Vidaris affiliate, LPI, Inc., a leading engineering consulting firm specializing in fitness for service, operability assessment, root cause failure, metallurgical analysis and nondestructive testing, announced the opening of its Midwest office, located in Chicago. William Bast will lead the practice as Regional Director, joining the nationally renowned team of consultants advising clients across a variety of market segments including infrastructure, transportation, nuclear power, utilities, general industrial, as well as litigation and insurance support.
Bast, a Professional Engineer in 12 states and a licensed Structural Engineer in Illinois,
has an extensive background consulting for owners, building managers, architects, contractors, and attorneys in the Chicago market. With over 34 years of structural engineering, forensics, and building envelope experience, he is a seasoned leader within the construction and real estate industries. His reputation as the “go-to” structural engineer and pragmatic consultant has won him praise in the community. His past achievements and imprint on more than 1,500 building projects, in addition to his testimony being recorded in over 50 dispute resolution and litigation cases, exemplifies his skillset.
“I am very pleased to join the team at LPI and lead the growth for its new office in Chicago. Having been in this market for over 30 years, I realize the great opportunities for the Company that lie here, and I am excited to leverage my network and experience to drive the Company’s expansion,” said Bast.
“We are very excited about the opportunity to grow in the Midwest,” stated Robert Vecchio, CEO, “LPI has a long and proud history, and with Bill leading us in Chicago, we will continue to have a bright future. He is uniquely qualified and well respected; it is his understanding of the entire process that our clients demand and appreciate.”
Bast joins the firm after 22 years as Principal at Thornton Tomasetti. He is an active member of several professional societies, including the National Council of Structural Engineers Associations (NCSEA), Structural Engineers Association of Illinois (SEAOI) and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). He received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Civil Engineering from Lehigh University in 1979 and 1983, respectively.
With the opening of the Chicago office and Bast’s hire, LPI employs approximately 55 professionals across 8 offices, with headquarters in New York, NY. Including LPI’s network of affiliate companies – Vidaris, CBI Consulting, C2G International, Synergen Consulting International, David Pattillo & Associates (DPA), and Construction Project Analytics Group (CPAG) – all of which are part of the SOCOTEC Group – the Company has over 300 highly regarded professionals in 19 offices providing solutions within six closely-integrated services: building envelope, energy efficiency and sustainability, dispute resolution, project advisory, code compliance and specialty engineering.
LPI’s new Chicago office is located at 1 East Wacker, 27th Floor, Chicago, IL 60601 [Tel.: +1 773 943 7355].
About LPI, Inc.
LPI, Inc. was established in New York City in 1885 to provide services to a fast-evolving industrial nation. LPI's expertise in problem solving is built upon the knowledge of its staff in differing engineering and scientific disciplines, grouped into distinct engineering specializations: failure analysis, fitness for service and NDE engineering, and its ability to integrate that knowledge. LPI is led by principals Robert Vecchio, Paul Bruck, Sontra Yim, Amaya Bleiman, Joseph Crosson, and Thomas Esselman.
www.lpiny.com
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