CM Faculty and Advising

MA, Architecture, and BEnvD (Bachelor of Environmental Design), University of Minnesota

AIA, LEED AP BD+C

Debra Becker retired from full-time work in the building design and construction industry after more than 30 years. Her work included Airports Leader and Americas Construction Industry Leader for Honeywell Building Solutions (HBS), vice-president for Special Projects at Adolfson & Peterson Construction, and chair of the Continental Automated Buildings Association (CABA). She is currently supporting the local USGBC chapter in LEED building performance for nonprofit organizations. Debra is an associate member of the American Institute of Architects and prior board member of WomenVenture in Minnesota.

• CMGT 4471 – Sustainability for Construction Managers

Diploma in Quantity Surveying, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, London

Mr. Bowen retired as president of Hanscomb, Inc. after 40 years with the firm overseeing quantity surveying, cost consulting, and project and construction management. He has worked with Georgia Tech in developing business and program management courses for design and contracting companies. There, he teaches courses in construction practice and history. Mr. Bowen collaborated in the formation of the Construction History Society of America and is its chairman emeritus. His current interests are improved methods for early-stage cost estimating and control, construction industry productivity, evolution of general contracting in the 19th century, and support to the AGC of America 2018 centennial celebrations.

• CMGT 4000 − The Construction Industry Through Time and Tomorrow

MBA, University of Nebraska−Lincoln; BASc., construction management, University of Minnesota; BFA, painting, Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design

Ben Bowman has a passion for making things, with career aspirations that took him from fine arts to the built environment. Ben is currently a project manager for Adolfson & Peterson Construction (AP), where he has led a variety of projects, including remodeling of occupied laboratory spaces, building parking ramps, and a multiphase expansion of the state’s preeminent mental health facility. His duties at AP involve overseeing all aspects of the construction process, including conceptual estimating, bidding, and project management. He is excited by the impact that buildings have on our community and the potential to change lives through construction.

• CMGT 4022 − Construction Estimating

MS, general environmental health, with emphasis on industrial hygiene, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota Twin Cities; BA, biology, minor in chemistry, University of Minnesota Morris.

Neil is employed as a Public Health Specialist in the Department of Environmental Health and Safety on the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus. He has over 30 years of experience in industrial hygiene, ergonomics, mycology, indoor air quality, and emergency response. Neil has written or cowritten 15 articles and authored over 50 poster sessions and presentations on industrial hygiene. In addition, he has been an instructor for numerous community workshops on industrial hygiene topics. Neil is a Certified Industrial Hygienist with the American Industrial Hygiene Association.

• CMGT 4303 – Industrial Hygiene Principles

MS, civil engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison; BS, geology and geological engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison

John Chapman is the director of the Erosion and Stormwater Management Certification Program at the University of Minnesota Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering. Prior to working for the U of M, John worked as an engineering consultant in central and western United States on geotechnical engineering projects and hazard evaluation of slopes, debris flows, and other water resources. Much of his experience has been in erosion, landslides, natural hazard mitigation, and infrastructure development. He was elected a board member of the Minnesota Erosion Control Association in 2005 and has served as its treasurer and vice president.

• CMGT 4081 – Managing Erosion and Sediment Control on Construction Sites

MS, industrial safety, University of Minnesota Duluth; BS, environmental and public health, University of Wisconsin−Eau Claire

Jean is employed as a safety professional in the Department of Environmental Health and Safety on the University of Minnesota Duluth campus. She has over 20 years of experience in industrial hygiene, environmental health, and safety. Jean is certified as a safety professional with the Board of Certified Safety Professionals and is also a Certified Industrial Hygienist with the American Industrial Hygiene Association.

• CMGT 4301 – Introduction to Environmental Health and Safety
• CMGT 4302 – Environmental Health Principles

MBA, Barker University; BS, construction science and management, Kansas State University

LEED AP BD+C

Brad Creager is a career construction manager. His work for J.E. Dunn Construction Group, Inc. involved managing projects ranging from a county detention facility to a corporate world headquarters office building, as well as health care, residential, and educational projects. He then made the switch to the owner side of the industry to work for Target Corp. in the property development group. At Target, he is a senior project manager, responsible for the schedule, budget, and execution of construction in the eastern US regions.

