SEAOI BOARD (2017-2018)
The SEAOI Board of Directors is the backbone of the organization. Members are expected to attend the monthly meeting and to spend an additional minimum of 4 hours per month on the activities of the Board and other committees. The term for a new Board member is 3 years.
Click on a Board member's name below to see their affiliations and credentials. To contact the SEAOI Board, please email Stephanie Crain, Executive Director.
Members of the SEAOI Executive Board at the 2017 Awards Banqet. (Photo by Andrew Breen.)
Board Officers
President - Tony F. Shkurti
President-Elect - David Nickell
Treasurer - Christine Freisinger
Secretary - Soliman Khudeira
Directors to 2018
Derek Boeldt
Lawrence Kirchner
Joseph M. Lowrance
Directors to 2019
Jan I. Blok
Kevin Conroy
Jose A. Medero
Directors to 2020
Johann Aakre
Homa Ghaemi
Jon Sfura
Past Presidents
Terry R. McDonnell, 2014-2015
David Horos, 2015-2016
Salvatore DiBernardo, 2016-2017
Young Engineers Committee Chairs - Liaisons to the Board
Michelle Ryland
Michael Zelisko
Tony F. Shkurti (President)
Position: Fellow and Associate Vice President, HNTB Corporation
Education: University of Tirana, Albania, B.S.; Wayne State University, M.S.; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Ph.D.
Licensure: S.E., Illinois; P.E., Illinois, MI, MN, OH, WI
Societies: SEAOI, ASCE, AISC, PPCI
David Nickell (President-Elect)
Position: Principal, TGRWA, LLC
Education: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, B.S.C.E.; M.S.C.E.
Licensure: S.E., Illinois
Societies: SEAOI, AISC
Christine M. Freisinger (Treasurer)
Position: Associate Principal, Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.
Education: Illinois Institute of Technology, B.S. Architectural Engineering; University of Minnesota, M.S., Structural Engineering
Licensure: S.E., P.E. Illinois
Societies: SEAOI, AISC
Soliman Khudeira (Secretary)
Position: Section Chief of Special Projects, Chicago Department of Transportation - Division of Engineering; Adjunct Professor, Illinois Institute of Technology
Education: Illinois Institute of Technology, Ph.D. Civil Engineering - Structures
Licensure: S.E., P.E. Illinois
Societies: SEAOI, ASCE
Derek Boeldt
Position: Deputy Chief Engineer, Infrastructure, Chicago Transit Authority
Education: Michigan Technological University, B.S., Civil Engineering
Licensure: S.E., Illinois; P.E., WI, NM
Societies: SEAOI, ASCE, AISC, AREMA
Lawrence Kirchner
Position: Vice President, TransSystems
Education: Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, B.S., Engineering Science & Mechanics; DePaul University, M.B.A., Management Accounting
Licensure: S.E., Illinois; P.E., Illinois, FL, GA, IN, IA, KY, LA, MI, MS, MO, OH, TN, TX, WI
Societies: SEAOI, ACEC-Illinois, AREMA Committee 15 - Steel Structures, IRTBA, ASCE
Joseph M. Lowrance
Position: Engineering Manager/Structural Section Leader, Farnsworth Group, Inc.
Education: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, B.S. Architectural Studies, and M.S., Architecture (Structures Option)
Licensure: S.E., Illinois; P.E., CO
Societies: SEAOI, NCSEA, ISPE, NSPE, ACEC-Illinois, ACI, AISC, CRSI, PCI
Jan I. Blok
Position: President, The Structural Group, Ltd.
Education: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, B.S, M.S., Structural Engineering
Licensure: S.E., Illinois; P.E., CT, IN, MI, MN, MS, MO, NY, OH, WI
Societies: SEAOI, SEPAC, AISC, M.ASCE, AWC, CFSEI, PCI
Kevin Conroy
Position: Senior Staff II, Structures, Simpson Gumpertz & Heger
Education: Illinois Institute of Technology, B.S.; Illinois Institute of Technology, M.S. Structural Engineering
Licensure: S.E., Illinois; P.E., Illinois, DE, IN, MO, OK, TX
Societies: SEAOI, ACI, AISC, ICRI
Jose A. Medero
Position: Vice President, Thornton Tomasetti
Education: Pennsylvania State University, Bachelor of Architectural Engineering; Pennsylvania State University, M.S. Architectural Engineering
Licensure: S.E., P.E. Illinois
Societies: SEAOI, SEPAC, ACI, AISC
Johann Aakre
Position: Section Manager, Bridge Design, HNTB Corporation
Education: The George Washington University, B.S., University of California, Berkeley, M.S.
Licensure: S.E., Illinois; P.E., Illinois, MI
Societies: SEAOI, AISC
Homa Ghaemi
Position: Chief Operating Officer / Principal, Klein and Hoffman, Inc.
Education: Northwestern University,Kellogg School of Management, M.B.A.; The Ohio State University, M.S. Civil / Structural Engineering; The Ohio State University, B.S. Civil Engineering
Licensure: S.E., Illinois, NE and NV P.E., Illinois, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IN, MD, MI, MN, MO, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TX, VA, and WI
Societies: SEAOI, ACI, ASCE, Village of Wilmette Historic Preservation Commission
Jon Sfura
Position: Senior Associate, Wiss Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.
Education: Purdue University, B.S.C.E.; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, M.S.C.E., Ph.D in Civil Engineering
Licensure: S.E., Illinois; C.E., CA; P.E., FL, KS, MI
Societies: SEAOI, ACI, AISC, BSSC, EERI
Terry R. McDonnell (Past-President)
Position: Associate Principal, Simpson Gumpertz & Heger
Education: University of Michigan, B.S. Civil Engineering; M.S. Structural Engineering
Licensure: S.E., Illinois; P.E., CA, MI, WI
Societies: SEAOI, CTBUH, ASCE, CBC, ICC
David R. Horos (Past-President)
Position: Director, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, LLP
Education: Louisiana State University, B.S.; University of Texas, Austin, M.S.; Northwestern University, Masters of Management
Licensure: S.E., Illinois; P.E. Illinois, IN, NY; LEED AP
Societies: SEAOI, AISC, ASCE
Salvatore DiBernardo (Past-President)
Position: Executive Vice President, Ciorba Group
Education: University of Rome, Italy, Civil Engineering Degree; Massachusetts Institute of Technology, M.S. Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering Northwestern University, Master of Business Administration
Licensure: S.E., Illinois; P.E., Illinois, IA, IN, OH, WI, Italy; C.Eng., United Kingdom
Societies: SEAOI, ASCE, IABSE, ICE
Michelle Ryland
Position: Associate III, Klein & Hoffman, Inc.
Education: University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign, B.S. in Architectural Studies; M. Architecture (Structures Option)
Licensure: Licensed Architect, Illinois; EIT,
Illinois Societies: SEAOI, AIA
Michael Zelisko
Position: Engineer II, Primera Engineers, Ltd.
Education: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, B.S.C.E.; M.S.C.E.
Licensure: P.E. Illinois
Societies: SEAOI, ASCE