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CSI is excited to announce that six members have been added to the College of Fellows.
Fellows are CSI members who have been selected by their peers for this distinction based on their achievements in the industry and their above-and-beyond contributions to CSI.
The CSI community will honor and celebrate these individuals at the 2024 CSI National Conference October 16-18 in Houston, TX.
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Learn more about our 2024 Class of CSI Fellows below as they share what CSI means to them, give advice for getting the most out of membership, and take a look at what the future could hold for the architecture, engineer, contractor, and owner (AECO) industry.
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Gregg Jones, FCSI, CCS®, CDT®, AIA
Gregg Jones is a senior project architect for Abonmarche Byce, an architectural and engineering firm based in Kalamazoo, MI.
After practicing architecture for 20 years, in 2000 Gregg began writing architectural specifications when he was asked to take over the position from a parting co-worker and has since written specifications for three different A/E firms.
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He’s been active in the CSI Grand Rapids Chapter for more than a decade, and has served as secretary and president. He’s also the president of the CSI Great Lakes Region, where he’s worked to help build healthy chapters that provide value for their members. As a CDT holder himself, Gregg has also taught certification classes for his employees.
What advice would you give to any CSI members—new or established—on how to continue to have a rewarding professional experience?
First, be involved in CSI. Attend meetings, network, make a presentation, earn a certification, attend conferences, join a committee, take a leadership role, and invite others to join. As they say, you get back what you put into something.
Second, observe, listen, learn, and share. In our profession, there are many people—old and young—in CSI and the overall AECO community who have knowledge for us to learn from and share with.
What do you see as the most significant opportunities in the construction industry in the next 5 to 10 years?
Sharing knowledge. I have been practicing architecture for nearly 50 years. In that time, there have been many advances in technology, products, and construction practices. Many people think artificial intelligence (AI) will be the answer to future advances. But that hands-on knowledge that the experienced members of the construction industry have can be far more valuable.
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Erica Kennedy, FCSI, CDT®, AIA
Erica Kennedy is the director of development at ODA Architecture in Charlotte, NC, and has a love for hotel design and working in the hospitality sector.
She’s volunteered for CSI both locally and nationally, including time as president of the CSI Charlotte Chapter and director from the Southeast Region for the Institute. Erica is also a public speaker with an emphasis on helping support emerging professionals and women in the industry.
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What does being recognized as a CSI Fellow mean to you?
At one of my first CSI National Conferences, I watched two individuals from my region receive their Fellowships and thought, “I’m going to achieve that one day.” After years of dedication and hard work, I’m thrilled to have earned this recognition. I’m deeply grateful to the many mentors within CSI who have supported me along the way!
How has being a member of CSI informed your life and career?
I became a student member of CSI in 2008, and it has allowed me to build an invaluable network across the country and in Canada. I always have a reliable contact for any questions about products, insights into other architect’s practices, or recommendations for new consultants.
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Jarrod Mann, FCSI, CCCA®, CDT®, PE
Jarrod Mann is the vice president and head of MEP Engineering at BG Consultants, Inc. During his career, Jarrod has contributed to a number of significant projects, including the15,000-seat Intrust Bank Arena in Wichita, KS, and the reconstruction of the Kiowa County Memorial Hospital in Greensburg, KS, following a devastating EF-5 tornado. The hospital earned certification as the first and only LEED Platinum critical access hospital in the United States.
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Jarrod has been active at all levels of CSI, serving in several roles, including president of both the Flint Hills Chapter and North Central Region. Nationally, he serves as director at large for the Institute and is currently chair-elect.
What advice would you give to any CSI members—new or established—on how to continue to have a rewarding professional experience?
You can’t receive the most benefit from your membership if you’re not connected and involved. I truly believe that each person’s CSI experience is only limited by what they can imagine it can be and how willing they are to step out, step up, and realize their vision. The AECO industry is a relationship and knowledge business, with the side benefit of creating the facilities and infrastructure that make the world habitable, productive, and enjoyable. CSI provides a great platform to build the relationships and knowledge that build the world.
There is a wealth of raw information available today to anyone with a smartphone or computer. However, without technical education and a trusted adviser, sifting through the mountains of information to find the data that is correct, complete, and appropriate for your needs is next to impossible. CSI provides the people and tools to make that information not only useful but powerful. We provide the framework for how that data is organized. We bring together the technical experts to point you in the right direction. And we’re developing the next-generation tools to help tame the “information wild west.” Engaging as a member is the best way to access those resources, and so much more.
What do you see as the most significant opportunities in the construction industry in the next 5 to 10 years?
