MEET THE TEAM
J. Chip Dean - Founder
MEET THE TEAM
David Bailey - President and Co-Founder
Dave started in the truss industry in 1989 in Edgewater, Maryland working as a truss designer using the Gang-Nail system. His interest in computers and the truss design software resulted in him being assigned the task of testing new beta versions of the software as they become available. He managed the implementation of the new MiTek 2000 program at that truss plant in 1994 and continued to manage and maintain all MiTek software installations from that point forward.
In addition to his daily responsibilities as a Truss Designer, Dave also spent time in an IT support role assembling Windows-based PCs and configuring those systems for networked use and running the MiTek software.
With over 29 years of experience in the SBC industry, Dave has trained new employees in truss design techniques as well as the MiTek software itself. He helped with a new truss plant installation, the development and implementation of design standards and practices, and was the IT person who maintained the MiTek software on all designers' PCs.
Dave spent over five years serving as a Design department manager, handling daily design duties, as well as managing a team of truss designers plus a CAD operator. He understands, from personal experience, the challenges a Design Manager faces, trying to balance the number of plans that needed to be quoted or prepared for the shop with managing the designer resources available in a design department. Dave appreciates the value of having a "half-of-a-designer" available at any given moment when busy times would hit and the design department is stretched too thin.
After a three-and-a-half year break from the building components industry to run the worship ministry at his church as well as serve as the Worship Leader and principal keyboardist, he returned to the components industry in 2007 to start Component Runner with his brother Chip Dean.
Dave and his family reside in Plymouth, MA
MEET THE TEAM
Brad Ferris - Project Manager
Brad has been a well-known wood truss specialist in the Northeast for over 27 years. Brad’s career in the truss industry began in 1990 where he managed a small truss plant in South Deerfield, Massachusetts as their operations manager, Brad oversaw the design and manufacturing of trusses as well as wall panel systems. Managing a small truss plant piqued Brad’s interest in the SBC industry which began his long and successful career.
Throughout the years Brad has worked for truss companies in New England, New York, and Canada offering his design and management expertise.
Brad has designed trusses for a wide variety of applications in the construction industry with an open vision of truss design - looking for and finding creative solutions for builders. Brad has spent many years in sales and design, working closely with builders and site supervisors to ensure proper bracing and installation of trusses. Brad’s experience as dealer, distributor, and manufacturer of wood trusses gives him a well-rounded knowledge to make your truss project successful.
Brad is an active member of the Structural Building Components Association Northeast Chapter, formerly the Wood Truss Council of America, since its inception. He is the past President and currently the Education Committee Chair. Over the years Brad has presented programs and training seminars for architects, engineers, and code officials as well as for lumber retailers and contractors.
Brad is based in Turner Falls, Massachusetts.
MEET THE TEAM
Steve Lawrence - Project Manager
Steve started in the truss industry in 1986 in San Diego, California, as a truss designer, estimator, and salesman for a small truss plant. He left the truss industry after 4 years and attained his General Contracting License in the state of California. Working mostly in residential remodeling and design, Steve worked for the next seven years in this capacity plus two years working in the entertainment industry as a set carpenter.
Steve has 2 associate’s degrees, Business Management and Construction Technologies. In 1997, Steve returned to college and received a degree in Civil Engineering from San Diego State.
After graduating in 2002, Steve returned to the truss industry where he took a job in New Hampshire with a well-established truss company using MiTek software, working his way to Assistant Design Manager. During this time Steve designed and built his own home.
In the last five years, Steve has worked from home as an independent truss designer for several New England truss companies, using TeeLok, MiTek eFrame Layout, and MiTek SAPPHIRE Structure software. In addition to his component design work, Steve has designed several single-family homes, senior living apartments, and small commercial buildings.
Steve brings to Component Runner many years of hands-on experience in the construction industry and over 18 years of Structural Building Component design work.
Steve is based in Fallbrook, California.
MEET THE TEAM
William Corgan - Project Manager
Bill began his truss design career in October 2001 at a new plant in Springfield, Illinois. In January 2002, the plant switched to MiTek’s eFrame Layout program when the software was still in Beta testing. Due to Bill’s efforts, they became the first truss plant in the USA to use MiTek eFrame Layout for production and due to Bill’s passion to get “under the hood” they remained a beta test site for MiTek for the next 8 years.
