Sponsored by Seagate Mass Timber

Speakers:

Announced soon.

Sponsored by Sansin

Speakers:

Xu Fang · Chief Representative · American Softwoods China Office

As General Manager of American Softwoods China Office since 1999, Mr. Xu Fang has served for more than twenty years as the main contact point for the softwood industry for the U.S. and China for all aspects of the American Softwoods China program. He has worked with his colleagues identifying promotional opportunities with government agencies, trade associations, and industry in China’s construction industry with the goal of expanding wood applications. Xu represented the U.S. wood industry while participating in the revision of Chinese building codes and standards. Given his experience and knowledge of U.S. wood products, he was appointed by the Chinese code committee as one of the official members of China’s technical committee. He has made numerous presentations among Chinese developers, design professionals, importers, and consumers and introduced applications of U.S. softwood products. Xu has a degree in Structural Engineering from Tongji University.

More speakers announced soon.

Sponsored by Hilti North America

Speakers:

Alan Dias · Head of New Business and Engineering · CrossLam Brasil

Alan is a Brazilian mass timber engineer with considerable experience in timber structures. He is a winner of two Talent Awards Prizes in Engineering, the most important engineer prize in Brazil. Alan is a specialist in projects, structural calculations, and erection managing teams on site and design. He is head of New Business and Engineering at CrossLam Brasil, the largest mass timber manufacturer in Brazil. Prior to this position, Alan was the owner of Carpinteria Timber Structures, having participated in several building projects in Brazil and worldwide.

Sponsored by Nordic Structures

Speakers:

Peter Moonen · National Sustainability Manager · Canadian Wood Council

Peter studied Marine Biology, Zoology, and Forestry at the University of British Columbia and has used that science-based foundation as a technical communications specialist to advance a better understanding of wood products and the forest sector. He has more than 30 years experience dealing with regulatory, environmental, sustainability and operational issues. Peter is National Sustainability Manager for the Canadian Wood Council (CWC), a technical and knowledge transfer organization working to build a strong wood culture in Canada. Peter regularly presents on achieving greater sustainability, durability and the appropriate use of wood around the world to design professionals, contractors, educators, regulators and building officials. He is a member of the Team of Specialists for the UNECE Forestry and Timber section, and the recent UNECE COFFI conference held in Vancouver, and is a member of the Low Carbon-Assets through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA^2) Initiative of the National Research Council of Canada.

Katharina Lehmann · Owner · Blumer Lehmann AG

Since 1996, Katharina has been Owner, Chairwoman, or Delegate of the Board of Directors, and CEO of the Lehmann Group, CH-9200 Gossau that makes up Erlenhof AG, i.e. Lehmann Holzwerk AG, Blumer-Lehmann AG, BL Silobau AG, and Lehmann Immobilien AG. Katharina is also Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of Precious Woods, among others.

Sponsored by Seagate Mass Timber

Moderator:

Nicole Miller · Managing Director · Biomimicry 3.8

Nicole Miller is the managing director of Biomimicry 3.8 a certified BCorp and social enterprise dedicated to helping change-makers create a more sustainable and just world by emulating nature’s designs and core principles. Her background in Corporate Sustainability and global supply chain development support her role in driving internal strategy, projects, and initiatives, as she works to bring biomimicry solutions to clients around the world. Since joining B3.8 in 2012, she has overseen the development of key strategic partnerships to increase access to biomimicry and worked with clients such as Google, Unilever, Johnson & Johnson, Interface, Jacobs Engineering, HOK, and others to drive innovation and sustainability. Nicole has a unique grasp of how to position great science to drive commercial practice–and ultimately market transformation. She won’t rest until biomimicry is in the hands of all designers that shape our world.

