2022 Westcon Symposium

2022 Westcon Symposium

The Surfside Collapse’s Unintended Industry Fallout

Thursday, November 10, 2022
San Ramon Marriott
2600 Bishop Dr, San Ramon, CA

The 12th Annual Westcon Symposium is a day-long seminar presented by a highly qualified panel of experts in an interactive learning environment.

On Thursday, November 10th, at the San Ramon Marriott attendees will gain a thorough knowledge of the Champlain Towers collapse in the Miami suburb of Surfside, FL, and the ripple effect the tragic incident is having on laws, financing, insurance, contracts, design, construction, and more.

The Symposium panels of experts will include attorneys, insurance experts, contractors, architects, engineers, and finance representatives.

Allison Andersen, Esq.

Ms. Andersen represents community associations in corporate governance, operational, transactional, and civil litigation matters. She has nearly twenty years’ experience negotiating and litigating CC&R enforcement, real estate fraud and disclosure, contract interpretation and compliance, breach of fiduciary duty, fair housing, free speech, due process, construction defect, and insurance coverage matters.

Ms. Andersen specializes in complex construction defect matters. She has successfully mediated the settlement of claims for water intrusion at exterior cladding systems (siding, stucco, stone veneer and curtain walls), roofing systems, windows, balconies, decks, stairways and entry landings; mechanical systems (hot water distribution, air conditioning, humidity control, gray water discharge); structural systems; foundation systems (post-tensioned slab on grade and elevated podium deck structures); electrical systems; acoustical systems; and civil infrastructure including site drainage, reclaimed water distribution, attachment of municipal sewer mains to private lots, differential settlement, soil stability and groundwater dewatering systems.

Ms. Andersen achieved notable success managing condominium conversion claims through settlement and trial. This experience includes the evaluation of developer compliance with applicable condominium conversion laws, sufficiency of developer prepared operating and reserve budgets, sufficiency of developer disclosures to condominium associations and members, and the investigation of converters’ construction practices.
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Ms. Andersen currently serves as a Legislative Co-Chair on the Executive Committee of CAI’s California Legislative Action Committee. She has been awarded an AV-Preeminent rating by Martindale-Hubbell representing her high level of professional excellence.

Robert W. Browning, PCAM, RS

Robert Browning is the owner of the Browning Reserve Group, LLC. With offices in Sacramento and Las Vegas, the Browning Reserve Group (BRG) performs reserve studies for common interest communities, special districts, park and community services districts and other entities that can benefit from long range financial planning. BRG currently has over 3,000 clients in multiple states and Mexico.

Mr. Browning is a two-time past President of the California North Chapter of the Community Associations Institute (CAI) and currently serves (as an emeritus member) on the California Legislative Action Committee (CLAC) of CAI. In 2003 and 2004 he served as Chair of CLAC. He served on the Board of Trustees of the Community Associations Institute during 2000 – 2006 and served as President in 2008 for the Foundation for Community Association Research.

Mr. Browning is a graduate of California State University, Sacramento with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography and has earned the Professional Community Association Manager (PCAM) and Reserve Specialist (RS) designations from CAI. Mr. Browning holds Nevada RSS Permit #005. CA Licensed General Contractor #768851.

J. Spencer Edgett, Esq.

J. Spencer Edgett is a partner with Chapman & Intrieri, LLP and since 2004 has primarily focused his practice on representing community associations both as general counsel and in successfully litigating and resolving numerous complex multi-million dollar construction defect claims. Mr. Edgett also regularly advises and assists community association managers and board members on all aspects of management and operations including fiduciary responsibilities, drafting and revising governing documents, vendor contract negotiations, collection matters and enforcement issues. Mr. Edgett has published numerous articles related to common interest development law and community associations and has presented to homeowners and managers at various industry related educational seminars and workshops.
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Mr. Edgett also holds positions as Vice Chair of the Legislative Support Committee for CAI-San Diego, Board Member of ECHO, Chair of the ECHO Southern California Attorney Roundtable and Vice-Chair of ECHO’s Legislative Committee.

Dave Mangini, Esq.

Prior to joining Saarman Construction as General Counsel, David spent twenty years litigating and resolving construction, insurance, and other business disputes – including representation of the company on an outside-counsel basis.

He has extensive trial experience and high regard in the legal community for his courtroom and creative problem-solving skills. David is an avid participant in the homeowners association community, having represented associations exclusively 2010-2020. For the ten years prior, he represented developers, general contractors, architects, engineers, and specialty manufacturers. He is a certified mediator and volunteers as a temporary judge in both San Francisco and Marin County Superior Courts. David is a proud fourth-generation San Franciscan.

Bill Mann

Bill Mann began his career in 1979, working in Real estate Development, then later Banking and eventually HOA reconstruction. Currently, Bill is the President at The GB Group, a full-service construction company offering construction and consulting services throughout Northern California and Nevada.

His vast experience and education have deemed Bill Mann a recognized expert in Community Association Construction, finance and operations.

