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POST HOUSTON

POST HOUSTON

Breathing new life into the historic Barbara Jordan Post Office. Once the hub of the city’s U.S. mail system, the long-abandoned USPS headquarters in Houston is being transformed by Lovett Commercial into a dynamic mixed-use complex expanding the city’s vibrant downtown.

Speakers and Panels

Advancements and Innovation in Construction

Building strategies to limit construction cost and minimize project timelines

Acho Azuike

Acho Azuike

COO

DC Partners

Tadd Tellepsen

Tadd Tellepsen

CEO

Tellepsen

Will Carter

Will Carter

President

WC Construction

Nick Pontikes

Nick Pontikes

VP, Construction & Design

Pontikes LLC

Hachem Domloj

Hachem Domloj

President

CIVE

Thomas Bayer

Thomas Bayer

Technical Principal

HOK

John Moody, Jr.
Moderator

John Moody, Jr.

Manager

Moody Law Group

Acho Azuike

COO

DC Partners

Acho Azuike manages DC Partners' real estate development and investment activities including compliance with all EB-5 Program requirements. Mr. Azuike has over 12 years of experience in the real estate industry with experiences ranging from real estate finance to real estate development. He graduated from The University of Texas with BA in Economics and received his MBA from Rice University Jones Graduate School of Business.

Tadd Tellepsen

CEO

Tellepsen

Tadd Tellepsen is CEO of Tellepsen Corporation, a

fourth-generation, family-owned and operated business

founded in Houston in 1909, and is a leading pre-

construction and construction services firm with a full-

time employee base of around 2,300. Tellepsen is

involved in the delivery of Commercial, Petrochemical

and Power & Energy distribution complexes. The

company is widely recognized for leadership in pre-

construction, virtual construction, scheduling, cost

control, safety and quality. Over the past 109 years,

Tellepsen employees have built many landmarks that

shape Houston’s skyline and industrial landscape, while enhancing the quality of life in

our communities.

Mr. Tellepsen is a part of the fourth generation of ownership and started in the

construction industry in 1992. He has served in a variety of positions and

responsibilities of management and leadership in the company and industry. Mr.

Tellepsen holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from Southern Methodist

University and a Masters of Business Administration from Houston Baptist University. In

addition, he serves on numerous corporate and civic boards in the Texas community and

was honored by HBU’s 2005 recipient of the HBU “Volunteer of the Year” and 2019

recipient of the HBU “Distinguished Alumnus” award.

Mr. Tellepsen is a long-standing member and chapter leader of Young Presidents

Organization (YPO), and currently serves in directorship roles at Houston Baptist

University, YMCA of Greater Houston, Associated General Contractors, Houston

Technology Center, and the Episcopal Diocese.

Mr. Tellepsen and his wife, Jennifer, have three daughters – Braden, Brooke, Ellie. Tadd

enjoys hunting, fishing, tennis, and photography.

Will Carter

President

WC Construction

Will graduated from the College of Architecture at Texas A&M University with a degree in

Construction Science. Will entered the construction project management track with a leading Houston

general contracting firm, D.E. Harvey Builders, now known as Harvey Cleary. He moved on to Turner

Construction and later E.E Reed. Taking his passion and vison into his own hands he founded Will Carter

Construction (WC Construction) in 2018. Throughout his career, Will has had the opportunity to

collaborate on projects of all sizes and across multiple disciplines. Regardless of the size of the project,

the project complexity, or the experience level of the Client, Will is a true professional who excels at

what he does, even in the very competitive construction market that is Houston, Texas. Will’s

responsiveness, thoroughness, and passion for the mission in ensuring each project is a success greatly

distinguish him amongst his competitors. As direct responses from his clients, “it is very reassuring

when Will is building out one of our projects, as his solid track record provides peace of mind from both

a personal and a client perspective.” Finally, Will’s growing list of repeat clients serves as an excellent

example of his commitment to service, both during construction and after the job is completed.

Hachem Domloj

President

CIVE

As CIVE®’s President & CEO, Mr. Domloj has over 20 years of experience in Civil & Structural

Engineering, Construction Management and Design. Mr. Domloj has driven the company's growth

starting from a small engineering consulting firm to its existing state of being a Design Build firm,

providing top-down design, engineering and construction services to Commercial, Industrial and

Community sectors. He is now responsible for developing, designing, coordinating, reviewing and

evaluating projects and ongoing work of the engineering and construction division at CIVE.

Under his leadership, the company has expanded into international markets by establishing presence in

Doha, Qatar, while also establishing CIVE Ready Mix in Houston and A2Z Building Material in Dubai, UAE

as part of the company’s long-term vision. CIVE continues to receive recognition and accolades by

independent publishers both at local, regional, and national level.