Speakers:

Erin Rovalo · Director of Education · International Living Future Institute

Erin Rovalo leads ILFI’s education team in their mission to empower an international and diverse community of practice with the skills, values, and knowledge necessary to take bold action towards a living future. In this role, she is responsible for ILFI’s educational strategy and oversees curriculum design, course development, and credentialing. Erin has 15 years of experience in sustainable innovation consulting and adult education and is a recognized expert in biomimicry and nature inspired design methods. She is an experienced scholar and researcher holding a PhD in Design Practice and has published academic research as well as editorial articles in Fast Company, Greenbiz, and Metropolis among others. Her goal is to leverage ILFI’s education platform to connect research to practice and accelerate positive, data-driven change at the frontier of regenerative design.

William Browning · Managing Partner · Terrapin Bright Green

William Browning, BED Colorado University, MSRED MIT, Hon. AIA, LEED AP, is the Managing Partner in Terrapin Bright Green, an environmental strategies research and consulting firm. Browning’s clients include Disney, New Songdo City, Lucasfilm, Google, Marriott, Bank of America, Salesforce, the Inn of the Anasazi, the White House, and the Sydney 2000 Olympic Village. Browning was a founding member of the USGBC Board of Directors. He began research in human productivity and green buildings in the 1990s at Rocky Mountain Institute and is co-author of Greening the Building and the Bottom Line (1994), The Economics of Biophilia (2012), 14 Patterns of Biophilic Design (2104), Human Spaces 2.0 Biophilic Design in Hospitality (2017) and Nature Inside, A Biophilic Design Guide (2020). His work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the Washington Post, Elle, Popular Science, and in segments by NPR, Reuters, CNN, and PBS.

Sponsored by Sansin

Moderator:

Jason Reynolds · Senior Director · WoodWorks–Wood Products Council

Jason has worked with great people, built buildings, managed projects, been a business developer, and served in the Marines. In a unique experience, he walked to Manhattan under the East River on a project pre-bid site tour and his construction experiences have been quite a ride! He is passionate about the wood industry’s impact to support a sustainable future. A lifelong learner, Jason completed his MBA at Virginia Tech, BS in Business Administration (marketing minor) at Norwich University, a Professional Education Certificate in Construction Management at UC Davis, and is a designated design build professional. He has enjoyed is experiences in the wood industry, general contracting, structural precast concrete, and residential construction. His success today stems from experiences learned working on a dairy farm as a kid and being on a 3-13 high school varsity baseball team. Based in Greensboro, North Carolina he manages the eastern U.S. field team and the construction management program for WoodWorks.

Speakers:

Brandon Brooks · Construction Management Program Manager · WoodWorks–Wood Products Council

Brandon is an experienced project and program manager and training and policy analyst. He recently completed a career in the Marine Corps where he led test and evaluation efforts for major acquisition projects, created an education and training roadmap for technical skills programs, and was fortunate enough to lead and work alongside some of our country’s greatest people. He obtained a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a focus on finance from the University of Florida, completed his MBA at Virginia Tech, and is a Project Management Professional. He is based in Anchorage, Alaska.

Sponsored by Hilti North America

Speakers:

Graham Lowe · President · The Graham Lowe Group

Graham Lowe has over 30 years of organizational, labor market, and policy consulting experience across Canada and internationally. He is president of The Graham Lowe Group, a workplace consulting and research firm. He also is Professor Emeritus at the University of Alberta and has been a visiting professor, lecturer, and researcher at other universities in Canada, Europe, and Asia. Graham is the author of Creating Healthy Organizations: Taking Action to Improve Employee Well-being. This thoroughly updated and expanded 2nd edition of his popular book on healthy organizations was published in April 2020. Graham has contributed many articles to practitioner publications and the media, and has given hundreds of conference talks, interactive workshops, and webinars across Canada and internationally. He is a recipient of the Canadian Workplace Wellness Pioneer Award and holds a PhD in Sociology from the University of Toronto.

More speakers announced soon.

Sponsored by Nordic Structures

Speakers:

Announced soon.

