As the Vice President of VDC, Innovation, and Operational Technology, Russ oversees Brasield & Gorrie's Virtual Design + Construction and Innovation Departments, service as a thought leader and mentor while managing the use of our innovation- and construction-related technologies. He's naturally curious, and he collects and shares forward-thinking ideas from across the company for the benefit of the entire workforce. Russ also works with personnel at all levels to understand their daily needs and develop creative solutions to streamline those day-to-day processes, often introducing inventive methods that become standard practice.
Alex Goryachev is a globally recognized technology operations executive, a Wall Street Journal Bestselling author of "Fearless Innovation," and an expert in advancing innovation culture and monetizing new technology. With over 20 years of experience in the digital transformation industry, he has successfully commercialized emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and
others, turning disruptive concepts into ecosystem-centric business operating models.
As the former General Manager of Global Innovation Centers and Managing Director of Innovation Strategy at Cisco, a $50B technology giant, Alex pioneered the concept of ecosystem co-innovation. He created and led a global network of emerging technology innovation centers in North and South America, Europe,
Middle East, and Asia Pacific, unifying and advancing strategic co-innovation partnerships and advanced technology programs with internal and external customers, partners, developers, academia, and governments.
In addition to his senior leadership roles in the Office of the Chief Architect and Technology Officer, Emerging Technology Group, and Corporate Development, Alex created award-winning employee
innovation and development offerings, providing ~70,000 employees with meaningful opportunities to innovate, regardless of their grade or function. His extensive track record includes building and leading global cross-industry business and technology teams, focused on revenue and market share growth,
customer acquisition, and profitability through new digital products and offerings.
Today, Alex is an Innovator-in-Residence at the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Tulane University, and a Technical Advisory Group member in the International Standards Association (ISO),
defining global common standards for Innovation Management. He is a regular contributor to Forbes, Entrepreneur, and Chief Executive Magazine, and an Editorial Advisory Board Member for Innovation Leader Magazine.
Alex has received numerous industry awards for innovation and culture transformation and is a
sought-after expert who shares his knowledge and experience with diverse audiences, from startups to Fortune 500 companies. He equips Senior Leaders, as well as HR, Operations, Strategy & Planning teams with pragmatic and actionable steps to understand and accelerate technology adoption, optimize
processes, change culture, and turn any organization into an evergreen innovation machine.
Alex Goryachev is a dynamic, engaging keynote speaker and workshop facilitator, with a wealth of experience in technology and innovation. He has delivered 257+ speaking engagements and workshops on 4 continents. Alex's candid, thought-provoking, yet entertaining speeches and workshops demystify innovation, and encourage the audience to re-think corporate norms to survive, grow and prosper. Alex masterfully combines best industry practices with his own international startup and corporate experience, equipping the audience with actionable steps that can change the culture and turn any organization into an
innovation machine.
Josh Laney serves as the first director of the Alabama Office of Apprenticeship (AOA). In this role, Mr. Laney partners with industries and education providers across Alabama to develop and expand registered apprenticeships and other forms of work-based learning for youth and adults. Mr. Laney also leads the AOA’s support of Alabama’s workforce development infrastructure by promoting the use of credentials of value and connecting citizens to in-demand occupations.
Mr. Laney is a graduate of Auburn and Troy Universities and resides on his family farm in Russell County.
Jake is a Senior Innovation Specialist at Brasfield & Gorrie. After graduating from Auburn University with a bachelor's in Civil Engineering, Jake gained industry experience in preconstruction, project management, and Virtual Design + Construction (VDC). This diverse background allowed him to develop a unique perspective on the interplay between technology and traditional construction practices. Today, Jake focuses on custom software development, creating cutting-edge in-house tools for Building Information Modeling (BIM) and other construction technologies.
Always on the lookout for new advancements, Jake is responsible for evaluating and integrating emerging technology into B&G's construction processes. His forward-thinking approach and dedication to innovation ensure that Brasfield & Gorrie remains on the cutting edge of the construction industry.
Herb is the Client Services Manager for HazTek Safety Management. Herb earned his Masters of Science in Safety and Health Management and has a diversified background in the field of occupational health and safety, starting his career with DuPont and then working for OSHA, before starting his own Safety Services Company. Herb joined forces with HazTek Safety Management in 2012. His main focus is interacting with the Member Organizations and fostering relationships with the HazTek Client Base and getting out in the field conducting training and field assessments. Herb has over 50 years of experience as a safety professional demonstrating competency in the fields of occupational health and safety, industrial hygiene, hazardous waste management, and construction and general industry safety. Herb is an OSHA Authorized 500 Construction and 501General Industry Trainer who has conducted well over 600 training classes, instructing more than 5,500 students in various Construction, General Industry, Environmental and Regulatory Compliance topics. Herb is an SME (Subject Matter Expert) in the following areas: Subpart R (Structural Steel Assembly) and NFPA 70E Arc Flash. Herb is currently one of the Instructors for the International Ironworkers Safety Director Training Course and is a member of several national safety related organizations (ASSP, TAUC, CURT, SCOAR, ABC, GBCA, IMPACT/Ironworkers Safety Roundtable) and attends all of their conferences.
Jennifer is the Vice President of Innovation and Advancement at the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER). Her background includes teaching high school English for 13 years and serving as the acting business manager for six years at the welding and fabrication company she and her husband founded and own.
In her current role at NCCER, Jennifer oversees the innovation process within the organization and identifies and implements strategies, opportunities and technologies that support the mission of NCCER.
She has been with NCCER for over 14 years where she began as one of the project managers overseeing the development and revision of curricula and assessments. From there she moved into the marketing department as the director where she helped cultivate a successful marketing team who won numerous advertising awards and enhanced NCCER’s brand and presence in the construction and maintenance marketplace. She also oversaw the Build Your Future department and together, with her team, they generated renewed interest in the initiative aimed at recruitment and image enhancement. In addition, they launched the first credentialing portal providing veterans with industry-recognized credentials for the training they received while in the military.
Jennifer actively presents about workforce development issues and resources, construction career pathways, industry-education partnerships and recruitment into the construction and maintenance industries.
She holds degrees in English Education and Business Administration.
