What does it look like when a firm truly has an open mind? CEO of Windover Construction Stuart Meurer had a great story to tell about that 'aha moment' of tech adoption. You'll know it's happening when phones are ringing off the hook in the office and the field from skeptics and promoters alike.

Stuart Meurer is President and CEO of Windover Construction. He provides leadership for the firm and is integral to ensuring operational excellence across all project teams. Dedicated to service and collaboration, Stuart focuses Windover’s teams and resources on the needs of clients to deliver a tailored, thoughtful approach to every project. 

Amr Raafat leads Windover’s virtual design and construction team and the Innovations for Design, Engineering, and Automation (IDEA™) platform, providing leading-edge technology services to optimize project delivery. He received his master’s degree in architecture from the Boston Architectural College and received global recognition as the Innovator of the Year award at the Autodesk AEC Excellence Awards in 2019.

What barriers exist between design and construction, and how can we mindfully tackle them? How can we promote communication and camaraderie across the trades? Join host Todd and guest Jenny Han as they discuss the unique perspective of the licensed architect in the construction industry, ways to encourage collaboration in a hybrid working environment, embracing the “scrum” methodology, and more.

A licensed architect and Lean Champion with extensive experience managing design teams, Jenny Han serves as an important member of Boldt’s preconstruction team, pulling prefabrication concerns into the design process and shepherding DFMA (Design for Manufacturing and Assembly) through the fabrication and construction value stream. She couples her design background with experience solving complex code-compliance challenges, to develop innovative modular solutions that ensure projects are planned for maximum efficiency and constructability across her company and for clients seeking higher quality buildings, safer construction environments and 40-60% faster delivery and quicker return on investment.

A lot can change in ten years, especially in the construction industry. What will productivity, jobs, and tech adoption look like a decade from now? Join host Todd and guest CJ Best as they discuss the unlimited career potential within AEC, how to forge your own path using the job you’re passionate about, some of the hidden contributions to your ROI, and how construction and manufacturing can promote a symbiotic relationship.

CJ Best is the Director of Manufacturing at McKinstry, responsible for the strategic sales direction and enterprise manufacturing standards. CJ studied Engineering Management at Gonzaga University and joined McKinstry in 2013. He has worked across several functions at the company including as a project engineer, project manager, senior project manager, and construction technology program manager. His experience in pre-fabrication and detailing allows him to visualize how a project will come together far in advance of the actual installation date and identify ways to drive out waste from the installation process.

How has social media influenced what the world knows about the trades? How do we tackle the subject of miscommunication about—and within—the industry? Join host Todd and guest Sam Hamilton as they discuss the ups and downs of communication in the industry, how ego can easily lead to misunderstandings on projects, how to tell the “tried and true” from the “shiny and new,” the importance of “pushing the broom” above appearances, and much more.   

Sam Hamilton is the director of prefabrication and virtual design construction (VDC) at Encore Electric. She leads two teams of more than 70 Colorado-based craftspeople in the prefabrication shop as well as VDC Coordinators. She was recognized as one the region’s Top Young Professionals by Engineering News Record in 2018. Hamilton’s prefabrication team was also awarded the “Building and Construction Manufacturer of the Year” in 2021.

At Advancing Prefab 2023 we interviewed Ray Boff about the current trends and best practices in modular and prefab and the conversation focused in on owners. The role of the owner is shifting and evolving and we are seeing a much more involved party across the whole project lifecycle.

Ray Boff is an experienced prefab, modular, and IC leader with a demonstrated history of working across large markets in several industries. He is currently the national prefab leader for DPR Construction focusing on the firm's strategic vision for productizing the built environment, leveraging all things Prefab, offsite-manufacturing, and Lean planning and process. 

Are modular and prefab going to immediately bring you profits? Probably not, and that's okay. Implementing new processes and technologies won't give you an immediate cash injection. In this episode, Prefab integration director Sara Curry says that you have to constantly look at the long-term vision. Don't let the sticker shock of the initial investment deter you from realizing the gains in the long run.

Sara Curry brings 15+ years of experience leading, planning and delivering a variety of complex construction projects. In her role as JE Dunn Construction’s Prefabrication Integration Director, she leverages her education in architecture and business, plus her technical skills, highly collaborative approach, and drive for results and innovation. She serves as a key leader in planning projects with heavy prefabrication plans to improve quality, collaboration, and speed to market for her clients and partners.

What is operational efficiency, and what are some ways that we can achieve it? How do we bring up to the “technology conversation” to slower adopters? Join host Todd and guest Aaron Henderson as they discuss the pros and cons of AI in the construction industry, how efficiency and technology relate to each other, what the future of sustainability will look like, and more.

As product marketing manager for STACK Construction Technologies, Aaron Henderson is on a mission to help contracting organizations leverage technology to increase efficiency and minimize risk at scale. Throughout his career, Aaron has worked with top AEC industry leaders to streamline systems and processes and develop strategies for more effective growth.

What do we do as an industry facing a 600,000 worker deficit? At some point we will need to rely on prefab and modular just to get projects done. We might just be slipping out of the early adopter era to the mass adoption era of prefab. It's moving from a 'nice to have' to a 'must have'.

Matt Hardy, a 25-year construction veteran with expertise in prefabrication, preconstruction and healthcare construction, joined Robins & Morton in the Spring of 2022, filling the newly created position of SmartFab® Director. He leads Robins & Morton’s SmartFab® systemic review process to identify and implement customized, project-specific logistics, pre-assembly, modular and prefabrication plans for every project. 

We interviewed a dozen industry leaders Advancing Prefab 2023 about the most important and pressing themes in the industry today. You'll hear about productization, data, communication and much more. We're starting off this special series of interviews with the Queen of Prefab herself, Amy Marks.

Amy Marks is the head of industrialized construction strategy and evangelism at Autodesk; she is known throughout the construction industry as the “Queen of Prefab.” A graduate of the University of Florida and an alumna of Harvard Business School, Marks is the former CEO of XSite Modular, a leading prefabrication consultancy and design-builder of critical infrastructure buildings. 

As a prefabrication consultant, she defined the language and process that is adopted by companies, countries, and builders around the world.

What’s the best way to transition from a 2D workflow to a digital one? How do you gain a holistic and competitive advantage with your BIM workflows? Join host Todd and guest Eric Bernier as they discuss “leveling up” with BIM, what it really means to “model the future” with Graitec, and the next steps we’ll witness in the industry as it relates to construction and sustainability trends.

Eric Bernier is the BIM + VDC Technical Director of Graitec Group. He is a senior architectural technologist with years of experience in construction, drawing room and project management. Eric is a certified expert in Revit and ACI by Autodesk, trainer, coach, BIM strategist, project manager and Revit pioneer in Quebec, Canada and helps firms with their digital shift and BIM adoption.