The ABB Bulletin - December 2011

Issue 6

Volume 2

Dec. 2011

CRESCENT VILLAGE

THE IRVINE COMPANY APARTMENT COMMUNITIES

Steve Pherigo, Hawai’i Division Manager

ABB is pleased to announce that Steve Pherigo has joined the firm as the Hawai’i Division Manager. Mr. Pherigo joins our firm from Hawaiiana Management Company where he held the title of Vice President of Property Management. “Mr. Pherigo’s 35 years of experience supervising all phases of construction, property maintenance, and building operations will help ABB remain the leader in providing Hawai’i building owners and managers with investigative, design, building envelope consulting, and construction management-related services,” said Karim Allana, CEO and President of Allana Buick & Bers.

Mr. Pherigo received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Oklahoma. He is actively involved in industry associations and holds the following certifications: Association Management Specialist (AMS), Certified Manager of Community Associations (CMCA), and Professional Community Association Manager (PCAM).

Mr. Pherigo will offer leadership to the division and will be responsible for client development and staffing. He will work with Pete Schubert, RRO, CCCA (Operations Manager), Joseph Higgins, PE (Mechanical Engineering Services Manager) and David Kaahaaina, AIA (Business Development Manager). With these key people complimenting the existing multi-disciplined staff, ABB looks forward to continued service to the Hawai’i community with its sustainable building solutions.

Allana Buick & Bers Expands Staff

ABB strives to create a work environment that attracts the highest caliber professionals to our company. We are delighted to introduce some of our newest hires:

Adib Sassine, Senior Consultant

We are happy to welcome Mr. Adib Sassine, RA, AIA to the Palo Alto office. Mr. Sassine is providing architectural engineering consulting services on new construction projects. He has more than 30 years of building industry experience specializing in pre-construction and construction management services on large institutional projects, primarily healthcare and educational campus projects. His experience includes more than 20 years in healthcare, and a strong working relationship with OSHPD. Additional experience includes commercial office buildings, public-sector projects, hospitality, and historic projects.

Mr. Sassine has a B.S. in Architecture and a certificate in Construction Management. He is a registered Architect (California). Mr. Sassine previously held a position as Senior Project Manager with Turner Construction Company. Previously he had tenures at Hathaway Dinwiddie, Gilbane Building Company, and Skidmore Owings and Merrill. “We are happy to have someone with Mr. Sassine’s expertise on our team,” said Karim Allana, CEO. “I look forward to the energy and knowledge he will bring to the firm and to our clients.

Lisa Blanton Joins ABB as CFO

Lisa Blanton has joined the firm as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Director of Human Resources. She joins us from Watry Design, Inc., a Redwood City-based parking design company. Ms. Blanton began working in the finance department at Watry in 1988 and became CFO and Director of HR in 1995, a position she held until she left the firm in 2011. She joined Watry’s ownership group in 2001.

Ms. Blanton holds a B.S. in Recreation Administration from California State University Fresno and a Master’s in Business Administration from the College of Notre Dame. She has served on the Advisory Board of United American Bank and is a member of the Society of Human Resource Management. Regarding her new position and the company, Ms. Blanton says, “I am very pleased to be associated with Allana Buick & Bers, as they serve the entire construction industry by helping repair, design, and build sustainable, efficient, and longer-lasting buildings.”

Rob Worthing

Rob Worthing has joined our Palo Alto office as a Consultant. Mr. Worthing has over 10 years of experience in consulting and project management for roofing and water proofing systems.

Before joining ABB, he was a project manager at Independent Roofing Consultants. His technical knowledge, experience, and sound business judgment approach to each project make him a great addition to our team. Rob earned a B.S. in Biological Sciences from the University of California, Irvine.

Kevin Hunt

Kevin Hunt has joined our San Diego office as a CAD Technician. His experience in architecture as a drafter, adjunct professor, and intern architect makes him a great asset and support to our San Diego branch.

Kevin earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA and a Master’s in Architecture from The New School of Architecture and Design in San Diego.

Best Firm to Work For

Allana Buick & Bers is pleased to announce its selection as one of the 2011 Best Multi-Discipline A/E Services Firms for the third straight year. ABB was ranked nationally as the 10th Best Firm to Work For. Each year, Stagnito Media/Zweig White, a leading management consulting and research firm, evaluates corporate and employee surveys and identifies the firms that rank highest for going “above and beyond” in measures of employee benefits, retention rates, and other criteria.

“It is truly a great honor and a privilege to be recognized for the third year in a row,” said Karim Allana, CEO. “I would like to thank all our staff for their great feedback. We are committed to serving our clients by creating a great workplace to attract and retain quality employees.”

