Denise L. Richards, PE
Partner
Denise has over 20 years of industry experience, 14 of those with Keast &Hood, which she joined in 2005. At Keast& Hood, Denise leads a number of the firm’s higher institution projects. Denise is a founding member of the Delaware Valley Association of Structural Engineers’ Women in Structural Engineering (WiSE) Committee, and is co-founder of the DVASE Sustainable Design Committee. Additionally, she has just joined the NCSEA National Sustainable Design Committee. Denise is a Board Member of the Community Design Collaborative, serves on the Philadelphia AIA COTE Policy & Advocacy Committee and is an active mentor with the ACE Mentor Program Eastern Pennsylvania Affiliate.
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John R. Davis, PE
Partner
John Davis has over 20 years of structural engineering experience. Since joining Keast & Hood in 1998, John has achieved award-winning results on structural challenges for buildings both new and old. He is a member of the Association for Preservation Technology; American Institute of Steel Construction; past president of the Delaware Valley Association of Structural Engineers; an adjunct faculty member at Delaware Technical & Community College; and the Chairperson for the New Castle County, DE, Historic Review Board.
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Frederick C. Baumert, PE, CCS
Senior Principal
Frederick C. Baumert, PE, CCS, joined Keast & Hood in 1980 after graduating from the Pennsylvania State University with a B.S. in Civil Engineering. He earned an M.S. in Civil Engineering from Drexel University and was named a principal in 1989. A legacy member of the firm, Fred’s father is former principal Carl Baumert, Jr., PE, who practiced with KH from 1958-2014. Fred’s keen ability to see through project complexities, his calm under pressure, and his ability to articulate and resolve problems have made him a valued contributor during the firm’s recent decades and to some of its most significant new and historic work. Practical and pragmatic, Fred listens and communicates well, making him a go-to resource for teammates and clients. He’s equally willing to share his knowledge and experience with younger engineers as he is to ascend the top of Billy Penn’s hat on Philadelphia City Hall. Among his many professional involvements, Fred sits on the buildings and grounds committee at Bryn Mawr College, where his owner’s perspective informs his daily engineering work with issues of operating efficiency, serviceability, and life-cycle costs.
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Constantine (Dean) Doukakis, PE
Senior Principal
Constantine (Dean) G. Doukakis, PE, leads by example, with an exceptional work ethic, confidence, and attention to detail. He joined Keast & Hood in 1986 and was named a principal in 1989. Dean uses his depth of experience to see beyond immediate engineering issues and understand larger implications of any project. He thinks not only in structural terms of how to address problems, but is mindful of the perspectives of owners and architects. Dean’s focus on relationships and the vested interests of all have made him a valued partner to many long-term clients. His eye for detail makes him a favorite of design-oriented architects for complex institutional projects, where creativity and economy are delicately balanced. A firm but patient teacher and mentor, Dean guides staff in the office and serves as an adjunct faculty for the Department of Construction Management, College of Engineering, at Drexel University, where he earned B.S. and M.S. in Civil Engineering degrees in 1981 and 1988. He also serves on the advisory board for the Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering department at Drexel. Dean’s extensive professional involvement includes past presidencies of the Delaware Valley Association of Structural Engineers and the Carpenters’ Company of the City and County of Philadelphia.
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Thomas J. Normile, PE
Senior Principal
Thomas J. Normile, PE, delves into the engineering principles that underlie each design. He analyzes code, researches options, and brings his own structural creativity to any challenge. In doing so, he elicits solutions that are simple, elegant, and effective. Since joining Keast & Hood in 1996, Tom has become known for his thoughtfulness, communication skills, and strong mentoring. He is equally fervent about working as part of a team as he is in developing responsive structural designs. Tom earned a B.S. in Civil Engineering degree from the University of Pennsylvania and, prior to Keast & Hood, held structural engineering positions both domestically and abroad. An active participant in the local design and construction community, Tom maintains involvement with the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Institute of Architects and sits on the Design on the Delaware steering committee. He has served as president of the Delaware Valley Chapter of the American Concrete Institute, director of the Delaware Valley Association of Structural Engineers, and treasurer of the Carpenters’ Company of the City and County of Philadelphia.
