Learn from these industry-leading experts to unlock your full potential
Meet the Instructor: Brad Benhart
Brad Benhart has been a mainstay in the construction industry for over 25 years. He has been involved in all aspects of construction including healthcare, commercial, residential, international, and all related aspects of training and education. In 2009, Benhart furthered his commitment and passion to construction education by accepting a Professorship at Purdue University in their Building Construction Management program.
Brad is actively involved in Associated General Contractors (AGC), American Society of Healthcare Engineering (ASHE), Builders Association of Chicago, and Indiana Contractors Association. Through his industry engagement, Benhart has been invited across the country to do presentations and keynote speeches on the dynamics of the construction industry. His position allows him to further develop construction education in the built environment and be an industry advocate for the next generation of builders. He is currently working on training programs that highlight team collaborations between architects, engineers, and construction managers. Brad was honored at the National AGC Convention as the 2014 Outstanding Educator of America. He was also awarded one of six Charles Murphy awards for excellence in undergraduate teaching out of 2,200 Purdue University professors. Benhart also has an extensive resume in industry.
Brad previously worked as Vice President of Pepper Construction Company in Chicago, Illinois. While at Pepper, he managed multiple projects ranging from $100k to $250 million dollars. He continues to be an adjunct professor at Northwestern University in project management and has actively taught and trained many employees in the industry.
When he is not in the classroom, Brad owns Integrated Construction Resources, a construction consulting company that focuses on strategic planning, training, mentoring, and expert witness analysis.
President, Burleson Construction Company, Inc.
Meet the Instructor: Tommy Burleson
Tom Burleson is president of Burleson Construction Company, a third‐generation, 64‐year old firm in Johnson City, Tennessee. An AGC activist, Tom is a past chairman of the Construction Education Committee of the Associated General Contractors of America. He is also a Life Director of AGC of America, a past president of AGC of Tennessee, and a member of the Consulting Constructors Council and a director of the AGC of America Education and Research Foundation.
Tom is retired from the U.S. Army Reserves with the rank of colonel and served in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and in Desert Storm. Tom earned a B.S. degree in Building Science from Clemson University and received Certified Professional Constructor (C.P.C.) status from the AIC Constructor Certification Commission. He is a LEED Accredited Professional.
Health and Safety Director, Gilbane Building Company
Meet the Instructor: Joaquin Diaz
Mr. Joaquin Diaz has 26 years of occupational safety and health management experience. He is currently the Health and Safety Director for Gilbane Building Company.
He has overseen the development and implementation of Health, Safety, and Environmental Management Systems for contractors on a global scale. Joaquin is responsible for the professional development, mentoring, and training of Safety Professionals in and out of his organization.
Joaquin is skilled at developing and implementing practical solutions for complex problems and is recognized for his ability to achieve positive results through teamwork and effective leadership. With excellent communication and negotiation skills, “hands-on” field safety experience, and an understanding of the construction process, Joaquin plays an important role for both preconstruction and construction teams in identifying, preventing, or mitigating potential safety issues. Joaquin’s work experience includes 21 years in leadership for four top 150 ENR contractors and Microsoft. He served honorably in the United States Marine Corps.
He is a doctor candidate of public health program. He has done several presentations with different organizations and conferences on different topics. He has two bachelor’s degrees from different universities and a master’s degree in management. He continues to pursue the highest level of credentials and education. He has the CIH, CSP, and QEP designations.
Joaquin is currently serving on the AIHA Total Worker Health committee as past chair. He co-authored the published total worker health section of the AIHA Whitebook. He is the Past President of the Board of Certified Safety Professionals for 2021. He also served on the ACGIH Nominations Committee. He served on the ASSP/ANSI A10 Series committee. He was the past chair of the Hoisting Machine Operators Advisory Board after being nominated by two separate governors and serving for three governors.
Associate Dean for Academic, Marquette University
Meet the Instructor: Mark Federle
Mark Federle, PE, Ph.D., CPC, F. ASCE, CM-Lean, NAC, is currently the Associate Dean for Academic at Marquette University. Previously, he was Chief Information Officer for The Weitz Company in Des Moines for 9 years. Prior to joining The Weitz Company, Federle was the Professor-in-Charge of Construction Engineering program at Iowa State University, where he taught for nine years. Mark earned his PhD and Masters in Construction Engineering and Management from the University of Michigan. Mark is a licensed Professional Engineer and a Certified Professional Constructor and a CM-LEAN. Mark was awarded The Career Achievement Award by Rose-Hulman in 2005. He was recognized by AGC of America as Instructor of the Year in 2011. He is a Fellow of ASCE. He is a member of the National Academy of Construction.
Partner, Peckar & Abramson
Meet the Instructor: Tiffany Harrod
Tiffany Harrod is a partner in Peckar & Abramson's Houston and Austin offices, where she concentrates her practice on construction and commercial litigation. She works with owners, developers, designers, engineers, and contractors on contract development, negotiations, risk management, delay and impact claims, lien and bond issues, defect claims, payment disputes, insurance and subrogation issues, alternative dispute resolution, and litigation strategy. Tiffany's practice includes energy litigation involving both onshore and offshore projects, real estate, construction, insurance, professional liability, products liability, and infrastructure. Tiffany has more than sixteen years of experience, including trial experience in state and federal courts throughout Texas, and in various arbitration forums.