• CMGT 4011 – Construction Documents and Contracts

BASc. in Construction Management, University of Minnesota

Jeremiah (Jeremy) Cunningham has worked in the field of construction since 1996. After graduating from the University’s Construction Management Program in 2015, he began working on his MBA at the University of St. Thomas. Jeremy is a project manager for the Opus Group, a design-build developer in Minnetonka, where he has managed the design and construction of industrial, institutional, retail, office, multifamily, and tower construction projects in the Twin Cities. He is also a classically trained landscape painter and a published photographer. He lives with his wife and two daughters in south Minneapolis and enjoys travel, the outdoors, mountains, and fly fishing.

• CMGT 3011 – Construction Plan Reading

MA, executive leadership, business, Liberty University (VA); BS, fine arts with concentration in interior design, University of Louisville (KY)

LEED AP

Ms. Dean is principal owner and lead project manager for EDEN Resources, a small construction management services firm. Projects include landmark facilities in commercial, corporate, education, and government sectors, such as the LRT stations on the University of Minnesota East and West Bank campuses. Her experience in both design and construction disciplines spans nearly 25 years. As a business owner, she is deliberate about ensuring that equity (people, process, purposeful outcomes) is embedded in the service delivery model of project management. Mariaha is committed to the recruitment and development of emerging talent in both the business environment and the classroom.

• CMGT 3001W – Introduction to Construction

MBA, University of St. Thomas; BS, business administration with a construction management concentration, Minnesota State University, Mankato

LEED AP, ASHE

Dwight Elthon’s construction resume includes laborer, carpenter, estimator, senior estimator, project manager, senior project manager, project director, and his current position as senior construction operations manager for Allina Health. He has also worked with construction industry leaders M.A. Mortenson Company, Mayo Clinic Facilities Project Services, McGough Companies, and Kraus Anderson. Dwight is an expert in infection control procedures, interim life safety measures, and CGMP construction protocols. His teaching style stresses leadership and real-world connections.

• CMGT 4201 – Construction Accounting
• CMGT 4422 – Advanced Construction Cost Estimating

BA, business, emphasis in leadership in organizations, Bethel University; Graduate Certificate in Leadership, University of Northwestern

Angie has worked in the design and construction industry since 2006. She is currently a senior coach for LeanProject Consulting. Her career started at a mechanical, electrical, and structural engineering firm in administration and project coordination. At a local general contractor, she was a lead project coordinator and standard work facilitator in the Operational Excellence Team, working with nationwide operations to document processes and organize resources. She aims to help people find a more organized, efficient way to do their jobs in order to reduce stress on individuals, teams, and organizations. Angie loves helping people, continuous improvement, and construction processes.

• CMGT 4002 – Lean Construction

MS, structural engineering and BS, mathematical physics, University of Wisconsin

Huldah Gronvall, PE, is a project executive at Life Time Property Development in Chanhassen. Her role entails collaboration between Real Estate & Development, Design, and Construction, where she oversees a project from early conception until grand opening. Huldah started her career in Washington, DC, doing project management for a design-build firm, Opus. She then went on to do business development and design consulting for a light-gauge steel subcontractor, Infinity Structures. From 2013 to 2018, she managed the construction of large multi-family projects for CBG Building Company, managing project schedules, design-build processes, 3D BIM coordination, subcontracts, financials, and documents.

• CMGT 3001W – Introduction to Construction
• CMGT 4022 − Construction Estimating
• CMGT 4422 – Advanced Construction Cost Estimating
• CMGT 4545 – Materials & Structures II

MBA, Carlson School of Management; BS, construction engineering, Iowa State University

Stephen Hauser’s professional experience in the construction industry encompasses projects in 16 states, plus the District of Columbia. He is presently a project manager for a big-box retailer, and worked previously for four different general contractors, a specialty subcontractor, and an architect/engineering firm. Stephen’s responsibilities have included conceptual estimating, marketing, project engineering, and both project and general management. Notable projects on which he has served include the Minneapolis Convention Center and a variety of projects at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

• CMGT 3001W – Introduction to Construction
• CMGT 4011 – Construction Documents and Contracts

BS and MS, civil engineering, University of Minnesota

Mr. Hietpas is a manager at the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), where he implements new technologies to improve roadway safety and operation. Before that at MnDOT, he was director of innovative contracting and was responsible for implementing the alternative contracting methods of Design-Build and Construction Manager/General Contractor (CMGC or CM-at-Risk). His management experience includes MnDOT’s design-build program and the design and construction of large transportation projects.

