Building Codes Consultants: 21

Retail Expert Witness Corp is a multi disciplined retail store planning company. With over 30 years of experience, they have elevated their reputation to among the most respected and acclaimed Store Planning Firms in the United States.

Consulting Expertise Includes:

Founder, Jerry Birnbach, FISP, Associate AIA, is an award winning Retail Designer of Stores and Displays. He has 40 years of exclusive retail consulting with Americas largest retailers and product vendors. Mr. Birnbach is listed as a Top 40 Retail Industry Leader. He is considered an Expert on all things Retail. 

Industry magazines have recognized Jerry Birnbach and Associates as a top 50 Retail Design Firm. They have received VMSD for best specialty store design award for successories, the POPAI award for the best display design for Revlon sunglasses, the DDI Global Shop Magellan award for marketing and graphic design, and the IMRA Best Trade Booth Design award.

Mr. Birnbach served as a Partner at RDD Associates Inc., designing high profile prototype stores and departments for Walmart, Macy's Target, Crayola, Ringling Bros., Fleet Center Arena, Conair, DKNY, XOXO, and Mizrachi. He has complete knowledge from construction to grand opening and every aspect of retailing in between.

View Jerry Birnbach's Expert Witness Profile.

Rieser Building Group is a leading builder, engineer, architect, and forensic team with over 25 years of experience in management, design, and construction of over 4,000 units. These units range from custom homes, commercial buildings, and developments, to public works like Caltrans and BART construction, and roadway improvements (over 500 miles). With a full breadth of professional development services, they manage all aspects of a project, from entitlements to design to warranty.

Building Services - Design in-house, or, as licensed engineering and construction professionals, Rieser Building Group can manage an outside team of architects, civil engineers, structural engineers, and landscape architects.

Engineering and Design Services - Spearheaded by a professional Engineering & Architectural team, Rieser provides innovative designs and timely approvals in custom homes, commercial buildings, apartments, large developments, structures, topo-mapping, hydraulics, traffic engineering, and transportation engineering.

Development Services - Developing single custom-built home or a multiphase project, Rieser will expedite the development process, establish a joint venture to share costs, or purchase the project. In addition to flexible management, they conduct property feasibility studies to calculate the right mix of homes and maximize ROI. 

Mark E. Rieser, II, MS, PE, AIA, GBC, GEC, has over 30 years of experience in the Construction and Building Design industry. He provides his clients with a comprehensive knowledge of Construction Technology and Construction Standards of Professional Practice. Background Experience - President of an active Design / Build company, Mr. Rieser has managed, designed, and constructed over 4,000 units to include high-rise, single family homes, condominiums, townhomes, podiums, apartments, and commercial buildings, His experience includes construction, management, and design of over 500 miles of asphalt and roadway improvements, tunnels, San Francisco Airport, Santa Clara Light Rail, Southern Pacific Railroad, Caltrain, and BART. Mr. Rieser has an insightful understanding of Civil / Structural Engineering, Soil Engineering, Transportation / Traffic Engineering, Hydraulic Engineering, Architectural Design, Asphalt Design, Cost Estimation, Public Works Design Bidding and Estimation, General Engineering, General Building, and an Accident Reconstruction expert.

View Mark Rieser's Expert Witness Profile.

Sunset Consultants is an Architectural and Engineering Management firm that provides professional strategic planning and management consulting services for various entities, including those that need help with planning or architectural projects. Sunset's clients include well-established design firms and new professionals learning the basics of running an independent business. Sunset provides the following services:

Principal, David J. Brotman, FAIA, is an accomplished Senior Executive with a proven career and solid experience in all aspects of Architectural and Engineering Firm Management. Mr. Brotman's skills include all facets of Architectural Practice. His worldwide, multi-million dollar project experience includes retail, office, hotel, institutional, and mixed-use. 

Mr. Brotman has a successful track record and expert qualifications in improving quality of work, market share, delivering strong revenue, and profit gains. His experience encompasses start-up, turnaround, high-growth, and multi-national operations. David Brotman holds a reputation among colleagues, subordinates, and associates for creative imagination, vision, team building, and leadership skills. He specializes in envisioning an end-result, then leading a management team to realize that result with marked improvements along the way.

