2nd Annual AEC Leadership Conference Program Book

AGENDA Thursday, November 7, 2019 | 8:30am - 6:00pm

7:45am

Registration & Continential Breakfast

8:30am

Welcome & Remarks

8:45am

Opening Keynote

9:30am Break 9:45am

Leadership Training Workshop

11:50am Lunch 1:00pm

Breakout Sessions

2:15pm

Break

2:30pm

Panel Discussion

3:40pm

Closing Keynote

4:30pm Reception

Welcome to the Construction Institute We are the people you work with every day – owners and facility managers, architects and engineers, contractors and subcontractors, project managers, consultants, manufacturers and distributors, governmental agencies, lawyers, accountants, and many other industry-related colleagues.

As

a

non-profit,

nonpartisan

organization,

the

Construction

Institute has been providing vision, leadership, problem solving skills and unique, trade-specific education for over 40 years.

Registration and attendance at, or participation in, Construction Institute events and other activities constitutes an agreement by the registrant to the use and distribution (both now and in the future) of the registrant or attendee’s image or voice in

photographs,

videotapes,

electronic

reproductions,

and

audiotapes of such events and activities by the Construction Institute. No other recording is allowed.

PROGRAM DES CRIPTION S Opening Keynote

8:30am-9:30am

The Digital Transformation of the Design and Construction Industry New technologies are rapidly transforming all global industries. Dodge Data & Analytics is a recognized leader in conducting cutting edge research on the adoption, value and challenges of technology usage by owners, designers and builders and publishing compelling findings in its SmartMarket Report series. Steve Jones, Senior Director of Industry Insights Research for Dodge Data & Analytics, will share highlights of his team’s research on the digital transformation of design and construction and provide examples of innovative ways firms are applying these tools and practices to benefit all parties and move the industry to a more collaborative future.

Stephen Jones, Dodge Data & Analytics

Leadership Training Workshop The Leadership Leadership

Challenge®

-

A

9:45am-11:50am Model

for

Exemplary

Leaders who strive to be the best they can be often are overwhelmed by the wide and confusing array of leadership models, philosophies, and books. Dunn will share an evidencebased leadership model that is grounded in over 35 years of research into what leaders can do to drive exemplary performance in their organizations. The Leadership Challenge® is a practical, applicable, and accessible approach to leadership development. In addition to learning about the model and research behind it, participants will have an opportunity to assess themselves against the 30 specific behaviors and get concrete suggestions on what they can do immediately to enhance their leadership effectiveness.

Amy Dunn, Organizational Performance Group

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION S Breakout Sessions

1:00pm-2:15pm

How Leaders Can Inspire Going from Silos and Sandboxes to Collaboration and Growth Let’s face it, regardless of the structure of your organization, silos and sandboxes exist. Be it through separate profit and loss centers, market sectors, services or bonus structures, we unintentionally build silos or sandboxes so that we can build our defenses to protect and control what is ours. As a result we limit collaboration and ultimately our ability to best serve our clients and in doing so, stifle our own growth.

This was first recognized by Jack Welch, former GE CEO, over 25 years ago. He noted that in order for a company to compete, greater collaboration and employee engagement in this global economy is even more important than ever previously required. During this session, we will explore ways to build transparency in the silos and invite more team members into our sandboxes to co-collaborate for the best outcomes for your clients and your company growth.

Petina Killiany, Arcadis

Leadership vs. Authority – A Distinction That Unlocks Bold Progress For any firm to progress, there needs to be people committed to leading change initiatives and people able to grant permission and resources to support those initiatives.

However, for many AEC firms, the essential relationship between those who lead and those who have authority remains unclear or uncommunicated. As such change initiatives fail almost 80% of the time. We will explore the distinction between leadership and authority and demonstrate how to create a high-performance relationship between the two that can be the catalyst for change initiative success.

Brent Robertson, Fathom

PROGRAM DES CRIPTION S The Neuroscience of Leadership This session will focus on lessons from social science research and the brain as it relates to decision making, leadership and engagement. Participants will explore the difference between intuition or “gut feelings� and conscious deliberation. Participants will examine the connection between universally practiced conflict management skills and the potential science behind their utility. Participants will also learn practical tips related to the connections between neuroscience and motivation, teams and group norms.

Daniel Weitz, Division of Professional and Court Services, New York State Unified Court System

Panel Discussion

2:30pm-3:40pm

From Mentee to Mentor: Creating Paths to Leadership Our panel of leaders representing the different professions in the AEC industry will share their experiences on how they were trained and their individual philosophies and practical approaches to mentoring the next generation of leaders in their firms and in the industry.

