You Can't Always Get What You Want: But How Do You Get What You Need

September 21, 2023
 7:45 AM - 9:00 AM

Presenters
Angela Richie & Scott Norman

Session Description

Delay and acceleration claims are on the rise. Contractors are not providing fabricators complete structural design information they need to prepare shop drawings, which are then delayed by RFIs and changes. Even when the shop drawings are approved, predecessor site work impacts the erector. And then, claims of delay and acceleration threats begin. This program will look at ways to protect your company from unsupported claims and how to offensively pursue such claims when warranted. This session will also look at how new technology can be used to help fabricators on projects.

Learning Outcomes

• How to review a schedule for critical path impacts.
• How to document and request time extensions for excusable delay.
• How to use technology to support your offensive claims and defensive positions when dealing with delay and acceleration claims. 

About Presenters

Angela Richie is Managing Partner of the Louisville office of Gordon & Rees and is Co-Chair of the Construction practice group. She frequently consults with steel fabricators and other members of the structural steel industry on issues such as: claims for non-payment; allegations of defective fabrication and erection of structural steel; OSHA violations and related retaliation actions; application of the Buy America(n) statutes and regulations; and contracts between steel fabricators, general contractors, and downstream detailers, structural engineers, and erectors. Ms. Richie is a frequent presenter at regional steel fabricator association meetings.

R. Scott Norman is an experienced litigator in the Louisville office of Gordon & Rees and a member of the Construction, Commercial Litigation, Employment Law, and Real Estate practice groups. He represents and advises contractors, steel fabricators, subcontractors, and design professionals nationwide in all phases of commercial and residential construction, including contract review and negotiation, construction and design claims, payment disputes, workplace injuries and OSHA violations, labor and employment issues, mechanics’ liens, and other construction disputes. He brings an unconditional commitment to providing his nationwide clients with prompt and strategic professional services to achieve favorable and cost-effective outcomes.

September 21, 2023
 9:10 AM - 9:55 AM

Presenter
Mark Turman

Session Description

Pre-Detailing meets are a benefit for all parties for coordinating a project correctly from the beginning. We are going to look at the AISC Code of Standard Practice and how to incorporate to best fit your business model. Look at how we can set expectations for not only the fabricator, but also the erector and GC.

Learning Objectives:

• Communication
• Expectations
• Accountability

About Presenter

Mark Turman is the President of Atlantic Architectural Metalworks a division of Southern New Jersey Steel INC, which is a structural and miscellaneous steel contractor operating throughout the east coast. He has 40 years of experience in Structural Steel Fabrication and has managed structural steel projects up to 2,000 tons. In his current role, he manages daily operations of all engineering, drafting and outside fabrication resources. He established BIM procedures and guidelines for all projects where required, introduced then managed all staff detailers in using TEKLA EPM as a complement to detailers, project managers, and operations personnel. and is a steel consultant for regional engineering and architectural firms. He has participated in AISC for the past 30 years.

September 21, 2023
 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM

Presenter
Scott Melnick

Session Description

This session will give an overview of the typical AISC messaging topics that the structural steel specialists talk about every day to members of the A/E/C community. That being said, our goal is not only to inform you of these topics, but build enthusiasm around these six points so we create a much larger pool of steel industry experts reiterating the same talking points. Think of how powerful a unified message is, and with your help (fabricators) we can achieve this goal. The basic problem is there are only so many people, we are now in the process of providing more resources to our members to create an Army. Why did we choose these 6 messaging topics? We chose these 6 as we felt these topics had a way of telling Structural Steels story the best and could differentiate steel from other topics. The attendees’ main goal for this session are to learn the talking points and tools: Adaptability, Quality, Resilience, Sustainability, Speed, Cost. Furthermore, the speaker will give examples and experience that AISC has had in communicating these structural steel differentiators to contractors, engineers, and architects.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn the 6-Key Messaging Topics
• Learn where to reach out to AISC for further clarification on these topics
• Learn about the other national engagement projects that AISC is undertaking

About Presenter

Scott Melnick is a senior vice president with the American Institute of Steel Construction and the steel industry’s chief storyteller. With an expansive mental library of insider anecdotes to illustrate his point, he can explain everything from why steel is perfect for parking structures to what makes steel the best choice for sustainable construction. During his 34-year career with AISC, he is best known for his leadership of NASCC: The Steel Conference and as the former chief editor of Modern Steel Construction magazine. Currently, in addition to conferences and publishing, he supervises AISC’s communications, market development, government affairs, sustainability, university relations, continuing education, and IT departments. 

