SPECIALIZED PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE
- Fire and Explosion Investigations involving structures and vehicles
- Product Failure Investigations
- Building Code Compliance Assessment
- Project and Construction Management
- Risk Analysis, Cost Assessments, Preventative Maintenance
- Building, Property, and Construction Failures
- Electrical and Gas Appliance Design and Testing
- Building and Equipment Appraisal
- Standards Council of Canada (SCC) – Product Approval Code Technical Expert in Gas, Oil and Solid Fuel Equipment
ACADEMIC BACKGROUND
Bachelor's Degree of Applied Science (Industrial Engineering), University of Toronto, 1989
Additional Courses
- Fire Pattern Recognition/Certification, Public Agency Training Council (PATC), 2012
- Lightning Basics for Fires Investigations and Expert Evidence Admissibility, CAFI, 2012
- Effective Communication and Human Relations course, Dale Carnegie, 2011
- Solid Fuel-Burning Appliance Fire Investigations, 2009
- Vehicle Fire, Arson and Explosion Training, (NAFI), 2009
- Residential Electricity for Fire Investigators, May 2009
- Investigating Gas and Electrical Appliance Fires, November 2008
- Certified Fire and Explosions Investigator, 2008
- QMI ISO 9001:2000 Fundamentals course
EMPLOYMENT BACKGROUND
Giffin Koerth Inc.
Senior Forensic Engineer
December 2007 – Present, Toronto, ON
- Fire and Explosion Investigations involving structures and vehicles
- Product failure investigations
- Construction Assessments, including costing and deficiencies
- Building Systems and Structural Failure Analysis
- Building Code Assessments
- Project Management of Property Loss Rehabilitations
- Standards Council of Canada (SCC) Designated Technical Expert in Gas, Oil and Solid Fuel Equipment for Accreditation of Certifying Bodies and ISO 17025 Laboratory Accreditation
Crown Food Service Equipment Ltd.
Manufacturer of Commercial Food Service Equipment (OEM manufacturer of steam equipment to Blodgett Oven Co., Vulcan Hart-Hobart, Market Forge Industries and Southbend)
Approvals and Quality Engineer:
2000 – 2007, Toronto, ON
Implemented, designed and approved new appliances to CSA Electrical and Gas codes
Wrote and maintained approval files for CSA (electrical and gas) and UL
Maintained company ISO9002 Quality System
Conducted internal quality audits
Liaised with and led external audit of Quality System with QMI,
Wrote user and service manuals
Created complex mechanical drawings in AutoCAD 2004
Production Engineer:
2000 – 2007, Toronto, ON
Improved and created new production systems and procedures
Wrote and implemented production testing and verification procedures
Improved heavy duty commercial gas and electric cooking equipment through the design and development of new and more efficient burner systems and controls
FM Global (formerly Factory Mutual Engineering Association)
Loss Prevention Engineering and Research
1989 – 2000, Toronto, ON
Senior Appraiser of building, machinery and equipment of diverse global corporations
Product/Quality Auditor for products approved by FMRC as an agency approvals company
Manufacturing and product testing auditing and development of quality procedures
PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES / ASSOCIATIONS
Associations
- American Institute of Steel Construction
- Professional Engineers of Ontario
- Ontario Society for Professional Engineers
- National Association of Fire Investigators
- Canadian Association of Fire Investigators
- Standards Council of Canada, Technical Assessor / Technical Expert for the CB and Laboratory accreditation program
- Accredited Senior member of the American Society of Appraisers (ASA) (former)
- Toronto and Canadian Construction Associations
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
- “Arson, Incendiary, Facts & Falsities,” ISB- University, ISB Canada, Milton, 2013
- "Case Studies in Fire Science and Fire Dynamics" (2012), Northbridge Insurance Adjuster Training, Toronto
- “Subrogation – How to Lose Before You Start: Reasons subrogation claims were lost in the past and how to avoid them,” National Association of Subrogating Professionals (NASP), Toronto, 2011
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
- Member of the Board of Directors in a men's fraternity at the University of Toronto since 1993
- Actively serve on the board of directors of the Housing Corporation, running a large house for undergraduate members, providing mentoring to undergraduates and facilitating renovation projects
