As director of real estate development for Mortenson, George is responsible for strategizing, sourcing and financing development opportunities in the Southwest. As part of the Phoenix leadership team, he focuses on positioning Mortenson as a firm that can deliver comprehensive turnkey solutions for our customers through a variety of markets and across all product types. He has been instrumental in the development of several projects for Mortenson across the state of Arizona including The Beam on Farmer, a first-of-its-kind, 180,000 square foot, Class A, five-story office building coming to Tempe. The new office will be the first cross-laminated timber office building in state. Additionally, George has recently led the development of the Hampton Inn & Suites Downtown Phoenix, a 210-key limited-service hotel downtown and the dual-branded, 259-key Hyatt hotel, currently underway in the Novus Innovation Corridor in Tempe.

With more than 22 years of industry experience, he serves as a strong advocate for Mortenson's services throughout Arizona communities. He is actively involved with numerous industry-related organizations including GPEC, NAIOP Arizona and ULI Arizona. George has earned the designation of LEED© Accredited Professional and has managed multiple projects types across the western United States, Hawaii, Guam and Tokyo, Japan. He earned his B.S. in construction management from Colorado State University and an MBA from the University of Denver.

Tom S. Chung is recognized for his creation of a nourishing public realm by pioneering sustainable Mass Timber Architecture, celebrating material and craft, and sharing his knowledge with current and future generation of architects.

Tom is a national leader with over 20 years with Leers Weinzapfel Associates. He has been a primary designer for a number of the firm’s most prominent projects, including John W. Olver Design Building at UMass Amherst, Adohi Hall at the University of Arkansas, and Center for Engineering, Innovation and Sciences at Wentworth Institute of Technology. He has extensive experience in the practice and education of Mass Timber Design. He has worked closely with researchers, structural engineers and fabricators to gain mastery over this new technology. As a Korean born, naturalized American who was raised to value education and its opportunities for success, Tom is deeply committed to giving back through teaching and service. Within the office, he is a mentor and advisor to the next generation of young designers.

Tom Chung joins the fellow principals Andrea Leers, FAIA, Jane Weinzapfel, FAIA, and Josiah Stevenson, FAIA.

Dafna Kaplan is the founder and CEO of Cassette, a uniquely collaborative multi-family modular housing supplier & subcontractor delivering best-in-class modular systems with well-planned project integration and implementation services. Kaplan’s industry expertise and executive leadership spans A/E/C, consumer tech, non‐profit, and entertainment industries. In 2018, Kaplan’s study and analysis of the prefab/modular construction market sparked the 2019 founding of Cassette.

Kaplan currently serves on the boards of the AIA | Los Angeles and the Western Museums Association. She has also served on the ULI Executive, Communications and Urban Marketplace Committees, the A+D Museum board, and the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) accessories board. Kaplan has an MBA, Summa Cum Laude from the UCLA Anderson School of Business, and a BA in Human Services from the University of Oregon.

Having trained and practiced architecture in the UK, Steven has a wealth of experience in building

design, delivery, and construction. As project architect for several large projects, he has been

responsible for leading projects from conceptual design through to delivery on site.

Since moving to Canada, Steven has worked primarily on bespoke design projects for a range of

clients. His passion within architecture is the delivery of excellent work. Translating concepts into

designs, design into construction drawings, and finally delivering the building on site is a long

process and it is his belief that during this time, focus should never waver. Throughout each project,

Steven pushes himself and his team to ensure that the building continues to develop and improve,

so that the final product inspires and enhances the experience of the end user.