PSPE Installs 2025-26 State Officers

The 2025-26 PSPE Nominating Committee worked in accordance with the published timeline. A single nominee in each position escept Secretary was presented to the PSPE Board of Directors by the Nominating Committee. No petition candidates were submitted. As directed by the President, in accordance with the PSPE bylaws, a single ballot was cast for all nominees.

The following members were installed on Friday, September 19, 2025, to serve as State Officers for 2025-26:

President: Daniel P. Cook, PE
President Elect: Frederick Plotnick, PhD, PE
Treasurer: Amy Daiute, PE
Vice President Northeast Region: Alex Dezubay, PE
Vice President Western Region: Joseph Garlicki, PE
Vice President Central Region: Len Bradley, PE
Vice President Southeast Region: Frank G. Falzone, PE
PA Representative to NSPE House of Delegates: Nicole C. Wilson, PE

Thank you to the 2025-26 Nominating Committee for their service:

  • Immediate Past President: Nicole Wilson, PE (Chair)
  • Northeast Region: Brian Palmiter, PE (Keystone Northeast Chapter)
  • Central Region: Ken McGinnis, PE (Lincoln Chapter)
  • Western Region: David McCullough, PE (Beaver County Chapter)
  • Southeast Region: Abraham El (Philadelphia Chapter)

PSPE Signs onto Statute of Repose Amicus Brief

HARRISBURG, PA – APRIL 23, 2025 – The Pennsylvania Society of Professional Engineers has joined a coalition of Pennsylvania design professionals in an amici curiae brief filed with the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania in Aloia v. Diamant Building Corp. The brief, filed in March, 2025, urges the court to dismiss the claim of a plaintiff that could undo Pennsylvania’s statute of repose law that protects engineers, architects and contractors from lawsuits after 12 years.  Even though the suit was brought against a contractor, an unfavorable ruling could jeopardize the protection for design professionals as well.

The Pennsylvania 12-Year Construction Statute of Repose sets a clear time limit after which lawsuits for alleged design or construction defects can no longer be filed. This statute is a separate legal concept from the statute of limitations. The statute of limitations provides a time limit for when a lawsuit can be filed after a defect is discovered; in Pennsylvania, this is 4 years for contractual claims and 2 years for negligence or tort claims. However, the statute of repose sets an absolute deadline for lawsuits following the completion date of the project. It protects design professionals from indefinite liability and ensures that disputes are filed in a timely manner.

The plaintiff in this case filed a lawsuit related to alleged construction defects, but the claims were brought more than 12 years after the completion of the project. The lower courts ruled against the plaintiff’s claims based on this statute, and the amici brief insists the Pennsylvania Supreme Court do the same thing.

The Pennsylvania Society of Professional Engineers believes that upholding the Statute of Repose maintains legal protections for the industry. Without these protections, firms are faced with endless legal exposure.

We stand alongside our peers in urging the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to affirm the lower court’s ruling and defend the clear legal protections for design professionals and builders across the state.

There is no definite timeline for when the Pennsylvania Supreme Court will issue a ruling, but this issue is important to PSPE and the engineering community, and we will keep members updated as new information involving the case develops.

This coalition demonstrates the power of associations. The more voices an organization carries, the greater its influence. PSPE is proud to join forces with the American Institute of Architects, American Institute of Architects of Pennsylvania, American Council of Engineering Companies of Pennsylvania, Delaware Valley Association of Structural Engineers, Structural Engineers Association of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Society of Land Surveyors, and Pennsylvania-Delaware Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects to make our concerns known to the Court. If these organizations did not exist, who would advocate for the design professional? If you are a licensed engineer practicing in Pennsylvania, add your voice to the Pennsylvania Society of Professional Engineers and be counted today.

Read the Full Brief

John A. Nawn, P.E., F.NSPE | PSPE President 2016-17

John A. Nawn, PE, FNSPE PSPE President 2016-17
John A. Nawn, PE, FNSPE
PSPE President 2016-17

Join the Pennsylvania Society of Professional Engineers as we install our new President, John A. Nawn. We will hold a celebratory banquet at the DoubleTree by Hilton Philadelphia – Valley Forge on Friday evening, September 23, 2016, during the Pennsylvania Professional Engineers Conference.

PE licensure is the engineering profession’s highest standard of competence, a symbol of achievement and assurance of quality. Being a licensed professional engineer means more than earning a certificate and possessing technical competence. It is a conscious commitment to hold the public health, safety, and welfare above all other considerations. Under John’s leadership, PSPE will continue to provide its members with the resources needed to earn and maintain the respected PE seal.

John A. Nawn, P.E. has provided forensic engineering, accident reconstruction and expert witness services since 1994 in matters involving highway and traffic engineering, including intersections; urban and rural roadways; interstate highways; parking lots; signage, pavement marking and traffic controls; codes and zoning requirements; sidewalks and crosswalks; public utilities including sanitary sewer, storm sewer and water mains. With 25 years experience prior to joining Fleisher Forensics, Mr. Nawn served in leadership roles at a number of local civil engineering consulting firms including serving in such roles as Executive Vice President, Vice President, Chief Engineer and Managing Partner. Responsibilities have included the design, engineering and management of various traffic, transportation, highway, bridge, mass transit, railroad, environmental, municipal and construction engineering projects.

