Education Committee
CI Staff
Nancy Greenwald
Executive Director |
Lisa Baur
Professional Education Manager |
Victoria Muscara
Marketing & Membership Coordinator |
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Lindsey Peterson Black - Education Committee Chair
Lindsey is a construction lawyer with Hinckley Allen. Her practice focuses on all aspects of the construction industry. She has represented general contractors, construction managers, subcontractors, project owners, and suppliers in a wide range of construction-related matters. Lindsey routinely advises clients on contract drafting and negotiation, payment issues, liens, construction and design defect claims, delay claims, litigation, arbitration, and dispute resolution. She counsels clients on best practices for avoiding litigation and minimizing risk and represents clients in federal and state court, arbitration and alternative dispute resolution. |
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Kara Bacik - Board Chair
Kara Bacik is a Senior Associate at Patriquin Architects with 17 years of experience in the Architectural, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry. Envisioning the future growth of the firm, she establishes external strategic growth initiatives, manages Marketing, Branding, Communication and Social Media; spearheads Business Development; helps align firm culture; and promotes staff development, both personally and professionally.Having enjoyed working on every piece of the marketing spectrum throughout the years, she has linked her vast experience and education to promoting the importance of architectural design and collaboration, focusing her efforts on better client experiences. Kara has a sincere passion for connecting people’s needs and wants to solutions. She innately understands the big picture and recognizes the collective role we all play in making positive change for the future of our industry. Translating her vision for the built environment through strategic marketing, Kara continues to help influence the AEC through her participation in industry organizations such as the Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) and the Construction Institute. Her various involvement on SMPS, Connecticut Chapter committees led to her term as Chapter President from 2009-2010 and subsequent involvement in their mentoring program. Currently, she is Chair of the Board of Directors for the Construction Institute and is on their Education Committee. |
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George Fink - Berkeley Research Group (BRG)
George Fink is a Managing Director of Berkeley Research Group (BRG) with over twenty years of expert construction consulting experience and forty years of industry experience. This experience spans project management, scheduling, inspection, estimating and coordination on hotel and hospitality, residential and housing, multi-use high rise, transportation, wastewater, education, healthcare, federal, courts and corrections, and energy projects. He is an expert in schedule delay analysis, insurance claims, cost entitlement, construction deficiencies and construction management standards of care. Fink has taught scheduling classes to the ABA Construction Forum and numerous government, state and local entities, in addition to CLE certified classes to numerous law firms. |
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Lewis Finkel - Professional Construction Services
Lewis Finkel, F.C.P.E., is a Certified Professional Estimator with over 50 years of construction experience. He is President of Professional Construction Services, a company that provides estimating for Architects, Facilities Managers, Municipalities and Construction Managers. Mr. Finkel graduated from Drexel University with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering with a Construction Management Minor. Mr. Finkel is a past National President and a Fellow of the American Society of Professional Estimators (ASPE) and a past National President of the Consulting Estimators Round Table (CERT). Lew has been teaching for thirty years, at the college level he has taught construction estimating and related topics for continuing education courses at Capital Community College, Norwalk Community College and currently for the professional development curriculum of the University of Wisconsin – Madison. He has retired from teaching construction estimating after eleven years in the Construction Management degree program at Central Connecticut State University. He has been a speaker at the National Convention of the American Society of Professional Estimators, The National Convention of the American Institute of Architects and the National Convention of the Construction Specifications Institute. He has been on the International Taskforce that issued the 2010 edition of the CSI UniFormat classification system. He was a work group leader for the OmniClass classification system. He is a member of the Cost Effective subcommittee of the Whole Building Design Guide of the National Institute of Building Sciences. In the Construction Institute he was chairman of the Technology Committee which presented programs on the cutting edge of technology for the AEC industry, teaching many workshops and as a longtime member of the Board of Directors. Teaching is a passion for him and seeing the light bulb go off in someone whether an undergraduate or a seasoned professional is one of the most satisfying things imaginable. |
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James Fuda - PE
Jim is a licensed Professional Engineer (PE) with over 47 years’ experience as a Civil Engineer and involved with the Construction Institute since 1995. He served as Vice President of Alfred Benesch, Inc of Glastonbury responsible for the operations and growth of the Connecticut Region. He has a diversity of skills including the Project Management of large-scale complex projects, Marketing and Business Development, Client Development, and Corporate and Regional Management. In addition, he has served on the Boards of Directors of the Connecticut Chapters of the American Council of Consulting Engineers (ACEC-CT), the Connecticut Business Congress (CBC-CT) leading both organization s for terms as President. He is a graduate of Northeastern University in Boston with a BSCE and a MSCE in Civil Engineering. |
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John O. Hilf - P. E. Tucker Mechanical/Emcor Group Inc.
