Industry Practitioner
Rodney Pope, PE, FDBIA
Rodney Pope, PE, FDBIA, Vice President at Brown and Caldwell, is a leader in the water/wastewater industry with a 47-year career dedicated to design-build project delivery. Having managed over $1.4 billion in design-build projects, Pope’s leadership has delivered innovative solutions that accelerate schedules and build trust among project teams. His work earned DBIA National Awards of Excellence in 2006, 2010 and 2018 in the Water/Wastewater category, and his commitment to mentorship and industry involvement has made a lasting impact on the next generation of design-build leaders. As Co-Chair of DBIA’s Water/Wastewater Program Committee and an advocate for Design-Build Best Practices, Pope exemplifies the spirit of collaboration and forward-thinking that defines a Distinguished Leader in our field.
Young Professional
Emily Galliers, MCIOB, DBIA
Emily Galliers, MCIOB, DBIA, Design Manager at Build Group Inc., stands out for her leadership in promoting collaboration and innovation in design-build projects. With a background in architecture and expertise in integrated delivery methods, Galliers has led advancements in safety and efficiency, particularly through prefabrication and modular construction. Her work on high-profile tech and pharmaceutical projects showcases her forward-thinking approach. Galliers is a Chartered Builder and a DBIA-certified professional whose dedication to safety-in-design and mentoring young women in STEM has solidified her reputation as an emerging leader in the design-build community.
Owner
James “Tony” Parrott
James “Tony” Parrott, CEO of the Louisville and Jefferson County Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD), is recognized for his transformative leadership in advancing design-build best practices. Under his guidance, MSD has completed or is in progress with over $900 million in collaborative delivery projects, including the landmark $300 million Biosolids Processing Solution at Morris Forman WQTC. Parrott’s commitment to innovative solutions, community engagement and sustainability has earned national recognition. His leadership in promoting equity, diversity and small business participation in design-build projects exemplifies the values that make him a Distinguished Leader.
Industry Practitioner
Linnell Stanhope, DBIA
Linnell Stanhope has been a driving force in promoting, educating and influencing the adoption of design-build practices across the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions for the past three decades. Stanhope is unwavering in her dedication to design-build. In 2010, she worked with DBIA to develop and enact North Carolina Legislation enabling design-build. She was awarded the prestigious Select Society of Sanitary Sludge Shovelers (5S) award in 2019 from NC One Water, honoring her contributions to the industry. As a founding member of the DBIA Carolinas Chapter and the DBIA Central Virginia Chapter, Stanhope has played a crucial part in influencing the future of design-build in these regions and continues to serve on the Boards and Committees of DBIA National and Local Chapters.
Owner
Kathy Tuznik, DBIA
As a lawyer, Kathy Tuznik has advocated for drafting fair and reasonable legal terms to ensure successful design-build programs. Tuznik is the Senior Deputy General Counsel at the NYC Department of Design and Construction. She was instrumental in crafting new processes for procuring and awarding design-build contracts and helped produce a design-build agreement that embodies DBIA’s principles, now widely used in New York City. Tuznik’s leadership helped the city embrace the use of design-build and created a seismic shift in the city’s ability to deliver projects. Tuznik is a foremost contributor to the development and implementation of NYC’s multi-billion-dollar design-build Borough-Based Jail (BBJ) program, the largest vertical program of its kind in the country. She continues to be the ultimate team player in her multidimensional role as legal counsel, facilitator and advisor for NYC’s design-build projects.
Young Professional
Nick Ulliman, PE, MBA, DBIA
Nick Ulliman is a true design-build and DBIA advocate. As a Sr. Project Manager at Ulliman Schutte Construction, his work has earned him several awards, including the Kentucky Society of Professional Engineers (KSPE) award for Outstanding Contributions in Construction. He successfully managed the Louisville MSD Southwestern Parkway CSO Storage Basin Project, which won DBIA’s 2019 Design-Build National Award of Excellence in the category of Water/Wastewater. Ulliman understands the mindset shift needed to make project collaboration successful. He establishes a collaborative environment with his team by engaging all project members to find creative solutions throughout design and construction. Ulliman demands quality products and value-driven solutions and negotiates with the intent of fair outcomes for all parties.
