Construction Industry Conference

Michael H. Bronder, CPA, CFF
President
BRONDER & COMPANY, P.C.

Michael H. Bronder earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, with honors, from Robert Morris College in 1983 and obtained his license as a certified public accountant (CPA) in 1986. Mr. Bronder is currently licensed as a CPA in the state of Pennsylvania and has also been awarded the Certified in Financial Forensics (CFF) Credential by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).

Mr. Bronder, the president of BRONDER & COMPANY, P.C., has over 30 years of experience in public accounting, primarily serving construction contractors in the areas of financial reporting, tax reporting and consulting. Bronder has also served as an expert or consultant for various plaintiffs and defendants in more than 50 cases involving misappropriation of trade secrets, accounting malpractice, construction contract claims, forensic accounting, business dissolution, personal injury, wrongful termination, business contract disputes, misappropriation of funds, trade mark infringement, and shareholder disputes.

Mr. Bronder has frequently served as a discussion leader for the Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs (PICPA). In addition, he was an instructor for an advanced construction accounting course for the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants. Bronder is a past chairman and a current member of the PICPA’s Committee on Construction Industry Seminar and has been a frequent speaker at this seminar on topics such as proper financial reporting, taxation and litigation.

Mr. Bronder has written and taught training programs for several national meetings of surety bond managers, including Continental Insurance in Houston, Texas; Chubb Insurance in Warren, New Jersey and Absecon, New Jersey; and Seaboard Surety Company in Bedminster, New Jersey. Bronder has also been a speaker for both the Pittsburgh and Altoona chapters of the Associated Builders and Contractors, the Associated Subcontractors of Western Pennsylvania, the Surety Association of Pittsburgh, the Allegheny County Bar Association and commercial loan officers of several banks.

Mr. Bronder is a member of both the AICPA and PICPA, and he currently serves on the Board of Governors of the Contractors Association of Western Pennsylvania (CAWP).

James L. Bly, CPA
Managing Director-Construction Services Group
Aliant Insurance Services, Inc.

Bly has over 34 years’ experience in serving contractors in the greater Pittsburgh area and provides risk management advice on contractor default insurance, surety, and wrap-ups, in addition to detailing the potential benefits of contractor captives.

Prior to joining Alliant, Bly was the Regional Construction Practice Leader at a large retail broker. Bly holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Geneva College; he is also a certified public accountant and holds a CPCU certification. Bly is a board member of the Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA) and the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA).

Robert J. Blumling
Partner
Blumling & Gusky

One of the founding partners of the firm, Mr. Blumling
represents a significant number of contractors, developers and surety
companies regionally, nationally and internationally. He has
extensive first chair experience in jury trials and arbitrations. He also
advises clients on contract drafting and negotiating, as well as project
insurance and other risk management requirements.

Mr. Blumling belongs to numerous construction, real estate
development and financial organizations. Mr. Blumling is a
frequent speaker to many industry groups regarding construction
and development issues.

Mr. Blumling has appeared before numerous federal and
state courts and administrative bodies in many other jurisdictions.
He is rated “AV” by his peers in Martindale-Hubbell, which is the
highest ranking available for core competency, professional ethics
and excellence in the practice of law. The firm was recognized in
The Best Lawyers in America of nationally-recognized law firms,
including a first place recognition for law firms in the construction
industry.

Anirban Basu
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
Sage Policy Group, Inc.
575 South Charles Street Suite 505
Baltimore, MD 21201
410-522-7243
email: abasu@sagepolicy.com

Career Brief

Anirban Basu is Chairman & CEO of Sage Policy Group, Inc., an economic and policy consulting firm headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland with offices in Pennsylvania and Cambodia.  The firm provides strategic analytical services to energy suppliers, law firms, medical systems, government agencies, and real estate developers among others. 

In 2014, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan appointed him Chair of the Maryland Economic Development Commission.  He also serves as chairman of the Baltimore County Economic Advisory Committee.  He is also the Chief Economist to Associated Builders and Contractors and Chief Economic Advisor to the Construction Financial Management Association.  He serves similar functions for Visit Baltimore, the Maryland Association of Realtors, and Marcum, LLC.  

He lectures at Johns Hopkins University in Global Strategy and has also taught international economics, urban economics, micro- and macroeconomics at Hopkins. His radio show can be heard weekdays on 88.1FM, WYPR, Baltimore.  

In both 2007 and 2016, the Daily Record newspaper selected Mr. Basu as one of Maryland’s 50 most influential people. The Baltimore Business Journal named him one of the region’s 20 most powerful business leaders in 2010.

Mr. Basu has been on many boards over time, including First Mariner Bank, the Baltimore City Public School System, Port Discovery, the Baltimore School for the Arts, and Union Memorial Hospital.  He is currently on the boards of St. Mary’s College, the University System of Maryland Foundation, the Center for Emerging Media, the Lyric Opera House and the Archdiocese of Baltimore School System.