Elizabeth Wright, Moderator, MIT Investment Management Company Robert Benzinger, McPhee Electric/Phalcon USA Tiffany Cartier, e2 Engineers Eric Cushman, Gilbane Building Company Ted Cutler, Tecton Zoraida Ferguson, Pratt & Whitney

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION S Closing Keynote

3:40pm-4:30pm

Creating Opportunities Matthew Barstow will take conference attendees on a journey through time beginning with a look at how his career began and the factors that lead him to persevere and thrive in a very competitive industry. Next, Barstow will take a look at the present, discussing his current methodology for finding and creating opportunities. He will close with a look at the future and discuss some little known investment opportunities, how technology is going to affect the development world, and how regulatory changes are presenting new opportunities for the AEC and development industries.

Matthew Barstow, Majestic Realty Group

M EET T HE KEYNOTE

STEPHEN JONES SENIOR DIRECTOR, INDUSTRY INSIGHTS RESEARCH DODGE DATA & ANALYTICS

At Dodge Data & Analytics, Steve Jones researches how emerging economic, practice and technology trends are transforming the global design and construction industry.

In addition to hundreds of speaking engagements around the world and numerous articles in industry publications, he produces Dodge’s SmartMarket Reports on key industry trends, read by millions worldwide and frequently cited as authoritative references. Jones holds a MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and a B.A. from Johns Hopkins University. He is active in many industry initiatives and serves as a judge for numerous industry awards. Before joining Dodge, Jones was Vice President of Primavera Systems (now part of Oracle), the global leader in project management software. Prior to that, he spent 19 years in creative and management roles with top architectural/engineering firms, most recently as a Principal and Board of Directors member with Burt Hill, one of the largest A/E firms in the US (now merged with Stantec).

MEET TH E KEYNOTE

MATTHEW BARSTOW CEO MAJESTIC DEVELOPMENT GROUP MAJESTIC REALTY GROUP

Most recently engaged in business building and development as the CEO of New Mexico’s largest real estate company, where in less than two years Matthew A. Barstow grew the company from $300 Million in sales to just over $1.1 Billion.

During his tenure Barstow also recruited 280 top performing real estate agents and was recognized as a top 20 franchise CEO nationally. Previously, he served as the national board member, president, and chairman, of the American Institute of Architecture Students in Washington, DC from 2011-2014.

While in our nation’s capital, he served as an international board member of the American Institute of Architects and as a member of architectures five presidents council. In 2013 Barstow received the Richard Upjohn Fellowship Medal from the American Institute of Architects national board of directors. Barstow has a Bachelor of Arts Architecture degree and his Master of Architecture Degree from the University of New Mexico School of Architecture and Planning where he now serves as an adjunct faculty member teaching graduate level courses in real estate development.

Barstow is also a proud veteran of the United States Marine Corps, serving from 1999-2003. He is a published author and most recently a contributor in the 15th edition of The Architects Professional Practice Guidelines. Currently Barstow is working to develop a 1000 acre solar farm in New Mexico. Barstow is a passionate conservationist who owns and operates an organic/hydroponic farm which he plans to develop into Albuquerque’s first example of a working vertical farm.

MEET TH E SPEAKER

ROBERT BENZINGER VICE PRESIDENT OF PLANNING PHALCON, INC.

Robert Benzinger, P.E. is a 40 year veteran in the engineering and construction community. Currently Vice President of Planning for Phalcon, Inc., a parent company of large utility and electrical contracting firms, his role is to help define the strategic direction of the companies as well as integrate services and expertise across the various company boundaries. Additionally he draws on his experience in support of the company’s business acquisition efforts with large utilities and major corporations. Prior to joining Phalcon, Benzinger held several leadership roles in Corporate Real Estate, Real Estate Investments and Power delivery. He holds a Bachelor in Civil Engineering from the University of Connecticut, a Master of Business Administration from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and is a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Connecticut. Further, Benzinger is a member of the Board of Trustees for The Community Renewal Team (CRT) of Connecticut, and Advisory Board member for Meadows Real Estate, CRT’s supportive housing subsidiary.

MEET TH E SPEAKE R

TIFFANY CARTIER SENIOR ENGINEER E2 ENGINEERS

Tiffany Cartier, P.E. is a senior structural engineer with e2 engineers in New London, CT. Cartier began her career in 2009 as a structural engineer working on railroad and state highway bridge projects. Simultaneously, she earned a Master of Engineering degree from the University of Hartford. She continued her engineering career in the defense industry working on submarine hull and foundation structures for General Dynamics Corp. In 2016, Cartier joined the e2 engineers team of building structure engineers.

Through her experience in design and construction support for infrastructure, defense, institutional, and residential sector projects, Cartier has developed strong technical and adaptable interpersonal skills. She understands the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration and has a keen awareness of project stakeholder needs. In addition to production engineering, Cartier manages her projects, works directly with clients, oversees project engineers, and encourages constant improvement of e2 engineers’ company practices. She considers every project a learning experience that can help her team perform better on the next task.