He has also been appointed by the Mayor of Houston, and Councilman Ed Pollard to serve the Houston

community as member of Board of Directors to TIRZ #1 - a redevelopment initiative by the Houston City

Council.

Thomas Bayer

Technical Principal

HOK

As HOK’s Technical Principal, based out of Houston, Thomas oversees the detailed development and documentation of project deliverables for all projects in the Texas Region. Over the course of his career, Thomas has guided some of the country’s most high-profile projects to success, not only as architectural achievements but as vehicles for deftly managing the difficulties, that can derail complex projects. He has developed and implemented people-oriented teaming and management strategies that counter established norms to empower individuals, ensure quality, and deliver high caliber projects under challenging circumstances, while advancing practice models in a continually evolving industry. His people-centered approach to quality control and assurance brings fresh thinking to ingrained teaming and delivery practices by understanding the way people are motivated to work at their best, resulting in architecture that is both inspired and successful.

As a member of HOK’s Technical Board, Thomas takes an active role in the development of firmwide domestic and international delivery standards and protocols, technology initiatives, the implementation of new project delivery models, and rigorous quality assurance methods; all of which allow for more efficient and effective HOK project development. Thomas has also spent much of his professional career focusing on mentorship of young professionals preparing for licensure and professional practice. He has served as a board member of the Houston ACE Mentor program for the past six years and as an adjunct professor at Texas Tech University teaching courses on exterior enclosure design and advanced construction technology.

John Moody, Jr.

Moderator

Moody Law Group

John S. Moody, Jr., is Board Certified in Commercial Real Estate by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and has extensive experience in real estate development, leasing, acquisitions, sales and financing. He represents developers, owners, families, financial institutions, investors, retailers and private equity funds in acquisitions, sales, development, leasing, financing and construction of all types of real estate.

Preparing for Future Development: Challenges & Opportunities

Building for resiliency & what characteristics will continue to drive activity in Houston

Harry Masterson

Harry Masterson

Managing Principal

EMBER

Lori Upton

Lori Upton

CEO

Southeast Texas Regional Advisory Council (SETRAC)

Jason Atkinson

Jason Atkinson

President

Grey Wolf Engineers

Craig Plescia

Craig Plescia

Partner

Elysium Construction

Jerry Tipps

Jerry Tipps

Director of Design, Principal

Heights Venture Architecture + Design

Cody Schneider
Moderator

Cody Schneider

Shareholder

Winstead PC

Harry Masterson

Managing Principal

EMBER

A native Houstonian, Harry Masterson is a respected leader in the real estate industry with strong ties

to the local community. With a career dating back to 1994, Harry has built an extensive track record

in real estate, specializing in large land transactions and Quality Planned Developments (QPDs).

As Managing Principal at EMBER, Harry focuses on identifying new business opportunities and

fostering key industry relationships, drawing on his expertise in bringing together the right

stakeholders and developing innovative concepts.

Before founding EMBER, Harry was the principal founder of both the Cernus Group and Concourse

Companies, where he led the successful development of numerous communities throughout the

Houston area. In recognition of his contributions to the industry, the Greater Houston Builders

Association (GHBA) honored him with the "Developer of the Year" award in 2010.Beyond his

professional accomplishments, Harry has dedicated much of his time to leadership roles in various

industry, community, and nonprofit organizations. He served as the GHBA's President of the Board of

Directors in 2013, and has also been a past president of Da Camera of Houston, a committee

member for the Museum of Fine Arts – Houston, and chairman of Scenic Houston's board. He

currently serves on the boards of the West Houston Association and The Orange Show Center for

Visionary Arts.

A licensed real estate broker in Texas, Harry earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of

Texas at Austin in 1989. Outside of his professional life, he and his wife Kathy enjoy spending time at

their farm with their daughter and twin sons.

Lori Upton

CEO

Southeast Texas Regional Advisory Council (SETRAC)

Lori Upton is the Vice President of Preparedness and Response, and

currently serves as Interim CEO, for the Southeast Texas Regional Advisory

Council (SETRAC). In that capacity, she coordinates and prioritizes

planning objectives to meet Federal preparedness and response grant

requirements for 25 counties, state EMS and trauma requirements for 9

counties, organizational vision, and leadership for financial growth

through SETRAC’s subsidiary Maestro Services, and philanthropic activities

through The SETRAC Foundation.

With over 40 years’ experience in the healthcare field, Ms. Upton has an

extensive background in clinical operations and progressive leadership

roles in both urban academic centers and suburban healthcare facilities,

including 14 years’ experience in a major urban Level 1 Trauma Center.

