Regulatory Resources LLC
DOT Advisory Board
Welcome to our two newest members of the DOT Advisory Board, Tanarat Potisuk and Xinjun (Sean) Li. We are looking forward to working with Dr. Potisuk and Dr. Li to promote FRPs for infrastructure repair and new construction. Welcome aboard!
Tanarat Potisuk, P.E., S.E., Ph.D.
Oregon DOT
Tanarat Potisuk, P.E., S.E., Ph.D. is the Concrete Bridge Standards Engineer for Oregon Department of Transportation. He is the technical resource for reinforced and prestressed concrete, seismic design, joint and bearing and bridge strengthening. Dr. Potisuk is the chair of AASHTO T-6 FRP Composites and a voting member of T-10 Concrete Design.
Xinjun (Sean) Li, P.E., Ph.D.
Virginia DOT
Sean Li, P.E., Ph.D., is the Concrete Program Manager for the Materials Division of the Virginia Department of Transportation. He joined VDOT in October 2022 after serving as Assistant Division Chief, Concrete Technology Division, Office of Materials Technologies for the Maryland State Highway Administration. Prior to that, Dr. Li worked from 2008 to 2019 as a contract research engineer for the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center, a U.S. Department of Transportation facility located in McLean, Virginia.
Chris Leibrock, P.E.
Kansas DOT
The DOT Advisory Board is pleased to welcome Chris Leibrock to the Board. Chris is Kansas DOT’s Assistant Bureau Chief – Materials Lab. He has more than 10 years of experience working with DOTs and seven years in the consulting industry. Prior to coming to KDOT, Chris worked as a geotechnical consultant for two years. Previously he worked at South Dakota DOT for five years in various roles that included Research, Hydraulics and Geotech. He holds P.E. licenses in Kansas and South Dakota. Chris attended South Dakota School of Mines and Technology where he obtained bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Civil Engineering.
”We are excited to welcome Chris to the DOT Advisory Board and look forward to his input over the coming years,” said Richard Krolewski, Advisory Board facilitator and CEO of the FRP Institute for Civil Infrastructure.
Gregg Blaszak, P.E.
Coastline Composites
Regulatory Resources is proud to welcome Gregg Blaszak, P.E., to the DOT Advisory Council’s team of technical experts. Gregg is a civil/structural engineer with more than 25 years of experience in the design, specification, and construction of fiber reinforced polymers (FRPs) for heavy/civil infrastructure projects. He is the president of Coastline Composites, a well-respected technical sales and consulting firm specializing in developing applications for FRPs in the bridge, marine, rail, tunnel, and waterfront markets. Gregg is a leading expert on the strengthening and retrofit of concrete structures with carbon fiber materials and has chaired a number of industry committees responsible for developing design and construction guidelines. He has authored several technical papers on FRPs.
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Rachel Cano, P.E.
TxDOT Materials and Test Division
Regulatory Resources is pleased to announce that Rachel Cano, P.E. has joined the DOT
Advisory Board. Rachel is an engineer in the Rigid Pavements and Concrete Materials section
of the Materials and Tests Division of TxDOT. She has been with the Department since June
2013 when she took an engineering position in the concrete laboratory.
Rachel manages the material specifications and approved lists for various cementitious and steel products, coordinates project level testing in the concrete and steel laboratories and manages the statewide concrete proficiency program and TxDOT ACI certification activities. Rachel received her B.S. and M.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin in 2011 and 2013. Rachel has been a registered professional engineer in Texas since 2018.
Ryan Koch
Owner, Koch Structural Solutions
Ryan specializes in using fiber reinforced polymers to reinforce new concrete or strengthen
existing concrete structures. Before forming his own company, he spent 15 years as an FRP
applications engineer for Owens Corning Infrastructure Solutions, where he designed and
helped others design concrete members reinforced with glass fiber reinforced polymers
(GFRP) in a safe and economical manner.
He is a licensed professional engineer in the state of Nebraska. Ryan has been published in several peer reviewed ACI publications. He received a MSCE from Montana State University where he researched reinforcing applications using GFRP. He is an active member of ACI 440 committee, where he has worked to develop standards for reinforcing concrete with GFRP rebar. Ryan is also an active participant on the FRP and Sandwich Panel committees of PCI.
Chase Knight, Ph.D., Adds High-Level
Composites Expertise to DOT Board
Regulatory Resources is pleased to announce the addition of Chase Knight, Ph.D., P.E., to our DOT Advisory Board as an Industry/Technical Advisor. Dr. Knight has a doctorate in Industrial Engineering from Florida A&M-Florida State University (FAMU-FSU).
His graduate research focused on composite materials and nano-composite technologies. A leading expert in researching novel materials for composite fire protection and concrete coating for corrosion protection, he has written peer-reviewed articles published in various scientific journals and conference proceedings. Dr. Knight is currently the engineering project manager for the City of Gainesville, Florida.
