Olmstead

Kahlil Olmstead
Enhancing M/WBE participation in the industry
38, General Manager, G.O. Services
Gilbane Building Co.
Boston

Olmstead is the founder and general manager of construction cleanup firm G.O. Services LLC, a joint venture of Gilbane Building Co. founded in 2011 that aims to facilitate cleaner, safer jobs on construction sites throughout New England. Under his leadership, G.O. Services is currently working on 25 different projects in Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts and Rhode Island with more than 100 laborers. Previously, Olmstead was the founder and president of Olmstead Contracting Services Inc., a minority-owned company. With minorities and women representing more than 25% of the staff at Gilbane, Olmstead is a leading spokesman within the firm and the industry for diversity in the work force. He is the chairman of Gilbane's Contractor Training Program, helping to enhance M/WBE competitiveness in the industry. Olmstead received a bachelor's degree from Georgetown University and a master's of urban affairs from Boston University. Seeking to be a role model for inner-city youth, he also serves as a mentor to Madison Park Technical Vocational High School students who have an interest in engineering and construction management. He is also an active supporter of the Georgetown Scholarship Program (GSP), which serves Georgetown students who are receiving scholarships.

Reepmeyer

Maren Reepmeyer
Encouraging the successes of women in design
38, Senior Architect/Designer
CBT Architects
Boston

Reepmeyer recently led the 53 State Street project, which consisted of transforming a historic building's vacant lobby into a central social hub. At CBT, she serves as a mentor and is heavily involved with the firm's sustainability initiatives. She is highly regarded for her position as the 2013 co-chair of the Boston Chapter of Women in Design, which celebrates and encourages the successes and leadership of women in the design community. The majority of Reepmeyer's experience is in the mixed-use and commercial sectors, but she has also worked in other sectors including education. Prior to joining CBC, she worked on several K-12 projects including the Denver School of Science and Technology, which was recognized by Oprah Winfrey's Angel Network and short-listed for a commencement speech by President Barack Obama. Through Women in Design, Reepmeyer has participated in several events for Boston's The Women's Lunch Place, a fundraiser that provides shelter, food and services for homeless and poor women. Reepmeyer has a bachelor's degree in architecture from the University of Minnesota.

Smith

Ryan Smith
Setting a new level of excellence in construction management
36, Director of Business Development
Trinity Building + Construction Management Corp.
Wilmington, Mass.

An early introduction into construction through side jobs led Smith to pursue a bachelor's degree in construction management and a bachelor's in business administration from Washington State University. After graduation, he embarked on a construction management career path and worked as a project manager on jobs for high-profile clients such as celebrity chef Bobby Flay. Smith was named director of business development at Trinity in 2012 and has since developed new clients such as Tesla Motors and Nike. He has also been at the forefront of the firm's relationship with J. Crew, helping the company successfully launch its men's shop concept and Canadian expansion. He is involved with numerous industry groups including the Building Owners and Managers Association as well as volunteer organizations such as Community Servings, Boston's free home-delivered meals program for people with AIDS. As a volunteer for Architecture for Humanity, Smith also recently traveled to Haiti to serve as project manager on a vocational school.

Velickovic

Natasha Velickovic
Evaluating complex transportation networks
35, Project Manager/Associate
VHB
Boston

Velickovic moved to the United States from Serbia when she was 8 years old. Wanting to learn English as quickly as possible, she put in extra hours at school to master the language. That same drive is visible in her career, which was launched at VHB 15 years ago, when she started as an intern. She was transferred into the firm's Transit & Rail Group with no transit or rail experience, but within five years, Velickovic was promoted to project manager. Today, she is one of a handful of professional civil engineering women in the group lending her expertise on transportation projects for clients that include MBTA, MassDOT and the Rhode Island Dept. of Transportation. One of Velickovic's most notable projects is MassDOT's $1.8-billion South Coast Commuter Rail Extension project, in which she was the major technical lead responsible for managing the project's many transportation challenges during the environmental review process and the construction phase of three bridges. She has also developed a position within VHB dedicated to offering transit opportunities to disadvantaged communities. Velickovic is co-chair of American Council of Engineering Companies' (ACEC) programs committee and a five-year member of the Women in Transportation Society (WTS). She holds a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Northeastern University.

JUDGES:

Hasso

Mark H. Hasso, Professor
Wentworth Institute of Technology
Boston

Hasso has more than 30 years of experience performing structural design and construction of institutional and environmental systems projects, both nationally and internationally. He is a founding member and director of the Construction Management Association of America New England Chapter and a registered professional civil engineer. He holds a doctorate degree in construction management from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

McCarthy

Garry McCarthy, Principal
Stantec
Westford, Mass.

McCarthy manages water facility planning, design, permitting and construction administration. His projects include water transmission and distribution mains as well as pumping, storage and treatment facilities. He is a civil engineer and is active in several professional organizations, including the American and New England Water Works Associations.