Sponsored by Seagate Mass Timber

Moderator:

Rose Braden · President · Softwood Export Council

Rose Braden is the President of the Softwood Export Council (SEC), a non-profit trade association made up of U.S. forest products associations, state trade agencies, and public research centers who work together to increase the use of U.S. softwood products globally. She has over 20 years of experience developing international marketing strategies for the U.S. forest products and building materials industries and executing promotional programs. For ten years Braden directed international marketing and educational programs as the President of the Evergreen Building Products Association. Prior to her work with the EBPA, she was an analyst for the Center for International Trade in Forest Products at the University of Washington where her work included projects on Taiwan, China, Japan, Europe, and U.S. industry trends and manufacturing clusters.

Speakers:

Ernst Woels · Sales Director Overseas and Northern Europe · Hasslacher Norica Timber

Ernst was born in Austria, training first as a mechanical engineer for the sawmill industry and attended afterward the universities of Graz (AT) and Waikato (NZ) for studying international business administration. By now he has over 20 years of experience not only in the European and Russian sawmill industry, but also in marketing mass timber products on five continents. Due to the rapid growth of the Hasslacher Group’s mass timber production within the last 10 years, Ernst’s role as overseas sales director has developed from managing lumber exports internationally to becoming one of the pioneers in the global mass timber movement. Constantly analyzing market opportunities, he is now directing sales and production activities to the most promising areas worldwide.

Paul Kremer · Founder & Editor-in-Chief · Mass Timber Construction Journal

Paul’s work covers a diverse portfolio of prebuild and panelized construction technology. His work at XLam supported the establishing the first Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) plants in Australia and New Zealand. Paul is a founder and editor-in-chief at the Mass Timber Construction Journal holding several academic appointments including, as an Adjunct Associate Professor in Engineering at Deakin University and Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne in Infrastructure Engineering. Paul’s contribution on several prefabricated construction steering committees culminated in the development of important frameworks for education and training programs, which are significantly transforming and modernizing the construction sector. His industry/research interests include, supply chain, construction law in the emerging technologies sector and prefabricated construction systems/strategy development and integration.

Sponsored by Sansin

Moderator:

Melissa Kroskey · Technical Director · WoodWorks–Wood Products Council

As both a licensed Architect and Structural Engineer in the state of California, Melissa has a broad perspective on the industry, as well as technical design expertise from seismic to hurricane regions. Throughout her career, she has designed and engineered a variety of buildings, including civic, educational, luxury residential, military, museums, and transportation facilities. In addition to building design, her knowledge includes research related to wood’s light carbon footprint, biophilic properties, and contributions to healthy indoor environments and wildfire resiliency. Melissa is actively involved in the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and Vice-Chair of ULI’s national Sustainable Development Council. Through WoodWorks’ ULI Greenprint Innovation Partnership, she assists developers pursuing timber projects throughout the US.

Speakers:

Michael Heller · President and Owner · Heller Pacific

Michael J. Heller is the owner of Heller Pacific, a real estate development company specializing in office, retail, and mixed-use development in the Sacramento, California, area for over 20 years. Michael is the son of an old-school contractor who loved modern design. He grew up surrounded by architecture and spent his teenage summers working as a construction laborer. Michael received an MBA from USC and studied engineering and business in undergrad. Early in his career, he worked with his father developing office buildings throughout Sacramento. Michael’s vision for Heller Pacific continues to evolve over time. Heller Pacific embraces innovation and the advancement of ‘green’ technology is a core value of their projects. Marrying the pursuit of architectural advancement, the fundamental need for quality construction, and the reality of risk management without compromising profit goals is a an art form in which Heller Pacific has distinguishing expertise.

Noel Johnson · Developer

Noel Johnson’s development experience spans 20+ housing, retail and office projects, most of institutional-scale & complexity. His work across mass timber, adaptive reuse, brownfield as well as mixed-use in urban and suburban settings provides diverse perspectives on the $1B of development activities constructed. Noel holds degrees from Stanford’s Business School, Portland State, and Williams College. He is civically engaged with groups including: Social Venture Partners, Yale Union Contemporary Art, Northwest Children’s Theater, Urban Land Institute, and Oregon Smart Growth.

