F. Lawrence Bennett, P.E.
Bennett Engineering
Fairbanks AK. 99709
907-479-5118
907-347-5384 (mobile)
benco@alaska.net
Dr. Larry Bennett, P.E., RLS, retired from UAF in 1997 after 29
years on its engineering management faculty.
Then, after two years on the faculty at Cornell University and another
two at the University of Canterbury (New Zealand), he returned to Alaska. He
continues an active consulting practice – short courses, land surveying, project
management, research, bonehead civil engineering and the like – when not
traveling the world. He earned civil
engineering degrees from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Cornell, wrote
four books, and held local and regional officer positions in ASCE, NSPE and
ASEE. Recently down-sized and residing
in a riverside condo in downtown Fairbanks, Larry and his wife Margaret
celebrated their 56th wedding anniversary in August. They have two sons, two daughters-in-law, and
four grandchildren. He likes old cars
and Dixieland jazz, and he tells very corny jokes.
Bruno Grunau, P.E.
Cold Climate Housing Research Center
Chief Programs Officer
Bruno@cchrc.org
While Bruno is enthusiastic about life, he is also passionate
about developing and implementing energy-efficient and sustainable technologies
in the Circumpolar North. Bruno joined CCHRC January 2011 after serving as the
chief engineer for an Alaskan renewable energy firm. As a research engineer at
CCHRC, Bruno has been responsible for research and testing of building systems
for ventilation, thermal, and moisture control properties in cold climates. He
regularly designs and analyzes building foundations on permafrost, building
envelopes in cold climates, and heating and ventilation systems in rural
Alaska. He is regularly involved in teaching classes, building and energy
system consultation, and other outreach efforts to general public, contractors,
homeowners, engineers, architects, and inspectors. As Chief Programs Officer,
he is responsible for overseeing the organization’s programs and services, working
with staff to strengthen organization’s work culture, and helping to establish
private and public-sector partnerships and relationships with CCHRC. Other
significant parts of Bruno’s life include his wife and two kids, making music,
dancing, enjoying life, and enjoying the backcountry.
Topic
Cold Climate Housing Research Center: Lessons Learned and Future
Challenges
The
Cold Climate Housing Research Center CCHRC was formed in 1999 by members of the
Alaska home building community to address the challenges and costs of building
in this climate. Its mission is to make housing more energy efficient, healthy,
affordable and durable throughout Alaska and circumpolar regions. This
presentation provides an overview of some past, present, and future projects
across the state, a few lessons learned, and presents a holistic approach to
solving the challenges faced in Rural Alaska.
CDR Mike Roberts, USPHS, P.E., REHS
Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium
Division of Environmental Health and Engineering
Deputy Director of Project Management
mgroberts@anthc.org
CDR Mike Roberts, USPHS, P.E., REHS has been with ANTHC’s Division
of Environmental Health and Engineering (DEHE) since 2008. As the Deputy Director of Project Management,
Mike oversees the operational delivery of all sanitation and energy projects
delivered by ANTHC throughout the state.
During his time with ANTHC, Mike has served as both a sanitation
facilities project manager and as the safety program coordinator, responsible
for managing the construction safety program for construction operations
throughout the state. Prior to joining
ANTHC, Mike served eight years on active duty in the US Air Force as a
Bioenvironmental Engineer in Panama City, FL, Dayton, OH, and San Antonio,
TX. He holds a Bachelor’s of Science in
Environmental Engineering from the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs,
CO, and a Master’s of Science in Environmental Engineering from the Air Force
Institute of Technology in Dayton, OH.
Mike lives in Anchorage with his wife, Toni, and their four children,
Michael, Faith, Elizabeth, and Matthew.
Topic
Being Agile in the Arctic: Adapting Systems to Changing Environments
The
presentation describes innovative approaches recently deployed at the Alaska
Native Tribal Health Consortium to ensure system operability and survivability
in the dynamic political, funding and natural environment.
Bob Tsigonis, P.E.
Lifewater
Engineering Company
President
Bob@LifewaterEngineering.com
Bob has worked as an engineer in Alaska since 1973 and is
registered in civil and environmental engineering. His experience includes working as:
•An oceanographer in the Antarctic Ocean;
•A regulator with ADEC and ADNR;
•A consultant on two natural gas pipeline projects (neither of
which was built);
•An environmental engineer on the TAPS construction and at the
Fort Knox Gold Mine;
•Volunteer relief work in Indonesia, Ecuador, Liberia, and the
Philippines
•An instructor teaching portions of a cold regions engineering course
for the University of Washington;
•A manufacturer of sewage treatment plants for cold climates; and
•A manufacturer of Rough Duty Boats® made of welded
thermoplastics.