Industry Practitioner
James Avitabile, PE, DBIA
Vice President, Transportation & Infrastructure, RS&H
Throughout his career, Jim Avitabile has advocated for the use of design-build, Progressive Design-Build, and P3s on a variety of complex highway, bridge, rail and transit facility projects throughout the U.S. He has been a technical advisor to state D-O-Ts and transit agencies and served in the role of statewide owner’s representative preparing design-build procurement documents, project screening and assisting agencies navigate training of their staff. Jim is a Registered Professional Engineer in four states, a certified DBIA Professional, and has served in active leadership roles with DBIA at both the regional and national levels. He has directed and participated in the programming, planning and design efforts on over 50 design-build projects, including some of the largest P3 and design-build projects in the U.S.
Industry Practitioner
Daniel Rawlins, RA, DBIA
Principal, The Rawlins Group, LLC
Dan Rawlins is passionate about creating a collaborative environment among Owners, design-build teams, regulating agencies and other project stakeholders that bring out the best that design-build delivery can offer. He is a registered architect with more than 45 years of experience in the design of educational, civic and criminal justice facilities. He has actively served as a Design Criteria Developer and Owner’s Advisor, having guided more than 100 public projects through successful source selection and project execution using design-build delivery. Dan’s list of DBIA contributions is long, including serving at the Regional level as a Board Member and Treasurer, a student Competition Judge, as well as being a presenter at several Regional and Chapter programs. Since 2010, Dan has served as a DBIA Continuing Education Instructor.
Owner
Jeannie Natta, Assoc. DBIA
Interim Director, Project Delivery Group, University of Washington — University Facilities Building
Jeannie Natta is a skilled leader of large project teams and understands just what it takes for a team to deliver a well-executed project. While at the University of Washington, she has led two of the university’s largest and most complex design-build projects, including the 2021 DBIA Project of the Year winner, University of Washington Hans Rosling Center for Population Health. Jeannie is an enthusiastic and eager teacher of design-build best practices to students and young professionals. Since 2019, she has also been an invited speaker to promote design-build best practices at regional DBIA conferences as well as to undergraduate and graduate students in Construction Management and Architecture programs at the University of Washington.
Young Professional
Jeffrey Goodermote, DBIA
National Director of Parking Structures, Swinerton
Jeff Goodermote motivates and inspires teammates to break down the walls of their respective company goals to work together as an organized and unified team, all working toward a common goal of successfully completing the project as a design-build team. As Swinerton’s National Director of Parking Structures, he has experience designing and constructing large-scale parking structures for a wide range of markets, including aviation, higher education, healthcare, hospitality, civic and office. Jeff is an active member of the industry, serving on several organization’s committees, promoting design-build as the delivery method of choice. Under his leadership, Swinerton has received several project awards, including this year’s DBIA National Award of Merit for LAX Economy Parking Structure.
Faculty
Dean Papajohn, PE, PhD, Assoc. DBIA, ENV SP
Professor of Practice, University of Arizona
Dean Papajohn is an energetic advocate for design-build and the mission of DBIA. Dean initiated the DBIA student chapter at the University of Arizona and, as the faculty advisor, has helped it grow into a dynamic student organization. In addition to teaching students about design-build, his expansive network of industry contacts builds effective industry-academic partnerships advancing the understanding and use of design-build as an effective delivery method. Dean has also been a leader in research related to design-build delivery of highway projects. He has collaborated on a practitioner’s guidebook on post-award contract administration for design-build highway projects. He also advises multiple design-build student competition teams who compete nationwide. Dean is a true faculty leader promoting design-build research, education, and student mentorship.
Industry Professional
Robynne Thaxton JD, FDBIA
Managing Member, Thaxton Parkinson, PLLC and Progressive Design-Build Consulting LLC
Robynne Thaxton’s long-time service with DBIA goes back decades as a DBIA National Board Member, Committee Chair and Member and Northwest Region leader. She was the first chair of DBIA’s Legal and Legislation Committee and also serves on the Contracts Task force helping to shape DBIA’s vitally important Contract documents. As an instructor, Robynne has taught the Contracts and Risk class for DBIA since it was developed in 2005 and is also an instructor of DBIA’s Progressive course. As an attorney and consultant, she drafted landmark legislative language authorizing the use of Progressive Design-Build in the state of Washington, where it is now widely and successfully used. Her impact extends beyond her home state. She has also helped develop new Progressive contract documents and a PDB procurement process at UC San Diego, the first in the University of California System. In addition to all this, Robynne is also a DBIA Fellow.
