HNA Speaker Information

Fred Adams

Fred is an Search google Search googleSearch google click here to see node content experienced business man and has owned and operated a Hardscape Installation Company for more than 25 years.  His expertise is in operating, and developing the segmental pavement business; he has sold, estimated and constructed millions of dollars worth concrete paver installations, and maintains a North Carolina Unlimited General Contractors License.  Fred has taught hundreds of students the ICPI certification course, and dedicated much of his time to educating design professionals the benefits of using Permeable Interlocking Concrete Pavers as a stormwater management method.  It is Fred's business systems that have allowed him to grow his business to the point where he has been able to work on growing the Market, expanding the pie, and the use of segmental pavers.  He would like to share his ideas with you to help grow your business and profits, and grow the entire Interlocking Concrete Pavement Market which he so believes in.  Fred has been an active member of ICPI since its beginning, and understands the inner workings of ICPI; he serves on the ICPI Board of Directors, Construction Committee and is currently the chairman of the ICPI Government Relations Committee.

Ronnie Birdwell, CCCM

Ronnie is a Certified Consultant of Concrete Masonry and a nationally recognized trainer with 25 years of construction experience. He served as a civil construction inspector for municipalities in the early 1990’s and holds multiple certifications in the construction industry. He works with contractors, engineers, architects, and sales professionals on a daily basis to promote education within the industry. He is an NCMA Segmental Retaining Wall Trainer, Certified Segmental Retaining Wall Installer (SRWI), Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute (ICPI) Installer Trainer, Certified ICPI Installer, ICPI PICP installer Trainer, Certified PICP Installer, NCMA American Institute of Architects/Continuing Education System (AIA/CES) Continuing Education Facilitator, National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Concrete Hardscape Instructor, and a member of several Hardscapes North America (HNA) Committees. Within NCMA, he serves on the Education and Training Committee and the Advanced SRW Installer Task Group and the SRW Contractor Task Force. Within ICPI, he serves on the Contractor Education Subcommittee the Permeable Interlocking Concrete Pavement (PICP) Subcommittee, and ICPI Installer Recertification Task Group. Within HNA, he serves on the HNA Program Subcommittee and Contractor Education Subcommittee.

Robert Bowers

Doug Buch

Doug graduated from the University of Iowa and will bring a great mix of leadership, inspiration, operational experience and passion for customer care to our company, coupled with his ability to deliver unwavering commitment and diverse knowledge of the market will provide our customers a level of service and value they have come to expect from our company.

Doug is an industry expert with over fifteen years experience in the Erosion Control Industry; ten years devoted to sales of articulated concrete block and revetment mats.  Doug has participated and been a member of various industry organizations such as the Association of Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO), the International Erosion Control Association (IECA), the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and the National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA) for several years.

Rich Colletti

Rich Colletti is Founder and President of Seal ‘n Lock System Corp, a manufacturer of innovative paver sealer products with distribution throughout North America.  Rich serves on the ICPI Dues, Bylaws and Membership Committee, is current Vice President of the ICPI Central Florida Chapter, and is a ICPI Level I Certified Contractor.  Rich has conducted hundreds of paver maintenance training classes for manufacturers, contractors and distributors.  Assisting contractors in creating more profit through effective sealing practices is his stock in trade. He is considered amongst his peers an expert in the water-based sealer industry and trusted source for technical information. 

Kevin Earley

Mr. Earley, LEED Green Associate, earned a M.S. in Engineering Geology from Drexel University. He is Vice Chairman of the ICPI’s Technical Committee and works on several Task Groups addressing: permeable pavement design, contractor training programs, government relations, and marketing programs for commercial pavement applications.  He is also a member of the ASCE Standards Committee on Interlocking Concrete Pavements.  Kevin has over 20 years experience related to geotechnical and environmental engineering solutions, and regularly provides presentations related to environmental site design, stormwater management, and concrete paver and retaining wall construction.  Kevin has completed ICPI’s Level I, II, and PICP certificate programs and is a PICP and Level II instructor.  He is also an NCMA SRW level I Instructor.  He is currently the Director of Commercial Sales for Nicolock, an East Coast manufacturer of unit concrete products. He works with architects, engineers, and contractors, supporting the design and construction of interlocking concrete pavements and segmental retaining walls.

Bill Gardocki

Bill Gardocki, owner of Interstate Landscape Co., Inc., Londonderry NH has 30 years of paver and SRW installation experience in the residential market. He is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire and has been a certified ICPI and NCMA instructor for the past 10 years.

Phil Graves

Mike Haumersen

Michael is the VP of sales of Harmony Outdoor Living Inc, Manufactures of pre-built outdoor living Elements.  For over 25 years, Mike has been working with Contractors, Dealers, Engineers, and Architects on how to sell and install segmental retaining walls and various landscape and hardscape products.  Drawing from this experience, he is now actively training members of the hardscape industry on how to make the sales and installation of outdoor living projects easier and more profitable.