Bob holds U.S. and Canadian patents on the cold climate sewage
treatment systems and a U.S. patent on a fluid distribution box that
distributes fluid equally from all ports regardless of the orientation of the
box.
Topic
Effectively Working Cross-Culturally
The
best engineering and architectural designs combined with excellent construction
practices can still result in complete project failure if cross-cultural
differences are not properly addressed.
This talk will give examples of failures and successes in working
cross-culturally, along with some practical ways to achieve cross-cultural
success.
Angela M. Smith, P.E.
PDC Engineers
Associate | Aviation Group Manager
angelasmith@pdceng.com
Mrs. Smith is the Aviation Group Manager with PDC Engineers and
has 19 years of aviation design experience overseeing the preparation of design
plans, specifications, cost estimates, and technical reports for improvements
throughout Alaska.
Topic
Building
Alaska’s Rural Airports: Design and Construction Lessons LearnedAviation
in Alaska plays a major role in the transportation of goods and services, with
nearly 250 communities in Alaska only available by air. This presentation will
provide an overview of design and construction solutions for the demanding and
changing environment. Mrs. Smith will address unforgiving extremes in temperatures,
drifting snow, and the presence of permafrost; high cost of remote site
construction and the short construction season; and the need to protect the fragile
arctic environment.
Julie M. Mages, P.E.
611 Civil Engineer Squadron, Pacific Regional Support Center, USAF
Engineering Flight Commander
Julie_mages@yahoo.com
Ms. Julie Mages is currently the Engineering Flight Commander for
the 611th Civil Engineer Squadron (CES), at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson
(JBER). Although based at JBER, her unit provides engineering support to 21
remote radar sites throughout Alaska and the Pacific, reaching from the North
Slope of Alaska to Wake Island. She can literally see Russia from the radar
site at Tin City. In her free time, she enjoys mountain biking, backcountry
skiing, hiking, fat-biking, running and spending time with her dog, Sandy.
Topic
Military Construction in the Arctic
Her
presentation briefly introduces the mission and Area of Responsibility for the
611th CES and then proceeds to discuss challenges and lessons learned from
working at remote radar sites in Alaska. Specifically, she will discuss a
seawall repair project at Cape Lisburne Long Range Radar
Site (LRRS) located on the north-west corner of Alaska. Ms. Mages then will
introduce Eareckson Air Station, a base located on
the second-to-last island on the Aleutian Chain, Shemya.
She will discuss logistics, climate impacts and the importance of building
material selection.
Edmond C. Packee, Jr. PhD
Travis/Peterson Environmental
Consulting, Inc.
Senior Scientist
Dr. Edmond C. Packee Jr. is a Senior Scientist with Travis/Peterson
Environmental Consulting, Inc. He has been employed with Travis/Peterson
Environmental Consulting, Inc. in Fairbanks, Alaska since 1998. Dr. Packee
holds a B.A. in Biological Sciences, B.A. in History, and M.S. in Mine
Reclamation Science from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and earned his Ph.D.
in Mining at the University of Pretoria, South Africa.
Dr Packee is a Certified Professional Soil Scientist (CPSSc.),
Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control (CPESC), Certified
Erosion, Sediment, and Storm Inspector (CESSWI), and a Certified Professional
in Storm Water Quality (CPSWQ). He is a Master Instructor for the
AK‐CESCL program.
Dr. Packee’s professional expertise includes:
mine reclamation and environmental compliance, erosion and sediment control at
industrial facilities and construction projects, wetlands delineation in periglacial
and arctic environments, hydrology and water quality of surface and subsurface
waters, and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.
Topic
Erosion and Sediment Control: Lessons Learned
· A review of lessons learned in Alaska since Phase
II of the National Pollutant
· Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Construction
General Permit issuance in 2004.
· The discussion will focus on the practical aspects
of:
o
Selecting best management practices;
o
Compliance strategies that work and
save money; and
o Challenges with erosion and sediment controls
moving forward.
Adam Murray
Lynden Air Cargo
Director of Business Development and Marketing
amurray@lynden.com
Adam has worked for Lynden for five years, first at Lynden
Transport, and more recently with Lynden Air Cargo. Adam was born and raised
here in Anchorage. He graduated with a degree in Business from Denver
University, where he also played as a goalie on the DU hockey team for four
years. He currently resides in Anchorage with his wife and dog, Mabel. He
enjoys travel, concerts, and the occasional IPA.