“To say that this is a great addition to our Board is a huge understatement,” saidRichard Krolewski, Regulatory Resources founder. “During his eight years with theFlorida DOT, Dr. Knight played a key role in the establishment of the FDOT Quality Control Program for approved composite material production facilities. He also led FDOT’s world-class team that provided technical guidance and activities related to corrosion and durability of structural materials. We are honored to add Dr. Knight to our team of experts.”
Rudi Seracino, Ph.D. Joins DOT Board;
Will Assist with Training Development
Regulatory Resources is pleased to announce the addition of Rudolf (Rudi) Seracino as a technical advisor to the DOT Advisory Board. Dr. Seracino is a professor of Structural Engineering and an associate head of the Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering at North Carolina State University. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering from the University of Toronto, Canada, and his Ph.D. in civil engineering from the University of Adelaide, Australia. Dr. Seracino’s primary research interest over the past 20 years is related to the use of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites in
critical civil infrastructure.
He is the director of the NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research Center for Integration of Composites into Infrastructure (CICI) at NC State, and a Fellow of the International Institute for FRP in Construction (IIFC). He is on the editorial board of the ASCE Journal of Composites for Construction and is a voting member of ACI Committee 440 on FRP Reinforcement.
“Dr. Seracino will be instrumental in the development of critical engineering andtraining that will pair with the Regulatory Resources (RR) auditing program,” saidRichard Krolewski, RR founder. “He will also be working with us to create webinar andother training resources. We are excited to add his enormous expertise to our Boardand look forward to working with him.”
Xavier Seynave Brings Experience in
Composites to DOT Advisory Board
Welcome to Xavier Seynave, quality and environment director at Pultrall. Xavier brings deep experience to the DOT Board of Directors as a technical advisor. A mechanical engineer with a specialization in composite materials, he has held positions of project manager (7 years), quality director (12 years) and environment manager (5 years) for Pultrall.
He holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and IATF 16943 certifications and is a voting member of ACI 440 and ASTM D30.10 committees. He is also a voting member of CAA S807 (material specifications and test methods).
“We are excited to add Xavier’s expertise to our Board and looking forward to working with him to develop our third-party certification program for FRPs,” said Richard Krolewski, Regulatory Resources founder.
Matt Kero Joins DOT Board
As Technical Advisor
Matt Kero, vice president of Engineering with Neuvokas, joins the DOT Advisory Board as a technical advisor. Based in Upper Michigan, Neuvokas manufactures GatorBar, a composite rebar that is stronger than steel, lighter than steel, and it can never corrode.
Matt is a mechanical engineer who graduated from Michigan Tech in 2006. He has
more than 15 years of product and process development experience with a focus on
new products and new markets. Matt is member of the ACI and is active in the 440 committee and he is a member of the ASTM and is active in the D30 composites committee.
"We are exited to add Matt's expertise to the Board as a technical advisor," said Richard Krolewski. "He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience and will be an important contributor as we continue to build momentum for composite reinforcement in the industry."
Kelley Severns Joins DOT Advisory Board
As Technical Advisor
Kelley Severns, P.E., PMP, has joined the DOT Advisory Board as a technical advisor. A bridge design engineer and program manager for bridges and structures, Kelley has more than 20 years of experience in transportation engineering. She is currently authoring case studies and performing technical research and writing for AASHTO’s Center for Environmental Excellence-Environmental Technical Assistance Program (ETAP) and the National Operations Center of Excellence (NoCE).
“Kelley brings to the DOT Board a deep knowledge of transportation engineering and strong project management skills,” said Richard Krolewski, Regulatory Resources founder. “We’re excited that she has agreed to join us in our mission to promote FRP reinforcement for the next generation of infrastructure in North America.”
Paul Q. Lukkarila Adds Caltrans Expertise to DOT Advisory Board
A veteran of 33 years with the California DOT, Paul Q. Lukkarila brings a wealth of experience to the DOT Advisory Board. Paul has longtime leadership in bridge structures, involving major rehabilitation, emergency demolition, new alignment, widenings and four level interchanges projects.
He has also worked in structures maintenance performing bridge evaluation, emergency repair, critical inspections. He is currently a Branch Chief of an A2LA :1SO/IEC 17025 accredited lab for mechanical testing of rubber, steel, fasteners, prestessing strand, epoxy coatings, and metallography. Paul has certificates in Project Management, PCI Level I & II, ACI and a voting member for NTPEP reinforcing steel.
Adam Sander Added to Board Roster
Adam Sander, has joined the DOT Advisory Board as an industry advisor. Adam is the Plant Manager at TUF-BAR Inc. Fiberglass Rebar. Adam has a degree in industrial systems Engineering and his background includes more than 10 years in the manufacturing, civil construction, and inspection industries, including working with pultrusion equipment design, facility planning, and FRP industry research and development.
Adam is active in developing domestic and international material standards, participating in the CSA S807 and ASTM committees for FRP and as a member of the American Composites Manufactures Association (ACMA). He is also involved internationally with government and DOT networks to advise on input on quality programs and plant acceptance criteria.
