Speaker Bios
Select a speaker to learn more:
Mike Achilles
Brian Estes
Jeff Holt
Pat Hynes
Tom Kelley, P.E.
Ron Jankowski
Jim Lewis
Dirk McClure, LEED® AP, Assoc. AIA, CSI
Dave Nicholas
Scott Robinson
Tony Smith, LEED AP BD+C
Chad Van Kampen, P.E. LEED AP BD+C
Northern Regional Sales Director
1-800-PRECAST
machilles@high.net
Recent speaking experience:
- Speaker at High Concrete’s “Concrete Innovations and Answers™ all-day AIA CES seminars (Fall 2007, Spring 2006, Fall 2005, Spring 2005, Fall 2004, Spring 2004)
- Speaker at AltusGroup® nine-city “Precast on a Diet” all-day AIA CES seminar tour
- Invited speaker at numerous architectural and engineering firms and universities, presenting various PCI and AIA CES programs (1995-2007)
Mike Achilles has over 30 years’ experience in the precast concrete industry. A member of the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI), he is active on the Marketing Committee and the Total Precast Solutions Committee. Achilles is a current member and past Architectural Committee Chair of the Mid-Atlantic Precast Association.
A board member of the AltusGroup, Inc., a partnership of the nation’s largest precasters developing sustainable carbon fiber reinforcement for precast concrete, Achilles serves as Director of the AltusGroup Marketing Committee. Achilles graduated with an engineering degree from the University of Texas at Arlington. A proponent of new technologies in precast concrete, he works closely with design teams to develop custom, economical solutions and award-winning projects.
Brian Estes
Director of Business Development
(512) 396-2376
Brian.Estes@heldenfels.com
Professional Qualifications
M.S.E., Executive Engineering Management, University of Texas at Austin, 2001
B.S. Civil Engineering, Oklahoma State University, 1997
Professional Registrations
- Texas Board of Professional Engineers
- State of Texas No. 89270
- Oklahoma Board of Professional Engineers
- State of Oklahoma No. 20580
- Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute
- Quality Control Personnel Certification Technician Level III
- American Concrete Institute
- Field Technician Level I
Leadership Roles
- Real Estate Council of Austin
- 2004 Leadership Development Council
- Austin Contractor & Engineers Association
- 2006-2008 Board of Directors
- Bell Leadership Institute
- 2006 Advanced Achievement Leadership I
Brian Estes has been the Director of Business Development for Heldenfels Enterprises since August 2009.
His role is to interact with architects, engineers, contractors and owners to facilitate the use of precast/prestressed concrete structures within their projects. His primary focus is commercial and design/build project opportunities.
Regional Sales Manager
800-658-7049
jeff.holt@wellsconcrete.com
Jeff Holt has been active in a number of organizations including PCI architectural committee, the AltusGroup Marketing Committee, Allied member of AIA Iowa, Master Builders of Iowa and Midwest Food Processors Association. He regularly presents to architectural and engineering firms to educate design professionals on precast applications. With nearly 30 years in the precast business, Holt began his career in quality control and currently estimates and sells Wells Concrete products to Iowa, Illinois and western Wisconsin. The company’s product line has expanded considerably to include architectural precast wall panels, hollowcore plank, CarbonCast enclosures, columns, beams and more.
Jeff graduated from Minnesota State University Mankato in 1981 and started with Wells Concrete in 1982. His strengths have afforded him the ability to sit shoulder-to-shoulder with a design team to create the most cost effective, yet functional, solution for a building owner.
Director of Sales & Engineering
541-995-6327
Pat.Hynes@Kniferiver.com
Pat Hynes, Director of Sales & Engineering for the prestressed division and Knife River Corporation has over 39 years industry experience ranging from positions in quality control, as project supervisor and chief engineer to his current role.
Hynes is the former president of the Oregon chapter of the American Concrete Institute and Structural Engineers Association of Oregon and Idaho. He is past director of PCI as Zone 1 and student education director and served on various PCI committees.
His speaking experience includes guest lectures at Portland State University, University of Portland, Oregon Institute of Technology, Oregon State University, University of Idaho and Clackamas Community College.
Hynes graduated with a degree in civil engineering from the University of Idaho in 1972.
President
605-336-1180
TKelley@gagebrothers.com
Tom Kelley, President of Gage Brothers has over 31 years experience in precast industry including design, sales and engineering. A current AltusGroup board and marketing committee member and PCI National board member, Kelley has also served as past PCI Zone 3 Director, Chair of the Architectural Committee, AGC Associate Division President and SE Area NSPE President.
