Blogs

My CDT Certification Journey: Greg Carr

By CSI HQ posted 11 days ago
For Greg Carr, every stage of his career has taught him something new about how projects succeed—or fail. From years in the field as a construction representative, to his work as a civil designer, and now stepping into a role that requires deep knowledge of specifications, Greg has seen how vital strong documentation is to a project’s success. When a retiring colleague left a gap in expertise, Greg decided it was time to take the next step and pursue CSI’s Construction Documents Technologist (CDT ® ) certification. In this interview, Greg shares how he prepared for the exam, what he learned along the way, and how the credential is shaping ...

Crossing Borders and Building Community

By Peter Kray posted 17 days ago
CSI is built on people who are curious, collaborative, and committed to doing great work. In this new member Q&A, we’re introducing one of the newest faces in the CSI community and sharing his experiences and how CSI membership is helping him grow. Meet Nicolas Lamoureux. How did you become a professional in the AECO industry, and do you have any specific projects you have worked on or are working on that you would like to share? My path to becoming a professional in the AECO industry was meandering. I started working for a general contractor and then became an architectural technologist, and then worked through my ...

You're Missing Out on CSI Certifications (And Here's Why)

By Michael Riscica, CSI, CDT® posted 01-20-2026
Here's the elephant in the room: You’ve built a solid career in design and construction, you’re skilled, experienced, and genuinely love what you do. So why don't you have a CSI Certification? At every AECO event, I meet experienced architects, product reps, construction administrators, and spec writers. All talented professionals who still haven’t taken advantage of CSI’s certification programs. Here's what I keep hearing: "I've been doing this for 20 years without it" "My company won't pay for it" "Nobody's ever asked me about certifications" "I'm too busy with actual work" I get it, those are valid reasons. But ...

Building Connections Through CSI

By Peter Kray posted 01-14-2026
CSI is built on people who are curious, collaborative, and committed to doing great work. In this new member Q&A, we’re introducing one of the newest faces in the CSI community and sharing why he joined and how CSI membership is helping him grow. Meet Andrew Ittes of Exterior Product Solutions. How did you become a professional in the AECO industry, and do you have any specific projects you have worked on or are working on that you would like to share? My career in the construction industry began at an early age through my family’s business, which specialized in distributing sealants, coatings, and waterproofing materials. ...

‘A Focus on Leading Our Industry’: An Interview with New CSI Fellow Randall Lewis

By Peter Kray posted 12-10-2025
This year, CSI welcomed Randall Lewis, FCSI, to the 2025 College of Fellows. Lewis is a principal at JH&H Architects in Jackson, Mississippi. He is one of only four distinguished professionals in the architecture, engineering, construction, and owner (AECO) industry named to the 2025 class. Lewis was nominated through a rigorous application process and then selected by the Jury of Fellows for membership, one of the top honors awarded by the CSI. What does being a member of the 2025 College of Fellows honorees mean to you? My work professionally and in CSI has often been in the background. It is the way I am wired, and I ...

‘A Common Language and Vision’: An Interview with New CSI Fellow Tom Lanzelotti

By Peter Kray posted 12-02-2025
This year, CSI welcomed Tom Lanzelotti to the CSI College of Fellows. Lanzelotti—FCSI, CDT®, and Director from Northeast Region—is one of only four distinguished professionals in the architecture, engineering, construction, and owner (AECO) industry named to the 2025 class. He was nominated through a rigorous application process, then elected by the Jury of Fellows for membership, one of the top honors given by CSI. Lanzelotti was born and raised on Long Island, NY, and attended The Ohio State University, where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Architecture and a Master of Architecture. He is a Principal at Gensler. What does ...

‘Building a More Inclusive World for Everyone’: An Interview with New CSI Fellow Charles Hendricks

By Peter Kray posted 11-19-2025
This year, CSI welcomed Charles Hendricks, FCSI, CDT ® , to the 2025 College of Fellows. Hendricks is a partner at The Gaines Group Architects in Harrisonburg, Virginia. He is one of only four distinguished professionals in the architecture, engineering, construction, and owner (AECO) industry named to the 2025 class. Hendricks was nominated through a rigorous application process, then elected by the Jury of Fellows for membership, one of the top honors given by CSI. Hendricks is a CDT ® advocate and has held positions at the chapter, region, and national levels of CSI. He served two years on the CSI Middle Atlantic Region Board of ...