Sponsored by Hilti North America

Speakers:

Matthew Smith · Associate – Fire and Structural · Entuitive

A fire and structural engineer at Entuitive in Toronto, Canada, Matthew leads Entuitive’s fire engineering group providing a range of fire safety services ranging from prescriptive to performance-based fire engineering. He received his Master in Applied Science from Carleton University in Fire Safety Engineering and his Master in Engineering from the University of Toronto with a focus on structural resilience. He has provided fire engineering services on a range of complex projects in Canada and the United States, including applying performance-based approaches to innovative systems such as volumetric modular buildings and mass timber. He is currently a member of the ASCE Fire Protection Committee, the CSCE Fire Behaviour and Safety of Structures Committee, and the working group for Annex K, Structural Design for Fire Conditions, in CSA S16.

Erica Fischer · Assistant Professor · Oregon State University

Erica Fischer, PhD, PE is an Assistant Professor of Civil and Construction Engineering at Oregon State University. Dr. Fischer’s research interests revolve around innovative approaches to improve the resilience and robustness of structural systems affected by natural and man-made hazards. Dr. Fischer performs research on a variety of different structural systems including steel, timber (CLT), composites (concrete-CLT and steel-concrete), and thin shells subjected to hazards such as earthquakes and fires. She has led a team of multi-disciplinary scientists in post-wildfire reconnaissance in Paradise, California. Dr. Fischer sits on the Board of Directors of the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute, and is an active member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Fire Protection Committee. She was a large contributor to the ASCE Manual of Practice on Structural Fire Engineering. Dr. Fischer has experience as a practicing structural engineer and holds a Professional Engineering license in the states of Washington, California, and Oregon.

Sponsored by Nordic Structures

Moderator:

Ricky McLain · Senior Technical Director – Tall Wood · WoodWorks–Wood Products Council

Ricky is WoodWorks’ in-house expert on tall wood buildings, providing analysis and guidance on architectural, fire and life safety, and structural design topics related to tall mass timber projects. He supports the AEC community both directly and collaboratively with WoodWorks Regional Directors, and guides the development of education and resources related to tall wood buildings in the U.S. Prior to this emphasis, Ricky’s role encompassed all building types and wood systems. He also has extensive experience in lead engineer roles related to structural design, project management and construction administration. Ricky is Executive Director of the Structural Engineers Association of Vermont, and a member of numerous committees and councils related to building design.

Speakers:

Susan Brodahl · Senior Vice President · Heffernan Insurance Brokers

Susan began her insurance career working for Saif Corporation in 1989 while finishing her economics degree from Willamette University. At Heffernan, Susan works with clients in varied sectors including energy, technology, social services and construction. She believes in a client-centric approach to risk management, which includes but is not limited to traditional insurance policies. Susan is known for her creativity and innovation. As a 25+ year industry veteran, Susan is a frequent featured speaker at regional and national conventions as well as published in various trade and mainstream journals. She has been awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Painting and Decorating Contractors of America. Susan is the Treasurer on the Board of Directors for the Energy Trust of Oregon. In her free time she enjoys golfing, yoga, and playing cards with her husband and daughter.

Cheri Hanes · Senior Construction Risk Engineer · AXA XL

Ms. Hanes has a Senior Construction Risk Engineer for AXA XL’s North America Construction. She has more than 28 years of industry experience in preconstruction, operations, and project management. Before joining AXA XL in 2012, she worked in Yates Construction’s North Texas Division in Operations and Sustainability Management and in Preconstruction and Sustainability for Lendlease Dallas. Her passion for the “on the ground” risks surrounding subcontractor default has its roots in her experience as a partner in a residential and tenant improvement construction company where she navigated the disruption of subcontractors’ failure to perform regularly. She draws on her construction experience to identify and mitigate default risk exposures with a perspective that keeps her clients’ best interests in mind and focuses on giving them tools to better manage construction risk. Ms. Hanes is a Construction Risk Insurance Specialist (CRIS), LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP), and Construction Document Specialist (CDS).