 View David Brotman's Expert Witness Profile.

Dale Wheeler is licensed in Fire Protection and Safety Engineering, and is certified in Basic Code Enforcement / Building Inspection by the Building Officials and Code Administrators (BOCA). He is published on fire safety in Atrium Buildings and in Exhibition Halls. Mr. Wheeler's Areas of Expertise include:

• Fire Protection System Design, installation and operation:
  - Fire detection
  - Smoke detection
  - Fire alarm
  - Central Station
  - Sprinkler systems
  - Fire suppression systems
  - Smoke control
• Fire and Smoke Barriers
• Building Code, Life Safety Code, and Fire Code Compliance
• Fire Hazard, Building Materials, Fire Resistance Ratings
• Fire Cause and Origin
• Arson
• Means of egress, egress signage, emergency lighting
• Forensic Fire and Fire Systems Investigation

Ronald Tyson is a Building and Premises Expert in the construction business for over 45 years.  He has years of hands on experience in the individual trades as a tradesman, subcontractor and general contractor.  

Mr. Tyson has been a Michigan licensed builder since 1967 and has functioned as a general contractor and provided supervisory tasks for Tyson Enterprises, Incorporated and other contractors on all types of industrial, public, commercial and residential construction projects since 1963. He is a member of numerous building code and standard authorities, including but not limited to IBC [BOCA, UBC] NFPA, IAEI, NAHB, etc.

Mr. Tyson's experience and expertise can help clients with contracts, safety, and other obligations as they may affect project control of contractors and/or project managers.  He can advise on the duties in new and remodeling construction and maintenance required by the premises owner.

Litigation Support - Mr. Tyson has served the legal community as a Construction Expert Witness for 35 years. He has worked for both plaintiff and defendant attorneys. He is available to perform onsite inspections, research, review litigation matters, makes drawings, interview litigants, and provides evidence for court, including correct building code and life safety statutes and standards as they may affect personal injury claims, construction, contracts, etc. and causation.  Mr. Tyson has never been disqualified in over 200 times in court.

Areas of Expertise:

Jeffrey Phillip Weinstein, AIA, a California licensed Architect and Construction Project Manager since 1982, with a Masters Degree in Real Estate Development from USC, is actively involved with development, design and construction management. Mr. Weinstein provides preconstruction (entitlements, plans, permits) through on-site construction administration services (change order analysis, cost evaluation) on a wide range of building types. 

Expertise: Mr. Weinstein has extensive experience in real estate development, acquiring government approvals, entitlements and permits, architect's standard of care, construction management, claims & defects, and A/E/C agreements. His expertise includes scope of services and design fees, zoning and building codes, errors/omissions, construction defects, destructive testing and repairs. 

Previous positions include Director of Operations, Preconstruction Director, Senior Project Manager, Construction Manager and Administrator for Nadel and Callison Architects, Tishman Construction, Trammel Crow Company, California State University and Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital.

 Project Experience: Mr. Weinstein's project experience includes high-rise residential and mixed-use developments, multi-family residential podium-type apartments and condominiums, retail, big box, neighborhood shopping centers and regional malls, corporate and tenant improvements, hospitality including wineries and breweries, themed resorts and casinos, K-12 and university buildings, hospitals and medical facilities, custom and production homes. 

Professional Licenses / Certifications / Affiliations:

• California Registered Architect, License #12822
• AIA Certified in Construction Management, Contract Administration and Specifications
• Member, American Institute of Architects, Urban Land Institute, Construction Specification Institute
• Member, North Santa Barbara County Board of Architectural Review

Professional Services Include:

• Architectural, Engineering and Construction (A/E/C) Project Management
• Owner’s Representative / Real Estate Development / LEED Design-Build
• Director of Operations and Pre-Construction Services / Construction Administrator
• Forensic Architect / Construction Expert Witness

View Jeffrey Weinstein's Expert Witness Profile.