Owner
Jason Kenney
Deputy Director, California Department of General Services
As a Deputy Director at California’s Department of General Services, Jason Kenney played a vital role in this year’s new Progressive Design-Build Authority passage in the state. By writing the draft language, testifying and advocating every step of the way, Jason helped educate critical stakeholders on the value of design-build and how to implement Progressive successfully. His quest will save taxpayers millions of dollars for the three pilot projects approved, and his tireless efforts have shaped design-build in California for decades to come.
Student
Zachary Hansen, ENV SP
President, DBIA Student Chapter, University of Arizona
Zachary Hansen has been a highly influential student leader in helping to strengthen the DBIA Student Chapter at the University of Arizona. He is currently the Chapter’s president, elected by his peers after helping navigate the challenges of a COVID environment last year. Zack has been instrumental in helping the chapter thrive even during a pandemic. In addition to the typical chapter meeting schedule, Zack helped leverage the virtual environment to coordinate joint chapter meetings with Arizona State University and a joint meeting with our ASCE chapter. He also helped promote webinars sponsored by DBIA Western Pacific Region, the DBIA Sacramento Chapter Young Professionals, and ASCE. Zack’s student leadership created opportunities to advance the understanding and use of design-build, despite the challenges.
Industry Professional
Gordon Cable, DBIA
National Design-Build Manager, Ferguson Waterworks
For years, Gordon Cable has been influential on a national scale for adopting and advocating for the early involvement of suppliers in the Design-Build process. A seasoned professional within Ferguson Waterworks, his efforts have greatly impacted how design-build joint venture teams approach the earliest stages of the RFQ/RFP and how they are able to fine tune their scope, budget, and value engineering options. Gordon’s leadership has helped bring supplier expertise into design-build projects early while improving the likelihood for success.
Industry Professional
Mike Gonzalez, DBIA, LEED AP
Vice President, McCarthy Building Companies, Inc.
Michael Gonzalez’s passionate and entrepreneurial leadership combined with his strong advocacy for design-build delivery, has helped fueled the growth of design-build in Arizona. Mike is the chair of DBIA’s Arizona Chapter and he’s also played a critical role in guiding and expanding design-build on more than $805 million in design-build projects to date, including extensive experience with advanced manufacturing design-build projects, and higher education research-related facilities. Mike has helped lead DBIA’s Arizona chapter to initiate and execute programs that deliver on DBIA’s commitment to educate the industry on design-build best practices . His leadership has created new opportunities for organizations and communities to benefit from high-quality design-build projects.
Owner
William Pines
Chief Engineer, Maryland Transportation Authority
As a design-build pioneer in Maryland, Will Pines has helped ensure the state’s Transportation Authority embraced Design-Build Done Right® best practices. As Chief Engineer, Will’s advocacy helped lead to MDTA’s first design-build project, the Governor Harry W. Nice/Thomas “Mac” Middleton Bridge Replacement scheduled to open at the end of 2022. Industry has applauded this first design-build effort as a “first class job” that embraced and implemented the project with a team spirited, and highly collaborative approach. As a lead on this project, Will was courageous enough and able to lead this agency to encourage the utilization of design-build for the first time, helping the MDTA to begin what could be a long and successfully design-build history.
Student
Valentino Nunez
Student Chapter President, Arizona State University
As student in the Construction Management program at Arizona State University, Valentino has already made incredible contributions to design-build through his impressive work with his fellow students and industry contacts. Valentino leads ASU’s student chapter, has received ASU’s Construction Management student leadership award, and maintains a top-notch GPA while working in industry and leading extra-curricular activities. , As ASU, he’s hosted numerous design-build workshops and guided two teams in the DBIA Student Competition. Valentino’s commitment to collaboration is proven throughout his work to integrate ASU students from various AEC programs into the DBIA chapter.