Brooke Sillers
Lynden Transport
Account Manager
brooke@lynden.com
Brooke has worked for Lynden Tranport
for two years. She was born and raised in the Matanuska Valley, and then moved
to Seattle for 20 years. She obtained an accounting degree from Seattle Pacific
University and ran a small business with her husband for 16 years. They
returned to Alaska two years ago to raise their three children with a more wild
childhood. She enjoys remodeling old homes, gardening, and skiing.
Topic
Challenges and Solutions in Logistics for Building in Alaska
• Challenges of logistics in Alaska
• Modes of transportation available
• Considerations
when planning and budgeting for project logistics
• The importance of
clear communication when dealing with logistics in Alaska.
• Helping your out
of state suppliers better understand what it takes to ship to Alaska, so your
project freight arrives in good condition.
Michael Fredericks
SALT President
mfredericks@salt-ak.com
Michael is the President and majority owner of SALT, a recent
merger of service lines provided by the former RIM Design and RIM First
People. As an Alaska Native, women
owned, small business, SALT is a catalyst for transformation. Through strategic engagement and visionary
design, we create environments for generations to thrive.
Michael has leveraged her architectural training into a
specialization in complex stakeholder engagement around design projects. Over her 16 years of experience, Michael’s
facilitation services have evolved to include business planning, community
engagement, project planning, complex problem solving, organizational planning,
action planning, and focused conversations around
challenging issues.
A born listener, Michael strongly believes that the most
successful initiatives harness collaborative thought and align the solution
with the stakeholder – not the other way around. Providing a strong process for stakeholder
engagement not only empowers the user but has proven to result in bottom-line
savings as well. Michael is adept at helping groups define their unique version
of success and provide them with a roadmap to achieve their goals.
Topic
Transformative Stakeholder Engagement: A Business Case
The
presentation explores how engaging stakeholders in the design process has an
impact on both project success and long term sustainability.
Robert A. Perkins, PE, PhD
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Professor of Civil Engineering
raperkins@alaska.edu
Bob Perkins has worked in Alaska for 40 years, completing many
projects in urban and rural Alaska communities.
Prior to joining the UAF faculty, he worked as an engineer and
engineering manager in domestic and international construction. His research
includes projects in Barrow and communities in Southcentral and Southeast
Alaska. His recent projects include safety data management and highway
revegetation. His interest in oil spill
research has led to public involvement processes in remote communities. He has published on public involvement in
remote communities.
Topic
Panel
Discussion on Permitting Requirements and Procedures for Remote Construction
Panel
members will discuss procedures followed by their agencies in issuing and
administering permits for construction work in rural and Arctic Alaska –
challenges due to unique conditions, prospective changes in regulations,
guidelines to assist contractors in applying for and abiding by permits, and
other issues.
Stephen Price
Rural Landfill Specialist
Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation Division of
Environmental Health Solid Waste Program
(stephen.price@alaska.gov)
Stephen Price grew up in Nenana, Alaska
and graduated with a B.A. from Alaska Pacific University. From 2006 to 2014 , he was the Solid Waste Department Manager for the
Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council. His duties included improving solid
waste management and operating a backhaul program in 70 communities throughout
the Yukon River Basin stretching from British Columbia to the Bering Sea. Since
2014 he has been a Rural Landfill Specialist with the ADEC Solid Waste Program
focusing on increasing compliance and permitting of solid waste facilities
within Kodiak Island, Lake and Peninsula Borough, Bristol Bay and the Lower
Yukon area. This work includes reviewing design plans, performing landfill
inspections, and providing technical assistance on proper solid waste
management for facilities and the public.
Chris Pletnikoff, P.E.,
(chris.pletnikoff@alaska.gov) works as a Plan Review Engineer with the Alaska
Department of Environmental Conservation Drinking Water Program.
Gene McCabe
Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation
Program Manager
gene.mccabe@alaska.gov
Gene McCabe has been acting in his current position as the
Wastewater Discharge Authorization Program Manager since May 2018. He joined
the Department of Environmental Conservation in 2012 as the Wastewater
Engineering Support and Plan Review Section Manager after a 20-year career as
an Airfield Operations Officer in the Air Force. He has a BS in Mechanical
Engineering from Syracuse University and a MS in Aerospace Science from
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He lives in Anchorage with his wife Wendy
and daughter Sarah.