ME E T T H E S P E A K E R

ERIC CUSHMAN OPERATIONS MANAGER GILBANE BUILDING COMPANY

Eric Cushman is the Operations Manager for Gilbane Building Company in Connecticut, overseeing offices in Glastonbury and Stamford as well as a myriad of projects across the state. Cushman began his career at Gilbane as an intern in 2007 and quickly excelled through training and technical field assignments. He completed Gilbane’s Management Candidates Acceleration Program (MCAP), an intensive two-year program that provides hands-on experiences in a variety of roles and functional areas of construction management. Simultaneously, he worked on the complex renovation and expansion project for St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport, CT. During his 12 years with Gilbane, he has achieved success in each progressive step of his career. Most notably, Cushman led Gilbane’s Special Projects Group (SPG) in Connecticut, advancing team collaboration and fostering its strategic growth. Under his leadership, the team completed fast-paced projects for clients such as Bank of America, Bristol Hospital, Slate School and Stamford Towers. He was also responsible for business development and driving new growth in Connecticut across all market sectors. Cushman earned a bachelor of science from Philadelphia University in architectural studies and a MBA from Quinnipiac University. He has served in several roles with the ACE Mentor Program since 2011 including mentor and local chapter board member. In 2018, he was recognized as a member of the 2018 Hartford Business Journal’s 40 under 40 class and elected to the board of directors of Riverfront Recapture.

ME E T T H E S P E AK E R

TED CUTLER PRINCIPAL AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER TECTON ARCHITECTS

Ted Cutler, AIA, LEED AP, is Principal and Chief Executive Officer of Tecton Architects, a 60-person design firm with offices in Hartford, CT and Westerly, RI. He joined Tecton as a part-time draftsman in 1994, shortly after graduating from Pennsylvania State University. A homegrown leader in a firm destined for transition, his role and responsibility grew with expanding opportunities and he was appointed CEO by the founding partners in 2011. Cutler is an involved leader in the A/E/C industry and his community, with participation in the Construction Institute and its Visionaries Forum, MetroHartford Alliance, Connecticut Business & Industry Association and the Southern New England Chapter of The LEAN Construction Institute. He is currently Chairman of the Board of Directors for Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters, where he has served in various capacities since 2013. Cutler is a registered architect in 6 states, LEED Accredited Professional and is a member of the American Institute of Architects.

ME E T T H E S P E A K E R

AMY DUNN SENIOR ASSOCIATE ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE GROUP

Amy Dunn is a Senior Associate at Organizational Performance Group, based in Woodbridge, CT. OPG is an organizational development consulting firm that believes people and their ability to work together are critical to the success of any organization. As a member of the OPG team, Dunn leverages her own leadership experience and evidence-based training and coaching programs to optimize talent at the individual, team, and organizational level. She specializes in leadership development, coaching, team building, and meeting design and facilitation. Her work spans several industries including insurance, financial and professional services, high tech, telecommunications, academic, healthcare, and government organizations. Dunn is a Certified Master of The Leadership Challenge® and a Certified Coach for the corresponding Leadership Practices Inventory® assessment. She is also certified in The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team™, DiSC®, and the full suite of assessment products from the Center For Creative Leadership.

ME E T T H E S P E AK E R

ZORAIDA FERGUSON ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES ENGINEERING & PROJECTS PRATT & WHITNEY/UNITED TECHNOLOGIES

Zoraida Ferguson is Pratt & Whitney’s Associate Director of Facilities Engineering & Projects, responsible for leading a diverse and talented organization that plans, designs and constructs projects ranging from office renovations to jet engine assembly and manufacturing facilities. Ferguson began her career at Pratt & Whitney 40 years ago in the printing department at the company’s East Hartford, Connecticut, facility. Over the course of her career, she has held numerous roles of increasing responsibility where she gained vast experience and insight into both the facilities world and Pratt & Whitney’s global business. She holds a master degree in business management and organizational leadership and regularly attends business and industry related events to stay current with latest technologies and practices in her field. Ferguson is committed to helping others in their educational endeavors, having contributed countless hours of service to organizations such as the Women in Aviation where she served as vice president for a number of years, and the Construction Institute where she serves on the Board of Directors. Her latest efforts have included teaming up the Construction Institute and Pratt & Whitney to create a talent pipeline to benefit students and the aerospace industry. The goal is to prepare these talented students for their careers through classroom education and real-world professional experiences.