Industry Professional
Tim Graybeal, DBIA
Design-Build Manager, Lydig Construction
Tim Graybeal’s commitment to the design-build delivery method has been demonstrated time and again as he continues to play a vital role in changing the way the state of Washington builds its projects. In his role as Design-Build Manager for Lydig Construction he has been able to maintain an exclusive focus, having completed more than $750 million in design-build projects in the last decade alone. Outside of the office he’s just as active in promoting and presenting on design-build and has been lauded for his ability to lead local Owners to help them unlock the potential of their projects. He has presented on design-build at the local, regional and national levels, and serves on the Washington State Capital Project Advisory Review Board Project Review Committee. His close, cooperative working style builds strength within the project team and encourages individual members to offer their best, allowing the focus to be on developing a high-performing team and establishing trust between teammates. Founder of the Inland Northwest Chapter of DBIA, he also currently serves as Treasurer of the DBIA Northwest Region.
Owner
David Varoli, Esq.
General Counsel, New York City Department of Design and Construction
Design-build in New York City has made incredible strides in recent years, and none of it would have been possible without David Varoli. As General Counsel for the City’s Department of Design and Construction, Varoli not only advocated for integral legislation that expanded design-build authority but has been engaged in making sure that the City is prepared to use design-build once all legislation is official. He has been a leader the passage of the New York City Rikers Island Jail Complex Replacement Act and the New York City Public Works Investment Act, each of which will have an immeasurable impact on the way the City builds. He also spearheaded an effort that provided design-build training opportunities to as many City employees as possible, resulting in more than 10 City employees taking the DBIA Certification Training since 2017. His continued efforts to educate, advocate, and promote Design-Build Best Practices to other City Agencies have gone a long way toward meeting the goal of making the City of New York the Owner of choice for design-build projects.
Young Professional
David Badger
Program Coordinator, Pima County Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department
David Badger hit the ground running when his career started seven years ago, and he hasn’t stopped since! In the time he’s been with the Pima County Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department in Tucson, Arizona, he has been an enthusiastic supporter of design-build, serving as Project Manager for numerous large projects involving treatment plants, pump stations, biofilters and conveyance systems. This led to his current role as Program Coordinator where he is currently managing the Twin Peaks Gravity Sewer Design-Build Project, which will provide a 4.5-mile sewer line to serve development in northern Pima County. The fact that he has assumed increasingly responsible positions at every stop of his career is a testament not only to his consistent work ethic but ability to keep the lines of communication open on all fronts. Emphasizing communication within the team on all of his projects, Badger also places a special focus on community outreach, so the general community affected by these projects are kept well informed of the impacts and activity.
Owner Leadership Award
Transportation/Aviation
Port of Seattle
Alternate Utility Facility at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
Learn MoreTransportation/Aviation
Florida DOT
Main Street Bridge (Duval County) Historical Renovation Project (SR 5)
Learn MoreTransportation/Aviation
City of Austin
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (ABIA) Terminal East Infill Project
Learn MoreWater/Wastewater
City of Boynton Beach
Ion Exchange Resin Plant and East Water Treatment Plant Improvements
Learn MoreIndustry Professional
Blain Grover, DBIA, LEED
Preconstruction Manager, Fortis Construction, Inc.
Blain Grover has demonstrated continued leadership in expanding design-build delivery in the Oregon market and within his organization, Fortis Construction. Blain developed Fortis’ “Design-Build Playbook” deploying a unique delivery of design-build customized to his organization’s business model and culture. This platform is providing clients an A+ level of design-build delivery using “Design-Build Done Right” principles. Working with regional owners such as the Oregon Military Department (OMD), Nike, Inc. and Portland Public Schools (to name a few), Blain has worked tirelessly educating clients about the benefits of design-build. He championed design-build for the delivery of OMD’s new state of the art Joint Force Headquarters in Salem, Oregon. This project has become a model for other state agencies in design-build delivery. Currently, Blain’s Design-Build Done Right™ work is being demonstrated leading a $10 million design-build middle school project for Portland Public Schools, which is one of Oregon’s first public K-12 design-build projects. There’s no denying Blain’s dedication to expand design-build in the Pacific Northwest and proving to clients how it can deliver better projects.
