Conference Day One

Thursday, May 22

6:50 am Check-In & Networking

7:50 am Chair’s Opening Remarks

8:00 am Sharing an Overview of Inflation, New Starts, Jobs & Construction Spending During Times of Increased Uncertainty

Ed Zarenski , Construction Analytics

Synopsis

Factoring new construction starts, cashflow and volatility into account to better forecast the expected volume of work over the next 12 months
Understanding construction spending forecast over the next 2-3 years: How should you plan your business growth?
Determining which indices track inflation: How do you calculate and track inflation, and which indices should be used to accurately report costs?
Tracking job growth vs. spending growth vs. volume of business growth to improve your understanding of the health of your firm

9:30 am Morning Networking Break & Exhibition Opens

Preconstruction’s Digital Horizon

10:10 am Panel Discussion: Overcoming Construction’s Struggle With Technology Adoption to Realize Industry-Wide Gains

Sue Bhattacharjee Director of Preconstruction, Gilbane Building Company
Sean Boyer VP Preconstruction, Pomerleau
Christopher Reeder Preconstruction Technology Manager, Brasfield & Gorrie
Steve Dell’Orto Founder & Chief Executive Officer, ConCntric

Synopsis

Reviewing the current capabilities and usage of existing solutions available to your team
Identifying current gaps in efficiency and their causes to determine whether to invest in new solutions
Developing selection and trialling criteria to measure process improvements across performance metrics

11:20 am Case Study: Cutting Through the Hype & Exploring Real-World Opportunities to Maximize the ROI of Your Tech Stack

Clifton Cole Director of Virtual Design & Construction, The PENTA Building Group
Justine Helbren Senior Preconstruction Manager, The PENTA Building Group

Synopsis

Reviewing the current capabilities and usage of existing solutions available to your team
Identifying current gaps in efficiency and their causes to determine whether to invest in new solutions
Developing selection and trialling criteria to measure process improvements across performance metrics

12:00 pm Networking Lunch

Track 1 - Client & Contractor Collaboration Track 2 - Preconstruction Departmental Leadership Track 3 - Design Phase Coordination Track 4 - Conceptual Estimating Track 5 - Evolving Estimating Workflows Track 6 - General & Trade Contractor Integration

Track 1 - Client & Contractor Collaboration

Client & Contractor Collaboration

Setting Up for Success

1:00 pm Going Beyond Low-Bid Mentality & Communicating What Success Looks Like for Clients

Sarah Williams, Senior Director of Design & Construction, Breakthrough Properties

2:15 pm Establishing clear and consistent success criteria and how these are evaluated to drive partner engagement with your visions as a client • Initiating a clear process from partnering onwards to ensure clarity on how success will be tracked throughout p

Darrell Torres, Director of Preconstruction, Irvine Company

Ravi Shankar, Director of Global Cost Estimating, Digital Realty

Sharon Novak, Director of Design & Construction, Walmart

Michael Dyer, Waterfront Project Management Estimating Manager, Port of Seattle

2:50 pm Networking Break

Enhancing Transparency with Project Partners

3:30 pm Evaluating if Integrated Project Delivery is Right for Your Project

Jayme Couchene, Director of Integrated Estimating & Preconstruction, The Boldt Company

4:45 pm Audience Discussion: Managing the Challenges of Speed to Market, Cost Certainty & Facility Requirements for Project Success

Jayme Couchene, Director of Integrated Estimating & Preconstruction, The Boldt Company

5:20 pm Advancing Preconstruction Happy Hour

Track 2 - Preconstruction Departmental Leadership

Preconstruction Departmental Leadership

Managing Department Capacity

1:00 pm Rightsizing Your Team Size & Structure to Balance Market Opportunity, Overheads & Prevent Burnout

Bruce Holleran, Director of Project Development, Western Partitions

2:15 pm Panel Discussion: Setting Yourself Apart as an Employer of Choice in a Competitive Labor Market

Michael Pritt, Director of Preconstruction, Thomas Construction Group

Manasi Pitkar, Senior Director of Preconstruction, McCarthy Building Companies

Grisel Gray, Director of Preconstruction & Estimating, Gilmore Construction

Jeff Lantiegne, Director of Preconstruction Services, The Wesson Group

2:50 pm Networking Break

Optimizing Individual Productivity

3:30 pm Accelerating the Onboarding Process to Get New Hires Productive, Fast

Jim Driscoll, Director of Preconstruction, Kadean Construction

4:45 pm Panel Discussion: Investing Strategically to Maintain Productivity & Mitigate the Labor Shortage

Prama Kumar, Vice President of Preconstruction, Hill & Wilkinson

Paul Christen, Director of Preconstruction, McCarthy Building Companies

5:20 pm Advancing Preconstruction Happy Hour

Track 3 - Design Phase Coordination

Design Phase Coordination

Improving Design & Contractor Collaboration

1:00 pm Panel Discussion: Improving Integration to Bring Clarity & Consistency to Workflows & Objectives for Both Design Firms & Contractors