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Patrick T. Fair, PE, CDT
Associate
Patrick T. Fair, PE, CDT, has over 20 years of experience in structural engineering for buildings. Since joining Keast & Hood in 1999, he has worked on some of the firm’s higher profile projects wherein both his design and organizational skills have shone brightly. He was promoted to Associate in 2006. Whether the medium is concrete, steel, masonry or wood, Patrick sculpts structures to meet the most demanding designs. He is proficient at incorporating challenging designs into difficult terrain, and at converting structures for new uses. In addition to his project work, Patrick serves as Director of Technology, managing the firm’s analysis, design, and drafting programs, setting company standards for the presentation of drawing information, monitoring advancements in BIM and CAD technology, and working with IT to optimize performance of our cloud computing program. He earned a Bachelor of Architectural Engineering degree from The Pennsylvania State University in 1988. He is registered in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Virginia, and is a member of the Masonry Society and the Delaware Valley Association of Structural Engineers.
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Brian D. Wentz, PE, CDT
Director of Historic Preservation
Brian has over 25 years of structural engineering experience. A member of Keast & Hood since 1993 and a project manager since 2006. In 2018, he was promoted to the Associate level and named Director of Historic Preservation. Brian is a master at revitalizing old buildings and has worked on the firm’s most sensitive historic projects including the highly acclaimed Longwood Gardens Main Fountain Garden Restoration, Christ Church Philadelphia, Richard’s Medical Labs, and Hill College House Renovation for the University of Pennsylvania. Wentz holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the Pennsylvania State University and is a CSI Construction Documents Technologist. He is a member of the Association for Preservation Technology International and its Delaware Valley Chapter. He is a former board member of both the Association for Preservation Technology International Board and Delaware Valley Chapter Board.
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Allison L. Lukachik, PE, SE, CDT
Associate
Allison joined Keast & Hood in July 2012 and has 15 years of professional engineering experience. She has managed structural design for a variety of projects and creatively adapts to complex challenges. High quality institutional projects comprise a significant portion of Allison’s portfolio. Examples include Wharton Academic Research Building currently in construction, the Student Commons Building for the Shipley School, and the recently completed Perelman Center for Political Science and Economics at the University of Pennsylvania. Lukachik holds a B.S. in Architectural Engineering and a M.S. in Civil Engineering from Drexel University, an M.B.A., in Business Management from Temple University, and is a CSI Construction Documents Technologist. She is a member of the Delaware Valley Association of Structural Engineers, the Association for Preservation Technology, Delaware Valley Chapter, and a Founding Member and the Record Keeper for the Delaware Valley Association of Structural Engineers, Women in Structural Engineering (WiSE) Committee. Allison is also an Adjunct Professor at Drexel University College of Engineering, Construction Management.
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Christian J. Kronenwetter, PE
Associate
Christian has 16 years of professional experience in structural engineering. He has been responsible for the structural design of institutional and science research projects from schematics through construction. Since joining Keast & Hood in 2007, Christian has participated on several significant projects, including serving as the project manager for the new construction of both 3737 and 3675 Market Street at the University City Science Center. His design and problem solving skills are utilized on both new construction and sensitive additions to cultural buildings, such as the Mercer Museum addition and the mid-block insertion of Lenfest Hall for the Curtis Institute of Music. Christian holds a Bachelor of Science from Drexel University in Architectural Engineering. He is a member of the American Institute of Steel Construction, serves as Treasurer on the Delaware Valley Association of Structural Engineers Board, and is a past ACE Eastern PA Mentor.
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Amelia E. Popovic
Marketing Director
Amelia manages the firm’s Marketing and Communications efforts. She is an adjunct faculty member at Thomas Jefferson University and serves as a board member of Historic RittenhouseTown, as well as past SMPS Philadelphia Board Member and Co-Chair of the Young Friends of the Preservation Alliance.
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