Lifelong Learning as the ‘Fountain of Youth,’: An Interview with New CSI Fellow Cam Featherstonhaugh

By Peter Kray posted 11-12-2025
This year, CSI welcomed Cam Featherstonhaugh IV to the College of Fellows. Featherstonhaugh—FCSI, Lifetime Member, and former National Board Chair—is one of only four distinguished professionals in the architecture, engineering, construction, and owner (AECO) industry named to the 2025 class. Featherstone was nominated through a rigorous application process, then elected by the Jury of Fellows for membership, one of the top honors given by CSI. Featherstonhaugh is a licensed architect in Vermont and holds a Master of Architecture from Norwich University. As a senior associate and leader of the K-12 Education Studio at TruexCullins, ...

CSI Welcomes Nick Franjic as Honorary Member

By Peter Kray posted 10-29-2025
This year, during the 2025 CSI National Conference, CSI gave special recognition to Nick Franjic, Executive Director of Construction Specifications Canada (CSC), who was named an Honorary Member of CSI. Honorary Membership is considered to be the most prestigious honor of the Construction Specifications Institute. It is conferred on individuals who have performed distinguished services to the construction industry in fields of activity related to the purposes of CSI. CSI Board Chair William Sundquist, FCSI, said, “Nick’s three decades of leadership have shaped collaborations across North America and elevated both CSC and CSI. Nick's vision ...

Your LinkedIn Needs Help: Why CDT Should Be Your First Move with Michael Riscica, RA, CSI, CCCA, CDT

By CSI HQ posted 10-20-2025
If you've ever spent more than five minutes on LinkedIn , or gotten an email from someone's work account, you've probably noticed the prevalence of people adding credentials (all those capital letters) after their names. It's easy to feel like everyone else has their professional development figured out while you're still trying to understand what all those letters even mean. You start wondering if you should be collecting capital letters after your name, just to keep up with your peers. But before you start throwing money around, let's talk about whether getting more credentials is even for you. Investing in Yourself First ...

My CDT Certification Journey: A Conversation with James Lawless

By CSI HQ posted 09-26-2025
For James Lawless, working in construction has meant seeing projects from both sides—first as a general contractor intern, then as a mechanical engineer on the design team. Along the way, he discovered a key truth: high-quality construction documents can make or break a project. That insight led James to pursue CSI’s Construction Documents Technologist (CDT ® ) certification in spring 2025. In this Q&A, he shares why understanding the full process of writing, interpreting, and managing construction documents matters so much, how he prepared for the exam, and the biggest lesson he learned: that preventing problems is always better than fixing ...

Interpretations and Clarifications Part 3 – “Order of Precedence” Clauses

By Kevin O'Beirne, PE, FCSI, CCS®, CCCA®, CDT® posted 09-17-2025
This is the third in a three-part series on this blog addressing interpretations and clarifications of construction documents, comprised of: (a) Part 1 – Introduction to Resolving Conflicts, Ambiguities, and Discrepancies in Construction Documents; (b) Part 2 - Procurement and Construction Stages, and (c) Part 3 - “Order of Precedence” Clauses. Provisions in construction contracts establishing the priority order in which the contract documents take precedence and will be interpreted, often known as “order of precedence” clauses, are quite common. Drafters of construction contracts who include such clauses are often seeking to reduce the potential for ...

How I Earned My CCCA: A Conversation with Hayley Skladanek

By CSI HQ posted 09-12-2025
When Hayley Skladanek started working in the built environment, she was eager to learn as much as she could. In just three months, she not only earned her Construction Documents Technologist (CDT ® ) credential but also set her sights on the Construction Contract Administrator (CCCA ® ) certification. For Hayley, the process wasn’t just about passing an exam, it was about unlocking a deeper understanding of the work she did every day. Using everything from color-coded note cards to flashcards on the go, Hayley’s preparation was both determined and creative. In this interview, she shares how she approached studying, what she learned along the way, ...

Update From CSI Board of Directors Chair William Sundquist

By CSI HQ posted 09-05-2025
As your Board of Directors , we’re focused on delivering the standards, formats, professional development, and community you need to thrive in the AECO industry. When we do this well, we are curating a CSI that builds up both ourselves and the profession, enabling us to all reach our full potential. Looking Ahead, Together At our June Board meeting, we spent time discussing the future of professional learning at CSI. We believe in developing modern programs designed to reflect how people learn and grow today. Your responses to our first CSI-Connect “Question of the Month” helped guide those conversations. (Check ...

