ASCE Orange County YMF Chapter Educational Series

Bridging the gap between design and construction

Engineering and Construction are two industries that are currently booming and ever evolving. One cannot merely survive without the other. Recent graduates with civil engineering and construction management degrees commonly cross pollinate into both industries taking the fundamental basis they have learned and try to comprehend how they are applied in their new entry-level positions. Even with guidance from co-workers, project managers, and jurisdictional codes inevitably elements of the project are glanced over and result in discovery and occasionally costly solutions during the construction phase. Sometimes this causes a strained relationship between design and construction engineers. There are constructability elements that contractors often wish designers would take into consideration and vice versa, there are design elements that designers wish contractors would be aware of. In an effort to advance the industry and create a more cohesive relationship between the design and construction phases the ASCE Orange County Younger Member Forum (YMF) has teamed with the ASCE OC Branch Construction Institute to host an interactive workshop to educate both design engineers and construction project engineers. This introductory seminar will focus on the basics such as how a project comes to fruition, an overview of a typical project life cycle, common terms in both industries, and answers to questions “I wish I would have known.” Bridging the Gap from Design to Construction will become a series of interactive seminars covering all aspects of projects including field explorations, earthwork excavations, wet utility designs, material and equipment comparisons, cost estimates, As-Builts and so much more.

Speakers:

Lisa M. Penna, PE is the prior President/CEO of AndersonPenna Partners, Inc. (APP), a consulting firm specializing in civil engineering, municipal services, project management, construction management and inspection. On September 1st, 2018, Lisa and her business partners sold 100% of the APP stock to Ardurra Group, Inc. (Ardurra) based in Tampa, FL. The buyer is a private equity roll up model focused on distinct service areas and geographic territories. Ardurra specializes in public works, water/wastewater, survey, land development, environmental and structural engineering. Ardurra currently has locations in Florida, Houston TX, the Carolina’s, LA and the mid-Atlantic regions. APP was Ardurra’s first west coast acquisition.

Lisa is the immediate past President of the Orange County Chapter of the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC OC). Her involvement with ACEC also includes active participation in ACEC CA State Committees on Qualification Based Selection (QBS) for engineering services and the Business Management and Insurance Committee. Additionally, Lisa also serves as a State Director to ACEC CA.

Lisa started her career with the City of Fountain Valley in 1983. In 1986, she joined a municipal engineering consulting practice after graduating with her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from California State University, Long Beach. Lisa went on to hold positions of increasing responsibility as a design engineer, project manager and construction manager, also serving as deputy city engineer for the Cities of Seal Beach, Laguna Beach and Dana Point.

Under Lisa’s leadership, APP placed for six consecutive years on the Orange County Business Journal’s (OCBJ) Top 39 Engineering Companies list and for a fifth consecutive year on the OCBJ Top Women-Owned Businesses list.
Lisa is the recipient of the 2016 APWA Top Private Sector Leader Award and in 2017 was elevated to Fellow in the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Mark Verrengia is a Senior Construction Manager for Rivian, a Silicon Valley start-up nestled in the heart of the American Motor City Detroit, with a belief that there is a more responsible way to explore the world and determined to make the transition to sustainable transportation an exciting one with two of the world’s first emissions-free Electric Sport Adventure Vehicles. Mark is tasked with managing the construction of the nation’s first and largest dual use supercharging network for commercial and conventional vehicles.

Prior to Rivian, Mark spent the last 23 years in the consulting arena. First as a designer with Psomas for 9 years. Mark designed public works projects such as the El Toro Road widening in Lake Forest, Dana Point Town Center and the iconic PCH pedestrian bridge in Dana Point. He was also lucky enough to be in the alpha test & development group for Civil3d. For the past 11 years, Mark has been a Construction Manager in charge of an eclectic range of small Public Works projects like the construction of the Transit Mall and Bike Station in Long Beach to the massive and complex Grade Separations on Sand Canyon in Irvine and State College Blvd in Fullerton.

Mark has won numerous awards over the past two decades for his work as a designer, construction manager and mentor. He graduated with his BS from Cal Poly Pomona in 2000 and has been actively involved with ASCE, CMAA & APWA on the Greenbook editorial committee since graduation.

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