Owner
James Wolfe, PE
District 6 Secretary, Florida Department of Transportation
Jim Wolfe has served as District Secretary to both the FDOT District Four and Six regions and has been an effective advocate for design-build on many important Florida projects. Whether it’s the award-winning Veterans Memorial Bridge, the $1.3 billion I-595 Express P3 or the multi-phased I-75 Express, Jim has shown time and again the effectiveness of Design-Build Done Right™ principles in action. Jim has been a strong advocate for DBIA’s Best Practices and has co-presented on this topic at the DBIA’s Design-Build for Transportation Conference. Jim’s work embraces the triple-bottom line results possible with design-build. Most recently, FDOT’s design-build project along SR 836/I-395/I-95 included many community elements and will help reclaim pedestrian access beneath the elevated interstate. The project includes a signature bridge and improved mobility, safety and other enhancements. Jim’s leadership on this project and many others illustrates why we say, “Design-build is only as successful as the owners who implement it.” Florida continues to succeed thanks to design-build leaders like Jim.
University Faculty
Sharareh (Sherri) Kermanshachi, PhD, PE, PMP, LEED AP, ENV SP, CMIT
Assistant Professor, University of Texas at Arlington
Dr. Kermanshachi’s commitment to design-build is demonstrated through her scholarship, her student mentoring and active engagement with DBIA’s Southwest Region. In addition to serving as the Director of UTA’s Construction Research Lab, supervising multiple Ph.D. and master’s students, Sherri founded the UTA’s DBIA student chapter and currently serves as its faculty advisor. She frequently meets with DBIA members in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and invites them to her undergraduate and graduate classes. She’s a DBIA Educator Workshop participant and is coaching a team of undergraduate students in preparation for DBIA’s National Design-Build Student Competition. She’s also scheduled to take the DBIA certification exam this year.
Dr. Kermanshachi has experience as a design-build project manager for commercial design-build projects and investigated phase-based performance indicators in design-build projects for her doctoral dissertation. She has published more than 60 books, journal articles, conference papers, and technical reports, and received more than a dozen international and national awards including Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award, ASCE Professional Service Award, ASCE Excellence in Teaching Award, and Climate Award.
Young Professional
Jamie Athenour, DBIA, LEED AP BD+C
Design Manager, Hensel Phelps
Jamie Athenour is exactly the type of engaged young professional our industry needs. As an active member of the DBIA Western Pacific Region/Bay Area Chapter and an advocate for the design-build delivery method, she has made it her mission to spread the word about the value of design-build far and wide. Jamie has also established a DBIA Young Professionals recruitment program at Hensel Phelps Construction and serves as the Membership Chair for DBIA’s Western Pacific Region.
Jamie’s passion for promoting design-build principles among her peers is evident in her work as a Design Manager for Hensel Phelps, where she helps her teams navigate the design-build process from the earliest stages of her projects. She is currently the Design Manager for a $95 million design-build project and was previously involved with the successful SFO Replacement Airport Traffic Control Tower project. Jamie has also participated in a panel at the Women in Construction conference, discussing the successful use of progressive design-build as a delivery method on challenging public projects. Jamie’s future leadership aspirations include a nomination to the DBIA WPR Board in 2018 — and we are thankful for that!
Transportation Leadership Award Winners
Individual Owner
Chris Gaskins
South Carolina Department of Transportation
Chris Gaskins is a true champion and innovator for design-build in the state of South Carolina. As Preconstruction Design- Build Engineer for the South Carolina Department of Transportation, Gaskins leads a dynamic 12-engineer group that oversees the delivery of statewide design-build projects. He also facilitated the development and implementation of the Design-Build Procurement Manual and, along with every member of his Design-Build Group, has achieved DBIA™ certification as a Designated Design-Build Professional™. Before joining SCDOT in 2007, he spent 10 years with Law Engineering as a project manager and senior geotechnical engineer where he worked on one of South Carolina’s first design-build projects. Gaskins is a Registered Professional Engineer and a Registered Professional Geologist in the state of South Carolina and has 20 years of experience in geotechnical engineering. Along with being an active member of DBIA, Mr. Gaskins is also a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Association of Environmental and Engineering Geologists.
