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ABAA’s Year in Review Speaker Bios

Anthony Santocono has been in service to the Kawneer Company for almost 35 yrs. In 2007 he was offered the position for Field Investigation Engineer. This position takes him to many project sites around the USA and Canada to provide forensic and investigative services of Kawneer product performance which includes; Curtain Walls, Windows, Storefronts, Entrances and Skylights. He also trains the Kawneer Customer base on installation and fabrication of Kawneer Systems.

Hannah McCabe smiling for the cameraAndrea Wagner Watts is the Building Science Education manager for GAF, engaging with industry professionals to provide guidance, technical support and education for roof and wall assemblies. Andrea has more than 15 years of experience in the construction industry, successfully developing multiple sealants and air/water barrier system solutions and doing building science research. She is always working to improve the overall performance of the building enclosures through application innovation, research and industry knowledge sharing. Andrea has published on building science, assembly interfaces, durability and resilience and is the holder of multiple patents. She serves as an executive board member of ABAA, is the co-chair of their Technical Committee and chairs the ASTM E06 Task Group on air barriers.

blondeMeagan Elfert, CDT, MBA, CBS, is the Vice President for York Flashings and has been part of the York team for nine years. She oversees and manages York’s sales team across all regions of the USA. Meagan gives presentations on flashing and transition compatibility, sustainability, and performance to the AEC community across the country. She also provides educational sessions for contractors and performs job site visits to bring installers the latest technology and best flashing practices. Meagan is currently active in the local Building Enclosure Council Research Triangle chapter of North Carolina and serves on the sponsorship committee.  She is also part of the IIBEC Carolinas Chapter and serves on the membership committee. In May 2023, Meagan graduated with an MBA from Colorado State University.

Melissa I. Payne focuses on offering building enclosure third-party services. She founded Midwest Enclosure Consulting, September 2022, to offer owners, design, and construction teams with expertise in building science, building envelope solutions, forensic investigations, as well as building performance assessments and construction onsite inspections.

Ms. Payne joined Tremco CPG Inc. November 1, 2018, as a Construction Management Specialist. She then managed the Enclosure System Solutions Team starting in February 2021, and administered the MyTEAM Leak-Free Warranty Processes and Services till April 25, 2023, at which time the company decided these services would no longer be offered under Tremco CPG, Inc. Prior to joining Tremco, she provided building enclosure commissioning and consulting service and conducted forensic investigations on a multitude of projects while at Miller Engineering, P.C. Prior to developing and heading the building enclosure division at Miller, she served as the Owner’s Representative on both capital and non-cap construction and restoration projects for City Utilities of Springfield, Missouri, a municipal utility company. Ms. Payne possesses a strong foundation in industry standards related to building envelope commissioning processes, commissioning authority, building science, construction observation, performance testing, project management, and general construction of building envelope systems including: institutional, schools, higher education, government, healthcare, hospitality, and industrial projects. Her owner representative, third-party consulting experience, forensic work, commissioning provider background, and manufacturer internal consultant involvement gives her an all-enveloping perspective of the design and construction industry.

Benjamin Meyer, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP is the Building Enclosure Business Director at Siplast. Previous experience includes: enclosure consultant principal, technical management for enclosure products, commercial design, real estate development and construction management on a range of projects that included residential, educational, offices, and DuPont industrial projects. Industry positions include: Voting Member of the ASHRAE 90.1 Envelope and Project Committees, LEED Technical Committee member, past Technical Advisor of the LEED Materials (MR) TAG, and Director of the Air Barrier Association of America (ABAA). Mr. Meyer has MBA, B.S., and M.Arch degrees from the University of Cincinnati.

Corey Zussman, AIA, NCARB, ALA, RBEC, RRC, REWC, RWC, RRO,
CDT, CQM, CxA+BE, BECxP, CABS, LEED® AP BD+C
Level II Thermographer, QA/QC Vice President
AECOM Hunt

As a forensic architect registered in several states, Corey Zussman has practiced in the construction industry for more than 30 years. He specializes in the building envelope, restoration, preservation, life safety, and interior finishes. While working on over 2000 projects, Corey conducts constructability reviews, pre-installation meetings, comprehensive envelope meetings, and construction observations. He has also become known for providing educational opportunities throughout the industry and has produced more than 200 “lessons learned” papers. Topics include building envelope and life safety concerns, enabling Corey to proactively address issues during design review, pre-construction, and construction. In addition, he has over 15 industry articles about building envelope and life safety topics. He is also a frequent presenter at local and national conferences and associations with over 50 AIA accredited presentations.

Brian Stroik is a recognized industry leader in the construction of energy efficient, sustainable and durable buildings. Brian works with key industry organizations – including the Air Barrier Association of America, the National Building Enclosure Council, the Building Enclosure Technology and Environmental Council (BETEC), and ASTM E06 – on research and education regarding building enclosures, energy efficiency, retrofitting and upgrading existing building enclosures. Brian is a frequent speaker on the subjects of commissioning the building enclosure (BECx), quality in construction, and mockups / first run studies. Brian has also chaired numerous speaker sessions at national conferences and hosted roundtable discussions. He holds the following industry positions and affiliations: Past Chair, National Building Enclosure Council (NBEC) Past Chair and a Director, Air Barrier Association of America (ABAA): Past Chair Research Committee Advisory Board Member, Building Enclosure Technology and Environmental Council (BETEC a Council of the National Institute of Building Sciences – NIBS), Washington, DC Founder and Chair, Building Enclosure Council of Wisconsin (BEC-WI) Voting member of ASTM E06 – Building Performance Senior Member, American Society of Quality (ASQ) Certified, American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE) White papers by Mr. Stroik on the subjects of building energy efficiency and building enclosure design, among others, have been published in The Journal of Energy Efficiency & Reliability, The Journal of Building Enclosure Design and SprayFoam Magazine.

