Curriculem Vitae - Randy D. Down, PE, CFEI Curriculem Vitae - Randy D. Down, PE, CFEI
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY Over 30 years of experience in electrical, mechanical and control systems engineering for a broad range of industrial, institutional, municipal and commercial applications. During his career he has served as a lead design engineer, project manager, engineering group manager, forensic engineer and technical consultant. His forensic engineering experience has included fire and explosion causation analysis, electrical and mechanical systems failure analysis, and electrical and mechanical product defect analysis. Over the course of his career he has worked for system manufacturers, as well as consulting engineering & architectural firms. He is licensed as a professional engineer in eleven states and certified nationally as a fire and explosion investigator. He has advanced certification in vehicle fire investigation. He is an author and contributing author for several nationally published textbooks on environmental control systems and instrumentation. He has presented papers internationally on the application of environmental control systems. He has also taught adult education courses on the application of digital and analog controls, and has been actively involved in the ISA (Instrumentation, Systems, and Automation Society) for over 20 years.
SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS
Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) in NC, VA, GA, PA, IN, NY, NH, ME, WI, DE, NV
Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator (CFEI)
Advanced Certification as a Vehicle Fire Investigator (CVFI)
Certified Fire Investigation Instructor (CFII)
Certified Vibration Analyst – IRD Mechanalysis,
Indoor Air Quality and Psychrometrics (IAQ, Ventilation, Mold & Mildew)
Working knowledge of the National Electrical Codes (NEC)
Process Safety Management (PSM) and HAZOP Reviews
Member of ASTM Subcommittee E50.06 on Forensic Environmental Investigations
Member of Sigma Xi - Scientific Research Society
Recognized speaker and author on the subject of Environmental Control Systems
1994-95 Recipient of XEROX (AMTX) Award of Excellence for Benchmark Engineering
Multi-discipline Project Management (studies, specifications and detailed design)
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2006 to Present: Down Forensic Engineering, Inc. -
As President and Principal Engineer, he is responsible for overall supervision of the firm’s engineering and associate engineers. Responsible for engineering services P&L, staffing, organization, the firm’s growth, continuing community relations, development and training efforts, as well as actively conducting fire and explosion investigations as a Certified Fire & Explosion Investigator (CFEI), mechanical/electrical failure and product defect analysis, and expert witness testimony. Fire origin and cause analysis has included vehicles ranging from automobiles to tractor trailers, heavy equipment such as bulldozers, backhoes, and tree extraction equipment, and structure fires at residential, commercial and industrial facilities. Product failure analysis has included electrical and motorized appliances, various types of electrical and electronic controls, heating, ventilation and cooling systems, powered hand tools, piping and fittings, alarm systems, pumps, compressors, fan systems, vehicle brakes, cruise and steering systems, water filters, storage tank, boilers, and water heaters. Electrical investigations have included lightning damage, motor failures, electrocutions, headlamp analysis on vehicles, vehicle electrical faults, improper over-current protection, relay failures, intrinsically safe systems, area hazard classifications, NEC compliance, safety interlocking, grounding and shielding, arc fault mapping, electrical sources of ignition and lightning protection systems. Mechanical analysis has included piping stress analysis, failed pipe fittings, pump cavitation, corrosion failure, motor imbalance (vibration analysis), failures due to mechanical fatigue, indoor air quality analysis (psychrometrics) and ventilation systems, exhaust systems, vehicle brake system failures, boiler system failures, refrigeration systems, heating and combustion control systems, storage tank failures, secondary containment system failures, compressed air and vacuum systems, and mechanical building code compliance.
2003-2006: Forensic Analysis & Engineering Corporation -
As Vice President of Engineering, he was responsible for supervision of the firm’s engineering staff and associate engineers. Responsible for engineering services P&L, staffing, organization, the firm’s growth, continuing community relations, development and training efforts, as well as conducting fire and explosion investigations as a Certified Fire & Explosion Investigator (CFEI), accident reconstruction, and mechanical/electrical failure and product defect determination, case presentation, and courtroom testimony. Formerly
2002-2003: Clark, Richardson & Biskup Consulting Engineers, Inc. -
Responsible for the management of large, multidiscipline engineering projects as part of the Advanced Technology Core Team. Assisted with business development for the college, university and industrial markets. Performed 3rd-party peer reviews on electrical plans, mechanical plans, and control system P&IDs for a major pharmaceutical client. Assisted another pharmaceutical client in their development of Level 2 and Level 3 SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) required for FDA compliance.
