Construction FutureTech Conference Features Visionary Business and IT Leaders; Latest Technologies and Advanced Systems

NEW YORK, March 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- McGraw-Hill Construction and Engineering News-Record are bringing together the top technology and business thought-leaders in architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) to discuss today's cutting-edge technologies, such as cloud computing and mobile options, at the Construction FutureTech 2011 Conference, taking place on April 6 in New York City.

"As technology gets more sophisticated and capable of handling increasingly complicated tasks, the most successful companies will be the ones that learn to harness these innovations quickly and effectively," said Keith Fox, president, McGraw-Hill Construction. "We are excited to present Construction FutureTech as a forum to explore how future technologies can significantly impact profitability and provide a competitive advantage."

Through panels, demos and case studies, FutureTech attendees will learn how to leverage improvements in business processes and data management to complete great projects. Keynote speaker Chris Luebkeman, director of Global Foresight and Innovation for Arup, will share his insights into "The Now, the New and the Next," based on his travels to technologically advanced construction projects around the world. A CIO roundtable will review business implications, including the costs of integrating modern technologies. Other prestigious speakers include:

• James Barrett, National Director, Virtual Design & Lean Building, Turner Construction Company
• Ted Blackmon, Vice President, Construction Solution Executive, Bentley Systems, Inc.
• Paul Bonington, Vice President Media and Publisher, Engineering News-Record, McGraw-Hill Construction
• Jason Burns, Vice President of Technology, Hunter Roberts Construction Group
• Keith Fox, President, McGraw-Hill Construction
• Carl Galioto, Senior Principal, HOK
• Hyde Griffith, Vice President – BIM Services, Broaddus & Associates
• Richard Jackson, Independent Consultant
• Stephen Jones, Senior Director, McGraw Hill Construction
• Sam Lamonica, Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Rosendin Electric
• Richard Lowe, Partner, Duane Morris LLP
• John Marinello, Chief Information Officer, WSP Group USA
• Eric McKinney, Chief Information Officer, Gensler
• Cole Orndorff, Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Mortenson Construction
• Shawn Pressley, Vice President of Project Management Systems, Hill International
• Isaac Sacolick , Vice President, Technology, McGraw-Hill Construction
• Tom Sawyer, Senior Editor, Information Technology, Engineering News-Record
• Brian Skripac, Director of BIM, DesignGroup
• Oliver Smith, Director, BIM Solutions, Plaza Construction Corp.
• Ray Topping, Director, FIATECH
• David Van Wyk, Vice President, Project Management, Walt Disney Imagineering

For more information, visit http://construction.com/events/2011/cft or call 1-800-371-3238. On Twitter, follow @ENR_FutureTech or search for #CFTECH. You can also find McGraw-Hill Construction on LinkedIn and YouTube. Discounted rates apply for BOMANY, CMAA, CURT, FIATECH, NIBS, NYBC and SMPS members.

FutureTech is produced by McGraw-Hill Construction and Engineering News-Record. The platinum sponsor is Computer Methods International Corp. Silver sponsors include Arup, Astadia, B4 Consulting, Colligo Networks, Meridian Systems and Viewpoint Construction Software.  Supporting sponsors include Building Owners & Managers Association of Greater New York, Construction Management Association of America, Construction Users Roundtable, FIATECH, National Institute of Building Sciences, New York Building Congress, and Society for Marketing Professional Services.

About McGraw-Hill Construction:

McGraw-Hill Construction connects people, projects and products across the construction industry. For more than a century, it has remained North America's leading provider of project and product information, plans and specifications, and industry news, trends and forecasts. McGraw-Hill Construction serves more than one million customers in the global construction industry through Dodge, Sweets, Architectural Record, Engineering News-Record, GreenSource, and SNAP. To learn more, visit www.construction.com or follow @mhconstruction on Twitter.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies:

Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies is a leading global financial information and education company that helps professionals and students succeed in the knowledge economy. Leading brands include Standard and Poor's, McGraw-Hill Education, Platts energy information services and J.D. Power and Associates. The Corporation has approximately 21,000 employees with more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2010 were $6.2 billion. Additional information is available at www.mcgraw-hill.com.

SOURCE McGraw-Hill Construction