Roy Schauffele, FCSI, CDT, CCPR, FABAA, CABS,  is an internationally published author and speaker in energy conservation and sustainable building envelopes, including air barrier technology, insulation, roofing & waterproofing, to improve building science, performance, and quality of life. He is President and founder of Division 7 Solutions, Inc, now entering its 37th year of continuous operations, and recently sold his manufacturing firm to an international corporation. He has served in various positions with ABAA, including three terms as Board Chair. He was the first to receive the Wagdy Anis Dedication Award for excellence in volunteerism, leadership, and mentorship within ABAA. He was among the first to achieve the Certified Air Barrier Specialist (CABS) designation. Schauffele is also a multiple award winner from Build San Antonio Green, a former elected official, and a Gubernatorial and Texas Senate appointee. He currently serves the City of San Antonio as the Vice Chair of the Small Business Development Advocacy Committee. Globally, he is the only person to be a Fellow of CSI and ABAA. He continues to be a continually requested national speaker on energy conservation, air barriers, and sustainability.

Laverne Dalgleish Executive Director | ABAA Management Team | Air Barrier Association of AmericaMr. Laverne Dalgleish is the Executive Director of the Air Barrier Association of America (ABAA). As such, he works to champion energy conservation in buildings while educating the building owners and designers about the benefits of energy conservation such as durability, comfort, reduced maintenance, reduced HVAC equipment costs and the positive impact on the environment. Mr. Dalgleish travels around North America to educate building owners and designers on the benefits of effective and working air barrier systems in buildings. This education mission includes working with standards development organizations, training and education groups, government policy departments, and quality assurance program developers for the construction industry. Mr. Dalgleish is the Secretariat of two ISO Committees, ISO TC61 SC10 Cellular Plastics and ISO TC163 SC3 Thermal Insulation Products. He is also Chair of the ULC Thermal Performance in the Building Environment Standards Committee. Mr. Dalgleish was the key developer of the ABAA Quality Assurance Program for the installation of air barrier systems in buildings. This program is based on ISO 9000 and ISO 12576-2 but brings the ISO requirements together with practical applications for the air barrier industry.

Grant Ostvig After graduating from Arizona State University with a degree in Marketing I went to work for TRU TEAM the largest US insulation installer. I spent 6 years at TRU TEAM and ended my career there running a commercial union insulation shop in Minneapolis MN that ran 5 spray foam riggs every day as well as being a 3M certified Fire Stop Contractor. I relocated with my family to the East Coast. I started with Demilec in 2009 (12 years ago) as a foam salesman covering Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee. My current role within the company is US Director of Commercial Development. In this role I advise and consult with Architects on the appropriate uses of spray foam in any and all projects.

Renae Kwon, RA Renae Kwon is an Associate Principal with the interdisciplinary engineering, architecture, and material science consulting firm of Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates Inc. Ms. Kwon is a licensed architect, with extensive experience in building enclosure condition assessment of both new and historically significant buildings. Her work has included the investigation and repair design of various building types to address bulk rainwater penetration, condensation, and moisture-related deterioration of above- and below-grade building enclosure material, components and systems. These systems include masonry, stone, terra cotta, aluminum/glass curtain wall, and various roofing/waterproofing systems. Ms. Kwon has also performed building envelope consulting services, including building enclosure peer review design assistance, preconstruction mock-up performance testing and construction period services.

Andrew Dunlap’s primary work experience is focused on the analysis and development of building enclosure systems including wall cladding assemblies, air/water barrier systems, roofing, skylights, fenestration systems, and waterproofing. Specializing in the energy and hygrothermal analysis of wall, fenestration, and roof systems; his work extends from evaluating existing buildings, investigating problem buildings, revitalizing historic structures, to the design and consultation of new and specialty facades. Andrew received his Bachelor of Architecture, Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, and Master of Architecture degrees from the University of Detroit Mercy. He provides presentations to several industry organizations on a regular basis and is published in numerous industry periodicals and journals. He is active in the design and construction community and currently holds positions within the following organizations: American Institute of Architects (AIA) – AIA Detroit Chapter Vice President Air Barrier Association of America (ABAA) – Vice-Chair Air Barrier Association of America (ABAA) – Board Member Air Barrier Association of America (ABAA) – Research Committee Co-Chair ASTM E 06.55 Performance of Building Enclosures – Subcommittee Secretary ASTM E 06.41Air Leakage and Ventilation Performance – Voting Member ASTM D 08 Roofing and Waterproofing – Member Building Enclosure Council Greater Detroit – Past Chair University of Detroit Mercy Architectural Engineering Board of Advisors Andrew’s work focuses on providing energy efficient buildings and he regularly participates in the development and refinement of exterior enclosure designs to exceed energy related goals. Project responsibilities include the collection of detailed building information, investigation and analysis of existing conditions, computerized thermal analysis (WUFI, THERM, WINDOW and other specialized software packages), formulation of remediation options, preparation of construction documents for remediation, and construction contract administration including field observation and system testing. This work often includes performing field air and water tests as part of forensic investigations or used to validate installed conditions.