He received a degree in civil engineering from the S.D. School of Mines & Technology.
Systems Development
Oldcastle Precast Building Systems
215-337-3052
Ron.Jankowski@oldcastleprecast.com
Ronald J. Jankowski, Systems Development at Oldcastle Precast Building Systems is the current chair of PCI Total Precast Committee, secretary of AltusGroup and past president of Mid-Atlantic Precast Association. With 42 years of experience in the precast and construction industries including time overseas, he has managed every department and presented hundreds of continuing education seminars to architects, engineers and general contractors. Jankowski received a B.S. in Construction Management from Drexel University.
Director, Architectural Systems, LEED AP
251.575.2803
jlewis@gateprecast.com
Jim Lewis serves as Director of Architectural Systems for Gate Precast’s six architectural precast manufacturing facilities. In this role Jim educates architects, owners and contractors on Sustainable Precast Systems. He was recently a featured speaker at the Design Build Institute of America Convention. He is also involved in project design assistance on large public and private projects.
Mr. Lewis serves as chairman of the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI) Sustainability Committee. He is also a member of the PCI Architectural Precast Committee and the AltusGroup Marketing and Sales Committee. He holds multiple degrees in Architecture from the University of Virginia.
Regional Director of Sales & Business Development
Enterprise Precast Concrete, Inc.
(402) 895-3848
DMcclure@enterpriseprecast.com
Registration:
LEED Accredited Professional
NCIDQ Certified Designer
As Regional Director of Sales and Business Development, Dirk brings a unique perspective to the projects of Enterprise Precast Concrete, Inc. He runs the company’s Kansas City office and is in charge of the sales territory of Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas.
McClure is also active in the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI). He was in PCI’s Leadership program 2009 class and currently sits on PCI’s International Sustainability Council.
Prior joining the precast concrete industry 7 years ago, McClure spent 8 years in architecture, giving him over 15 years experience and a great overall knowledge of the built environment. He graduated with a Bachelor of Interior Architecture from the College of Architecture, Planning and Design at Kansas State University.
Manager, Product Positioning and Communications Content
1-800-PRECAST
dnicholas@high.net
Recent speaking experience:
- Speaker/moderator at Architects, Engineers and General Contracting firms for box lunch presentations.
Dave Nicholas develops marketing communications content, public relations materials and company literature for High Concrete Group LLC. A LEED® Accredited Professional, Mr. Nicholas has over 20 years’ experience in the building materials industry and commercial and industrial communications. Dave earned his BA in English from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and is a graduate of the Villanova University Executive MBA Program. He is a voting member of the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI) Sustainability Committee active in the Knowledge Resources Task Group.
Scott RobinsonSouthwest Sales & Marketing Manager
251.575.2803
srobinson@gateprecast.com
Scott has 20+ years of experience in the construction industry working with GC/CMs. He began his career at Gate Precast in 2000 and has experience in estimating, and technical precast sales. Currently, he serves as the Southwest Regional Sales and Marketing Manager for Gate. His expertise is working with design teams and construction managers to ensure cost effective best practices are used in precast design.
Tony Smith, LEED AP BD+C
Director of Estimating
704-632-2608
TSmith@metromont.com
Tony Smith has been dedicated to the precast industry for over 20 years with Metromont Corporation. During his time in the industry he has been actively involved in both architectural and structural precast products for parking decks, office buildings, data centers, stadiums, manufacturing plants and institutional facilities. In 2008, he became a LEED AP and in 2009 LEED AP BD&C. During his tenure, Tony has consistently taught AIA Continuing Education Programs to the Architectural, Engineering and General Contracting community on the subject of Precast/Prestressed Concrete.
His career began at their corporate office in Greenville, SC, in the print room, where he went from drafting on the board to AutoCAD. He joined the estimating department in 1996 and advanced to Charlotte in 2003 as their Sales & Business Development Manager. Earlier this year, he was promoted to Director of Estimating and will be relocating back to the corporate office in Greenville, SC.
Smith is a graduate of Charleston Southern University with a BA in Communications.
Preconstruction Engineer
(435) 843-4230
cvankampen@EnconUnited.com
With 14 years in the building and precast industries, Chad Van Kampen is a NCEES registered professional engineer, with active licenses in six states. His speaking experience includes presentations at 2009 PCI convention and fib congress. His experience in precast ranges from simple single family homes to large precast shear walls in high seismic area. Chad specializes in conversion of other building materials to precast with a focus on sustainable construction methods. Chad is also a member of the PCI Sustainability Council and FRP Committee.
Van Kampen graduated with a MBE from Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI in 1997.
