Two-term region directors Steve Drennan, Region IV; Mike Gardner, Region V; and Paul Kompauer, Region VI, will conclude their terms of service during the 2018 RCI International Convention and Trade Show at the Annual Meeting of Members in Houston, TX. One of their responsibilities is finding qualified candidates, with the assistance of the RCI Nominating Committee, to run for the director position. This was successfully accomplished, and voting members of Regions IV, V, and VI were mailed candidate profiles and ballots. The completed ballots from voting members of each of these regions are due to RCI headquarters by February 9, 2018, by 5:00 p.m. EST. In lieu of mailing the completed ballot in the provided return envelope, voters may fax their signed and dated certified ballots to 919-859-1328. (See the position statements of each of the region director candidates below.)
Elected region directors will begin their two-year terms at the conclusion of the Annual Meeting of the Members on Monday, March 26.
Mentoring, recruiting, and nominating leaders are of utmost importance to our association’s operation and growth. If you or someone you know is interested in a leadership role, please contact RCI Nominating Committee Chairman Patrick Downey at 770-565-3016 or downeypl@merikinc.com. The Nominating Committee is always interested in those seeking RCI leadership opportunities.
Neal Johnson, RRO, AIA Candidate for Region IV Director
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Neal Johnson is the president of Neal Johnson, LLC, an architectural firm specializing in building envelope consulting and forensic services in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Alabama. With over 35 years of widely varied experience as a practicing architect, Neal’s background includes serving as an architect, principal in charge, project manager, and building envelope consultant for more than 1,200 facility projects, encompassing new construction as well as extensive renovation/rehabilitation work.
EDUCATION: Bachelor of Science in architecture from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, 1978
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES RCI, Inc.
Other Professional Activities
POSITION STATEMENT The success of RCI’s regions depends on its leadership’s ability to energize the member base and encourage growth by providing educational programs that give opportunities for learning and networking. Our industry is evolving at an ever-increasing rate, and it is incumbent upon us to stay current with the trends while maintaining a level of common sense regarding new technologies.
Having originally been established as an organization focused on roof consulting, RCI has expanded to include all facets of building envelope science, thereby ensuring continued advancement and growth within its member ranks. Current and future leadership must continue to seek other avenues for expansion while maintaining the intent of RCI’s founders.
If I am fortunate to be elected as the Region IV director, I will:
PERSONAL Neal and his wife, Melanie, have been married for 30 years. They have two daughters, Megan and Rachel. When not working, he enjoys reading, learning about wine, salt- and fresh-water fishing, and golfing.
Pete Keener, RRO, CIT Candidate for Region IV Director
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Pete started his roofing career in May 1988, when he joined The Garland Company as a technical consultant. Pete has over 29 years of experience in the building envelope industry. During that time, Pete has worked as a manufacturer rep, roof consultant to a large architectural firm, owned his own roof consulting company, and gained experience with several engineering firms. This provides Pete with a well-rounded knowledge of the building envelope industry.
Pete is an Associate III with Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. in their San Antonio office, and provides consulting services to multiple clients throughout Texas. Pete is proud to be one of the founding members of the RCI Great Lakes Chapter, established in 2003. He is currently the branch liaison for the RCI Central Texas Chapter’s San Antonio Branch. As an employee of the federal government, Mr. Keener graduated from the United States Army Corp of Engineers Security Engineer School and the U.S. Army Antiterrorism Officer School. He has vast experience in designing antiterrorism measures in buildings that fall under the Uniform Facilities Code (UFC).
EDUCATION
Professional License and Registration
POSITION STATEMENT I chose to become active in RCI because of RCI’s emphasis on education and professionalism. The federal government now requires an RRC, PE, or AIA on any roofing project, according to the 2017 UFC. I believe RCI has played a major role in establishing professionals across the country as experts in the building envelope. My goals, if elected as a region director, will include:
PERSONAL Pete has three grown children living in Minnesota (Nick), Michigan (Sam), and Georgia (Rachel). When not working, he enjoys golf, hiking, fishing, hunting, and spending time with his wife Terri and their three rescue dogs, Ruby, Mocha, and Annie.
John D. Shepherd, RRC, RRO Candidate for Region V Director
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE In 1968, John Shepherd began working as a helper for his family’s roofing and siding company. Fifty years later, he is the principal of Shepherd Consulting Services (founded in 2001), a building envelope construction forensic consulting firm. In 2012, he founded Thermal Imaging of America, a roof and wall infrared survey firm.
He became a journeyman roofer in 1973, started his own roofing and waterproofing business in 1980, and became a full-time construction forensic consultant in 1995.
John’s consulting practice focuses on expert witness testimony in building envelope construction defect litigation, leak and forensic investigations, insurance-related issues (fraud, bad faith defense, property damage claims), and construction industry standard of care issues. Since 1998, he has served as an educator more than 75 times at RCI, WSRCA, NRCA, and insurance-related conferences. He assisted in developing the RCI Hawaii Winter Workshop and the RCI Summer WSRCA Convention Workshop, two programs that endure to this day and are among the longest continuous running annual programs to come out of RCI.
EDUCATION Since 1994, Shepherd has:
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES Professional Licenses and Registrations
RCI, Inc.