Everyone is talking about, experimenting with, and developing artificial intelligence in 2024, and CSI is no different. There is a mixture of fear, apprehension, curiosity, and excitement in the AECO industry as to how AI will change what we do in the next 5 to 10 years (or even 5 to 10 months). I don’t expect an AI-driven robot army to be assembling a building in the next couple of years, but I do believe that—just as many previous technologies and innovations have—AI will be able to assist with and perhaps take the lead on some of the mundane, rote, repetitive design and construction documentation tasks currently performed by our industry professionals, freeing them for higher and better uses of their time and driving the next wave of increases in productivity. AI will not be the final decision maker, but will almost certainly be a first-level researcher, concept suggester, and document drafter.
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Ellen Onstad, FCSI, CDT®
Ellen Onstad is the senior project team coordinator at Interface Engineering, Inc. She’s played an active role in program development and connecting people, serving as president of the CSI Portland Chapter and a member of the Northwest Region Conference Planning Committee. Ellen also served as a director from the Northwest Region for the Institute.
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What does being recognized as a CSI Fellow mean to you?
I am extremely honored. Fellowship is a high honor for which Institute members may be chosen, and to be nominated by my own Portland Chapter was amazing. I look forward to returning what I have received from CSI: service, mentorship, learning, and connections.
It is humbling to know that so many of my mentors, colleagues, and even my parents have given so much time and effort to CSI—both locally in their own chapters, in the region, and nationally—yet I am the one receiving this honor. It is important for me to acknowledge all the people in my life who have made this honor possible, especially to my dad, Lee Kilbourn, FCSI, FAIA, who received his fellowship in 1982.
How has being a member of CSI informed your life and career?
CSI has always been there for me!
At first, it was the activities I did with my family as a child when my parents were active members. We often scheduled family vacations around the CSI National Convention. Even my older sister and I would attend the youth program and public events. During that time, I learned the importance of having a good relationship with people of diverse backgrounds and interests and including everyone in the conversation. My parents encouraged an intense curiosity about buildings, materials, and how they went together, as well as how things work and how to ask good questions. Little did I know that the foundation they were laying would also serve me in my life as well.
Once I started working in the field, out of curiosity, I began to attend the Portland Chapter CSI events, with the encouragement of my parents and my company. I found I was able to bring my daughter to the regional and national events—continuing my own family legacy—and fully benefit from the professional interaction and environment. As a young professional this was invaluable to starting and enhancing my career. The people I met at CSI helped me through all the highs and lows of my career, and I would not be where I am today without it.
CSI is also where I learned that one of my greatest joys is connecting with people, as well as receiving and offering mentorship. These activities now make up a large part of who I am and what I am known for in both professional and personal spheres.
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Doyle Phillips, EdD, FCSI, CCCA®, CDT®, CPC, FCPE
Doyle Phillips is an associate professor at the University of Oklahoma. He brings 45 years of field experience into the classroom to give students real-life examples to enhance their learning.
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He is passionate about mentoring and sharing knowledge, which has led him to volunteer across all levels of CSI, including serving as president of the Little Rock and Oklahoma Chapters and holding various positions in the Gulf States and South Central Regions. Doyle also contributed to the revisions of the CCCA® Study Workbook.
What originally made you want to make a career in the AECO industry?
Being raised in a construction-oriented family guided me in that direction. More importantly, it was the love of participating in an industry that is the backbone of our country and being a part of an industry where you see physical signs of accomplishments you are a part of, along with a team of diverse individuals. There is no other industry that is so multi-faceted and impacts so many people.
What advice would you give to any CSI members—new or established—on how to continue to have a rewarding professional experience?
Remember that none of us are experts at everything, especially in an industry that is evolving so quickly. It is important to know your success is best fostered by having a network of collaborators around you who share your vision and passion. CSI provides you with the best opportunity to build your network and make lifelong friends along the way. Stay involved and be willing to share your talents with others.
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Kevin Wang, FCSI, CCS®, CCCA®, CDT®
Kevin Wang is principle and architectural specifier at INSPEC Construction Administration and Specifications.
He has over 25 years of experience producing architectural projects, with the vast majority dedicated solely to the production of construction specifications.
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Kevin has volunteered with the CSI Dallas Board since 2015, including serving as president. He’s also secretary of the South Central Region, a director-at-large on the CSI Board of Directors, and previously served as chair of the CSI Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force.
How has being a member of CSI informed your life and career?
I’ve been saying for years that CSI is the most collaborative and inclusive organization in our industry. We are stronger and better because we welcome all in AECO, regardless of the role we each play. That collaboration is what initially drew me out of my shell. I was very shy when I began my career, but CSI was a safe space for me to participate within my own comfort level and still contribute to my strengths. As I grew in confidence and proficiency, more opportunities became available, both to contribute and to excel.
What advice would you give to any CSI members—new or established—on how to continue to have a rewarding professional experience?
Don’t be afraid to find your voice. Our CSI community is welcoming and values contribution. There are so many paths to finding a comfortable way to participate, whether it is volunteering for your local chapter, on a national technical committee, or in one of the many other ways to share your unique strengths and insights. I know this will sound like a tired platitude, but the more I have given of myself to CSI, the more rewarding the entire experience has been.