Lisa Lackovic

Lisa Lackovic attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and graduated with a degree in Broadcast Journalism and Speech Communication.  She has worked for Watkins Concrete Block since 1983 and is responsible for marketing concrete masonry products to architects, engineers, landscape architects and landscape contractors.  She hosts one of the largest landscape contractor workshops for retaining wall and paver installers and has initiated a “Women of the Earth” group for landscape architects.  The Ultimate Backyard Challenge was initiated by Lisa in 2005 and has continued through 2010.  Lisa also oversees the advertising and promotions for Watkins.

Lisa has passed the Construction Document Technologist (CDT) exam with Construction Specifications Institute and is past president of the Nebraska Chapter of CSI.  She is past-president of the Nebraska Concrete Masonry Association. Lisa has completed a two-year appointed term on the Executive Committee of the National Concrete Masonry Association and currently serves on the Board of Directors.  Lisa is Chairman of the SRW Marketing Committee, and a member of the SRW Technical and Long Range Planning Committees for NCMA.  Lisa has completed the NCMA  Level 1 Segmental Retaining Wall Installer Program and the ICPI Level 1 Certified Concrete Paver Installer Program.

Rich Lahren

Pat McCrindle

Tim Oberg

Tim has been in the hardscape industry for the past 18 years. He is currently a designer/consultant for Southview Design a full service Hardscape/Landscape design and installation company. Tim is also the President of Personal Development Group LLC, a training and consulting firm that trains in all aspects of sales and customer service. He has been in sales or installation in the construction industry for most of his adult life. He has served as both sales and production manager for multi-million dollar companies. Tim has a passion for education. He has been teaching and training in various aspects of sales and installation for the last 25 years. His passion for hardscapes is evident in the enthusiasm he has for helping contractors become certified. Tim is an instructor for both ICPI and NCMA installation certification. He would like to see all paver contractors become certified installers, thus helping the industry continue to grow and prosper.

David Pitre

Jeff Platz

Joe Raboine

Joe is the president of Harmony Outdoor Living, Inc, manufacturers of pre-built modular outdoor living Elements.   Joe has been in the hardscape and masonry industry for almost 20 years as a contractor, dealer, and now manufacturer.   He has also traveled the US and Canada doing seminars to train dealers and contractors on how to sell, design, and install outdoor living projects using a comprehensive approach.

Janice Reid

Janice has a degree in Civil Engineering, from Southern College of Technology, and brings 22+ years of experience to the geosynthetics arena, specializing in marketing and sales of geotextiles, geogrids and geocells.  Janice is currently the Southeastern Regional Manager for Strata Systems, Inc.

Mike Riehm

Dan Sapp

David Smith

David R. Smith is the Technical Director for the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute.  Since 1987, he has worked with all types of design professionals and contractors in design and construction of every kind of concrete paver project ranging from patios to streets, plus ports and airports. Besides publishing dozens of articles, peer reviewed technical papers, guide specifications and ICPI technical bulletins on concrete pavers, Mr. Smith has written three instructional manuals for segmental concrete pavement contractors, as well as contributing to design manuals for port and airport pavements.

As a leading authority in North America on concrete segmental paving and permeable paving, Mr. Smith regularly speaks at national and international conferences. He is a past chair of CSA A231 on precast concrete paving products. He is an active member of ASTM, having written and revised product several ASTM standards on concrete paving products. He is a member of the ASCE Permeable Pavements Technical Committee and editor of the quarterly Interlocking Concrete Pavement Magazine (circ. 43,000) which features stories on interlocking and permeable interlocking concrete pavement. Mr. Smith is author of the ICPI manual Permeable Interlocking Concrete Pavements and contributed to the concept development of ICPI’s Permeable Design Pro software for same. His background in stormwater management comes from research on permeability of concrete grid pavements in the early 1980s and teaching and modeling storm drainage design with sustainable, site-scale stormwater management approaches and stream restoration.

Andrew Vear

Andrew Vear is Vice-President of Southwest Specialties, Las Vegas, NV.  He has decades of experience in a wide range of commercial segmental pavement construction, as well as being a veteran instructor of ICPI contractor courses.

Ross Yantzi

Ross started his Hardscaping business in 1986 which focuses in residential and light commercial projects.  Ross is a member and a Director of the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute, and became a Certified Paver Installer in 1996. Ross is also certified to teach the course and since 1997 Ross has taught over 4000 contractors in over 26 States and Provinces. In February 2003 Ross also received certification through The National Concrete Masonry Association as a Segmental Retaining Wall Installer and in 2009 he received certification as an ICPI Level II Paver Installer.