Ms. Upton was responsible for the development of the Regional Healthcare Preparedness Coalition and

authored the regional medical response plan that has now been adopted by all jurisdictional officials in

the region served. Actual disaster response experience includes World Trade Center (2001), Hurricane

Katrina (2005), Hurricane Rita (2005), Hurricane Gustav (2008), Hurricane Ike (2008), H1N1 Outbreak

(2009), West, Texas Explosion (2013), the SE Texas flooding (2016), Hurricane Harvey (2017) and COVID

19 Pandemic.

A strong believer in education and training, Ms. Upton developed curriculum that includes hospital

incident command systems, decontamination, COOP training, and pediatric-specific disaster response.

Ms. Upton has several peer-reviewed papers published in journals such as the Annals of Emergency

Medicine and the Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, as well as authored the

Emergency Nurse Pediatric Course 4th Edition - Disaster Chapter.

Lori Upton is a Certified Emergency Manager through the International Association of Emergency

Managers (IAEM) and holds a bachelor’s degree in Nursing from the University of Texas and a master’s

degree in Emergency Management from Touro University. She has completed advanced Incident

Management trainings through FEMA, leadership training through The Studer Group, and effective

communication strategies through Crucial Conversations, and Crisis Communication training.

Jason Atkinson

President

Grey Wolf Engineers

Jason R. Atkinson founded Grey Wolf Engineers in early 2020 on the best practices learned from four of the top civil

engineering firms in Texas. He is a sixth-generation civil engineer and surveyor who started in the business at age 13

carrying the surveying bag for his family’s firm. He has over 27 years of civil engineering experience in Greater Houston.

His primary role is in project and client management.

Craig Plescia

Partner

Elysium Construction

Craig joined the Elysium Team in 2022 bringing approximately 15+ years

of experience as an internal construction leader for Fortune 500 companies

and most recently on the general contractor side primarily within the New

York and New Jersey Markets. Craig has also undertaken projects across the

US in locations such as: Boston, Connecticut, Chicago, California, Florida,

Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington, DC, and Washington State. While Craig

began on the client side overseeing real estate and construction for companies

such as NBC Universal, Ernst & Young and Unilever, he transitioned to the

service side to lend his expertise to a more diverse base of clients. Craig’s

portfolio is comprised of both large and small projects spanning in size from

150 to 1million square feet, in a wide array of sectors such as: legal & financial,

hospitality, entertainment/studio, retail, giving him a wide array of industry

Cody Schneider

Moderator

Winstead PC

Cody Schneider is dedicated to representing his clients in construction-related disputes in the commercial real estate, public works, and energy industries. He has successfully represented clients on both the plaintiff and defense side in construction disputes involving multimillion-dollar claims, bringing a detail-oriented approach to complex matters.

Cody regularly represents owners, developers, contractors, suppliers, and governmental entities in a broad range of matters in prelitigation disputes, arbitrations, and lawsuits in both state and federal courts. Specifically, Cody has represented clients in disputes involving claims for breach of contract, breach of warranty, construction defects, fraud, negligence, differing site conditions, pass-through claims, change order claims, extra time and money, delays, loss of productivity, liquidated damages, fund trapping and retainage, as well as lien and bond claims.

Additionally, Cody has transactional experience involving pre-construction contract negotiations, crane swing easements, as well as amendments to agreements following the commencement of construction and post-construction, including drafting provisions involving warranties, bonds, indemnifications, and releases, among others. Cody is Board Certified in Construction Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

Why You Should Attend this Commercial Construction & Development Conference

What You'll Learn

  • How are area contractors and developers implementing modular and prefabrication practices to increase project efficiencies?

  • What technologies & new materials are being used to increase building performance?

  • What sustainability regulations are impacting construction and how are sentiments shifting towards eco-friendly practices?

  • How are buildings being designed to withstand the inevitable next natural disasters? What does future-proofing buildings look like in Houston?

  • What balance is being struck between resiliency and the highly amenitized, aesthetic trophy assets that resonate with tenants?

How You'll Do More Business: Enhance your business by gaining a stronger understanding of the newest wave of construction techniques and trends. Hear from the most active firms who will address strategy around optimizing project efficiency, maintaining and optimizing sustainable building practices, and how Houston's building stock can be prepared for any future natural disasters if and when they should come. 

Projects & Activity Our Speakers Represent

Who You'll Meet: Houston's top developers, general contractors, architects, subs, investors, government officials, and more!

For questions regarding content, sponsorship and speaking opportunities, email Brandon Elsasser at brandon.elsasser@bisnow.com. To request disability-related accommodations, please contact shannon.dearaujo@bisnow.com no later than seven business days prior to the event.

Agenda

Time Activity
2:00 PM
3:00 PM
Pre-Event Networking, Registration & Breakfast
3:00 PM
3:45 PM
Advancements and Innovation in Construction

-Building strategies to limit construction cost and minimize project timelines

3:45 PM
4:30 PM
Preparing for Future Development: Challenges & Opportunities

-Building for resiliency & what characteristics will continue to drive activity in Houston

4:30 PM
5:00 PM
Closing Networking