Our People

Jeff Gutsfeld

Director of Regional Business Development

Director of Regional Business Development, Jeff Gutsfeld is responsible for expanding AKF’s general client base and portfolio throughout New England, as well as nationally in the Higher Education sector. A business development and marketing professional with nearly 30 years of experience, Jeff’s innate ability to create trust and connect people is evidenced in the results he has delivered throughout the complex, solution-oriented professional services industry. Jeff demonstrates success in achieving record level revenue and volume by interacting with prospective clients and centers of influence to uncover new opportunities and turn them into mutually beneficial outcomes for both clients and firm members.

Victor L. Guzman

Principal

Victor has over 30 years of experience in seamlessly managing projects while anticipating the dynamic needs of ever-evolving clients and spaces. He serves as the leader of the firm’s Hamilton, NJ office as well as the MEXUS team – a group that integrates AKF’s U.S. and Mexico members. Driven by a proven process-oriented approach, Vic is adept at providing clear and actionable information and mission critical guidance for project stakeholders. He consistently develops the most appropriate solutions for clients’ business drivers, budget, and overall project schedule.

Mark Harrison, PE

Principal

Mark is a meticulous project manager who prides himself on providing clients with innovative solutions to intricate projects. He has a wealth of experience in managing complex projects, particularly those that require installation of new equipment and infrastructure while the facilities remain fully operational. A Principal at the firm, Mark is a take-charge professional, respected for his excellent communication skills and attention to detail.

Joe Hidalgo

Joe has nearly 25 years of experience in the Low Voltage industry with Structured Cabling Systems including Data Network Design, Audio Visual Systems, Access Control Systems, and Digital Antenna Systems. His expertise encompasses various markets such as Healthcare, Higher Education, K-12 Education, Local Municipalities, Oil & Gas, and Commercial properties. Joe is a Regional Leader who is responsible for overseeing project designs and the execution of technical and managerial activities. His in-depth understanding of technical policies, procedures, and process improvement guide projects toward innovative solutions and successful completion.

Brian Hotovy, CPA

Principal

Principal, Controller

Brian Hotovy is AKF’s Controller, responsible for overseeing the financial health of the firm. His Accounting Department staff provides billing, accounts payable, accounts receivable, budgeting, tax compliance, and general accounting services. Brian also collaborates monthly with the Executive Committee and provides financial performance reports at bi-annual meetings. Brian holds a master’s degree in accounting from the University of Nebraska.

Stephen Kalach, PE

Stephen comes to AKF with 15 years of experience in plumbing / fire protection engineering and project management for numerous markets. Well-versed in sustainable design practices, he applies this knowledge to help projects meet environmental and energy-related goals. Stephen’s communication skills make him an exceptional collaborator within project teams and with clients and he is highly valued for his dedication to mentoring junior engineers.

Shannon Kaplan, PE

Partner

A Partner at AKF, Shannon specializes in high performance buildings with an emphasis on occupant engagement and renewable energy. Shannon’s experience also includes electrical and lighting design, daylighting analysis, advanced metering, and building dashboard displays. She has worked on numerous high performance and net zero energy certified projects, including the Net Positive Millersville University Lombardo Welcome Center – one of the top 5 most positive energy buildings in the USA and the Certified Living Building at the Carfritz Center for Environmental Education. In addition to her work as an engineer, Shannon works in AKF’s Operations group where she is responsible for managing AKF Institute, the keystone of the firm’s development of industry-defining best practices.

Eric Kukieza

Eric has 15 years of experience in mechanical engineering and project management for healthcare, science and technology, higher education, and commercial facilities. He excels at interfacing with clients to understand their needs and exceed their goals. Eric’s expertise includes central cooling and heating plant design, equipment sizing and selection, ductwork and piping design, building management systems (BMS), control diagrams, and sequence of operations.

Bob L'Insalata, PE

Partner

Bob has been an integral member of the AKF community for over 28 years. He is a highly effective Project Executive, providing leadership on AKF’s infrastructure projects. Bob specializes in system design and project management for corporate, financial, and mission critical clients. He is a dynamic project executive, who maintains active involvement on all the projects he oversees. He continues to demonstrate his project management and critical thinking skills, driving creative solutions for his clients and their diverse projects

Paul LaCrosse, PE

Paul’s mechanical engineering experience includes HVAC system design for healthcare facilities, laboratories, wastewater treatment facilities, museums, offices, high-rise residential, and various other environments. He also brings experience managing multi-disciplined design teams from project inception to completion. Paul’s project management experience, both as prime contractor and as sub-consultant, shows his profound understanding of architectural, civil, and structural design considerations in addition to the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection disciplines. His strong technical background, along with his collaborative approach and excellent communication skills, ensures a well-coordinated, high functioning, and attractive final product.

Jake Lawrence, PE

Partner

As a Partner at AKF, Jake excels at seeing the big picture and making sure that all aspects are incorporated into each project’s design. He takes a hands-on, practical approach to problem solving and is always concerned about ease of operation. He stays on top of new developments, conducts research, works with manufacturers, and looks for opportunities to apply new technologies where they can benefit the client. Drawing on his 30+ years of experience as a volunteer firefighter and fire official, Jake brings real-world knowledge of fire suppression, fire alarm, and life safety systems to his projects.

Carlos Londono

Partner

Carlos is a vital member of AKF’s Commissioning team, leveraging his 20 years of experience to serve as the service leader for the electrical discipline. He is responsible for day to day operations of the electrical team, project oversight and mentoring up and coming members of the commissioning team. Carlos’s experience ranges from providing electrical guidance on small tenant fit outs to providing a holistic approach to all aspects of electrical infrastructure maintenance, testing and upgrades for the life of a building for a singular building or implementing a standardized approach/plan for a national portfolio. He excels at project planning and execution for critical projects, bringing exceptional value to clients.

Brad Lownsbury

Partner

Brad is a Partner at AKF and leads the Richmond office, providing leadership and management to its team. He has been involved in all aspects of design, construction, and project management for 30 years. His experience includes healthcare, cogeneration development, power generation, microelectronics process engineering, clean room design, and program and construction management. Brad has designed and constructed many building types, including LEED® Certified Design for healthcare, transportation, higher education, corporate, and laboratory facilities. His process of working collaboratively with clients and his ability to translate strategic planning into innovative design have made him a highly sought-after team member.

Joseph Macaluso

Joseph is an invaluable member of AKF New England, representing AKF’s New Haven office. He has over 40 years of mechanical design experience in infrastructure upgrade project management and HVAC engineering services to building owners and managers. He has extensive experience in higher education, financial, corporate, and cultural facilities. Joseph’s professionalism and clear direction make him a strong member of any project team.

Charles Magnelli

Charles is a seasoned professional with exceptional project management skills, particularly in the healthcare sector. He has designed plumbing, fire protection, and life safety systems as well as medical gases, compressed air, and vacuum systems for numerous healthcare institutions. He excels at keeping clients fully informed about trends in healthcare facilities design, changes to building codes, and new technologies’ impact on engineering systems. Charles is also a member of the firm’s technical committee, responsible for reviewing projects to maintain quality control.

Christina Mahady, PE

Principal

Christina is an industry leader in mechanical design and project management for Healthcare and Science & Technology facilities. Her experience includes large-scale critical and ambulatory care facilities, campus-wide infrastructure upgrades, and multiple proton therapy projects. With a background designing complex and sophisticated mechanical systems for the world’s foremost healthcare providers, Christina has built an impressive portfolio spanning four continents. She believes successful healthcare construction projects have the potential to positively impact the lives of patients and their families, and that she performs her best work when viewing a project from the patient and medical professional’s perspective.