How I Earned My CCCA: A Conversation with Ernesto Lassus

By CSI HQ posted 08-29-2025
With more than three decades of experience in both construction and architecture, Ernesto Lassus has seen projects from every angle. But even with years of hands-on knowledge, he recognized the value of formal training and certification. After earning his CDT ® in 2013, Ernesto decided to take his expertise even further by pursuing the Construction Contract Administrator (CCCA ® ) credential in spring 2025. Here, Ernesto shares why certifications matter even for seasoned professionals, how he prepared for the exam, and the career benefits that came with it—from greater respect and recognition to more confidence in delivering successful projects. ...

2025 CSI Fellows Announcement

By CSI HQ posted 08-27-2025
CSI is proud to welcome four distinguished professionals from the architecture, engineering, construction, and owner (AECO) community into the College of Fellows . CSI Fellows are members whom their peers select for this distinction based on achievements in the industry and their above-and-beyond contributions to CSI. The CSI community will honor and celebrate these individuals at the 2025 CSI National Conference , October 15-17 in Cleveland, OH. Arthur "Cam" Featherstonhaugh IV, FCSI, Lifetime Member Cam Featherstonhaugh is a licensed architect in Vermont and holds a Master of Architecture ...

CSI: Setting the Cornerstone for Community and Professional Success

By Peter Kray posted 08-25-2025
In 2022, I was walking back to my hotel from the CSI National Conference in Denver, the city where I grew up, when I suddenly realized just how much specifiers and the entire AECO profession have meant to almost every aspect of my life. “My Matrix Moment” is how I describe it, referencing one of the penultimate scenes in the popular movie series when actor Keanu Reeves’ Thomas Anderson character famously takes “the red pill,” and sees a new reality everywhere he looks. Which is exactly what happened as I walked past the high-rise office building where my dad used to work as an attorney, where I would sometimes come to meet him for lunch. ...

How I Earned My CDT: A Conversation with Samantha Kirk

By CSI HQ posted 08-21-2025
Stepping into a new industry is a bit like learning a new language: you start with basic principles, then build on that understanding on the path to "fluency." For Samantha Kirk, an Architectural Sales Specialist at Smoot Associates, that leap began in 2023 when she joined the industry with no prior construction experience. Within a year, her curiosity and commitment to understanding the full scope of the building process led her to pursue CSI’s Construction Documents Technologist (CDT ® ) certification. In this interview, Samantha shares how she prepared for the exam, the strategies that helped her move from newcomer to confident contributor, ...

Interpretations and Clarifications Part 2 – Procurement and Construction Stages

By Kevin O'Beirne, PE, FCSI, CCS®, CCCA®, CDT® posted 08-18-2025
This is the second in a three-part series on this blog addressing interpretations and clarifications of construction documents, comprised of: (a) Part 1 – Introduction to Resolving Conflicts, Ambiguities, and Discrepancies in Construction Documents; (b) Part 2 - Procurement and Construction Stages, and (c) Part 3 - “Order of Precedence” Clauses. Because construction documents are prepared by fallible personnel, a certain extent of conflicts, ambiguities, and discrepancies is typically inevitable. The first installment in this series addressed whether the term, “request for interpretation” or “request for information” (RFI) should be employed; which ...

Interpretations and Clarifications Part 1 – Introduction to Resolving Conflicts, Ambiguities, and Discrepancies in Construction Documents

By Kevin O'Beirne, PE, FCSI, CCS®, CCCA®, CDT® posted 07-28-2025
This is the first in a three-part series on this blog addressing interpretations and clarifications of construction documents, comprised of: (a) Part 1 – Introduction to Resolving Conflicts, Ambiguities, and Discrepancies in Construction Documents; (b) Part 2 - Procurement and Construction Stages, and (c) Part 3 - “Order of Precedence” Clauses. Few sets of construction documents are so perfect that they never need interpretation or clarification. Because construction documents are voluminous, complex, often involve multiple design disciplines, and are prepared by fallible individuals, they frequently contain conflicts, ambiguities, discrepancies, errors, ...