Panel Discussion: The Reality of the Situation

Location:  Frisco 2

Description

Projects are complex with many different stakeholders individuals by a variety of forces. During this session, a panel of the industry stakeholders will be brought together to talk about their individual points of view, challenges, and influences in number of real-life project situations.

Moderator:  Kim Spahn – American Concrete Pipe Association

Panelists (see bios below)

Senator Scott – Colorado Transportation and Energy Committee (representing our elected officials)
Jim Pappas – Executive Director – Mississippi DOT
Michael Lee – AGC Director of East TX Operations (representing our contractors and former TXDOT Director of Engineering and Safety)
Jason Peek – JEO Consulting Group, Senior Project Manager (representing consultants, and former City of Topeka Public Works Director)

Jason Peek
Jason is a Senior Project Manager for JEO Consulting Group in Lawrence, Kansas. He is a transformative leader with 25 years of experience in government administration, project management, and infrastructure innovation with an emphasis on creating value, strengthening communities, and leading with a purpose. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Georgia Tech, a Master’s degree in City Planning from Clemson University, and a Ph.D. in Public Administration from the University of Georgia. He has a passion for building infrastructure that started as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mali, West Africa.

Senator Ray Scott
Senator Scott is committed to promoting faith, liberty and the values of our Founding Fathers. At the State Capitol, Senator Scott works to reduce job-killing regulations that stifle growth, oppose new taxes on Colorado’s middle class families, and fights to prioritize funding for safer roads and bridges in our state.  When not at the Capitol or managing one of his three businesses, Senator Scott enjoys fly-fishing and spending time with his family.

Michael Lee
Michael currently serves the AGC of Texas as the East Texas Area Manager. Prior to his work at AGC, Michael retired from TxDOT as the Director of Engineering and Safety Operations where he oversaw and coordinated TxDOT’s engineering operations for the Bridge, Construction, Design, Maintenance, Materials and Tests, and Traffic Safety Divisions.

Michael’s 24-year career at TxDOT began in 1997 as an engineering assistant in the Atlanta District. He rose through the ranks in the northeast portion of the state including the Lufkin and Paris districts before being appointed the Director of the Maintenance Division in 2014. In that role, Michael oversaw TxDOT’s statewide emergency response to Hurricane Harvey in 2017.

Michael is a 1988 graduate of Texas A&M University with a bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering.

Jim Pappas
Received Bachelor of Civil Engineering from the University of Delaware and Masters in Business Administration with a concentration in Environmental Sustainability from Wilmington University.
Worked for Delaware Department of Transportation for over 29 years.
Majority of the time was in pavement and materials engineering then as Assistant Director of Performance Management, Deputy Director of Operations and Support, and current role as Division Director of newly formed Division of Transportation Resiliency & Sustainability