Industry Advisory Board

Senior Vice President/Territory Manager
STV Construction Management Division

Gus Maimis, a senior vice president of STV’s Construction Management Division, has more than 25 years of experience in the construction industry successfully executing and completing projects for higher education campuses, health care, transportation centers, multi-tenant housing, and commercial office buildings. His current experience includes providing executive oversight at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum as part of the redevelopment at the World Trade Center. Prior to joining STV, as principal of his own construction management and general contracting firm for 10 plus years, he provided direction for the  business development, coordinated client relations, and provided executive direction for numerous projects throughout New York Metropolitan Area.

Mr. Maimis has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from Polytechnic Institute of New York and a Master’s in Business Administration from Cornell University. Mr. Maimis is treasurer for the Greater New York Construction Users Council, a member of the National Board of Directors for the Construction Management Association of America and visiting professor at the Pratt Institute’s School of Architecture.

Vice President
Capital Projects and Facilities at NYU

Linda Chiarelli is a tested and respected veteran of the construction world and has been involved in various roles in the construction process over the past thirty years, including work as an engineer on both design and construction management together with fifteen years of construction contract and litigation work. She is a graduate of The Cooper Union School of Engineering and Brooklyn Law School.

Prior to joining NYU, Linda was the Deputy Director of Construction at Forest City Ratner Companies. She was involved in all facets of the development process including negotiations with government entities, environmental impact statements, condemnation issues, architectural and construction agreements, project management, dispute avoidance and project closeouts. While at Forest City Ratner, she was instrumental in crafting the legal arrangements for some of the company’s more complex projects, including the Kings County Supreme Court and the New York Times Headquarters. She oversaw the construction of the Barclays Center, a prominent part of the Pacific Park (formerly Atlantic Yards) development. The project — which created a home for the Brooklyn Nets — was noted for its complexity of construction in a dense urban environment, as well as for the community relations challenges it posed.

Executive Vice President
OHL North America

Uday Durg serves as the Executive Vice President of OHL NA’s Northeast Region, which includes Judlau Contracting, Inc.’s operations in the area. In this role, Uday overseas all operations and development for the region, a key market for the company. Uday joined Judlau in 2016 and has more than 35 years of experience in the construction industry including executive management and oversight positions related to schedule, estimating, quality, safety, and budget. Prior to Judlau, Uday was Senior Vice President and Chief Engineer of Capital Construction for New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).

Head of Transit in Design and Consulting Services Americas (DCSA)
AECOM

Senior executive experienced in directing large, complex transportation systems and major projects within highly visible and politically sensitive arenas.  Solid educational background in transportation systems engineering and detailed knowledge and experience in operations, maintenance, engineering, stakeholder and labor issues.  Established track record in engagement of all stakeholders in the development of overarching public transportation policy and the use of strategic plans to finance, promote and implement sound transportation policies. Direct experience in managing the systems integration interfaces between and among all stakeholders and both within and across organizational boundaries.  Over ten years of experience in rail system safety management and the incorporation of system safety principles and concepts in the identification and management of hazards within a system.

Partner
Duane Morris, LLP

Allen J. Ross has more than 45 years of experience practicing law in the areas of construction, litigation and real estate. In addition to traditional legal work, he has also developed a career in alternative dispute resolution in the construction industry, serving as an arbitrator, mediator and dispute review board chair.

Mr. Ross is a member of the American, New York State and New York City Bar Associations, as well as the Construction Industry Panel of Arbitrators and the Panel of Mediators of the American Arbitration Association. He has received numerous recognitions including:  "Lawyer of the Year" in New York City Litigation — Construction Law by Best Lawyers, 2015-2016, Best Lawyers in America, 2006-2016, and International Who's Who of Construction Lawyers, 2005-2014. He is a 1964 graduate of New York University School of Law and a graduate of Cornell University.

President at Wexler Associates Consulting Structural Engineers
Wexler Associates

Neil Wexler, PhD, PE, is a seasoned professional in the field of structural engineering, with a career spanning over three decades. He currently serves as the President of Wexler Associates, a consulting firm specializing in structural engineering. Neil holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Civil Engineering from New York University, where his thesis focused on the design of advanced floor systems in buildings.

With a wealth of experience in the industry, Neil has been involved in a wide range of projects, including the design of high-rise buildings, retail spaces, residential buildings, offices, hotels, hospitals, educational facilities, and parking structures. His expertise also extends to areas such as seismic and wind design, matrix analysis, structural dynamics, steel and concrete design, and blast resistance design.

Neil's career highlights include serving as a Partner at WES Consultants, LLC, where he focused on engineering modeling and steel detailing, and as the President of WACE Forensic Engineering, where he provided forensic consulting, litigation support, and structural investigations. Throughout his career, Neil has demonstrated a commitment to excellence and a passion for advancing the field of structural engineering.

Founding Director – Global Leaders in Construction Management

Dr. Ibrahim Odeh is a distinguished leader in construction management, directing the Global Leaders in Construction Management (GLCM) research at Columbia University. He specializes in analyzing the international construction industry, notably in the GCC region, to develop strategic insights through SWOT and PEST analyses.

Beyond academia, Dr. Odeh advises esteemed companies like the World Economic Forum, Skanska, AI Engineering, EnTech, and Dentons, offering expertise in market dynamics. At Columbia University, he teaches courses on Project Management and Entrepreneurship, enriching future construction leaders.

Dr. Odeh earned a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering (Construction Management) from the University of Illinois and an MBA (Finance) from Minnesota. As a senior lecturer, he leads courses on Engineering and Construction Processes and International Construction Management.

In industry collaborations, Dr. Odeh serves as Special Advisor to the Dean of Engineering and Applied Science, fostering partnerships in the Middle East. He contributes to advisory boards at the World Economic Forum, CG/LA infrastructure, and Smart City Works, emphasizing Global Construction Market Analysis and Technology Trends.