Ron Benkert
Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Habitat Biologist and Regional Manager
ronald.benkert@alaska.gov
Ron is currently the regional supervisor for the ADF&G Division
of Habitat’s south-central region. In this capacity, he oversees Title 16
permitting for proposed activities in and around fish bearing waterbodies as
well as activities in Special Areas. Previously, Ron has been the large
projects coordinator for the south-central area and the acting area manager for
the Mat-Su area. He has been the Habitat Division’s lead for several large
projects including the Pebble Prospect, Chuitna Coal,
Susitna-Watana Hydro, and Eklutna
Dam Removal projects. Ron has been a fisheries biologist for over 25 years and
has worked for ADF&G since 2009. He is a life-long Alaskan, and was born in
Fairbanks and raised in Anchorage.
Contractor Panel on Thinking Outside the
Box: Meeting the Logistical Challenges of Remote Construction
A
multi-faceted discussion of innovative approaches to remote arctic and rural
construction, presented by contractors with decades of experience in rural
Alaska and elsewhere.
Marcus Trivette, P.E.
Brice Incorporated
Construction Manager
marcust@briceinc.com
Marcus is a UAF graduate and lifelong Alaskan. He has been employed by Brice Incorporated
since 2004, and currently manages its construction division. Brice is a heavy civil general contractor
specializing in remote work throughout the state for both public and private
clients. Marcus is also a member of the
Associated General Contractors of Alaska board of directors, sits on the State
of Alaska’s Workforce Investment Board, and the UAF Civil and Environmental
Engineering advisory board.
James St. John
STG Incorporated
Retired President
jimstginc@gmail.com
With a geology degree from Eastern Washington University, Jim came
to Alaska in 1977 to start on exploration work at Red Dog. After several years with Cominco, he went to
work for Anaconda Minerals, building remote camps and runways and supporting
very remote drilling programs. In 1991 he started St George Construction in
Kotzebue; that venture evolved into STG Inc in
1996. STG Inc. has been involved in
infrastructure projects virtually all over the state, including power plants,
tank farms, piling work of all types, interties and most of the wind turbines
in the state. STG has also been the
majority contractor on the GCI Microwave Terra Network that runs from Bristol
Bay to Kotzebue and up the Yukon to Nenana. The
company was acquired by Calista Regional Corporation
in 2013. Jim is the Immediate Past
President of AGC Alaska.
Robbie Capps
F&W Construction Company, Inc.
President
rcapps@fwalaska.com
Robbie was born and raised in Anchorage and attended UAA. F&W Construction was founded by his
grandfather in 1958. Robbie became owner
of this family business in 1980. The
company specializes in vertical construction and is closely aligned with the
resource industry, although it has done a variety of other work in remote
regions of Alaska. Robbie Capps is a
Past President of AGC Alaska.
Saigen
Harris
F&W Construction Company, Inc.
Project Manager
sharris@fwalaska.com
Saigen
joined F&W Construction in 2016 after three years as a project manager with
STG Incorporated. She earned the BA in
International/Global Studies and the MS in Project Management from UAA. In addition to day-to-day project tasks, she
is also involved with marketing and business development. Saigen Harris is a
retired volleyball coach and serves with AGC Alaska in several roles, including
board member.
Marcus Trivette, P.E.
Brice Incorporated
Construction Manager
marcust@briceinc.com
(Please see bio for previous panel discussion)
Topic
Lessons Learned in Arctic Construction: A Contractor’s Perspective
Geotechnical,
Logistical and Specification Lessons
Geotechnical
Principles:
Importance of thorough investigation
Speedy backfill
Timing of construction with seasonal thaw
Case
studies
Dalton Highway pad civil assumptions
Eva Creek windfarm foundations / Deadhorse
ARFF
Pilot Station embankment timing
Logistical
Principles
Seasonal limitations for mobilization and access to material sites
Remote camp operations
Site access / barge optimization
Case studies
Nulato
Airport / Galena Campion Road / Alakaket Airport
Galena / Pilot Station
St. George Breakwater Rock Haul
Specification
Principles
Aggregate selection (hardness)
CYVM
Means / methods
Case
studies
Savoonga /
Mt. Village Airport
Selawik
Dump Road
Fairbanks
Ken Hall
Lynden Transport
Account Manager
khall@lynden.com
Ken has worked for Lynden Transport for almost twenty years as the
Interior account manager for Lynden.
Lynden’s Fairbanks operation serves as a crossroads for materials going
north in support of the North Slope oil and gas industry. Prior to working for Lynden, Ken worked for a
heavy equipment dealership in Fairbanks.
He was born and raised in Fairbanks and is a Nanook
alumnus.
Topic
Challenges and Solutions in Logistics for Building in Alaska
Transportation
in Alaska is a multi-faceted challenge.
With few roads and vast distances, having a solid working knowledge of
logistics in Alaska can either make a project a success or be costly with
delays.