John Petersen, Vice President of Preconstruction, Ryan Companies

Rose Jesse, Cost Estimating Manager, Hazen & Sawyer

J. Brandon Dekker, Principal – Office Practice Leader, Cannon Design

Jake Snyder, Director of Preconstruction, Hoar Construction

Joseph Jamgochian, Technical Director, Perkins & Will

2:15 pm Improving Efficiency Across the Design Process to Improve Cost Certainty for Owners

Donny Smith, Director of Preconstruction Services, PCL Construction

Integrating Subject Matter Experts

3:30 pm Applying Design-Assist or Delegated-Design Models to Engage Specialty Trades Earlier & Streamline Decision-Making

Paul Kirchhoff, Chief Revenue Officer, Epsilon Industries

3:50 pm Networking Break

4:45 pm Case Study: Design Management of the $9B CityCenter Project in Las Vegas

William Smith, Senior Vice President of Design and Construction, Shopoff Realty Investments

5:20 pm Advancing Preconstruction Happy Hour

Track 4 - Conceptual Estimating

Conceptual Estimating

Accounting for the Unseen

1:00 pm Crushing Dreams & Building Them Up Again: Coordinating Conceptual Estimates & Managing Expectations With Owners & Architects

Grisel Gray, Director of Preconstruction & Estimating, Gilmore Construction

2:15 pm Panel Discussion: Setting Expectations Between Trade & General Contractors on Early Scope Estimates

Aman Singh, Director of Preconstruction, Barry-Wehmiller Design Group

Alec Hoffman, Lead Estimator, Preconstruction, Aldridge Electric

Darryl Wood, Vice President of Preconstruction Services, Adams Electric

John Buffington, Chief Estimator, CD Hall Construction

2:50 pm Networking Break

Gaining Clarity in Early Estimates

3:30 pm Reconciling Multiple Data Sources for More Accurate Conceptual Estimates

Ben Evelsizer, Preconstruction Manager, Poettker Construction

Justin Dulle, Lead Estimator, Poettker Construction

4:45 pm Developing Robust Conceptual Estimates for Highly Specialized Scopes With Poorly Defined or Limited Historical Data

Jeff Phillips, Director of Estimating, MacDonald-Miller Facility Solutions

5:20 pm Advancing Preconstruction Happy Hour

Track 5 - Evolving Estimating Workflows

Evolving Estimating Workflows

Managing the Bid Lifecycle

1:00 pm Case Study: Working Clients Through the Estimating Lifecycle to Improve Communication, Build Buy-In & Improve Decision Making

Taimoor Khan, Vice President of Preconstruction, Satterfield & Pontikes Construction

2:15 pm Optimizing Bid-Levelling So Scope, Materials & Specification Submissions are Consistent to Avoid Wastage & Delays

Hennie van Nierkerk, Preconstruction Manager, Alston Construction

2:50 pm Networking Break

3:25 pm Optimizing Estimate Iteration

3:30 pm Panel Discussion: Improving Cross-Stakeholder Communication to Reduce Estimate Iterations

Justin Aubuchon, Director of Estimating, BOND Building Construction

Lisa Chavarin, Director of Business Development & Preconstruction, Schuff Steel

Jenny Derry, Director of Preconstruction, Flint Builders

Will Forbord, Vice President, Loeffler Construction & Consulting

4:45 pm Audience Discussion: Evolving Best Practice in Quality Control to Reflect a More Digitally Augmented Workforce

5:20 pm Advancing Preconstruction Happy Hour

Track 6 - General & Trade Contractor Integration

General & Trade Contractor Integration

Building Robust Partnership

1:00 pm Panel Discussion: Understanding Trade Partner Go/No-Go Project Criteria to Improve Engagement & Position Your Project More Attractively

Clay Young, Owner, Falcon Electrical Contractors

Paul Peters, Vice President of Estimating, Cerris Systems

Greg Garvin, Vice President - Director of Global Purchasing, Gilbane Building Company

Brandon Hummel, Executive Vice President Preconstruction, Baker Group

2:15 pm Engaging Trade Contractors Early to Build Trust & Improve Cost Certainty

Eric Canoura, Senior Preconstruction Manager, Batson-Cook Construction

Mike Dillon, Preconstruction Manager, Batson-Cook Construction

Mitigating Challenges & Planning for Success

3:30 pm Developing Alternative Solutions to Trade Contractor Capacity Challenges & Navigate Competitive Markets

Alec Hoffman, Lead Estimator, Preconstruction, Aldridge Electric

4:10 pm Bringing Preconstruction to the Cloud: Unlocking Innovation

Dustin DeVan, Chief Executive Officer, Ediphi

4:45 pm Panel Discussion: End of Day Cost vs GMP – Optimizing Completed Project Data Capture to Better Inform Future Endeavors

Matt Boeggeman, Senior Preconstruction Manager, Holder Construction Company

Jayme Couchene, Director of Integrated Estimating & Preconstruction, The Boldt Company

5:20 pm Advancing Preconstruction Happy Hour

PRE-CONFERENCE DAY

CONFERENCE DAY TWO

May 21-23, 2025San Diego, CA