President, Reputation Management Associates
Meet the Instructor: Anthony Huey
Anthony's 20-year career includes tenures as a news reporter, magazine senior editor, crisis management specialist, media relations consultant and executive speech coach.
He owns Reputation Management Associates, one of the nation's leading communications training and crisis consulting companies. Anthony has presented more than 2,000 media, crisis and presentational skills training workshops, seminars, and speeches in his career. His past client work includes a wide variety of advertising, public relations and communications initiatives for hundreds of trade associations, municipalities, and companies including Nike, Victoria's Secret, Eli Lilly, Nationwide Insurance, The Kroger Company, and Procter & Gamble.
Anthony holds a bachelor's degree in Journalism from The Ohio State University.
Partner, Peckar & Abramson
Meet the Instructor: Freddy Munoz
Freddy X. Muñoz is a partner in Peckar & Abramson’s Miami office. A shrewd business and legal counselor, Freddy handles a wide variety of construction and commercial litigation matters on behalf of his clients. His practice primarily includes the representation of contractors, developers, and other construction professionals in litigation disputes stemming from contract, design, delay, defect, and insurance related matters, as well as creditors and business owners in commercial disputes.
VP, Business Development and Marketing, Bowen Engineering Corporation
Meet the Instructor: Jeff Purdue
Bowen is a heavy, general contractor with annual revenues of $300 million, working in (13) states and has been in business for over 50 years. Bowen is owned by 85 stockholders who are also key Bowen employees. Bowen's primary work includes construction of treatment plants, power plants, underground utilities and ethanol and industrial facilities.
Jeff graduated from AGC's Project Manager course in 1993 and AGC's Advanced Management Program in 2001. Bowen Engineering has been the recipient of 4 AGC Build America Awards of which Jeff has proudly been associated with 2 of these projects.
Vice President, Diversity Affairs, Austin Commercial
Meet the Instructor: Simeon Terry
Simeon Terry is the Vice President of Diversity Affairs for Austin Commercial. He has been in the construction industry over 30 years and has managed diversity programs over 23 years. In his current role as Vice President, Mr. Terry oversees the companies' Diversity and Inclusion program both internally and externally. This includes overseeing the cultural competency education, diversity compliance, affirmative action, recruiting/hiring, mentoring and business procurement diversity. In addition, his role consists of developing and implementing strategic strategies that will maximize inclusion in the workforce diversity workspace as well as in the supplier diversity workspace. The role of diversity affairs is to ensure that Inclusion, diversity, equity, and access are considered at the highest levels of all decisions within the company and established as a core organizational value.
Previously, Mr. Terry held the position of Director of Diversity and Diversity Program Manager for Austin Commercial over his 23-year career with the company. In the mentoring program he spearheads for Austin, over 450 firms have graduated in the program and over $3.5 billion has been spent with those firms.
Mr. Terry holds a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering from Kansas State University and an MBA in Finance. He also holds a Master Compliance Administrator Certification (MCA) from Morgan State University in association with the American Contract Compliance Association (ACCA) and is a Life Member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
Vice President, Risk Management, American Contractors Insurance Group
Meet the Instructor: Brian Callaghan
Brian joined ACIG in 2018 after building his career in the construction insurance industry. He began as a construction casualty underwriter with Zurich North America and later worked for Swiss Re, gaining experience in underwriting, reinsurance, and construction risk management. Brian earned a degree in Risk Management and Insurance from the University of Georgia (Go Dawgs!) and holds several industry designations, including CPCU, ARM, ARe, and CRIS. He is also a licensed insurance agent and surplus lines broker in Texas. Outside of work, Brian enjoys spending time with his wife, Cassandra, and their two energetic sons, Liam and Dillon.
Partner, Forvis Mazars
Meet the Instructor: Nickie Redick
Nickie is a member of Forvis Mazars National Construction & Real Estate Group and serves as the team leader for Forvis Mazars Indianapolis practice unit. She provides consulting, audit, review and accounting services to clients in the construction industry.
Manager, Forvis Mazars
Meet the Instructor: Parker Lepore
Parker Lepore is a manager in the Jacksonville office with more than six years of experience working with various businesses. He primarily provides accounting and auditing services to the construction industry.
His experience includes assistance in applying accounting standards in a multitude of situations: from everyday transactions to complex, multi-faceted arrangements. In addition, Parker has experience with employee benefit plans with additional experience working with employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) in the construction industry .
Parker is a member of the American Institute of CPAs and Florida Institute of CPAs. He is an at-large general board member of the Construction Financial Management Association Northeast Florida Chapter and holds the Certified Construction Industry Financial Professional (CCIFP®) designation. He is also active with Associated Builders and Contractors and various non-profit organizations.