ABB's Growth Acknowledged

It is our honor to announce that Allana Buick & Bers, Inc. has claimed its spot on ZweigWhite’s Hot Firm List for 2011. Every October since 2000, ZweigWhite has recognized the fastest-growing architectural, engineering, planning, and environmental consulting firms.

Firms are compared by changes in revenue and earnings over the previous three years, measured in real dollars and percentage change. The firms with the best combined scores comprise the winners on The Zweig Letter’s Hot Firm List.Allana Buick and Bers, Inc. was named to the Hot Firm List for the 4th consecutive year. Over the years, the “Hot Firm” designation has become synonymous with success in the industry, and we are proud to be acknowledged for our success.

Lisa Blanton, Chief Financial Officer and Director of HR, said, “As one of the attractions that drew me to ABB, I am very proud to be part of this firm as it receives this award for the 4th year in the row. I am looking forward to seeing ABB move up the list next year.”

Jason Mullis, RRO, CDT

Jason Mullis has joined our staff in Southern California as a Consultant. He will be responsible for project management, quality assurance, construction administration, and business development for roofing and waterproofing projects. Mr. Mullis has over 25 years of experience in project management and operations in the roofing, waterproofing and construction industry. He is a Registered Roof Observer (RRO) and a Construction Document Technologist (CDT). An active member of CSI and RCI, he currently serves on the Board of Directors of the RCI SoCal chapter. Jason most recently owned and operated his own roofing and waterproofing consulting firm in Southern California.

Jonathan Shick, PMP

Jonathan Shick has joined our Hawaii Office as a building technologist. Mr. Shick has six years of experience in construction services, including field investigation and data gathering, forensic investigation, roof surveys, water testing, quality assurance observations, and construction administration. Mr. Shick is a great resource for our solar division, as he brings two years of experience in solar technology systems design, construction, and sales. He was involved with more than 8 megawatts of solar deployment and project management, including 3 megawatts of installations on federal facilities. Mr. Shick earned his B.S. in Civil Engineering at Clemson University and an M.S. in Civil Engineering at Norwich University.

Joe French

Joe French has joined Northern California staff as a Consultant. He will be responsible for providing expertise in waterproofing, building envelope and concrete repair. He will participate in project management, construction administration, quality assurance monitoring, and business development for roofing and waterproofing projects.

Mr. French has over 40 years of experience in above- and below-grade waterproofing caulking and sealants, and protection and repair methods and products. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Recreation Management from San Jose State University. Before joining ABB, Joe held positions with D.M. Figley Co. Inc. as a Technical Manager (over 20 years) and as a National Sales Manager for Adhesive Engineering Company.

Aulani, Disney Resort & Spa

You may have noticed TV or print ads for Disney’s latest attraction – Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa. The Ko Olina resort development in western O’ahu opened to the public on August 29, 2011. Walt Disney Imagineers collaborated with local architects and cultural experts to design and construct a facility that will celebrate the customs and traditions of Hawai’i.

Allana Buick & Bers was selected by Architects Hawaii to provide building envelope consulting services for new construction of the resort for the Walt Disney Company and its subsidiaries.

Phase one is a 15-story main building with two connecting parking garages. The project also features 460 Disney Vacation Club Villas, including 21 Grand Villas. Other features include a 359-room hotel, four restaurants, and two lounges. An 18,000-SF spa, 14,545-SF conference center, and 36,695-SF of outdoor venues complete the amenities on the 21-acre site. The main building includes local architectural elements such as peaked thatched roofs, an open-air lobby, local artwork, native landscaping, and a one-acre water feature.

ABB provided peer review services for above- and below-grade waterproofing, roofing, and window and door sealants and systems. Construction phase services consisted of construction administration and quality assurance observation, including wind-uplift testing, water testing, and structural calculations for mounts of roof-mounted equipment. ABB is also confirming compliance with insurance standards and providing independent testing of selected systems to certify that the work is eligible for manufacturers’ warranties.

Tradeshow Dates & Locations

Schedule an appointment with us at one of the conferences listed below / bd@abbae.com

• CACM Northern California Trade Show- Oakland, CA - Feb. 2, 2012

• CACM Southern California Law Seminar-Anaheim, CA - Feb. 10, 2012

• C.A.S.H. 33rd Annual Conference on School Facilities-Sacramento, CA - Feb. 21, 2012

• Building Envelope University - Seattle-Seattle, WA - March 1, 2012

• RealShare Real Estate 2012-Los Angeles, CA - March 22, 2012

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