35th Annual William H. Mueser and Phillip C. Rutledge Memorial Lecture

ABOUT THE MRCE LECTURE:

The Mueser Rutledfe Lecture was established with ASCE Metropolitan Section Geotechnical Group in 1991 to honor William H. Mueser (1900-1985) and Philip C. Rutledge (1906-1990), former partners of Mueser Rutledge Consulting Engineers (MRCE). MRCE has established an endowment to provide funding for this lecture series. The goal is to have nationally and internationally known speakers with construction experience in foundations to deliver interesting talks of practical significance in the design and construction of foundations.

Registration: ASCE MET members please use promo code "ASCE" to waive registration fee. $20 fee for non-members.

LECTURE SUMMARY

This panel brings together experts from geotechnical engineering, specialty contracting, general contracting, and public agencies to explore the unique challenges and opportunities of design-build delivery through a geotechnical perspective. Panelists will discuss risk identification and mitigation, share lessons learned from recent projects, and highlight the power of cross-disciplinary collaboration. The discussion will also look ahead to the evolving future of design-build in infrastructure.

THE SPEAKERS:

Eric Macfarlane, PE. First Deputy Commissioner of the Department for Design and Construction (DDC), he has led NYC’s infrastructure efforts since 1996, introducing innovations like Joint Ventures to streamline Design-Build delivery. He has degrees from City College and NYU-Tandon, and is a member of ASCE, NAC, DBIA, and ENV_SP. Eric oversees agency-wide policy and collaborates across divisions to advance the Strategic Blueprint for Construction Excellence, ensuring efficient, resilient, and sustainable Design Build projects. DDC manages NYC’s $34B portfolio, delivering public buildings and infrastructure citywide. Eric’s recent notable projects include the $1.2B plus NYC DDC East Side Coastal Resiliency Project in New York, NY.

Andrew Burns, PE. Senior Vice President of Engineering & Estimating for Underpinning & Foundation (UFS) brings 30 years of experience in heavy civil construction. In this role, he is involved in pursuing new work for design-build contracts and contractor-designed elements of bid-build projects. This enables him to remain actively engaged in projects, addressing both technical and commercial issues. UFS performs $100 million annually of deep foundation and support of excavation work, both as a subcontractor and as part of Skanska Civil, UFS’s parent company. The work is mainly in NY/NJ, New England, and the mid-Atlantic. Andrew’s recent notable projects include the $1.5B+ NJ Transit / Amtrak Portal North Bridge Replacement in Secaucus, NJ.

Jack Tobin, PE. Vice President of Railroad Construction Company, Inc., brings over 40 years of experience delivering complex transportation and infrastructure projects across the New York metro area. He has led major design-build efforts for MTA, Amtrak, PANYNJ, NJDOT, and NJ Transit, with key roles on projects like the Route 29 Cut-and-Cover Tunnel and East Side Access Eastbound Re-Route. A licensed Professional Engineer in New Jersey, Jack is known for his expertise in tunneling, deep foundations, structural rehabilitation, and large-scale rail and utility construction, combining technical skill with executive leadership to ensure safe, efficient project delivery. Jack’s recent notable projects include the $160M+ MTA LIRR East Side Access - Design Build Services for East Bound Re-Route Construction in Long Island City, NY.

Sitotaw Fantaye, PE. Principal of MRCE brings 31 years of experience in structural engineering, specializing in the analysis and design of foundations, complex excavation support, and waterfront structures. His work encompasses both deep and shallow foundations for buildings and bridges, as well as complex excavation systems and marine infrastructure. Sitotaw leads geotechnical and structural teams through concept development, analysis, design, and construction. He has successfully managed design-build projects for over 15 years for agencies including PANYNJ, MTA-NYCT/LIRR/TBTA, NYCDDC, NYSDOT, Amtrak, PennDOT, and VPRA. Sitotaw’s recent notable projects include the $450M+ NYSDOT Hunts Point Interstate Access Improvement Project - Contract 1 in the Bronx, NY.