Michelle Luster · Risk Manager · Swinerton

Michelle Luster is the Corporate Risk Manager for Swinerton. She has more than 20 years in construction risk management experience at both family-owned and publicly held firms. Michelle has been a speaker at IRMI’s Construction Risk Conference as well as the US Law conference on several occasions, and she holds an Associates Degree in Liberal Arts from the College of Lake County. Michelle originally hails from Oklahoma, and is a lifetime member of Girl Scouts, earning her Gold Award in 1987.

Sponsored by Seagate Mass Timber

Speakers:

Will Novy-Hildesley · Executive Director · Mass

Will leads Mass. a global community working to unlock mass timber’s potential to impact climate change. He was the founding CEO of #forestproud, a social-media platform reaching over 10 million people a month, designed to reframe the forest sector as a solution, not a problem. He built and ran Quicksilver Foundry, a strategy firm serving clients such as Intel, Deloitte and the Department of Defense, and re-branding foundations and non-profits all over the world. He was previously a program officer at the Packard Foundation and ran World Wildlife Fund’s global marine protected area program.

Kristin Slavin · Associate Director of Building Innovations · Sidewalk Labs

Kristin is an Associate Director of Building Innovations at Sidewalk Labs. She has focused her career in architecture and development specializing in mass timber construction. Prior to joining Sidewalk Labs, Kristin led the design of the tallest CLT building in the United States upon completion, Carbon12, among other innovative mass timber projects. Her crossover between development and architecture ensures a holistic consideration of the built environment and execution of sustainable systemic change within the building industry. Kristin holds a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Oregon and a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from Texas Tech University.

Sponsored by Sansin

Moderator:

Kathryn Fernholz · President/CEO · Dovetail Partners

Kathryn (Katie) Fernholz is President/CEO of Dovetail Partners, a non-profit environmental think tank based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. Kathryn is a forester by training with 23 years of experience in the forest sector. Her career has focused on sustainability concerns, including small-holder and family forestry, community-based decision making, supply-chain assurances, and certification. Since 2010, Kathryn has been an author addressing policy and green markets in the Forest Products Annual Market Review prepared by the FAO/UNECE. Kathryn served as Chair of the Minnesota Society of American Foresters and was appointed to the Minnesota Forest Resources Council in 2002 and 2019. She is Chair for the Board of Trustees for the American Forest Foundation and a member of the Steering Committee for the Women’s Forest Congress. Kathryn has a B.S. in Forest Resources from the University of Minnesota.

Speakers:

Announced soon.

Sponsored by Hilti North America

Moderator:

Announced soon.

Speakers:

Announced soon.

Sponsored by Nordic Structures

Speakers:

Miriam Davidovic · Co-Founder and General Partner · Roshem Ventures

Miriam leads the global Roshem group of companies. She is a Co-Founder and General Partner at Roshem Ventures, an impact investment firm that manages a portfolio of real estate, agriculture, and impact-driven technology assets across Israel, Serbia, South Africa, and North America. She founded Roshem Impact, a Certified B Corporation, the in-house Capacity Building division of Roshem. She is a Co-Founder and Board Member at the Roshem Foundation and Institute for impact finance, community investment and regenerative agriculture where she develops and teaches courses to private sector business leaders and investors. She leads the development of impact data, verification, certification and impact-financial integration for the RAZ Finance IT platform and impact investment fund. Her areas of expertise include impact investing, intellectual property, employment law, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, due diligence, environment, social, and governance best practices across Canada, the EU, Israel, Serbia, South Africa, the UK, and the USA.

More speakers announced soon.

