellence in Construction Awards for health buildings.

Kevin Cohen Kevin commenced his carpentry and joinery apprenticeship in 1972. He completed his trade qualifications and Clerk of Works. Kevin is a company director of a successful family business, Co-Wyn Building Contractors Pty Ltd. During his time in the building industry, Kevin has been a site foreman and project manager, and has coordinated apprenticeship training. Kevin has been involved in a number of varied projects which include churches, schools, industrial buildings, and aged care complexes. He now acts as a judge for the Master Builders Association of NSW Excellence in Construction Awards.

Peter Deane Peter has a Civil Engineering Honours Degree from UNSW and is a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers Australia. With 40 years’ experience in the construction industry in Australia and overseas, Peter’s input has ranged from the role of General Manager running state operations for major companies such as Lend Lease and Abigroup, to that of Project Director for major projects (acting for both owner/developer and contractors), and to the managing of Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) schemes and Alliances involving government and non-government partners. Projects and input have been geographically spread across Australia (including remote Northern Territory), the United Kingdom and Singapore, with significant projects including the first major modern designed shopping centre in Singapore (Centrepoint), the Galleria Morley Shopping Centre in Perth, and the Sydney Superdome (Qudos Bank Arena) and P1 Car Cark for 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Byron Dodd Byron is currently a Senior Project Officer in the Apprenticeships and Traineeships Unit of Training Services NSW, heading up a team responsible for the Trade Skills Recognition Program. He has been involved in Vocational Education and Training for over 20 years and is based in Newcastle. Byron has worked for Training Services for over 13 years, undertaking a variety of positions, including Industry Training Adviser, Training Coordinator and Quality Assurance Officer in both regional centres and Training Services NSW head office. With a professional interest in the intersection of Apprentice/Trainee and employer responsibilities and awareness, he has developed various programs and projects to help build the relationship between the apprentice/trainee and the employer. This includes contextualising and delivering supervisor workshops, funded training solutions, mediation, and support to both parties. Stephen Edwards Stephen completed a Civil Engineering Honours degree at UNSW in 1967. In 1968 he was called up for National Service and after graduating as a Second Lieutenant spent the remainder of his two years as an instructor at the School of Military Engineering, mostly teaching Demolitions and Mine Warfare. Following his discharge from the Army, Stephen completed a Master of Engineering Science Degree (Construction) and then headed to London where he worked for a large commercial builder. After gaining further project management experience back in Sydney, Stephen and his wife Jenny established Stephen Edwards Constructions Pty Ltd in 1980. This family company has grown to have 110 employees and a current annual turnover of over $120 Million. SEC specialises in government, commercial and aged care projects and is now largely run by two of Stephen’s sons. Stephen has been an active member of the MBA for 43 years.

Owen Friend Owen has been a dedicated member of the building industry since commencing his Bachelor of Building at the University of NSW in 1975, and his subsequent employment as a site cadet with John Holland Constructions in 1978. Since then, he has also worked with Rennat Construction, Carrington Constructions, Richard Crookes Constructions, Corbet Constructions, and since 2002 has been working with FDC Construction & Fitout Pty Ltd. He is currently the Director of FDC Construction’s business division, having been Chief Estimator for 20 years. He has also spent some time in the charitable side of the business and staff training, and helping the interstate businesses as required. In Owen’s time at FDC, the business has grown from some 50 people to over 500, covering a diverse range of projects.

John Humphreys John completed a diploma in Quantity Surveying at UNSW in 1969 and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors. John is now retired from full-time work but continues to provide advice and project management for several selected projects. John has a wealth of experience acquired throughout a career in property development spanning the residential, commercial, industrial, retail, hospitality, and transportation sectors. John’s involvement on scores of major developments, all with opportunities and constraints, enables him to provide valuable insight to the development team on how to manage risk and add value. Significant projects in which John has been involved are commercial development at Sydney Airport Centre, $500m redevelopment of Camperdown Children’s Hospital, $350m Kooindah Waters Golf Resort, Rushcutters Bay ADVANX mixed-use redevelopment and the redevelopment of the former ABC site at Gore Hill. Recent projects include the new Ronald McDonald House at Westmead, High Grove residential estate at Box Hill NSW, the New Clarendon Homes Baboon enclosure at Zambie Wildlife Retreat, and several projects involving the removal of combustible cladding and replacing with approved cladding in response to Council issued Fire Safety Orders.