ME E T T H E S P E A K E R

PETINA KILLIANY SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT ARCADIS

Petina Killiany is a Senior Vice President with Arcadis and the National Operations Director for its Buildings and Infrastructure Program, Project and Construction Management teams. Killiany works with local and national teams to help establish strategy, develop client plans and helps her teams deliver successful projects. She also works collaboratively with her peers across the globe as the North America Program Management Global Solutions lead, to help our global PMCM teams do the same in their respective regions. Killiany enjoys mentoring and developing young eager talent and discovering innovative ways in which Arcadis brings the best value to their client across the organization.

ME E T T H E S P E AK E R

BRENT ROBERTSON PARTNER FATHOM

Brent Robertson works with leaders to design futures worth believing in™. A partner at Fathom, he champions an approach to strategic planning, leadership development, talent engagement, and market differentiation that prioritizes people and relationships. As a result, his clients do not simply plan their futures, they bring them to life through the energy of organization-wide involvement in, and commitment to, generating valuable businesses that matter. In addition to his client work, Robertson is an outspoken advocate for the region, and serves as an advisor to community and business organizations who endeavor to create a better future for everyone who lives here. With a bias toward provoking new ways of seeing the world and taking action to change it, he is a sought-after keynote speaker and is regularly featured in regional and national publications. Robertson has oriented his life around helping people create conditions for their success. He is frequently invited to lecture on the topic of leadership and uses his personal transformation experience— going from an overweight and out of shape middle-ager to ultradistance athlete in under three years—as a place from which to mentor others through personal and professional change.

ME E T T H E S P E A K E R

DANIEL WEITZ DIRECTOR DIVISION OF PROFESSIONAL AND COURT SERVICES, NEW YORK STATE UNIFIED COURT SYSTEM

Daniel Weitz is the Director of the Division of Professional and Court Services for the New York State Unified Court System (UCS). Weitz oversees the statewide responsibilities of alternative dispute resolution, attorney for the child contracts, judiciary civil legal services contracts, office of language access, office of grants and contracts, guardianship and fiduciary services, legal information, office of the court record, parent education and awareness program, records management, the federally funded child welfare court improvement project, the court appointed special advocates assistance program, the children’s centers program, and operational issues related to the Americans with Disabilities Act. He serves on UCS Advisory Committees on Language Access, ADR, and Access for People with Disabilities as well as the NYSBA Committee on Families and the Law. Weitz has also served on the NYC Bar Domestic Violence Committee and Science and Law Committee. He is an Adjunct Clinical Professor of Mediation at Cardozo School of Law, an Adjunct Professor of Clinical Law at NYU School of Law and has taught ADR and conflict resolution related courses at Vermont Law School, Mitchell Hamline School of Law, Pepperdine School of Law, Idaho College of Law, John Jay College of Criminal Justice and Long Island University. He is an international ADR speaker having presented across the United States and beyond including Japan, China, Thailand and South Africa.

ME E T T H E S P E AK E R

ELIZABETH WRIGHT ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, REAL ESTATE LEGAL SERVICES MIT INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT COMPANY

Elizabeth K. Wright recently joined the Real Estate Legal Team at MIT Investment Management Company (“MITIMCo”).

In her role, she works with MITIMCo’s real estate development team, which manages MIT’s investment real estate holdings in Cambridge and advises the team on a variety of construction building and contracting risks. Prior to joining MITIMCo, Wright worked in private practice for almost ten years at Robinson & Cole, LLP. At Robinson & Cole, LLP, Wright’s practice concentrated in the areas of construction law, commercial litigation, and surety and fidelity law. She also counseled building owners, contractors, subcontractors, material suppliers, and sureties in all aspects of construction contract issues and construction-related litigation. During her time at Robinson & Cole, LLP, Wright was recognized as an Up and Coming Lawyer by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly in 2017, a 2017 ENR New England Top Young Professional and a Rising Star to the Massachusetts Super Lawyers list for 2017 and 2018. She also published several articles including: “Drones Take Flight in the Construction Industry,” published in Surety Bond Quarterly, co-authored with Jonathan R. Hausner (Summer 2017); “Responsibility for Design under Construction Manager at Risk Deliver,” published in REBA News, and the Boston Society of Civil Engineers Section (BSCES) Newsletter; and “Construction Manager Found Not Responsible for Design”, published in REBA News, co-authored with Dennis C. Cavanaugh (December 2015).

Wright received her B.A. in psychology from Bates College and her J.D. from the University of Connecticut School of Law.

PLANNING COMMITT E E The Construction Institute appreciates the time and dedication of this year ’s Planning Committee.

Michael Ayles, Program Chair Antinozzi Associates Kathy Cowles

Rachel Thayer

KC Architects, Inc.

Resource Options Incorporated

Kaitlyn Dobberfuhl

Marie Maia

Gilbane Building Company

Montagno Construction

Eric Goldman

Nancy Greenwald

Ankura

Construction Institute

James McManus The S/L/A/M Collaborative

COLLABORATING SPONSORS

SEAS ON SPONSORS