Sponsored by Seagate Mass Timber

Moderator:

Jeff Spiritos · Manager · Spiritos Properties, LLC

Jeff Spiritos has been involved in building buildings for some time—for 25 years with Hines, mostly in and around New York City since the late 70s, and for the last 15 years with Spiritos Properties in New York City. For the last five years, he has solely focused on constructing buildings with mass timber in the northeast U.S. Jeff and his team believe that mass timber is the way most buildings will be built in the U.S. and around the world in the not-too-distant future, for the good of our forests, the environment, and the people who live and work in them.

Speakers:

Announced soon.

Sponsored by Sansin

Moderator:

Announced soon.

Speakers:

Lisa Podesto · Mass Timber Specialist / Senior Business Development Manager · Lendlease

Lisa serves as Lendlease’s Timber and Innovation Specialist, responsible for advising construction, development and design-build projects nationwide where the use of mass timber and componentized solutions are being considered. She supports activities including master planning, design management, cost planning, and pre-construction, guiding early decisions to achieve innovative, sustainable project delivery. As a Senior Business Development Manager, she also consults with clients, consultants, building authorities and subcontractors regarding potential mass timber structural approaches, construction budgets, and project feasibility. Lisa sits on several industry and professional advisory boards advancing mass timber market development through individual research projects as well as through organizations like the Tallwood Design Institute and the Council of Tall Building and Urban Habitat. She was a co-author and peer reviewer for the 2012 United States Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) Handbook and the 2016 Nail Laminated Timber Design and Construction Guide. Lisa was also a key contributor to a two phased research program establishing a new design methodology for the blast resistance of CLT.

More speakers announced soon.

Sponsored by Hilti North America

The use of cross-laminated timber (CLT) for floor and wall panels has seen incredible growth in the U.S. over the past decade. However, CLT has not been codified for use as part of a seismic or wind force-resisting system—either as a diaphragm or shear wall—until now. As a result, CLT lateral resisting systems have been approved through alternative means. This session will discuss the standardization of CLT shear walls and diaphragms, now included in American Wood Council’s 2021 Special Design Provisions for Wind and Seismic (SDPWS) and practical design techniques for CLT diaphragms. Looking forward, we will also discuss several ongoing research efforts into mass timber shear wall systems, which promise to expand the future application of mass timber walls as wind and seismic force-resisting systems.

Speakers:

Scott Breneman · Senior Technical Director – Mass Timber · WoodWorks–Wood Products Council

Dr. Breneman is a licensed Structural Engineer and Professional Engineer in the State of California and a PE in the State of Washington. He received bachelors and masters degrees from the University of Florida and a doctorate from Stanford University. He is Past-President of the Structural Engineers Association of Central California, an associate member of the seismic subcommittee of ASCE 7 Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures, and a member of the PRG 320 CLT product standard committee. At WoodWorks, he provides project support and education to individuals designing wood buildings and oversees the development of technical educational content.

Sponsored by Nordic Structures

Moderator:

Announced soon.

Speakers:

Samuel Zelinka · Project Leader, Building and Fire Sciences · US Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory

Dr. Zelinka is the Project Leader of the Building and Fire Sciences research work unit at the Forest Products Laboratory. He leads an interdisciplinary team of researchers who work on fundamental and applied science solutions that protect wood from fire, mold, decay, corrosion, and other wood damage mechanisms.

Sponsored by Seagate Mass Timber

Moderator:

Hubert Rhomberg · CEO · Rhomberg Holding GmbH

Hubert Rhomberg is Managing Director of Rhomberg Holding GmbH and—now in the fourth generation—in charge of the internationally active Rhomberg Group, which has its headquarters in Bregenz, Austria. The name Rhomberg stands for sustainable building as much as for sustainable mobility and resource productivity. After graduating in engineering at Vienna Technical University Hubert Rhomberg worked for the construction company Strabag in Linz and Vienna for three years before, in 1998, joining his family’s company. In addition, he supplemented his practical entrepreneurial knowledge by taking a postgraduate course in Company Management at the well known University of St. Gallen. Hubert Rhomberg extends his range of activities by actively promoting research projects (BRIX, House of the Future, LifeCycleTower) and giving public lectures on the subjects Resource Productivity, Mobility and Sustainable Company Management. In 2015 he published his book “Bauen 4.0: From the Ego to the Lego Principle.”