John has been involved with the Construction Institute since his arrival in Connecticut in 2015, attending seminars and as a member of the Education Committee. John is currently the New York Group Manager for Tucker Mechanical and has also served as Tucker’s Major Projects Group Manager and Operations Manager. The best thing about Tucker Mechanical, John thinks, is the mentoring environment present from the fab shop to the office and into the field. John’s career in construction spans more than four decades. In that time, he has played leading roles in a variety of high-profile projects in North and South America and Europe. From international airports to sophisticated ethanol processing plants to industrial equipment manufacturing shops, and robotic welding and paint finishing operations, John has a wide breadth of experience with projects, people, organizations, and governmental agencies. He has worked on projects in markets including automotive, robotics, healthcare, power generation, and institutional. His familiarity with project delivery includes EPC, design-build, integrated project delivery, cost plus, and lump sum. John holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University. He is a Registered Professional Engineer and is certified in the Project Management Process. |
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Amy Jagaczewski - P.E. e2 Engineers
Amy is a licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.) whose background as a designer, project manager, and Principal of a structural engineering practice is critical to her role as Communications Manager at e2 engineers. Amy’s technical practice focused on adaptive reuse, historic preservation, and sustainable design in the cultural, higher education, municipal, and multi-family residential sectors. At e2 engineers, she is responsible for developing and executing a range of strategies to support education, marketing, business development, and strategic planning efforts. Amy holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Northeastern University and an M.S. Civil Engineering from UCONN. |
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Jacob Kovel - Central CT State University|Retired
Jacob Kovel is a retired construction educator with expertise in field operations and heavy-civil construction. He started his career as an engineer officer in the US Army, serving in a variety of positions of increasing responsibility. He retired from the Army in 2008 as a lieutenant colonel after 28 years of active and reserve service. He has also spent over 25 years in higher education, teaching at the Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Kansas and Central Connecticut State University. His teaching experience includes courses in civil engineering, architectural engineering, construction management and peace studies. Jacob retired from CCSU in 2022 but continues to assist the school’s construction management program. He holds a BS Applied Sciences and Engineering from the United States Military Academy (West Point), an MS in Engineering Management for the Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri-Rolla) and a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology (GA Tech). |
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Luiza Mills - Interstate Electrical Services
Luiza brings over 20 years of executive management experience to her role as Senior Vice President at Interstate Electrical Services. Under Luiza’s direction, Interstate’s Human Resources, Marketing, and Safety departments are responsible for recruitment, policies, safety, insurance, quality control, communications, and trainings. Luiza’s education, commitment to training, mentoring, and empowerment of people, collectively support current and future generations. Her professional experience consists of: Operations, Marketing, Lean Methodologies, Mergers & Acquisitions, Distribution, Contracts, Insurances, Education, and Leadership. Having served on numerous boards over her tenure, Luiza remains an active member of the Construction Institute, Gould Institute, ABC Human Resource Committee, ABC Diversity and Inclusion Committee, New England Employee Benefit Council (NEEBC), and Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM). |
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Anna Liza Montenegro - Microsol Resources
Anna Liza Montenegro develops design technology conferences for architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) professionals as a forum to exchange innovative strategies and best practices and facilitate discussions into the technology trends driving significant change in building design and construction. As Director of Marketing and a trained architect, these events are offered to AEC professionals by Microsol Resources, a value-added reseller of Autodesk, Bluebeam, Enscape, Rhino, V-Ray, CADLearning, and other technology partnerships. |
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Gene Torone - Slam Collaborative
Gene Torone is President of SLAM Construction Services and a Designated Design-Build Professional™ (DBIA™). He brings over 40 years of experience planning and managing construction projects, including 27 years managing design-build projects. He has been responsible for the management of over 100 design-build construction projects and hundreds of construction projects. His experience includes work for educational, healthcare, corporate and public sector clients. He is particularly adept at devising highly-effective delivery plans and construction methods using innovative fast-track and design-build techniques. |
Online Instructors
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Mark Adams, MS, MBA, PM, Director, Capital Project Management, Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Workshop: Facilities Construction and Project Management Mark Adams is a subject matter expert in the field of Capital Project and Program Management; and previously with C3 Consultancy, a Project Management Office (PMO) Veteran-owned startup that represents Owners and their Capital Investments Programs and Projects. Professionally, Mark started his career serving in the United States Air Force where he was the Owner’s Representative for the Air Force on their construction and infrastructure projects across the globe. |
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Kathleen Cloud, Director, M. Frank Higgins & Co., Inc.