• CMGT 4001 – Innovative Contracting

MEd., Business and Industry Education and BASc., Construction Management, University of Minnesota. AAS, Building Inspection Technology, North Hennepin Community College; Certificate, Carpentry, St. Cloud Area Vocational Technical Institute

CBO

Scott Holm has many years in the construction industry, in some of which he gained practical experience as a carpenter and concrete worker. He currently works for Braun Intertec as a senior consultant in their Building and Structure Sciences group. Previously he was a building inspector for the University of Minnesota and the cities of Minnetonka and Hugo. Scott is also an instructor at Dakota County Technical College in construction management. He has been appointed by the Governor of Minnesota to serve on the Board of Architecture and Engineering, and he is a member of the International Code Council Professional Development Committee.

• CMGT 4304 – Fire and Life Safety Principles
• CMGT 4073 – Building Codes for Construction Managers

BA, architecture, University of Minnesota; AAS, drafting, Minneapolis Drafting School

LEED AP

Heather Kossila began her professional career in controls engineering, designing and programming controls and touch panels. She also did consulting work for local architecture firms and was employed by Horty-Elving Architects. In 2007, Heather put her technical skills to use in the construction industry, specializing in Building Information Modeling (BIM). She is currently a senior BIM specialist with Kraus-Anderson Construction Company, where she explores and implements the use of cutting-edge technology in virtual design and construction in areas such as constructability analysis, trade coordination, estimating, and construction sequencing.

• CMGT 3011 – Construction Plan Reading
• CMGT 4003 – Managing in the BIM Environment

MS, civil engineering and BS, civil engineering, University of Minnesota

Morgan currently works as a licensed structural engineer at Meyer Borgman Johnson, a full-service structural engineering firm based in Minneapolis. She has a strong background and interest in multifamily housing and adaptive reuse. Morgan has worked as a project manager and design professional for all types of structural systems and is experienced with coordinating complex structural design requirements. She focuses on ways to achieve unified designs that are both constructible and reflective of the architect’s vision.

• CMGT 4544 – Materials and Structures I

BA, Knox College

Ethan Laubach, CHST, CIT, ASP, has 30 years of experience in the construction industry, having held positions ranging from sheet metal worker to residential remodeling contractor. Currently, Ethan works as a safety manager with McGough Construction. He has taught construction skills since 1997 in Minneapolis and St. Paul public schools, with Goodwill Easter Seals, and in the Ohio prison system. He is the founder and director of UnderConstruction, an internship program for youth. He has developed safety programs and curriculum for the public schools and private industry and holds OSHA 10, 30, 500, and 510 certifications.

• CMGT 4031 – Construction Safety and Loss Control

MBA, Marquette University; BSCE, structural design, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Klaus is managing principal of LeanProject Consulting, Inc., where he and his partners have helped countless teams adopt the new behaviors and thinking required to dramatically shorten schedules, reduce cost, increase safety, and improve the experience of project work. He has also been a structural engineer and EPC project manager in the petroleum industry, where he first learned about Deming’s Total Quality Management, partnering, and continuous improvement. Mr. Lemke’s book, Better Building: Lean Practice for the Project-Driven Organization, provides a model for applying lean thinking to the disconnected, temporary, and highly variable world of design and construction.

• CMGT 4002 – Lean Construction

BS, mechanical engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Robert Linder has 30 years of experience as a mechanical engineer in the HVAC industry. He has directed and participated in over 500 design, commissioning, recommissioning, and retro-commissioning projects in the education, commercial, government, and health care sectors. He also specializes in building controls retrofits. Currently, he is the vice president of building performance for KFI Engineers. He has been active in the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) and the National Environmental Balancing Bureau (NEBB) and has participated in their test and balance and building commissioning technical committees.

• CMGT 4215 – Facility Quality Assessment and Commissioning
• CMGT 4542 – Building Energy Systems

BA, law enforcement, Minnesota State University, Mankato

Pedro López, CHST, is a regional safety manager with Opus Design Build, LLC. He has 17 years of construction safety experience, including MNOSHA Compliance Division as a senior safety investigator and MA Mortenson Construction as a safety engineer. He has taught OSHA construction safety since 2007 and has developed and translated writing safety programs. Pedro is the founder and former president of the HCAMN, a nonprofit organization for Hispanic contractors and construction workers. He holds an OSHA 502 certification and is a member of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) and the Latino Workforce (SPALW).  

