Presenting the 2021 Board Nominees…
The proposed 2021 Executive Committee is as follows: Wayne Matheu of Matheu & Associates as president; Michael Martin of Live Green Landscape Associates as vice president; Ted Bowes of Excell Concrete Construction as treasurer and Rick Scheetz of Gray & Son/Maryland Paving Management as secretary. The nominated board slate is Marianne Crampton of MK Consulting Engineers, R. Nelson Oster of HMS Insurance Associates and Mark Rich of Baltimore Fabrication.
Since 2020 has prodded us all to shake off old norms, we abandoned the tradition of running biographies of the nominees this year. Instead, we asked board nominees to answer a selection of less conventional questions. We hope you will enjoy learning a little about their passions, pet peeves,
2020 coping skills and superhero ambitions.
Ballots will be emailed to members later this month and votes must be submitted by Oct. 14. The board will be introduced at the BC&E Annual Meeting in December.

Marianne Crampton
Owner
MK Consulting Engineers
Who is your favorite superhero and what would you do with his/her/their superpower?
Marianne: Supergirl. I would love to have her wormhole creation power…to travel unfathomable distances in a blink of an eye. Sometimes I overbook so I would love to be in two places at once.
What superpower do you already have?
Marianne: I have no idea what superpowers I possess so I asked my 10-year-old daughter. She told me Supergirl is a certified genius and she believes that I am too. I am currently in total amazement. I guess I did okay with homeschooling fourth grade algebra. I only hope she believes this when she hits the teen years.
What’s the best meal you have cooked since the pandemic started?
Marianne: We started a kitchen remodel in December and when the pandemic hit, we had a coffee maker and microwave in working order. I made some great microwave popcorn and our favorite restaurants were on speed dial. Who would have predicted that Harryman House would deliver with wine! A guilty pleasure.
What’s your favorite thing to do when you’re not working?
Marianne: I love to read. When I’m not reading, my favorite thing to do is to sit on the porch of our old Victorian home with my husband and watch my daughter catch lightning bugs with the neighborhood kids at night.
What has 2020 taught you about yourself?
Marianne: I have learned how important it is to stay focused on the positive and play long ball. Looking forward and beyond the everyday challenges keeps me reaching towards my goals and stepping over obstacles.
What is one lasting impact that you think 2020 will have on the construction industry?
Marianne: 2020 has forced all of us to be more collaborative in a virtual environment. I think this trend will continue and I am hoping that Maryland agencies will continue to move forward with e-permitting services and the use of electronically sealed documents.

R. Nelson Oster
Vice President
HMS INSURANCE ASSOCIATES, INC.
What’s the best TV series, podcast or book you have enjoyed this year?
Nelson: The book “Countdown to 1945.” It’s about the 116 days leading up to the dropping of the atomic bomb.
What has become your best way to fi ght off stress in 2020?
Nelson: Five-mile++ walks with sprints up hills.
What’s your biggest current pet peeve?
Nelson: Since COVID, people are driving like absolute maniacs. I don’t understand why traveling 85 MPH on 695 isn’t fast enough for some.
What’s one thing you are longing to do once the pandemic is under control?
Nelson: Sporting event, concert or a completely packed steakhouse on a Friday night, take your pick. Let’s go.
What has 2020 taught you about yourself?
Nelson: I need to be on the move and outside. I’m dreading this winter.
What is the most unusual job or project that you ever worked on that you loved?
Nelson: I was asked to perform a stand-up comedy routine for a wedding that would be part of the program to complement the band. It took a lot of time and moxie, but it went great and viral.
What is one thing you totally love about your work?
Nelson: Two things each worthy of mentioning. 1) The people I work with. We could be making coat hangers at HMS and I would still be there. 2) The degree to which I am involved in my client’s business. You literally feel like you are a part of their senior management.
What is one lasting impact that you think 2020 will have on the construction industry?
Nelson: Its legacy. When the COVID Autopsy results come in, I think we’ll see that the industry was one of the last lines of defense against economic obliteration. Future generations would be wise to not dismiss this as a vessel to a productive, rewarding and stable career.
What’s the best vacation you ever had?
Nelson: Family vacation when I was 15, driving through the Southwest for two weeks.

Mark Rich
Owner
Baltimore Fabrication
Who is your favorite superhero and what would you do with his/her/their superpower?
Mark: This is a hard one for me. I’m stuck between Thor, King Triton from The Little Mermaid and Ron Swanson. I guess I would yield King Triton’s power of the sea to calm it when I fish and to woo the big marlin during tournaments.
What’s the best TV series (or podcast or book) you have enjoyed this year?
Mark: “Down to Earth with Zac Efron.” The series is light and funny which you need after a 14-hour workday but it also takes a look at real problems. We need to do more for a sustainable future.
What’s your biggest current pet peeve?
Mark: People who are all talk, no action or substance behind their words. All Hat, No Cattle.
What’s your current guilty pleasure?
Mark: Watching cartoons with my kids while the wife thinks we’re doing arts and crafts, skill building exercises.
What is one thing you totally love about your work?
Mark: I really enjoy putting on headphones and doing a takeoff for a new ground-up building. I like to envision myself in the space. Unfortunately, as we grow, I do less and less of this work.
What’s the best vacation you ever had?
Mark: I am a simple man, keep the happiness ball rolling. I get to live the best vacation every few weeks. It’s sitting on the beach with my wife, kids, a cold beverage, normally during the golden hour. Time freezes for a little bit. No one is not happy during the golden happy hour.
What is one new project, new technology or market trend that you are excited to dig into?
Mark: Using BIM as part of the estimating process, modeling the building for a more accurate take off, and using it to sell the project and find potential pitfalls early in the process.
What is one lasting impact that you think 2020 will have on the construction industry?
Mark: The workplace as we know if will change forever. From preconstruction and design to the boots on the ground. Buildings will change, safety will change, the handshake is done, and masks are forever.