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2008 Transportation Short Course:
For Chairs and Co-Chairs

Speaker Information and Needs

Session 2
Construction I
Tuesday, October 14
Room: 224 MSC

Speaker: Elie Homsi
Title: Vice President Engineering Services
Company: Flatiron
Location: Lafayette, CO
Presentation Title: Inovations in Top Down Bridge Construction Method
Presentation Summary: A new top-down method for bridge construction currently being used in North Carolina for the construction of a 3 miles long bridge over wetlands without the use of trestles or cranes.
Bio/Expertise Highlights: Elie has about 25 years experience in the heavy civil engineering and construction business specializing in the development of various bridge erection equipment and construction methods and is the inventor of this method.
A/V Needs: podium with microphone, LCD projector
Speaker: Jose Gaytan
Title: Director of Construction
Company: Texas Department of Transportation
Location: Corpus Christi, TX
Presentation Title: Working with Contractors (How to Work Better)
Presentation Summary: Give presentation on experiences as a project engineer and Director of Construction and how to draw upon that experience to achieve successful projects for both the owner and the contractor.
Bio/Expertise Highlights: Director of Construction for TxDOT's Corpus Christi District overseeing the Construction Program, which in the recent past, has totaled in excess of 56 projects and $426 million dollars. I have held this position since November 2003. I was project engineer for two large projects in the Pharr District. I was the project engineer for the expansion of the US 83 Expressway through McAllen, which received the AGC Construction Award for Partnering in 1998. In 2001, I was the project engineer for the Queen Isabella Causeway Reconstruction project in Cameron County, which received the 2002 Texas Project Awards in Construction. The project also received various national awards for this project.
A/V Needs: podium with microphone
Speaker: James Pitcock, Jr.
Title: Chairman and CEO
Company: Williams Brothers Construction Co., Inc.
Location: Houston, TX
Presentation Title: Practices for Reconstruction of the Interstate Highway System
Presentation Summary: Contractor recommendations for best practices in construction / reconstruction of interstate highways
Bio/Expertise Highlights: Chairman and President of Williams Brothers Construction Co., Inc. performing highway and bridge construction since 1955. Including Cable-stayed bridge over the Mississippi River, The Houston Ship Channel and $1.24 Billion on reconstruction of one of the nation's busiest freeways,
A/V Needs: podium with microphone
Power Point
Moderator: Stuart Anderson
Title: Professor
Company: Texas Transportation Institute
Location: College Station, TX
Presentation Title:
Presentation Summary: I am the Co-Chair of Construction Sessions I and II.
Bio/Expertise Highlights:
A/V Needs:
Speaker: Zack Burkett, III
Title: President & CEO
Company: Zack Burkett Company
Location: Graham, TX
Presentation Title: Makely Timely Decisions on Construction Projects
Presentation Summary: Time decisions from TxDOT personnel regarding construction matters are critical to contractors in keeping projects on schedule, on budget, and in specifications.
Bio/Expertise Highlights: President and CEO of a highway construction company since 1981.
A/V Needs: podium with microphone
Speaker: Gregory Ranft
Title: Area Engineer
Company: Texas Department of Transportation
Location: Houston, TX
Presentation Title: Lessons Learned on I-10, Katy Freeway
Presentation Summary: I will discuss problems encountered on the I-10 Katy Freeway projects and their solutions.
Bio/Expertise Highlights: I am the Waller and West Harris Area Engineer with twenty-five years of TxDOT experience and I have worked with the I-10 Katy Freeway projects for the past six years.
A/V Needs: podium with microphone, LCD projector
Speaker: Lawrence Coyle
Title: Assistant Area Engineer
Company: Texas Department of Transportation
Location: San Antonio, TX
Presentation Title: Practices for Reconstruction of the Interstate Highway System
Presentation Summary: I will discuss issues that I have experienced in administering interstate reconstruction projects.
Bio/Expertise Highlights: I am the assistant area engineer in the Bexar County Area Office. My office administers all the TxDOT construction projects in Bexar County. A large part of our work load involves the reconstruction and widening of the Interstate highway system in Bexar County. I have 23 years of experience in a mix of design and construction.
A/V Needs: podium with microphone, LCD projector
Speaker: Bryan Wilson
Title: Lubbock Area Engineer
Company: Texas Department of Transportation
Location: Lubbock, TX
Presentation Title: Marsha Sharp Freeway
Presentation Summary: An overview of the construction of the Marsha Sharp Freeway projects in Lubbock, Texas.
Bio/Expertise Highlights: I am the Area Engineer in charge of the Freeway construction.
A/V Needs: podium with microphone, LCD projector
Moderator: Paul Hoelscher
Title: Director of Construction
Company: Texas Department of Transportation
Location: Abilene, TX
Presentation Title: N/A (Moderator)
Presentation Summary: Will do brief introduction of each speaker.
Bio/Expertise Highlights: I have worked for TxDOT for over twenty three years. After graduating from Texas A&M University in 1986, I began my career working in the Odessa Area office where I eventually became the Assistant Area Engineer. I spent five years in Fort Stockton as Area Engineer before moving to Abilene as the Director of Construction. My current responsibilities include the areas of construction, lab, pavement design, and pavement management.
A/V Needs: podium with microphone
Moderator: Robert Ratcliff
Title: District Engineer
Company: Texas Department of Transportation
Location: Atlanta, TX
Presentation Title:
Presentation Summary:
Bio/Expertise Highlights:
A/V Needs:
Speaker: Elie Homsi
Title: Vice President Engineering
Company: Flatiron
Location: Lafayette, CO
Presentation Title: Inovations in Top-Down Bridge Construction
Presentation Summary: A new top-down method for bridge construction currently being used in North Carolina for the construction of a 3 miles long bridge over wetlands without the use of trestles or cranes.
Bio/Expertise Highlights: Vice President of Engineering for Flatiron with about 25 years experience in heavy civil projects in general and segmental bridges in particular. Inventor / developer of this new method.
A/V Needs: walk-around microphone, LCD projector

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