During his 11 years as the senior and sometimes, only, designer, he was responsible for all aspects of a job from the initial quote to the final shop drawings. He was also responsible for the company’s computer network and managed every installation of the MiTek software on all machines. Bill stayed with that company until September of 2012.
Due to Bill's outstanding abilities at maximizing the power of the MiTek software above and beyond the typical user, Bill was invited by MiTek to attend a unique meeting in Orlando, Florida called, “High-Performance Designers”. This was a think tank environment comprised of the country’s most progressive designers and design managers. MiTek gleaned much in-sight from Bill’s participation in this event.
Bill was also responsible for training all new employees on the proper use of MBA, MiTek eFrame Layout, MiTek TrussFramer, SAPPHIRE Structure and MiTek Engineering. He’s a firm believer that an exacting model for every building creates less opportunity for mistakes and his work produced very few errors in the field. Because of that conviction, all his building models included interior walls, proper ceiling planes, proper roof planes, posts and beams. He preferred to serve his customers with exacting layouts, making sure everything was as geometrically perfect as possible rather than pacifying an unhappy customer with timely service in producing field repairs.
Bill is located in Lutz, Florida
MEET THE TEAM
Michael Gryskevicz - Project Manager
Mike started in the SBC industry in 1988 after graduating from college with a Masters in Mechanical Engineering Technology. Mike started in the industry at a large component manufacturer in PA with extensive prior construction experience. During his high school and college years, Mike worked in construction; specializing in masonry, rough framing, roofing and drywall installation as well as electrical and plumbing. Mike worked as a Project Manager/coordinator of complete residential building packages.
In 1994 Mike accepted a design position in Erie, Pa. Initially, his employer was concerned that Mike was not familiar with the MiTek software but, within a week of being hired Mike was producing floor and roof truss paperwork with MiTek 2000 and shortly thereafter Mike was drafting residential house plans and preparing panel paperwork with ICG Builders Cad and Autocad software. In 1997 on Mike’s last day at the company, the owner’s son was heard to say, “There’s no truss Mike can’t design and no house that he can’t draw”.
In 1998 Mike started working at another Erie, Pa. company. This father and son business wanted to take their product line to the next step towards one-stop prepared and serviced framing packages. Mike started out using Comsoft’s Wall Builder software, preparing material takeoffs and panel packages. By 2008 Mike was promoted to senior designer responsible for overseeing an 8 person drafting, estimating and design department and helping to coordinate numerous Custom Residential and Commercial projects hand in hand with our Sales Department. Great pride was taken in building solid working relationships with Contractors, Architects, Engineers and Building Inspectors.
Mike brings to Component Runner over 31 years’ experience in all facets of the construction and SBC industry. Mike and his wife reside in Shavertown, PA.
MEET THE TEAM
Jacob Talbert - Project Manager
Jacob began his career in 2001 in the Boulder Colorado area generating 3D whole house design models for a software and engineering company. After obtaining his Associate's Degree in Mechanical Drafting\Design, he was asked to join the engineering team as a light gauge steel truss component reviewer. Over the next several years he worked closely with a team of professional engineers, and engineering interns reviewing truss component designs from all over the country, generating and maintaining a library of CAD details, and creating truss repair drawings under the supervision of the chief engineer.
In 2006 Jacob transitioned to the metal plate connected wood truss industry utilizing the MiTek suite of software. Jacob’s experience includes both roof and floor trusses for projects ranging from residential to multi-family to light commercial. In 2012 he moved to the Western Slope of Colorado where he has broadened his experience to include EWP design using Weyerhaeuser’s Javelin and Forte software. His most recent achievement has been managing and training a team of designers, stationed at multiple facilities, processing design work for the western half of the state of Colorado.
Jacob’s experience has given him an appreciation of the challenges faced by design managers and designers alike. Attention to detail, out of the box thinking, and creative problem solving are just some of the qualities that Jacob has built his career on.
Jacob and his wife reside in the Emily, MN area.