Lea Perrino, P.E. Joins DOT Board
The DOT Advisory Board welcomes Lea Perrino, P.E., a civil engineering graduate from the University of Florida, as an Industry Advisor. Lea is the Sales Representative for Tokyo Rope USA. Lea's focus is sales and implementation of CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced polymer) prestressing strands for the precast industry.
Lea works with design engineers and DOTs to promote the benefits of specifying CFRP to extend the life of infrastructure with long-lasting CFRP prestressing strands. She works with precasters to integrate CFRP into their processes.
Joseph Stilwell joins DOT Advisory Board
The DOT Advisory Board welcomes Joseph Stilwell, P.E., fabrication engineer with the Maine DOT. Joe is a mechanical engineering graduate from the University of Maine with a P.E. in civil engineering. Joe’s background at MaineDOT is in bridge construction, structural design, and project management. As structural designer, he actively worked with composites and developed (in conjunction with Kenway Composite) an FRP Pile wrap system for making in-service repairs to pipe file that doesn't need annular grout.
In his current position, Joe oversees the construction of all prefabricated structures and components for Maine DOT, which uses composites for pipe piles, bridge drains, bridge structures, rebar, and repair items. Recently, he developed performance qualifications for GFRP use at MaineDOT and worked with the University of Maine TIDC to develop a QA program for structural composites. He oversees the fabrication of MaineDOT’s composite elements, including the first-of-its-kind composite tub girder bridge.
Joe is a steering committee member of AASHTOs’ National Transportation Product Evaluation Program, a member of COMP TS-3b (Fresh Concrete) and TS-4f (Metals), and provides composites fabrication guidance to the vice-chair of T-6 (FRP Composites). He is an ACMA-certified composites technician-VIP.
Mission of the DOT Advisory Board
The DOT Advisory Board is an all-volunteer group with one mission: to advance the adoption of new technology within the DOTs through open communication among producers, certification programs, project owners and technology providers.
The Advisory Board is facilitated by Richard Krolewski, founder of Regulatory Resources LLC, as a pro bono service on behalf of the DOTs. The Advisory Board will work to achieve our mission through the following practices:
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Sharing of information on new technology
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Communication of best practices among members
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Work toward standardization of material acceptance practices
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Advocacy of technologies that will facilitate more efficient data sharing and data transfer
The DOT Advisory Board welcomes input from all stakeholders. For more information, please contact Richard Krolewski at 317.603.5380.
DOT Advisory Board
W. Cabell Garbee II, P.E., chairman
Manufactured Products Engineer
Materials and Tests Unit
North Carolina Department of Transportation
Rachel Cano, P.E.
Rigid Pavements and Concrete Materials
Materials and Tests Division
Texas Department of Transportation
Christopher T. Gale PCI III, CCT 3
Materials Manager – Nice Middleton Bridge
Maryland Transportation Authority
Richard Giessel, P.E.
State Quality Assurance Engineer
Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities
Sean Li, P.E., Ph.D.
Concrete Program Manager, Materials Division
Virginia Department of Transportation
Chris Leibrock, P.E.
Assistant Bureau Chief – Materials Lab
Kansas Department of Transportation
Paul Q. Lukkarila, P.E.
Senior Bridge Engineer
California Department of Transportion (Caltrans))
M. Jason Mellons, P.E.
Concrete & Aggregate Engineer
Tennessee Department of Transportation
Dan Miller, P.E.
Cement and Concrete Engineer
ODOT Office of Materials Management
Steven Nolan, P.E.
Advanced Materials for Structural Durability & Resiliency, State Structures Design Office
Florida Department of Transportation
Tanarat Potisuk, P.E., S.E., Ph.D.
Concrete Bridge Standards Engineer
Oregon Department of Transportation
Heather Purdy Hall, P.E.
Assistant Director, Materials & Tests Division
Tennessee Department of Transportation
Joseph Stilwell, P.E.
Fabrication Engineer
MaineDOT-Bridge Program
Walter Taylor, P.E.
Assistant State Project Review Engineer
Georgia Department of Transportation
Richard Krolewski, facilitator
Federal Lobbyist & Consultant
Regulatory Resources LLC
INDUSTRY/TECHNICAL ADVISORS
Gregg Blaszak, P.E.
President
Coastline Composites
Matt Kero
Vice President of Engineering
Neuvokas/GatorBar
Chase Knight, Ph.D., P.E.
Engineering Project Manager
City of Gainesville, Florida
Lea Perrino, P.E.
Civil Engineer/Sales Representative
Tokyo Rope USA
Adam Sander, EIT
Plant and Engineering Manager
TUF-BAR Inc.
Kelley Severns, P.E., PMP
Transportation Engineer
Old Hickory, Tennessee
Rudolf (Rudi) Seracino, Ph.D.
Associate Head of the Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering
North Carolina State University
Xavier Seynave
Quality and Environment Director
Pultrall
Joe Sorensen
Process Engineer
Strongwell
Process
DOT Acceptance Letter
DOT Advisory Board Application
DOT Letter of Support