The
presentation includes
•
Challenges of logistics in Alaska
•
Modes of transportation available
• Considerations when planning and
budgeting for project logistics
• The importance of clear communication
when dealing with logistics in Alaska.
• Helping your out of state suppliers
better understand what it takes to ship to Alaska, so your project freight
arrives in good condition.
Panel Discussion on Permitting Requirements and Procedures for
Remote Construction
Panel members will discuss procedures followed by their agencies
in issuing and administering permits for construction work in rural and Arctic
Alaska – challenges due to unique conditions, prospective changes in
regulations, guidelines to assist contractors in applying for and abiding by
permits, and other issues.
Robert Perkins, P.E., UAF Civil & Environmental Engineering,
Moderator
Sarah Durand, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation,
Solid Waste
Johnny Mendez, P.E., Alaska Department of Environmental
Conservation, Drinking Water
Audra Brase, Alaska Department of Fish
and Game, Habitat
Sarah Durand
Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation
Rural Landfill Specialist
sarah.durand@alaska.gov
Sarah Durand has worked with the ADEC Solid Waste Program for five
years working directly with rural communities to improve solid waste
management. Sarah has over 15 years of environmental field experience in remote
areas including Antarctica. She has conducted over 115 landfill inspections
across Alaska and provides technical assistance and trainings to rural Alaskans
on landfill operations.
Johnny Mendez, P.E.,
Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation
Plan Review Engineer
johnny.mendez@alaska.gov
Mr. Mendez has over 21 years of working experience in the fields
of environmental engineering, engineering consulting, and hydrology. Mr. Mendez
holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan (1995),
and a M.S. in Environmental Engineering from the University of Alaska Fairbanks
(1997). For the past 15 years he has worked for the Alaska Department of
Environmental Conservation’s Drinking Water Program. His main duties include
performing engineering plan reviews and approvals of public water system
designs; conducting inspections, sanitary surveys, and comprehensive
performance evaluations of drinking water systems; and providing technical and
compliance assistance to public water systems in Alaska.
Audra Brase
Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Fairbanks Regional Supervisor, Habitat
audra.brase@alaska.gov
Audra is
Contractor Panel on Thinking Outside the
Box: Meeting the Logistical Challenges of Remote Construction:
Meg Nordale, Ghemm
Company, Inc., Moderator
Mike Davis, P.E., Ghemm Company, Inc.
Anton Johansen, P.E., Great Northwest, Inc.
Marcus Trivette, P.E., Brice
Incorporated
Meg Nordale
Ghemm
Company, Inc.
President
meg@ghemm.com
Growing up in Alaska and appreciating all of its opportunities,
Meg Nordale returned to Fairbanks after graduating
from the University of Denver with BSBA in Finance and Marketing in 1982. Meg joined GHEMM Company in 1994 after a long
career in insurance and risk management in Fairbanks and became the firm’s
President in 2015. GHEMM Company is a
commercial general contractor headquartered in Fairbanks and doing vertical
building work in Interior Alaska since 1952.
Outside of GHEMM, Meg is active in the Alaska construction
industry, the community of Fairbanks and participates in a number of civic
organizations and boards including the Associated General Contractors of
Alaska, Alaska Workforce Investment Board, and the Rotary Club of Fairbanks.
Meg and her husband, Bob Schruf enjoy
being in the great outdoors whether it be a hiking, skiing or fishing adventure
or working in their yard at home. They
share those adventures with their four adult children and are now beginning to
share those family adventures with their newest members of the group, the
grandkids!
Mike Davis, P.E.
Ghemm
Company, Inc.
Vice President & Senior Project Manager
mike@ghemm.com
Anton Johansen
Great Northwest, Inc.
Vice President
tjohansen@grtnw.com
He has spent 50 years learning how to curl and almost has it
figured out. He and his wife Gail have
four children spread all over the country and a granddaughter who lives across
the street!
Marcus Trivette, P.E.
Brice Incorporated
Construction Manager
marcust@briceinc.com
Marcus is a UAF graduate and lifelong Alaskan. He has been employed by Brice Incorporated
since 2004, and currently manages its construction division. Brice is a heavy civil general contractor
specializing in remote work throughout the state for both public and private
clients. Marcus is also a member of the
Associated General Contractors of Alaska board of directors, sits on the State
of Alaska’s Workforce Investment Board, and the UAF Civil and Environmental
Engineering
Contractor Panel on Thinking Outside the
Box: Meeting the Logistical Challenges of Remote Construction
A
multi-faceted discussion of innovative approaches to remote arctic and rural
construction, presented by contractors with decades of experience in rural
Alaska and elsewhere.