Industry Professional / Practitioner
Jim Avitabile, P.E., DBIA
RS&H, Orlando, FL
Jim Avitabile has worked on projects from California to Maine, and everywhere in between, working on roadways, limited-access highways, bridges, toll roads, interchanges, rail and transit facilities, and more. Jim leads RS&H’s Strategic Initiatives related to its Transportation Practice and has assisted public agencies such as TxDOT, FDOT, MDOT, CDOT and LYNX refine their procurement streamlining procedures related to design-build and P3 project delivery. He has served in active leadership roles with DBIA at both the regional and national level, serving as Chair of the DBIA National Transportation Markets Committee since 2011 and leading the committee efforts for the DBIA Transportation Sector Best Design-Build Practices. He is also a Registered Professional Engineer in four states and is a certified DBIA Professional.
Owner of the Year
The Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA)
Having used design-build in the past and present, with plans to use design-build in the future, Los Angeles World Airports is a prime example of an owner dedicated to design-build delivery. Over the years, Los Angeles World Airports has used design-build on a number of high-profile projects, including the Midfield Satellite Concourse North project, the Tom Bradley International Terminal update and its new Central Utility plant, creating modern engineering marvels and state-of-the-art construction throughout its airports. LAWA also has plans to use design-build on several elements of the ongoing Landside Access Modernization Program at LAX, including two Intermodal Transportation Facilities. The impressive number of successful design-build projects LAWA produces is a model for how owners can use design-build expertly and efficiently.
Young Professional
Adrian Price, P.E.
Flatiron Construction, Morrisville, NC
Adrian Price is the Design-Build Coordinator at Flatiron Construction and for nearly a decade has worked on a variety of design-build projects. Adrian is currently working on the one hundred and $45 million N.C. 12 Rodanthe Bridge project for the North Carolina Department of Transportation. As an engineer and young professional, Adrian represents the future of the design-build industry by advocating and successfully implementing a collaborative approach between team members of all positions inherent in Design-Build Done Right® project delivery.
Faculty
Mounir El Asmar
Co-director, National Center of Excellence in SMART Innovations, Arizona State University
A professor in Arizona State’s School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Mounir El Asmar is ahead of his time when it comes to teaching design-build. He teaches undergraduate students, graduate students and even industry professionals about the effectiveness and efficiency of design-build through a research focus on design-build performance. He is the founder of the DBIA student chapter at ASU, and has coached students in DBIA national competitions. Dr. El Asmar is a true champion of alternative delivery methods, and has worked with national foundations and committees to help teams employ their most effective methods for project delivery. His research benchmarks design-build performance, and assists the industry in making decisions selecting and using design-build.
Industry Professional
Brian A. Walsh
President, CEO, The Collage Companies
Since completing his firm’s first design-build project in 1982, Brian Walsh has been an unwavering proponent of design-build project delivery and has been consistently engaged with DBIA for almost 20 years. One of the founding members of DBIA’s Florida Region, he has served multiple positions on the region’s Board and has been a member of national committees and Boards for DBIA over the past decade. Brian has used the integrated team approach combined with DBIA’s single source responsibility to provide service and solutions to faith-based and socially minded organizations which best allowed him to fulfill his corporate mission, “to build projects that strengthen the foundation and fabric of our communities.” His career can best be described as using design-build principles as a way to give back his time and talents to his community.
Legislator
Governor Andrew Cuomo
Governor, New York State
It’s impossible to talk about design-build in New York without talking about its biggest champion, Governor Andrew Cuomo. Thanks to his leadership, there are many high-profile design-build projects across the state of New York demonstrating to the entire nation the cost and time efficiencies that come with design-build. Whether it’s the former Tappan Zee (now named the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge), the Javits Center or the Kosciuszko bridge, Andrew Cuomo has led an infrastructure renaissance with design-build authority at the helm. In a state that’s been historically slow to adopt design-build, the Governor has remained a steadfast supporter and with each successful project has elevated the conversation making it impossible to ignore — design-build delivers in New York, and with full authority, could bring even more success to the state’s impressive infrastructure renaissance.