Honors: Recipient, Michael DeFrancesco Volunteer of the Year Award, 2008
Other Organization Involvement
POSITION STATEMENT In 1995, when I transitioned from contractor to consultant, I was venturing down a new path in life and thought I was doing so without a lifeboat. Much to my surprise, as I got involved in RCI, so many people reached out to help me become the consultant I am today. Consultants I met told me to call them if I got stuck, confused, or lost, and I took every one of them up on that at one point or another. Despite being a competitor to some, for over 23 years, no one has ever said no when I asked for help or guidance. The comradery I found in RCI felt like I had a second family. The level of professionalism, quality of education, and credentials available through RCI, has allowed me to provide for my family and successfully serve my clients.
If you choose to elect me as the next Region V director, I will continue to ensure current and future members of RCI Region V have the same positive experiences I’ve had with RCI. My goals as the next Region V director include:
PERSONAL My wife Joanne and I have been married 26 years. We have two children: Sarah, 17, a high school junior; and James, 12, a 5th grader. When I am not working, I enjoy time with my family, gardening, and archery. I am the current USA Masters and California State Games outdoor bare bow archery champion. I hope to soon be the CA and National indoor bare bow archery champion.
Szymon Zienkiewicz, RRC, RRO, PE, LEEDTM AP Candidate for Region V Director
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Szymon Zienkiewicz has a technical background and diverse project expertise in understanding and solving building enclosure challenges related to air, water, vapor, and thermal control in the design, renovation, and investigation of buildings. His area of practice focuses on CSI Division 7 – Thermal and Moisture Protection, 8 – Doors and Windows, and 9 – Finishes, with emphasis on air barriers, building science, coatings, expansion joints, exterior wall claddings, fenestration systems, insulation, interior waterproofing, and roofing.
In 2015, Szymon co-founded Larsen Zienkiewicz Inc., an engineering consulting firm based in Pasadena, CA, and specializing in building enclosure performance in new construction, renovation, and repair projects.
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES Professional License and Registration
RCI, Inc. For the past decade, Szymon has been actively involved with RCI, Inc. at the national and local levels as an organizer, presenter, and leader.
Honors
POSITION STATEMENT
The effectiveness of achieving RCI’s vision to be the leading authority for roofing, waterproofing, and exterior wall consulting is largely influenced by the health of its chapters and success of its members at the local level. I believe that the role of the region director is to be an effective conduit between RCI and local membership to support RCI’s goals; but equally, to ensure the voices of our members are heard and are adequately represented on an international platform.
If elected, my goals are as follows:
Over the past decade, RCI has been instrumental in my professional development as a consultant, both through technical education and soft skills that I acquired through participation in my local chapter and volunteering on national committees. I have met many amazing individuals, forged lasting relationships, and I am hopeful and motivated to do the same for others by representing you wholeheartedly as your next Region V director.
Thank you for considering me for this position and the opportunity to serve our region. I hope for your support and vote.
PERSONAL Szymon lives in Los Angeles, CA, with his wife Asha. They enjoy exploring the great outdoors, traveling, anything sports-related, and adding new craft breweries to their expanding list.
Blair Baxter, RRC Candidate for Region VI Director
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE After graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in physics from the University of Calgary, Blair began his career as a laboratory technical supervisor for a civil engineering firm in Calgary. The experience gave him a large exposure to construction and petroleum test procedures. Many of the projects administered by Blair were research-based. On the construction side, roofing materials were brought into the lab for ASTM testing, which eventually led him to a career in roof consulting.
In 1982, Blair cofounded Baxter & Carter-Edwards Associates Ltd. Their primary focus was on architectural division 7 construction reviews.
Today, Blair is the owner of Baxter Roof Consulting Ltd., which he established in 1999. The firm’s services include condition assessments, nondestructive and destructive testing, reroof design, construction administration, roof management, and forensic investigations for roofing and waterproofing systems.
Blair has been a member of the RCI since 1990 and earned his Registered Roof Consultant (RRC) designation in 1997.
EDUCATION: Bachelor of Science degree in physics, University of Calgary, 1977
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES Professional Registration
ASTM: D08 member
RCI Western Canada Chapter: President, 2005
RCI Canadian Prairies Chapter: Founding president, 2011
POSITION STATEMENT I was happy to find an association dedicated to making the roof consulting industry a defined profession. Joining RCI was an obvious choice. After passing the RRC exam in 1997, I chose to become active in the RRC Exam Development Subcommittee. While serving on the committee, two complete rewrites of the exam were prepared.
I would like to see RCI continue to improve the education program and continue to expand the online knowledge library. As new members join, it is satisfying to know they have the help of the association.
My goals, if elected as a region director, will include:
Thank you for the opportunity to run for this office and to serve RCI.
PERSONAL Blair has been married to Gail for 39 years and has three children. When not working, he enjoys golfing, camping, off-road vehicles, photography, astronomy, and playing guitar.
The 2025 IIBEC Building Enclosure Symposium (BES) is now accepting abstract submissions through January 17, 2025.
The 2025 IIBEC BES will take place at the St. Louis Union Station Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri, October 26-28, 2025. Will you be one of the presenters? IIBEC is seeking technical articles and presentations for consideration. Put your skills, knowledge, and talent to work for your profession!
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