Speakers:

Jan-Peter Koppitz · Associate · Arup

Jan-Peter specializes in the delivery of integrated design of complex projects, especially with innovative timber structures and solutions. Since joining Arup after graduation in 2000, he has been involved in a wide range of projects worldwide. He has also gained design experience mainly in timber but also in reinforced concrete, structural steel, and has worked mainly on projects with free-formed geometry and long-spanning structures. Jan-Peter advises clients at high level and in conceptual phases about the advantages, possibilities and challenges of timber structures, ensuring early on that client goals and project solutions are in unison. Jan-Peter regularly works with architects on a variety of competition submissions and conceptual designs, especially exploring timber options. Hence a strong interest in unified, collaborative teamwork amongst the entire design team in order to deliver projects better. He has been part of architectural and engineering project offices and has participated in research projects to understand and accelerate this aspect of work. Jan-Peter presents regularly at timber conferences, universities and architecture offices on the innovative possibilities with timber solutions. He is also involved with teaching. In 2002 he was structural tutor at the Design Research Lab, Architectural Association in London, has taught engineering at the School of Architecture, IE Business School in Madrid, and joins in architectural critiques at the AA and CCA in San Francisco, California. He now works in the Arup Berlin office.

Robert Jackson · Associate Principal · Fast + Epp

Robert is an Associate Principal at Fast + Epp Structural Engineers. He is a designer with expertise in timber, steel, and concrete in both Canada and the U.S. Robert has developed a particular specialization in mass timber, having contributed to the success of many innovative tall timber projects across North America, including the TallWood House at Brock Commons, 2102 Keith Drive, and The Arbour. Robert offers a unique skill set in the mass timber structural engineering community due to his background as a carpenter and fine woodworker. He is also the author of several articles in international engineering and design journals relating to new and innovative wood systems and is passionate about their use in building design.

Sponsored by Sansin

Moderator:

Benjamin Kaiser · Founding Partner · Kaiser+Path

Ben brings a unique perspective to urban development, informed by over 20 years of serving as the owner, developer, architect, and general contractor on his projects. With nearly a decade of experience with mass-timber, Kaiser+Path is likely the most experienced development company in Multnomah County, Oregon, in regard to these transformational materials. Carbon12 remains the tallest CLT building in the United States, having made mid- to high-rise cross-laminated timber buildings possible for the first time in Oregon. The Canyons, Kaiser+Path’s most recent completed project, pushes the boundary yet again as to what is possible with these environmentally advanced materials.

Speakers:

Chester Weir · Senior Mass Timber Architect · Katerra

Chester Weir is a Senior Mass Timber Architect at Katerra, developing scalable solutions for mid and high-rise multi-family and commercial projects. His work is focused on the opportunities afforded by leveraging factory production and the new national mass timber building codes, which have been pro-actively adopted in the Pacific Northwest where he works. Chester believes that complex design problems, when distilled to their basic requirements, can yield elegant solutions. Working closely with Katerra mass timber engineering, pre-construction, and manufacturing, Chester has helped develop innovative mass timber solutions for high-rise housing and large commercial warehouses. Based in Seattle for over 20 years, Chester has worked for generalist design practices, contributing to civic, institutional, performing arts, and mixed-use projects. Chester received a Bachelor of Arts from Wesleyan University and a Master of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania.

Dan Whalen · VP Design & Development · Harbor-Bay

Dan leads all aspects of design and development for Harbor Bay, including leading their pursuit of mass timber mixed-use projects nationally. Currently, Harbor Bay has nearly $500 million in mass timber projects that are at various stages of development or construction in targeted markets across the United States.