Owner
Julie Meredith
Program Administrator, SR 520 Bridge Replacement and HOV Program, Washington State Department of Transportation
As Program Administrator for the Washington State Department of Transportation’s SR 520 Bridge Replacement and HOV Program, Julie Meredith has been instrumental in the development of multiple design-build projects that are reconstructing a vulnerable and vital urban highway connecting Seattle and the growing cities east of Lake Washington. The Program’s ongoing progress is owed in large measure to Julie’s technical, managerial and community-engagement skills, and her dogged determination to obtain results. Julie’s leadership helped deliver community consensus, permits and funding for a megaproject spanning eight local jurisdictions, multiple congressional and legislative districts, historic neighborhoods, tribal fishing grounds, and sensitive natural areas. Julie’s commitment to design-build contracting has produced many notable innovations that reduced both costs and schedule.
Owner
Timothy Pullen, Assoc. DBIA
Manager, Alternative Project Delivery, The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey
The Port Authority of New Jersey and New York is tasked with maintaining some of the nation’s most recognizable infrastructure located in the one of the nation’s most densely populated areas. Despite being one of only a handful of states with limited authority, the Port Authority is nonetheless reshaping the landscape in New York and New Jersey using design-build for very notable projects. As the Port Authority’s Manager of Alternative Project Delivery, Timothy Pullen has been a vocal and effective advocate for the Authority’s use of design-build on vital projects including the $4 billion central terminal at LaGuardia Airport, the Goethals Bridge replacement and the redevelopment of Terminal A at Newark Liberty International Airport.
Student
Hunter Brown
Student President of DBIA-UA Chapter, University of Arizona
Student leadership is important to foster the growth of future design-build professionals, and Hunter Brown is a prime example of what that student leadership can do. Hunter has been a champion of design-build in many ways during his undergraduate career. He helped found the DBIA Student Chapter at the University of Arizona and was a team leader during the university’s first-ever entry in DBIA’s National Student Competition in 2016. As DBIA Student Chapter president he has promoted design-build delivery by encouraging his peers to enter design-build competitions and building the DBIA Student Chapter at Arizona. Hunter’s demonstrated commitment to the design-build delivery method is making an impact now and positioning him for a successful career in the design-build industry.
Young Professional
Monica Blanchard
Project Manager, Manson Construction Co.
A consummate, pragmatic professional, Monica promotes the tenets of the design-build project delivery model with an unwavering commitment to open, honest communication; transparency; and finding a better way. Representing the “build” side of design-build, Monica quickly rose to a leadership role at Manson Construction, serving as project manager and supervisor on design-build projects across the Pacific Northwest. One of her notable projects was serving as a Superintendent on the $700 million Design-Build Evergreen Point Floating Bridge project which won a 2016 DBIA National Excellence in Design Engineering Award. The success of the design-build model relies heavily on providing a clear understanding of the goals and expectations of all parties involved, and the ability to lead all team members towards those goals and expectations — all of which is exemplified by Blanchard.
Industry Professional
Brett Tullis, AIA, DBIA, LEED
Principal Architect, Sillman Wright Architects
In addition to his notable achievements as an architect, Brett Tullis has pursued a busy second career as an educational volunteer, bringing the concept of design-build to people and students that have limited knowledge or experience of the profession. Mr. Tullis played a vital role in establishing the only DBIA Student Chapter in Southern California at the NewSchool of Architecture and Design, where he and members of his staff also served as advisors and design jurors for a mock student/professional design-build project. His ability to promote design-build has had a lasting effect within his staff, students and the surrounding design-build community.
Legislator
Representative Lincoln Hough
Representing the 135th State House District, Missouri State Legislature
Rep. Lincoln Hough successfully sponsored and passed HB 2376, authorizing political subdivisions such as cities, counties and school districts throughout the state of Missouri to use design-build. Rep. Hough’s tireless work on the issue began in 2015, when he first sponsored the legislation, and continued in 2016 because he understood the importance of this issue to the industry and public owners. This was a complex bill with many moving parts and interested parties. Rep. Hough skillfully negotiated while standing strong on core parts of the bill. He is an example of a state legislator who is willing to work on challenging, practical legislation that may lack glamour or press coverage but truly makes a difference for businesses and public entities.