John McKellar John commenced his construction career with Mainline Constructions in 1971. Since that time, he has spent 42 years in varying rolls of site management, project management and senior management roles. After working for several major companies, he spent the most recent 25 years with A W Edwards Pty Ltd as a Senior Project Manager and then the Companies Commercial Manager for the last 12 years up to retirement in 2013. Over this period, he has been responsible for many key projects including sports facilities, hospitals, commercial developments, research facilities and university education facilities. John holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (Building) from the UTS.

Max Mosher Max is an energy consultant and has worked in the energy industry for more than 40 years. He has a wealth of knowledge and experience in relation to solar and energy-efficient house design, including energy utilisation in the domestic sector and thermal performance assessments. Max has been a committee member on a Standards Australia Review Committee BD/058 titled “Materials for the Thermal Insulation of Buildings”. He has been on the judging panels for the Building Designers Association Annual Design Awards, the Master Builders Association Excellence in Housing and Construction Awards, the Master Builders Australia National Excellence in Building and Construction Awards, and the Local Government Association Environment Awards. Max is a founding member and former director of the Association of Building Sustainability Assessors (ABSA).

Patrick Murphy Patrick commenced in the Building Industry in 1969 and shortly after received his Certificate of Competency in Carpentry and Bachelor Applied Science (Building) from the Institute of Technology. A director of A W Edwards Pty Ltd until he retired, he worked for the company for 43 years. He was the Project Manager for numerous major projects throughout Sydney including many fitouts encompassing the retail, banking, schools, shopping centres and scientific sectors.

Shaleeni Nagpal Shaleeni is a Senior Inspector at SafeWork NSW and is based in Parramatta. She works on the High-Risk Workplaces & Stakeholder Engagement team with the Construction Services Group and is the Lead for the SafeWork Safety Casts (work health and safety podcasts aimed at the construction industry). Shaleeni is actively involved in facilitating SafeWork’s interactive online Site Supervisor Workshops in addition to conducting field inspections independently and jointly with Fair Trading NSW and the Office of the Building Commissioner. She is passionate about engaging with industry to build capability and promote work health and safety (WHS), having come from a background in injury management and recovery at work. She also has experience in generalist operations investigating matters involving general WHS, violence & aggression, and bullying & harassment in the workplace across a range of industries including warehousing, manufacturing, hospitals, education, and correctional facilities. Donna Seidler Donna has been an MBA Awards Apprentice Judge since 2001. She is a strong advocate for the apprenticeship system, and with a background in human resources and workplace gender equality reporting, believes the industry should provide opportunities for all. Formerly a manager of an apprentice group training scheme, Donna introduced a pilot program for indigenous apprentices, as well as representing the MBA on various industry bodies. Donna has been involved in apprentice education and training for 25 years and is currently working in promoting apprenticeship pathways and recruiting candidates into the building and construction industry. Over the past five years those apprenticeship pathway programs have resulted in the registration of hundreds of apprentices into full time positions. Donna liaises with industry stake holders and training institutions to monitor the progression of apprentice training to ensure the required studies in the given trade are completed.

David Solomon David has worked in the building and construction industry for over 33 years. David is a “Fellow” and dual international ISQEM Safety Award winner 2015 & 2016, for his commitment and involvement in developing a positive safety culture in the building and construction industry. David was recently appointed to the board as an International Director of ISQEM. David developed the award-winning submission that saw MBA NSW receive the 2021 SafeWork NSW Association’s category. He is a Standards Australia Chairman of Occupational Health and Safety Management Committee, Standards Australia International Head of Delegation, and the Convenor of ISO 45004 Working Group responsible for the development of a new international Standard for OH&S Performance Evaluation. David is a Certified Management Systems Specialist and Price Waterhouse Coopers External Advisory Board Chairman. David is also a Director on the board of the Crane Industry Council of Australia. He regularly reviews safety and technical documentation for State and National Government departments. David leads by example, driving safety awareness so he never loses sight of the grass roots.

Len Tully Len completed a Bachelor of Architecture in 1975 and has more than 35 years’ experience in the building and construction industry, working mainly on projects in aged care, schools, and churches. He has worked with several architectural firms in Sydney, including holding directorship positions. As part of his work, he managed designs through documentation to completed built projects. In 2012, he retired from his position as director of T+E Architects but remains involved with the judging of the Master Builders Association of NSW Excellence in Construction Awards.

EXCELLENCE IN CONSTRUCTION WINNERS