Wendy M. Miller

Wendy M. Miller has spent the majority of her life within the occupied building space, serving boards of directors, homeowners, property owners and tenants. Having the benefit of one set of parents that worked in the banking industry and another set that owned a community management company, Wendy had the benefit of working in both; she worked in her family’s management company from her early teens, where she learned every facet of the business over the course of a decade, as well as worked at various positions within Wells Fargo when away at college. After receiving her Bachelors of Science from UC Davis in Managerial Economics, Wendy decided to pass on a more conservative business banking roll, for a portfolio management position within the family business. Within a few years, Wendy was promoted to a Senior Manager in charge of training new managers, as well as overseeing homeowner associations dealing with the construction defect process, which was how she got her start in the construction defect world.

After having a family of her own, Wendy elected to work part-time as a consultant for the now nationally owned management company, and transitioned her specialty of managing complex communities undergoing construction defect litigation and reconstruction to working for what would become the largest construction defect general contractor in California. Working in marketing, sales and client development, while supporting the construction defect team, Wendy spent the next decade balancing her career and her family. Upon her return to the workforce full time, as an expert in her own right, Wendy expanded her career by becoming the first female National Account Manager in an international paint manufacturer’s long-standing history.
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With her extensive history in the Community Association & Multifamily Residential Housing, Wendy has combined her knowledge in both property management and construction to successfully immerse herself into the construction defect world and provide multifaceted support to the general construction industry, including assisting legal teams on the construction defect process, when necessary. She has a unique understanding of what is needed throughout the defect process, is actively involved in each case and provides valuable contributions during the investigative, litigation, settlement and post-settlement phases of construction defect cases and is still actively involved in sales, marketing, and client relationship management. After traveling the country representing paint and coatings, she returned to her construction roots by becoming an in-house construction expert for a construction defect law firm, which she remained a consultant for until November of 2021. Currently, as a Vice President for AWT Construction Inc, Wendy’s vast skill set allows her to serve the company in a broad, multi-faceted capacity. She has been integral in the research and development of many new construction practices, oversees multiple divisions and acts as a mentor for all project coordinators with the company.

Dave Miller, Bolton & Company

Dave Miller is a Sr. Vice President of Bolton Co., and IMA Company, whose mission is to be the business resource that that their insurance clients count on for expert perspective in their specialized fields. Dave exemplifies all that Bolton believes their brokers should be... passionate, knowledgeable, and constantly improving.

Dave joined Bolton in 2014 with many years of experience in the insurance industry. Dave is one of our Construction Risk Management Specialists, with a focus on the entire building envelope and a dedication to safety. Dave came to us from Merrill Lynch, where he began his career after graduating from the University of Puget Sound, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psycologuy. He progressed from Operations Controller in 1999 to become Operations Supervisor in 2001. In this capacity, he was responsible for the growth and development of the department, and was subsequently promoted to Director of Internal Audit Preparations. Focusing mainly on his construction practice over the past decade, Dave has built upon his expertise by becoming actively involved in each of his clients' varying specialties and consistently works to expand his knowledge with many industry trade organizations and educational opportunities. Dave sits on the Board for Westcon, is actively involved in many committees for CAI, is a former Board member of HIF, and has mentored many newer construction practice insurance specialists over the years.

​​​​​​​Outside of work, Dave is a competitive soccer player, sports fan, and dedicated family man.

Teresa Powell

Ms. Powell is one of five Executive Vice Presidents at Heritage Bank of Commerce. HBC is a $5 Billion commercial bank in the Bay Area. Ms. Powell is a highly experienced banker of over 40 years, who has spent her entire career in the Santa Clara Valley. Teresa has deep banking knowledge which includes bank operations, treasury services and specialty deposit products/services.

​​​​​​​Teresa has created, built, directed & served the HOA Specialty Banking market with her team at a few banks. She is the Executive Vice President driving the growth and technological expansion of HOA Specialty Banking at Heritage Bank of Commerce. As a member of CACM, CAI, ECHO she is a dedicated resource for them along with other partners in the industry such as Levy, Erlanger & Co. Teresa is active in the community and serves on the boards of West San Jose Kiwanis, Abode Services, and Santa Clara Monterey Bay Council Boy Scouts of America.

Tim Stauffer, S.E.

Tim Stauffer is the Senior Structural Engineer at the AVELAR firm with over 25 years of experience in building design and construction product development. He assists the litigation team with forensic investigations and analysis, development of scopes of repair, and engineering solutions, as well as the preparation of structural design for a variety of complex repairs and new construction projects. He specializes in wood-frame construction and has also designed with a variety of construction materials for a myriad of commercial, industrial, institutional, and residential projects, including a heavy focus on Homeowner Associations. His extensive product development experience includes lateral system, wood connector, and cold-formed steel connector products. As a designer, Tim has completed projects that utilize structural steel, reinforced concrete, wood-frame construction, and structural masonry.
Tim, motivated by his love of architecture and home design, started his own practice, focusing on custom residential design then eventually joined Simpson Strong-Tie where he led the development of over 35 structural connector products. Many of these products have been granted patents and include first-in-the-industry features, testing, and applications. He also initiated and managed an Innovation Team within the Engineering Department that successfully accelerated product development, facilitated new business ideas, and inspired creative thinking and innovation among staff.

Mr. Stauffer studied Architectural Engineering at Penn State University receiving his Bachelor degree and received his Master degree in Civil Engineering at University of California, Berkeley.