INNOVATIVE APPLIED SOLUTIONS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Partner and Co - Founder of Tillery Capital
- Professional Engineer
In 2000, Jim founded and became President and CEO of Buck Engineering, an environmental engineering and consulting firm. The firm's focus was on stream and wetland mitigation, transportation planning, and environmental document preparation. Jim managed the rapid growth of the company and in 2005 and 2006 Buck Engineering was named to Inc. Magazine's list of the fastest growing 500 companies in the U.S. In 2004, Mr. Buck co-founded Riverworks, Inc., an environmental construction company, providing construction services that were complimentary to the engineering work performed at Buck Engineering. In April 2006, upon successfully growing Buck Engineering, the company was sold to Michael Baker Jr., Inc., a publicly traded, 4,500 person national engineering firm. In October 2006, Riverworks was sold to a strategic buyer.
Prior to founding Buck Engineering, Jim held several executive positions with an environmental engineering and consulting firm, the US Army Corps of Engineers and the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
Jim is a partner and co-founder of Tillery Capital and serves on the board of directors of Tillery Capital's portfolio companies. He is also a partner in Three Oaks Engineering, a transportation planning and environmental assessment and permitting firm in Durham, North Carolina.
Jim is a Professional Engineer, licensed in eight states throughout the Southeastern U.S. He holds a B.S. degree in civil engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point, a MBA from the State University of New York at Buffalo, and a master's degree in civil engineering from North Carolina State University.
With 20 years of experience in pro-business regulatory and legislative advocacy, Kathryn understands the political and regulatory environment and how it can impact the construction community. Making compliance with sometimes-cumbersome regulations easier for the construction industry is core to why Kathryn founded IAS in 2011.
Prior to the creation of IAS, Kathryn served as the Executive Director and lead lobbyist for the American Council of Engineering Companies of North Carolina (ACEC/NC) for nine years, which allowed her to develop strong ties within the design and construction industry. Prior to her tenure at ACEC/NC, Kathryn served as Legislative Liaison & Special Assistant to former North Carolina Department of Commerce Secretary Rick Carlisle, as the Director of Technology Business Development for the Raleigh Chamber of Commerce/Wake County Economic Development, and as Vice President for Public Policy of the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce.
Kathryn is a proud alumnae of East Carolina University where she earned a B.A. in Political Science.
Mike brings to IAS 27 years of experience in planning, programming, design and construction of infrastructure engineering projects in the public and private sector. Mike is equally adept in the role of client and consultant.
Since completing his undergraduate education, Mike has served in the United States Air Force as a civil engineering officer, leading infrastructure projects around the world. He completed 11 years on active duty and continued his military career as an engineer in the Air National Guard since 1995 and currently holds the rank of Colonel in the Air National Guard. Since entering the private sector, Mike has held various leadership positions in operations and Business Development. He has served as VP of NC Operations for ARCADIS, an international consulting engineering firm, served as COO and Director of Business Development for Mulkey Engineers and Consultants and as Regional Director of Strategic Development and North Carolina Operations Manager for KCI, an ENR Top 85 firm. In addition to his current role with IAS, he serves as Business Development Manager for Experis, the professional services arm of Manpower, focusing on professional resourcing and project-based workforce solutions.
Job Titles:
- Director of Manufacturing
Randy brings more than 20 years of construction experience to his role with IAS having worked on both the construction supply side of the industry as well as working hands-on for several licensed general contractors and owning his own business providing home repair and renovation services.
Prior to his tenure in the construction industry, Randy served as a Telecommunications System Maintenance Supervisor in the United States Air Force. After 22 years of distinguished service, Randy retired from the Air Force in 1988.