1998-2001: The Sear-Brown Group -
Responsible for the management of a forty-five (45) staff, multi-discipline engineering/architectural branch office; and Industrial Division Manager for a team of twenty-two (22) structural, mechanical, electrical and controls engineers and designers. Increased office profitability while expanding the office from a total staff of 20 to 45 within 18 months. During that same period, the office’s engineering and design capabilities were expanded to include automation & controls and process engineering (chemical engineering). Projects that he managed, or served as engineer of record, included: plans and specifications for a $40 million major chemical plant expansion; investigation, report, and detailed design modifications to solve IAQ problems and exhaust-related issues at a major university; the upgrade of laboratory ventilation and fume hood exhaust to resolve IAQ and humidity issues at an adhesives manufacturing facility; replacement of a wastewater clarifier at a major pharmaceutical manufacturing facility; the addition of security cameras and site lighting at a video tube manufacturing facility; control system and HAZOP review for pollution abatement (scrubber and thermal oxidizer) at a chemical production facility; an emergency shutdown system and HAZOP review for hot oil distribution system in the event of a system leak; design of a flammable storage warehouse for storage and out-gassing of highly flammable virgin polystyrene foam rolls; design of a skid-mounted process temperature control unit w/heat exchangers, valves, steam pressure regulators; design of a temporary 300-staff communications center for a major cable company; and design of miscellaneous fire, security, HVAC, central utility system upgrades for multiple regional clients.
1989-1998: The Sear-Brown Group -
Responsible for the formation and management of a team of process, mechanical, electrical and automation engineers for advanced technology applications. The average years of technical experience for the team was nineteen years. Responsible for developing the team from the ground up (recruiting, organizing, scheduling) and performing numerous engineering studies, recommendations, conceptual, detailed design (P&IDs, panel fabrication drawings, loop wiring diagrams, piping & equipment plans and elevations, specifications) and commissioning of a wide range of mechanical, electrical and process applications as a working manager. Applications included cleanroom design (Class 100 through Class 10,000); facility additions (loading docks, vent walls, warehousing); flammable storage warehousing (liquid and solid materials); bulk chemical storage (tank farms and loading/unloading stations); industrial ventilation and exhaust; pollution abatement systems (packed column and spray scrubbers; dust collectors and baghouses; regenerative, catalytic, and thermal oxidizers); batch reactor systems; wastewater treatment processes; pneumatic conveying systems; plant and instrument-grade compressed air systems; high purity gas and cryogenic nitrogen systems; high purity water systems (RO/DI); storage and delivery systems for high purity inert gases; house and process vacuum systems; steam generation (fire tube and water tube boilers) and steam distribution; high temperature hot water systems; hot oil systems; refrigeration and chilled water systems; intrinsically safe instrumentation & control system applications; PLC, DCS and standalone control systems (incl. Allen-Bradley, ABB/Bailey, Emerson w/Foundation Fieldbus®); pneumatic controls; combustion control systems; security systems; fire suppression and alarm systems; and electrical and mechanical systems inspections at several commercial (retail) facilities.
1985-1989: Galson Engineers & Architects -
Responsible for the development of I&C design standards and specifications. Also served as lead controls engineer for numerous industrial and institutional applications that included commercial and industrial HVAC system applications; cleanroom and laboratory pressurization, temperature and humidity control; industrial ventilation and exhaust control; distributed control systems (Fisher Provox®, Bailey Network 90®, Rosemount Diogenese®) for steam plant generation combustion control applications; power plant instrumentation upgrade and conversion of several 80,000 pph coal-fired, field-erected, water tube boilers to #2 and #6 fuel oil and natural gas at a NY state facility. Included new refractory, new burners, variable speed induced draft controls, and new instrumentation and combustion control system; wastewater treatment system instrumentation; paper machine instrumentation; steam distribution studies for several NY state-operated institutional facilities; and design of groundwater monitoring wells and soil permeability testing for secondary containment at an above ground JP-4 jet fuel storage tank at a Strategic Air Command (SAC) base in Upstate NY.