Mr. Nawn earned a Bachelor and Master of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from Drexel University. He is a licensed professional engineer in 9 states. In 2011, he was recognized as Pennsylvania Engineer of the Year.

Mr. Nawn is a certified Professional Traffic Operations Engineer with the Institute of Transportation Engineers; a Certified Floodplain Manager with the American Society of Floodplain Managers; a Certified Forensic Consultant, and a Fellow with the American College of Forensic Examiners; and a Fellow with the National Society of Professional Engineers. Mr. Nawn’s other professional memberships include the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Engineer’s Club of Philadelphia and the Pennsylvania Society of Professional Engineers where he currently serves as President -Elect.

Active in his community, Mr. Nawn is an elected Township Supervisor and presently Chairman of the Board of Supervisors in his community.

Standards of Professional Conduct

Timothy S. Ormiston, P.E., F.NSPE
PSPE President 2015-16

It came to the attention of the PSPE Executive Committee on Tuesday, May 10, 2016 that Matthew P. McTish, P.E. recently pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit bribery in the region of Allentown and Reading, Pennsylvania. Mr. McTish was the President of McTish, Kunkle & Associates, and previously a member of PSPE.

In a statement by the Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Pennsylvania on Tuesday May 10, 2016:

“Court documents were unsealed today in relation to the guilty plea entered by Matthew McTish, 57, of Orefield, PA.  McTish pleaded guilty on April 28, 2016 to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery offenses, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger. McTish faces a maximum possible sentence of five years in prison, a possible fine, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. U.S. District Judge Juan R. Sanchez scheduled a sentencing hearing for August 2, 2016.

As I have stated before, one of the things PSPE stands for is Standards of Professional Conduct.  The NSPE Code of Ethics for Engineers specifically states as one of the Fundamental Canons: “Engineers, in the fulfillment of their professional duties, shall conduct themselves honorably, responsibly, ethically, and lawfully so as to enhance the honor, reputation, and usefulness of the profession.” PSPE is the recognized voice and advocate of all Professional Engineers licensed in Pennsylvania. Our mission is to promote and defend the interests of Pennsylvania’s Professional Engineers. The blatant disregard for ethical practice in this incident compels PSPE, in conjunction with NSPE, to request an investigation of Matthew P. McTish by the Pennsylvania State Registration Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists. At this writing PSPE is engaged with making the request.

Additional details of the U.S. Attorney’s news release can be found at the following web address:

[www.justice.gov/usao-edpa/pr/president-engineering-firm-admits-bribing-elected-officials-allentown-and-reading]

Timothy S. Ormiston, P.E., F.NSPE
PSPE President 2015-16

PSPE Presidents Message, Engineers Week 2016

Timothy S. Ormiston, P.E.
PSPE President 2015-16

“Engineers Make a World of Difference” is the theme for National Engineers Week, February 21-27, 2016, sponsored by DiscoverE. We know that the world has become a global marketplace for goods and services. The same is true for the engineering profession; interaction between engineers and delivery of engineering services has gone global. In the last year I have interacted directly with supplier engineers in Germany and China. No doubt you have had direct interaction with or have been influenced by engineers from around the world. For the first time DiscoverE has selected February 24th as Global Day of the Engineer during National Engineers Week. Visit www.discovere.org/global-day to find more details.

DiscoverE is promoting many other programs for Engineers Week including: Future City Competition National Finals (Feb. 15th), Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day (Feb. 25th), Family Day in Washington, DC (Feb. 27th) and Global Marathon (Mar. 8-10).

Traditionally National Engineers Week is celebrated in the week containing the birthday of President George Washington (February 22nd), considered be the nation’s first engineer. Although President Washington had no formal education, his accomplishments in surveying are well noted, in addition to his interest and actions to promote engineering in 18th Century America[1]. NSPE started National Engineers Week in 1951 to call attention to the contributions engineers make to society.

In Pennsylvania there are several PSPE chapters and other organizations that will conduct Engineers Week activities.  In eastern Pennsylvania the Philadelphia Chapter PSPE (Feb. 27th) and Delaware Chapter PSPE (Feb. 17th) PSPE, and the Delaware Valley Engineers Week Committee (Feb. 19th, 23rd, 25th) will hold celebration events. The Central Pennsylvania Engineers Week Council sponsors an awards banquet on February 24th in the Harrisburg area.  In western Pennsylvania the Pittsburgh Chapter PSPE (Feb. 27th) and Beaver County Chapter PSPE (Feb. 26th) PSPE and Engineers Society of Western Pennsylvania (Feb. 18th) will hold awards dinners.

February is also the month for one of the most successful NSPE/PSPE programs: MATHCOUNTS. Many of the 22 regional competitions are complete as I write this. The state MATHCOUNTS competition will be held in Harrisburg on March 18-19, 2016. The Pennsylvania team will move on to the National competition in Washington, DC on May 7-10.

February into March is the special time to promote engineering to the public through regional, state, national and worldwide events. Get out and participate with your colleagues, friends and family in these and other events. Through your personal actions, non-engineers will know that “Engineers Make a World of Difference”

[1]”Washington – Engineer and Engineer Advocate,” Fort Leonard Wood Web Page, http://www.wood.army.mil/engrmag/JanMar2003a.htm