Owner
Darryl VanMeter, P.E.
State Innovative Delivery Administrator, Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT)
Darryl VanMeter volunteered to lead GDOT’s first design-build project more than 10 years ago. As a result of him actively partnering with the design-build team, federal partners and GDOT staff, the $80 million interchange project was a resounding success, completed in just 18 months. Since then, Mr. VanMeter has led the GDOT Office of Innovative Delivery, which has awarded nearly $2 billion of design-build contracts, and has convinced them to steadily adopt DBIA’s best practices. Mr. VanMeter’s advocacy within the department has been the catalyst for legislative changes that have widely permitted the use of design-build in Georgia, including Best Value selection. His tireless support for using DBIA best practices has led initial skepticism of design-build in the state to evaporate and use of the delivery method is now growing quickly.
Young Professional
Dave McCool, DBIA, LEED AP BD+C
Director of Virtual Design & Construction, McCarthy Building Companies, Inc.
With degrees in Psychology and Construction Management, Dave McCool has a unique perspective on the impact of human behavior on team relationships and has become an advocate for the best practices that make design-build delivery the most successful. Mr. McCool has advocated for DBIA’s best practices on a global platform, even writing a book featuring an exhaustive section on the benefits and correlation of BIM and design-build, which is being translated into French and Chinese in order to be used in 25 universities worldwide. Most recently, he founded a global non-profit whose mission is to use technology to break down the silos of owner, architect, engineer and contractor in order to implement the teachings of DBIA.
Transportation Leadership Award Winners
Individual Owner
Rodger Rochelle
North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT)
Rodger Rochelle is the Administrator of Technical Services for NCDOT — last year’s Design-Build Owner of the Year. Mr. Rochelle oversees the department’s design-build and P3 programs, and under his leadership, NCDOT has expanded and developed its design-build program to as high as 50% of the agency’s Capital Improvement Program. He has implemented more than $4 billion in design-build and P3 projects, saving North Carolina taxpayers millions of dollars while delivering high-quality projects. His leadership has made NCDOT a model agency that upholds DBIA’s values and best practices with an impressive project success rate.
Industry Professional/Practitioner
Evan Caplicki
Partner, Nossaman, LLP
Evan Caplicki is a Partner at Nossaman, LLP, an active member of DBIA’s Transportation Markets Committee and Chair of DBIA’s Legal and Legislative Committee. He has been representing clients on design-build projects since 1998, and since 2006 his primary practice focus has been design-build and public-private partnership work with transportation infrastructure owners. Mr. Caplicki is one of the key authors of DBIA’s Best Practices for Transportation Projects and has helped many public owners with their first design-build projects. He has not only presented and co-chaired DBIA conferences, but has also been a DBIA instructor for the Contracts and Risk Management Course since 2007.
Owner of the Year
The Virginia Department of Transportation
Since Since the Virginia Department of Transportation’s (VDOT) first design-build project in 2004, the agency has become a model for best practices in design-build. VDOT’s Alternate Project Delivery Office has a dedicated staff of eight people who develop the contract documents, administer the procurement and provide guidance during construction for each design-build project.
As of April 2016, VDOT has 29 design-build projects under construction valued at $1.17 billion, which represents 54% of its total contract value of $2.16 billion. Furthermore, VDOT has completed 45 additional design-build contracts valued at $882 million. VDOT has been one of the most active agencies supporting DBIA’s objectives and has advocated using DBIA certification as a distinguishing component of project selection.
Young Professional
Elizabeth Cousins
Partner, Nossaman LLP
Elizabeth Cousins is a Partner at Nossaman, LLP where she oversees development of a detailed procurement plan for her clients, consistently employing DBIA Best Practices. Utilizing her broad experience with design-build and P3s internationally and within the U.S., Ms. Cousins’ practice focuses on advising government clients on the full range of design-build and alternative delivery options. As part of her role, she helps clients to better understand their roles in a design-build project through training and workshops. She also acts as Legislative Chair for the Women in Transportation L.A. Chapter, and has recently been appointed to the DBIA Water / Wastewater Committee.