General Session - Design-Build Success in Emergency Response

Only available as part of a package

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (“USACE”) was the tip of the spear for the massive, emergency Federal response to COVID-19. Design-build was chosen as the project delivery methodology. Why? Because no other project delivery methodology could have accomplished what many described as an architecture, engineering, and construction (“AEC”) miracle. A miracle repeated 38 times across the country, converting convention centers, arenas, hotels, mothballed prisons and hospitals into alternative care facilities (“ACFs”) with days or weeks. Days or weeks! Come hear how the AEC community rose to the occasion in repeatable success stories, partnered with USACE, and made miracles happen.”

Learning Objectives:
1. Attendees will learn why design-build was chosen to build Alternative Care Facilities.
2. Attendees will hear how the teams accomplished the “miracle” of creating the ACFs rapidly.
3. Attendees will hear about how the supply chair communication and flexibility was essential.
4. Attendees will hear about how convention centers, arenas and hotels were effectively converted.

Daria Van Liew, P.E., DBIA

Deputy Chief, Construction Division

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District

Daria Van Liew has over 30 years of experience with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District and is currently the Chief, East Campus Integrated Program Office at the Baltimore District. In her current position, Mrs. Van Liew is responsible for execution of a $4B+ design and construction program. Mrs. Van Liew served as the leader for the District’s Alternate Care Facility Task Force in response to COVID-19. In addition, she currently serves as an instructor for PROSPECT 182, Contracting Officer’s Workshop. Mrs. Van Liew has served as the Interim Chief, Construction Division and Deputy Chief, Construction Division and an Administrative Contracting Officer (ACO) responsible for providing senior management oversight for the Construction Division Branches and Bay Area Office, Capital Area Office and East Campus Area Office construction staffs as the District executed a $1.5+ billion construction program. Previous assignments include Area Engineer and ACO for Bay Area Office, Resident Engineer and Contracting Officers Representative for Ft. Meade Resident Office, civil works Project Manager for Programs and Project Management Division, and Project Engineer for Bay Area Office.

Brent E. Willson, AIA, FHFI

Principal, Federal Health

HKS, Inc.

Brent Willson, as the Director of Federal Health and Principal for HKS, leads the Federal Health practice utilizing his 35 years of experience in design and planning for the Veterans Administration (VA), Air Force, Army, and Navy. Brent has been involved in numerous design build projects since 2010. Some of Brent’s notable projects include Brooke Army Medical Center, Bassett Army Community Hospital, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Camp Pendleton Replacement Hospital, Ambulatory Care Facility- VA El Paso, and the Carl R Darnall Replacement Hospital. Brent is an Architect and is a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and a Fellow in the Health Facility Institute (FHFI). Brent contributes his passion through quality health facility design, and to the quality of healthcare provided to the men and women in our military, their families, and our veterans.

Ryan McKenzie, Assoc. DBIA

Project Executive

Clark Construction Group, LLC

David B. Morrow

Deputy District Engineer for Programs and Project Mgmt. Div.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District

Deputy District Engineer for Programs and Project Management; Baltimore District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Baltimore District is one of six Districts in the North Atlantic Division. Baltimore District employs over 1100 people executing hundreds of projects annually including military design & construction, civil planning, design & construction, and environmental restoration.

Previous assignments include Chief, Environmental & Munitions Design Center, program manager for Washington, D.C. area, Baltimore District program manager for Environmental Protection Agency, Base Operations Engineer for a U.S. Army Reserve command, and industrial engineer at the Directorate of Public Works, Fort Meade, MD.

Jim L. Whitaker, FAIA, NCARB, FDBIA

Shareholder Principal and SVP

HKS, Inc.

Mr. Whitaker is an architect and lifelong design-build advocate, influencer, and educator. He is nationwide speaker and published author. Mr. Whitaker has served in executive leadership roles in both design and construction firms. Based in Dallas, Texas, he currently leads the government practice and all things alternative project delivery at one of the nation’s largest architectural firms, HKS, Inc. Extraordinarily rare, he was elected a Fellow of both AIA and DBIA in 2018. For DBIA, he currently serves as the Chancellor of the College of Fellows, serves as the Chair of the Federal Markets Committee, serves as member of the National Development Board, and serves as liaison to the P3 Committee. Previously, he served on DBIA’s national Board of Directors and was its Chairman in 2014. For AIA, he has served in national roles in its Federal Architects Task Group (FATG) and Project Delivery Knowledge Community (PDKC). Today, he also serves on the board of directors of the Construction Industry Round Table (CIRT). Mr. Whitaker lives in North Carolina.