Sponsored by Hilti North America

Moderator:

Tanya Luthi · Vice President · Entuitive

Tanya Luthi is a structural engineer and Vice President at Entuitive, an international consulting engineering practice operating in seven offices across Canada, the UK, and the United States. After obtaining her master’s degree from The University of Texas, Tanya started her engineering career in New York City specializing in large-scale institutional projects in steel and concrete. After moving to Vancouver, Canada in 2011, she discovered a love for mass timber design and has since made it a focus in her career. In addition to her design experience, Tanya co-authored the US and Canadian Nail-Laminated Timber Design and Construction Guides, and she gives regular talks on timber design at architectural and engineering conferences across North America. She is a member of the Board of Directors of WoodWorks and is also an active member of the New York City structural code committee, where she advises on matters related to mass timber construction.

Speakers:

Ricky McLain · Senior Technical Director – Tall Wood · WoodWorks–Wood Products Council

Ricky is WoodWorks’ in-house expert on tall wood buildings, providing analysis and guidance on architectural, fire and life safety, and structural design topics related to tall mass timber projects. He supports the AEC community both directly and collaboratively with WoodWorks Regional Directors, and guides the development of education and resources related to tall wood buildings in the U.S. Prior to this emphasis, Ricky’s role encompassed all building types and wood systems. He also has extensive experience in lead engineer roles related to structural design, project management and construction administration. Ricky is Executive Director of the Structural Engineers Association of Vermont, and a member of numerous committees and councils related to building design.

David Moses · Principal · Moses Structural Engineers

David is the founder of Moses Structural Engineers, a Toronto-based firm whose core purpose is to have a “Lasting Impact” on our cities and communities. David was born in Ottawa, Canada, went to Queen’s University for undergraduate and master’s degrees, then left to Vancouver to pursue a PhD in timber engineering. After 10 years of studying, working, and skiing in British Columbia, David returned to Ontario and in 2010 opened the doors to his own company. David is a recognized leader, designer, teacher, researcher, writer, and invited lecturer. He has over 25 years of experience in timber engineering and has been involved in hundreds of structural engineering projects across Canada and the United States, including many firsts: the first Canadian and Ontario cross-laminated timber (CLT) buildings, the first passive house in Canada, and early CNC machining of heavy timber for construction.

Sponsored by Nordic Structures

Moderator:

Announced soon.

Speakers:

Tim Gokhman · Managing Director · New Land

Tim Gokhman is the Managing Director of New Land Enterprises—a pioneering real estate development firm specializing in mixed-use residential and commercial real estate. New Land focuses on creating built environments at the neighborhood scale, striving to create memorable spaces, focused on user experience, believing that cities thrive when they are diverse, walkable, and culturally vibrant. Prior work includes Rhythm (Milwaukee’s first micro-unit apartment building), Black Cat Alley (a defunct alley turned public arts space), Crossroads Collective (Milwaukee’s first food hall) and most recently, Kinetik (a 140-unit apartment complex with 16,000 square feet of retail, plus the conversion of a city street to a pedestrian plaza). The company is currently building Ascent, which will be the world’s tallest mass timber hybrid building.

Chris Evans · Mass Timber Director · Swinerton Mass Timber

Chris is an experienced construction professional with a demonstrated history of completing difficult projects, including numerous mass timber buildings. He has been with Swinerton Builders since 2008, spending the first seven years in Hawaii followed by five in the Pacific Northwest. Chris leads Swinerton Mass Timber (SMT), based out of Portland, Oregon. SMT provides turnkey structural mass timber frames on large commercial projects throughout the United States. The SMT team is working on leading-edge mass timber projects across the country, including Pier 70 in San Francisco and Ascent in Wisconsin. SMT projects also include the First Tech Federal Credit Union in Oregon, completed in 2018.