Our Team | Fire Tower

Engineers

Ben Brungraber, Ph.D., P.E.

Company co-founder and timber frame visionary with more than forty years of experience in the field, including trend-setting research on mortise and…

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Duncan McElroy, P.E.

After graduating from Dartmouth College in 1991 with a degree in engineering sciences, Duncan immediately caught the timber framing bug while helping…

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Joe Miller, Ph.D., P.E., P.Eng

In 2009, before the ink dried on Joe’s Ph.D., he joined the Fire Tower team, where he will continue his groundbreaking work on keyed beams. Joe’s…

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Aaron Hayes, PE

With a fond love of timber framing and carpentry, as well a strong work ethic passed to him from his Dad, who exposed him to commercial construction…

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Colton Heikkinen, EIT

After graduating from a local high school in the Upper Peninsula, Colton had no idea what he wanted to do for his career. All he knew was he wanted…

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Aaron Olson, PE

Aaron is a born and raised Yooper, from the small town of Mohawk. After interning a few summers with the Keweenaw County Road Commission and…

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Michael Prast, PE

Ever since high school, Michael has had a passion for history and a passion for buildings. The latter brought him to Michigan Technological…

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Jessie Smith, PE

After graduating from the University of Vermont in 2005 Jessie moved to Cape Cod to join a structural engineering firm designing high end residential…

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Support Staff

Lawna Lewis, Accountant

After putting her son through Private School, Lawna spent the first part of her career working in the Independent School Sector. She later…

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Past Notables

Dick Schmidt, Ph.D., P.E. (Retired)

After buying 40 acres outside Laramie, Dick and his wife, Pat, began to consider what style of home they might build. The answer came while…

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How We Work

Leading authorities on pegged mortise and tenon connections and mechanically laminated beams, our team has been responsible for some of the timber frame community’s most impressive projects, while also advancing the science and capabilities of heavy timbers.

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Where We Work

US licenses:
AK, AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, ID, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NC, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, USVI, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY

Canadian licenses:
AB, BC, ON, SK, AND YT