Prior to joining AISC in 1989, he served as editor-in-chief of Commercial Renovation magazine and was a senior editor at Building Design + Construction magazine. Scott has both a bachelor's and master's degree in journalism from Northwestern University.

September 22, 2023
 8:30 AM - 9:30 AM

Presenter
Cathleen Jacinto

Session Description

Although engineers and fabricators are working towards the same objective, they typically exist in very separate silos. If there is not a conscious effort to share information with each other, this can lead to wasted time and cost in a finished steel structure. The Steel Tube Institute spoke with fabricators to learn what they wish engineers knew about HSS in order to help reduce costs when using popular HSS sections.

Learning Objectives:

• Discover HSS fabrication challenges
• Review fabricator- and erection-friendly HSS connection detailing Rank relative costs of HSS fabrication

About Presenter

Cathleen Jacinto, PE, SE has over 20 years of experience in the design industry as a structural engineer.   She collaborated on a variety of building design projects while at Thornton Tomasetti and T.Y. Lin International in Chicago, Illinois, from small to large-scale project types in healthcare, aviation, commercial, and steel connection design.  At FORSE Consulting, Cathleen continues to pursue both the design and educational aspects of structural engineering. One topic Cathleen highlights is structural steel HSS design, as a technical consultant to the Steel Tube Institute.  She currently contributes as a Board Member to the Structural Engineers Association of Illinois. Cathleen is a licensed Structural Engineer (SE) and Professional Engineer (PE) in the State of Illinois.

September 22, 2023
 9:40 AM - 10:40 AM

Presenter
Casey Brown

Session Description

Mostly hard lessons from life on the road and presented by Casey Brown, President of Zimkor, a lifelong operations guy (Project Manager and Operations Manager). The session is designed for ALL involved in steel construction; designers, administrators, detailers, suppliers, fabricators and erectors. Zimkor is a fabricator by nature but ends up responsible for detailing thru install so the lessons learned and stories shared span the spectrum of the skinned up knee steel experience. And let’s face it; we don’t mind attending the autopsy so long as it isn’t our corpse they are cutting apart and describing so some dirty laundry and lessons learned is in fact a little bit healthy for us!

Learning Objectives:

• Better understand select aspects of steel construction projects and some common/ingrained lessons learned over decades from a steel project manager’s perspective 
• Help all team members of steel construction teams better understand each other’s roles and challenges to better execute our steel projects
• Increase steel construction value/appeal and spread our story (it’s by far the best).

About Presenter

Casey Brown is the President of Zimkor; (established in 1975 and persists out of Littleton, CO an AISC Member and Certified Building Fabricator), current AISC Board Member and past President of the Rocky Mountain Steel Construction Association. And a ridiculously good skier.

September 22, 2023
 10:50 AM - 11:50 AM

Presenter
Denise Robitaille

Session Description

Risk-based thinking permeates most current management system standards. Safety-related risks should, of course, be prominent, but many other aspects of any organization should have consideration for risks, too. These varied risks may relate to contract errors, diminished efficiencies, scrap, erosion of market share, decreased customer confidence, or loss of qualified staff, just to name a few. It is possible to establish a culture of risk-based thinking that creates value without a burdensome risk management scheme. We’ll present the concept of risk-based thinking and provide tips for efficient and effective implementation.

Learning Objectives:

• Where risks originate 
• Variety of possible responses to risk 
• Implementing risk-based thinking practices

About Presenter

Denise Robitaille has authored over a dozen books on a variety of quality topics. She is an internationally recognized speaker and trainer. Denise has participated internationally in standards development for over 20 years and has served in several leadership roles, including her current role as chair of TC176/SC1 the committee responsible for the development of ISO 9000, the guiding document on quality fundamentals and terminology - the foundation of ISO 9001. She previously chaired the committee responsible for revising the ISO 19011 guidance standard on auditing quality management systems. She is a Fellow of the American Society for Quality and a certified lead assessor. She has facilitated the implementation of ISO 9001 for multiple organizations for over 25 years.