Workshop: Environmental Health & Safety for Facility Managers and Effective Communication in Project Management Kathleen Cloud is the President and Co-Owner of M. Frank Higgins & Co., Inc., one of the largest commercial flooring specialists in the region. M. Frank Higgins, a fourth-generation family business since 1952, is located in Berlin, CT, and has over 50 full time employees. |
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Eric Connery, Facilities Administrator, Connecticut General Assembly
Workshop: Financial Management of Facilities Eric Connery has been the Facility Administrator for Connecticut General Assembly for the past twenty years. With over forty years of involvement in almost every phase of a building’s evolution, from design, construction, operation and management in both the private and public sectors, the last thirty years as a facility manager of financial, educational and government facilities. |
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Roy Cooper, P.E., Vice President at Arcadis
Workshop: Management of Legal Exposures Roy Cooper is the Vice President and leader of Arcadis’ Contract Solutions group in North America. He has more than 27 years of construction experience, including the analysis and review of complex construction claims from the beginning stages through trial support and expert testimony. Cooper has led large-scale claims evaluation assignments of almost every type, including the evaluation of schedule impacts, cost impact analysis, mediation, and claims negotiation, and has been qualified as an expert on both horizontal and vertical type projects. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in the states of Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, New Jersey, Maryland, New York and Rhode Island. |
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Patrick Donovan, Scheduler & Claims Analyst, Arcadis
Workshop: Project Schedule Management: From Project Initiation to Closeout Patrick Donovan is a scheduler and claims analyst in Arcadis’ Contract Solutions group. He has more than six years of experience in the construction industry working as a Scheduler, Claims Analyst, Assistant Project Manager, Project Engineer and Field Engineer. Donovan has successfully executed multiple complex projects on schedule and achieved substantial cost savings. He has been responsible for all project phases including concept selection, detailed design, regulatory approvals, procurement, construction, and closeout. Donovan is presently working on construction schedules for the $135M Ella T. Grasso Technical High School construction project in Groton CT, $200M Williams College Science Center construction in Williamstown, MA and $100M Brooklyn Navy Yards Hurricane Sandy relief project in NYC. |
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Robert Falaguerra, Vice President of Facilities, Design and Construction - Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center
Workshop: Fundamentals of Facilities Management Robert J. Falaguerra has been Vice President of Facilities, Design and Construction at Saint Francis Hospital / Trinity Health New England in Hartford, Connecticut since 1992. His previous experience includes over 45 years of health care facilities management including assignments at Montefiore Hospital and Medical Center, Bellevue Hospital and Bronx Lebanon Hospital, all in New York City. Mr. Falaguerra was also Vice President of Ogden Allied Abatement and Decontamination Services from 1987 – 1992. Mr. Falaguerra holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical/Marine Engineering from S.U.N.Y. Maritime College and a Masters Degree in Management Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. |
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Gregory Faulkner, Partner at Robinson & Cole LLP
Workshop: Management of Legal Exposures Gregory Faulkner is a partner and Chair of the Construction Practice with the firm Robinson & Cole, and member of the firm's Managing Committee. He has served as local, national, and international counsel in all aspects of construction law for more than 25 years. In addition to serving the needs of all areas of the construction industry, he works closely with institutional owners and developers in the education, hospitality, and food and beverage industries with regard to their unique building and facilities program needs. He is also a long time member of the Commercial and Construction Panel of Neutrals for both the American Arbitration Association and the American Dispute Resolution Center. |
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Brian Goodreau, Associate Vice President, Arcadis
