About this Event
It’s no secret that the attraction of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company’s (TSMC) two new fabs to Phoenix brought a historic investment of $40B to Arizona and ignited an already burgeoning industrial boom in the market. International projects in the pipeline of companies looking to establish in Arizona have seen a 52% increase over the last quarter, and 83% of the project pipeline is represented by industrial firms in Greater Phoenix. TSMC suppliers and other international companies dominate the manufacturing companies coming into the market, and while opportunities abound to assist these companies with their construction projects, differences in cultural, cost, and schedule expectations can jeopardize these coveted investments.
This program will help managers of construction projects bridge the divide between U.S. and international construction counterparts and promote intercultural understanding to improve the experience of international owners coming to the market and enhance the position of U.S. firms that want to work with them.
The discussion will provide insight into the path and expectations of international companies coming to Arizona; discuss pain points in areas from labor standards, to change orders, to infrastructure gaps; and provide solutions for how to successfully approach intercultural businesses relationships.
Light breakfast items will be provided.
Panelists
Casey Gilchrist | Sr. Director, International Business Development - Greater Phoenix Economic Council
Martin Perez | Special Projects Administrator - City of Phoenix
Oswald Chong | Associate Professor - ASU Del E Webb School of Construction
Jeffrey Maas | Senior Associate - Gensler
Moderated by Rob Nash Boulden | Director - Data Centers and High-Tech Manufacturing - Hill International
REGISTRATION -
In-Person - CMAA & AAED Members: $35
In-Person - Non-Member: $45
CMAA Student Chapter Member: $10
Casey Gilchrist, Sr Director, International Business Development, Greater Phoenix Economic Council
Casey has been working in the economic development industry since 2015, having first started in Chesapeake, Virginia where she specialized in domestic and international business attraction. Since joining GPEC, Casey has helped attract companies from Taiwan, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Denmark to the Greater Phoenix Region. This effort has resulted in over $221 million in new capital investment to the region. In addition, Casey also leads GPEC’s International Leadership Council (ILC). This council leverages the professional expertise of the local international community to shape core trade and FDI strategies and support goals and objectives set by the organization. An engaged member of the Arizona Association for Economic Development, Casey was honored in 2023 as one of North America's Top 50 Economic Developers by Consultant Connect.
Martin Perez, Special Projects Administrator - City of Phoenix
Martin Perez is a Program Manager with the City of Phoenix Community and Economic Development responsible for recruiting new and working with existing high-tech manufacturing companies. Martin has extensive experience in both the private and public sectors. He is a U.S. Navy Veteran and was a reactor operator aboard a nuclear submarine. He graduated from ASU with his BSEE and worked in the semiconductor industry with Intel, Motorola, and ON Semiconductor. As an engineer with HUNT Construction / AECOM he worked on major construction projects such as the Phoenix Convention Center and the Phoenix Suns Arena’s first remodel. In the public sector he has worked for the Cities of Chandler and Tempe with responsibilities including overseeing Capital Improvement Projects and managing development departments plan review and inspection teams. He currently is with the City of Phoenix Community and Economic Development department.
Oswald Chong, Associate Professor, ASU Del E Webb School of Construction
Dr. Chong has extensive working and consulting experiences in construction. His current consulting/research assignments include talent acquisition, construction system development, code compliances, construction methods, cultural adaptation, safety management and BIM for UIS, and codes, standards and construction methods for using mass timber (carbon neutral construction material) for high rise buildings (funded by Mitsubishi Chemicals). In addition, he also conducts research in Professional Development for the Estimating Professions, Business Operations, and Construction Productivity Research. Chong's publications are mainly in the areas of building defects, sustainability, lean and sustainability, and social-human dimensions.
Jeffrey Maas, Senior Associate, Gensler
Jeffrey Maas is a Project Director at Gensler Phoenix who serves as the Southwest Regional Critical Facilities Practice Area Leader. He is an active member of the local 7x24 Exchange and plays an integral role growing the regional practice. As a licensed architect with an electrical engineering background and a degree in Business Management, Jeffrey brings over 27 years of experience to every project. Jeffrey is known for his collaborative, solution-based leadership style. He has led multiple accounts at Gensler and has recently managed the delivery of the first flagship data center build in the U.S. for Comarch, a Polish-based global software house.
Rob Nash Boulden, Director - Data Centers and High-Tech Manufacturing, Hill International
Rob focuses on mission critical verticals such as data centers, semiconductor manufacturing, manufacturing, aviation, utilities, high performance commercial, and smart cities. With experience delivering project in 19 countries, Rob knows that international clients often require different types and levels of assistance and is an expert in identifying and mitigating risk related to these projects. Whether foreign direct investment into the US or a US firm developing their first international project, Rob helps client bridge the digital divide. Rob’s served as CEO, President, COO, VP, and Director for Engineering and Construction firms for the last 30 years. Today, he leads the advanced manufacturing and data center group for Hill International.
The CMAA Arizona Chapter wishes to create a welcoming environment at Chapter events and expects all participants to refrain from harassing behavior and speech. Any person who has been subjected to harassment, or who has witnessed harassment, is encouraged to notify a Chapter board member. The Chapter reserves the right to take any action it deems appropriate in response to such conduct by any person, including removal of that person from the event and prohibiting attendance at future events.
Additional sponsorship opportunities are available! Contact Chris Lerma ([email protected])!
Thank you to our Sponsors!
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Kitchell, 1707 East Highland, Suite 157, Phoenix, United States
USD 0.00 to USD 250.00