1983-1985: Carrier Corporation -
As a District Engineer - responsible for the technical support of district offices in
1974-1983: Johnson Controls, Inc. -
Responsible for detailed design of electric, electronic and pneumatic HVAC control systems, energy management systems and fire detection and alarm systems in commercial and industrial facilities. Responsibilities also included installation supervision, start-up and commissioning, programming, and customer training. Applications included controls in: major bank buildings, medical centers; telephone exchange buildings; automotive manufacturing facilities and tech center; an air national guard facility; a telephone manufacturing facility; churches; a monastery; pharmaceutical facilities; research facilities; gas & electric utilities; wastewater treatment facility; the RCA (formerly Hoosier) Dome stadium; public schools; solar-powered heating and cooling systems at a university. Troubleshooting unusual controls and building automation system problems; providing technical support by phone to field technicians; and assistance with commissioning and troubleshooting fire and security systems.
EDUCATION
Undergraduate
Bachelor of Science in Business Management & Economics – 1995
State
Associate in Applied Science in Electrical Engineering Technology – 1974
Michigan Technological University,
Post Graduate
Master of Arts degree in Business & Policy Studies – 14 credit hours completed
State
Courses
National Fire, Arson, and Explosion Investigation Training Program
Advanced Fire, Arson and Explosion Investigation Training Program
Vehicle Fire Investigation Program
Law
Introduction to Finite Element Methods – PE Continuing Education Course
Facility Lightning Protection Fundamentals – PE Continuing Education Course
Deterioration of Metals – PE Continuing Education Course
Introduction to Industrial Control Systems – PE Continuing Education Course
Professional Ethics for Engineers – PE Continuing Education Course
Laws & Rules for Practicing Engineering or Land Surveying in
AFFILIATIONS
Instrumentation, Systems, and Automation Society (ISA) – Sr. Member (20 years) / Past CNY Section President
American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM International) - Member
Member of ASTM Subcommittee E50.06 on Forensic Environmental Investigations
Sigma Xi - The Scientific Research Society – Member
National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) – Member
American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) - Member
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) - Member
National Association of Fire Investigators (NAFI) – Member
International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI) – Member
American
National
LICENSES & CERTIFICATIONS
PE,
PE, Georgia No. 22401 PE,
PE,
PE,
PE, Wisconsin No. 38116-6 PE,
PE,
CVFI – Certified Vehicle Fire Investigator (NAFI/NFPA)
CFII - Certified Fire Investigator Instructor (NAFI/NFPA)
CBA – Certified Vibration Analyst (IRD Mechanalysis,
PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS
- Technical paper, “Boiler Plant Upgrades” presented to the China Instrument Society (CIS) at the 1988 MICONEX (Multi-International Conference and Exhibit) in
- Hardcover textbook (250 pages), Environmental Control Systems, ISA Publications, 1992
- 8-hour video presentation to 400+ students and engineers on “Environmental Control Systems” broadcast to 15 sites in
- Presented an ISA Mini-Seminar on “Environmental Control Systems” in
- Contributed Chapter 24, “Pollution Prevention Through Process Control”, Industrial Pollution Prevention Handbook, McGraw-Hill Publications, 1995
- Guest lecture on “Consulting Engineering Technology in the 21st Century,” presented to graduate industrial engineering students at
- Technical paper, “The Transition from Engineering to Management”, presented at the National ISA Conference in
- Hardcover textbook (approx. 1,100 pages), Environmental Instrumentation & Analysis Handbook, John Wiley & Sons, 2005
- Presented 1-hour lecture on accident reconstruction to a large group of insurance adjusters at an annual conference in
- Authored quarterly newsletter articles on the management of a forensic engineering firm for the ISA Management Division Newsletter from 2004-2006
- Presented 1-hour lecture on the investigation of fires of electrical origin to an insurance adjusters organization in
- Course author for Internet on-line engineering courses that are taken by licensed engineers in order to obtain state licensing board-approved continuing education credits. Courses include: “pH Control of Wastewater Effluent”; “Monitoring Groundwater Conditions”; “Moisture Intrusion and High Ambient Humidity Causation Analysis”; “Fundamentals of Liquid Flow Measurement”; “Fundamentals of Temperature Measurement”, 2006/07
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