Workshop: Project Schedule Management: From Project Initiation to Closeout Brian Goodreau is an Associate Vice President with Arcadis, a global engineering and Construction firm. He is a principal claims analyst who has worked for Arcadis for 8 years. He is also the operations leader for the Arcadis Contract Solutions team of experts in construction disputes and project controls in New York City. Goodreau currently manages claims on behalf of public and private owners for numerous complex infrastructure and building projects across North America. He has a proven record of accomplishment helping clients to avoid and mitigate disputes by implementing techniques such as CPM scheduling and total cost management. Brian has also effectively resolved numerous disputes on behalf of his clients, providing expert analysis and litigation support. |
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Thomas G. Librizzi, McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter, LLP
Workshop: Construction Contracting and Change Orders Thomas G. Librizzi's practice has concentrated on construction and surety law related matters for more than 30 years. He counsels construction managers, contractors, subcontractors, owners, design professionals and sureties on the full range of construction issues, including claims, project delays and extra work, project management, claims avoidance, contract drafting and negotiations, design-build contracts, contract administration and performance, labor disputes, bid protests, mechanics liens, domestic and international arbitration, litigation in state and federal court and mediations. Tom was a construction law partner at Pepe & Hazard for 25 years prior to its merger with McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter, LLP in 2010. |
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James McManus, FAIA, Chairman Emeritus, Principal, The S/L/A/M Collaborative
Workshop: Budget Management: Managing Project Costs James McManus is the Chairman Emeritus of The S/L/A/M Collaborative, a 200-member, fully integrated, multi-disciplinary architecture firm with offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago and Connecticut and SLAM Construction Services, a construction management subsidiary. He serves as the principal-in-charge for some of the firm's most important and complex projects including the Jordan Hall of Science and the Eck School of Law at the University of Notre Dame; Academic Research Building at the University of Connecticut Health Center; Shriners Hospital for Children, Mexico City and the Campus Crossroads Project at Notre Dame. He has been instrumental in developing the firm’s Integrated Project Delivery process that combines planning, design and full construction services for client projects. He holds a Bachelor's in Architecture from the University of Notre Dame and is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). |
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Michael Schrier, Director of Design and STEM Projects, University of CT Planning Architecture
Workshops: Principles of Project Management; Project Scope Management; Project Communications Management Michael Schrier is a registered architect with a B.A. Degree from McGill University and a Masters of Architecture from Washington University in St. Louis. Michael also earned an M.B.A. from Fordham University. He has had extensive experience in the design and construction of medical and institutional buildings, while in private practice in the State of New York and Connecticut, and as site director for design and construction for New York Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. At Yale School of Medicine Facilities Planning and Construction, he oversees a staff of project managers that implement projects over two campuses. He also developed the project management certificate curriculum at the University of Hartford’s Construction Institute, and teaches the Principles of Project Management and Scope Management classes. |
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Eugene Torone, DBIA, President, SLAM Construction Services
Workshop: Construction Management II Gene Torone is President of SLAM Construction Services and a Designated Design-Build Professional™ (DBIA™). He brings over 35 years of experience planning and managing construction projects, including 22 years managing design-build projects. He has been responsible for the management of 66 design-build construction projects and hundreds of construction projects. His experience includes work for educational, medical, corporate and public sector clients. He is particularly adept at devising highly effective delivery plans and construction methods using innovative fast-track and design-build techniques. |