• CMGT 4031 – Construction Safety and Loss Control

MGIS (Master of Geographic Information Science), University of Minnesota; BES (Bachelor of Elective Studies), geography, St. Cloud State University

Chris Mavis is a licensed land surveyor (LS) registered in Minnesota. He has nearly 30 years of experience in the geospatial industry. Chris began his land surveying career at Widseth, Smith, & Nolting and has worked in a variety of land surveying and GIS positions. He currently serves as the Hennepin County surveyor and president of the Minnesota Society of Professional Surveyors. He is a member of the Minnesota Association of County Surveyors and the Minnesota Geospatial Advisory Council.

• CEGE 3202 – Surveying and Mapping

BS, art with a concentration in interior design, University of Wisconsin-Stout

LEED AP, CID

Justine Pliska is a commercial interior designer with 20 years of experience in building design for education, health care, and government. Her design solutions favor sustainability and simplicity. She is program manager for design and construction for the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. Ms. Pliska has been a senior interior designer with TSP, Inc., an architecture, engineering, and design firm, and has chaired the education committee of the Minneapolis/St. Paul chapter of the International Facility Management Association and served on its board. She has been instrumental in bringing the Facility Management track to the CMGT program.

• CMGT 3024W – Facility Programming and Design
• CMGT 4861 − Construction Management Capstone

MA, architecture, Southern Illinois University Carbondale; BS, architecture, University of Minnesota

Jack Rasmussen, NCARB, AIA, FMPC, is the director of the Building and Structure Sciences group at Braun Intertec, where he provides building envelope consulting on hundreds of buildings in the Twin Cities and beyond, and oversees Braun’s AAMA window testing accreditation. He works on a wide range of projects, from multistory wood frame construction to cast-in-place high-rise buildings. He began his career in 2000 as a traditional architect and is currently a registered architect in many states. Mr. Rasmussen holds a Fenestration Master Professional Certification.  

• CMGT 4562 − Building Envelope Design and Construction

BS, health science with chemistry minor, South Dakota State University; BS, microbiology and MBA, University of Minnesota 

Vickie Schleuning is the executive director of the Lake Minnetonka Conservation District, where she manages regional environmental and safety initiatives. She has over 30 years of experience in administration, construction and development, housing, environmental health and safety, code administration, and communications. She was an adjunct instructor at North Hennepin and Inver Hills Community Colleges for six years and has served on various committees. She has presented locally and nationally on various regulatory and industry topics. She completed the Baldrige Examiner Training Experience in 2014 and is a Minnesota RS/REHS (Registered Environmental Health Specialist/Sanitarian).

• CMGT 4302 − Environmental Health Principles
• CMGT 4305 − Health & Safety Planning and Management (under development)

BS, building construction management, Purdue University

Nick Slauson is the senior lean specialist of the Midwest Region for JE Dunn Construction. Nick’s background is in field leadership in the construction of airports, hospitals, hotels, advanced research facilities, and high-rise construction. As he advanced in his career, great training, mentorship, and practical experiences cemented the importance of planning, scheduling, communication, and execution of the work. Now at JE Dunn, he is responsible for providing training, coaching, and assistance with the implementation of lean values, principles, and tools as JE Dunn plans and executes work across the Midwest.

• CMGT 4021 – Construction Planning & Scheduling

MS, structural engineering and BS, civil engineering, University of Minnesota; BA, physics, Gustavus Adolphus College

Marah is a structural engineer at Meyer Borgman Johnson, a full-service structural engineering firm in Minneapolis. Marah has worked as project manager and engineer on a wide variety of projects, such as multifamily residential housing, support structures for industrial machinery, and existing building analysis and rehabilitation. Marah’s design work has included gravity and lateral systems for concrete, steel, masonry, and wood structures, but her main area of interest and expertise is in the analysis and strengthening of existing concrete structures.

• CMGT 4544 – Materials and Structures I

BASc. in Construction Management and Bachelor of Design in Architecture, University of Minnesota

Aalayha works as a virtual design and construction (VDC) engineer at Knutson Construction in Minneapolis. Her primary duties include leading coordination and clash detection, laser scanning, and implementing other technologies, for which she combines her construction and technical background to leverage building information modeling. As an FAA Part 107 commercial pilot, she enjoys flying drones for project documentation. Aalayha is passionate about diversity and inclusion in the construction industry and works within many organizations who support it, including serving as a co-lead for the National Association of Women in construction and a member of the Ramsey County Workforce Innovation Board.

• CMGT 4003 – Managing with Building Information Modeling