The Roofing Alliance hosted its fourth Construction Management Student Competition.
Seven teams participated in this year's competition: McWhorter School of Building Sciences at Auburn University, Auburn, Ala.; Colorado State University, Fort Collins; Kennesaw State University Department of Construction Management, Marietta, Ga.; the Bert S. Turner Department of Construction Management at Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge; Robert R. Taylor School of Architecture and Construction Science at Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Ala.; the University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati; and the M.E. Rinker Sr. School of Building Construction at the University of Florida, Gainesville.
Team members (front, left to right): Matthew Youngblood, Hannah Redifer, Alex Gomez
(back, left to right): Jason McCay (team captain) and Jordan Edwards (alternate)
Faculty adviser: Lauren Redden
Roofing Alliance member team mentor: Kyle Thomas, Thomas Roofing, Mobile, Ala.
Team members (front, left to right): Kyle Bloesser, Ben Jacobs
(back, left to right): Mahoney Bajwa, Sam Hughes (team captain)
Faculty adviser: Nick Rubino
Alliance member team mentor: Patrick Wolack, Douglass Colony Group, Commerce City, Colo.
Team members (left to right): Lauryn Kimsey (team captain), Adam Minor, Henry Alvarenza, David Montgomery and Jasmine Ward (alternate)
Faculty adviser: Irish Horsey
NRCA member team mentor: David Pearson, Whitco Roofing Inc., Atlanta
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Team members (left to right): Drew Bennett, Caleb Burks, Zach Coulton and Erin Mitchell (team captain)
Faculty adviser: Robert Benton
Alliance member team mentor: Brent Talbot, Edward J. Laperouse Metal Works Inc., Houma, La.
Team members (left to right): Joshua Mathews, Deandre Howard (alternate), Rochelle Richardson, Quintez Long (team captain) and Quinton Stewart
Faculty adviser: Rogers Hunt
Alliance member team mentors: Bruce McCrory, Nations Roof, Mobile, Ala., and Rich Nugent, Nations Roof, Lithia Springs, Ga.
Team members (left to right): Brian Mallernee, Charles Muhlbaier, Matthew Hudak (team captain), Michael Salzer (alternte) and Daniel Kurtz
Team adviser: Amanda Albrecht
Alliance member team mentor: Paul Novak, Kalkreuth Roofing and Sheet Metal, Lewis Center, Ohio
Team members (left to right): Sam Mitchell, Alex Idriss (alternate), Schaffer Weeks (team captain), Ron Bergeron and Forrest Wilson
Faculty adviser: James Sullivan
Alliance member team mentor: Rob Springer, Springer-Peterson Roofing and Sheet Metal Inc., Eaton Park, Fla.
The teams were asked to submit a qualified bid package for installing a roof system on the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans.
Each team was assigned a roofing contractor in its area to serve as a mentor. Auburn University was mentored by Kyle Thomas, vice president of Thomas Roofing Co. Inc., Mobile, Ala.; Colorado State was mentored by Pat Wolack, executive vice president of Douglass Colony Group, Commerce City, Colo.; Kennesaw State University was mentored by David Pearson, Whitco Roofing Inc., Atlanta; Louisiana State University was mentored by Brent Talbot, president and general manager of Edward J. Laperouse Metal Works Inc., Houma, La.; Tuskegee University was mentored by Bruce McCrory, operations/business development manager for Nations Roof, Mobile, Ala., and Rich Nugent, president of Nations Roof, Lithia Springs, Ga.; University of Cincinnati was mentored by Paul Novak, project manager for Kalkreuth Roofing and Sheet Metal, Lewis Center, Ohio; and University of Florida was mentored by Rob Springer, president of Springer-Peterson Roofing and Sheet Metal Inc., Eaton Park, Fla.
The teams gave oral presentations before a panel of five judges (acting as the owner, facility management and design team selecting a roofing company for the project). This year's panel of judges included Tupac De La Cruz, operations manager for Roofing Solutions, Prairieville, La.; John Geary, chief marketing officer for Nations Roof, St. Charles, Ill.; Helene Hardy-Pierce, vice president of technical services, codes and industry relations for GAF, Parsippany, N.J.; Scott Kawulok, vice president of B&M Roofing, Frederick, Colo.; and Bob Pringle, vice president of Evans Roofing Co. Inc., Elmira, N.Y.
The teams were judged on the overall quality of their written proposals, project management and organization; feasibility of construction and program schedules; accuracy/feasibility of conceptual costs; quality of safety and quality control/quality-assurance plans; supplemental materials; overall quality of their oral presentations; feasibility of project management, organization and schedule; accuracy and completeness of project costs; and answers to questions.
The first-place team (with the highest cumulative score) was the McWhorter School of Building Sciences at Auburn University for their presentation as Summit Roofing. The team with the second highest cumulative score was Colorado State University for its presentation as Ram Roofing Inc. Team members were: Mahoney Bajwa, Kyle Bloesser, Sam Hughes (team captain) and Ben Jacobs. And this year, for the first time, the judges awarded the Best Individual Presenter Award to Hannah Redifer from Auburn University.
A few elements that set Auburn University’s team apart from its competitors included a thorough understanding of the project; a well-prepared, articulate and concise presentation; and well-presented safety and quality control/quality-assurance plans. The team was prepared and able to answer specific questions posed by the judges. It had a thorough understanding of site logistics and schedule, as well as a strong safety plan, which included planning, training and execution.
Meet the Auburn University team:
Jordan Edwards, Summit Safety/Quality Control Director – Edwards is a junior and will graduate in May 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in building science. In addition to being a member of several honor societies, he also is a member of the Association of General Contractors.
Alexander Gomez, Summit Roofing Virtual Design and Construction/Building Information Modeling Specialist – Gomez will be graduating from Auburn University in December 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in building science. Gomez is pursuing an internship for the summer of 2018 with experience and interests in VDC/BIM.
Jason McCay, team captain, Summit Roofing Estimator – McCay, currently a senior at Auburn University, will graduate this May with a bachelor’s degree in building science. He is currently in a project management co-op with Brasfield & Gorrie LLC, Birmingham, Ala.
Hannah Redifer, Summit Roofing Project Manager – Redifer is a senior at Auburn University and will be graduating this May with a bachelor’s degree in construction management. She is currently in a project management co-op with Brasfield & Gorrie LLC, Atlanta.
Auburn University received a $5,000 Alliance/L.B. Conway Scholarship; Colorado State University received a $2,500 scholarship. Both teams received team trophies for their schools, individual team awards and recognition in industry press releases.
2018 Roofing Alliance Construction Management Student Competition First-place Winning Team: McWhorter School of Building Sciences at Auburn University
Left to right: Kyle Thomas (co-chairman of the Alliance Construction Management Schools Initiative Committee), Alex Gomez, Jason McCay (team captain), Hannah Redifer, Jordan Edwards and Tom Saeli (Alliance President)
Questions can be directed to:
The Roofing Alliance
10255 W. Higgins Rd., Suite 600
Rosemont, IL 60018
Bennett Judson (847) 299-9070, ext. 7513; bjudson@roofingalliance.net
Jessica Priske (847) 299-9070, ext. 7517; jpriske@roofingalliance.net