Mr. Basu earned his B.S. in Foreign Service at Georgetown University in 1990.  He earned his Master’s in Public Policy from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, and his Master’s in Economics from the University of Maryland, College Park.  His Juris Doctor was earned at the University of Maryland School of Law

Ross A. Giorgianni
Partner
Blumling & Gusky

As a partner in Blumling & Gusky’s Construction and Surety
Industry Practice Group, Mr. Giorgianni concentrates his practice on
providing productive guidance designed to reach favorable results
for clients in the areas of construction law and complex commercial
litigation. Ross regularly practices before state and federal courts as
well as private dispute resolution organizations, and his practice
entails a broad range of litigation experience at the trial and appellate
court levels. In addition to representing clients engaged in all
aspects of the construction, design and real estate development
industries, Ross handles matters involving contractual disputes,
insurance coverage and defense, environmental, bankruptcy and
suretyship issues.

Ross worked as an engineer providing design, environmental
and construction monitoring services prior to attending law school.
Building upon his training and experience as an engineer, the
primary focus of Ross’ legal practice continues to be construction
law. He combines his practical industry experience with his legal
training to effectively counsel clients concerning their rights,
obligations and options in matters arising from all aspects of the
construction industry including contract negotiation, drafting and
analysis, bidding and schedule issues, asserting and defending
claims, mechanics’ liens, payment and performance bonds.

Scott Wright
General Counsel
Limbach Facility Services LLC

Scott Wright is the General Counsel for Limbach Facility Services LLC. In this capacity, Mr. Wright holds primary responsibility for legal and risk management support for Limbach’s corporate services and branch locations throughout the United States. In addition, he holds the lead role in resolving major construction claims and disputes and often personally handles mediation, arbitration and litigation matters for the company. He also is responsible for negotiating upstream and downstream construction contracts and purchase agreements, as well counseling branch and corporate personnel on key business, contracting and other legal matters. Mr. Wright has significant day-to-day involvement in Limbach’s business and finance matters, and is actively involved in financing and acquisition transactions. Mr. Wright’s role in Limbach’s risk management team includes oversight of major insurance claims and assisting with management and administration of the company’s insurance and surety programs, in close relationship with the company’s insurance carrier and surety.

Mr. Wright joined Limbach in 2006. Prior to joining Limbach, he was a Senior Associate with a Pittsburgh law firm specializing in construction law and commercial litigation. Mr. Wright earned his B.A. in Political Theory and Constitutional Democracy from the James Madison College of Michigan State University in 1993, and earned his J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1997.

Joel E. Stinson
Consultant
FMI Corporation

As a consultant for FMI, Joel utilizes his construction and business strategy
experience to provide a variety of management consulting services to construction
and engineering fi rms of all sizes.

Prior to joining FMI, Joel was a senior analyst who focused on revenue growth and
innovation initiatives in the professional service industry. Before that, Joel spent 12
years in the construction industry working for a variety of general contractors and
building product manufacturers. Joel leverages his broad experience to identify
problems and create solutions to complex problems for his clients.

Joel holds a master of business administration with a concentration in fi nance from
the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a bachelor of science from North
Carolina State University. Additionally, Joel is a licensed general contractor in the
state of North Carolina.

George E. Pallas, Esq.
Partner
Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman

GEORGE E. PALLAS is the Treasurer of Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall &
Furman PC as well as a Shareholder and member of the Board of Directors. He
is also a Partner with the Firm's Construction Group.

George acts as counsel to a wide range of construction clients that include
general contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers on both public and private
projects. George has handled matters involving commercial, industrial,
institutional and residential construction, heavy and highway, water supply and
treatment, solid hazardous waste, school and various other multi-prime
projects.

For the past 25 years, George has handled cases at both the state and federal
levels in a multitude of jurisdictions, including Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New
York, and Delaware. He has argued cases at the state and federal appellate
levels in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, as well as before the Pennsylvania
Supreme Court.

George is a frequent speaker at various trade organizations on all aspects of
construction litigation.

Shawn R. Farrell, Esq.
Partner
Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman

SHAWN R. FARRELL is a Partner in the Construction, Labor & Employment
and Insurance Groups at Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman PC, as well
as a Shareholder and member of the Board of Directors. He provides his clients
with a high level of professionalism to a variety of complex civil litigation
matters involving construction, employment issues and insurance. His clients
include construction companies, high-tech, hedge-funds and other public
corporations.

CONSTRUCTION LAW
Shawn handles all phases of construction law, from negotiating and drafting
construction contracts to litigating cases. He has litigated numerous complex
construction matters in federal court, state court, mediation and arbitration. He
shares his expertise with numerous clients and trade organizations on topics
such as mechanics' liens, surety law, proving and pricing construction claims,
OSHA violations and alternative dispute resolution in the construction industry.

Anthony L. Byler, Esq.
Partner
Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman

ANTHONY L. BYLER is a Partner at Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman
PC and a member of the Construction Group.

Prior to joining Cohen Seglias, Tony was the Managing Partner of Byler &
Blaker LLC. As a trial lawyer, Mr. Byler focuses his practice on representing
public and private owners, contractors, subcontractors and material men. He
has handled major construction disputes, for both plaintiffs and defendants,
involving educational facilities, hotels, bridges, high-rise residential buildings,
prisons, waste water treatment plants, parking garages, docks, assisted living
facilities and shopping centers.

Tony has tried numerous construction cases both in court and in arbitration
involving payment disputes, delay and disruption claims, payment and
performance bonds, prompt payment statutes, mechanics' liens, fiduciary
duties, fraud, errors and omissions.

A frequent author and speaker on construction industry topics, Tony has written
for Construction Today Magazine and has given numerous construction law
seminars for the National Electrical Contractors Association, the General
Building Contractors Association, the National Demolition Association and
Widener University.