Jason R. Babcock, PhD - Chemistry and Materials Consulting
Dr. Babcock has formal training in chemistry, physics, mathematics, and materials property analysis. He has specialized throughout his career in the role that materials contribute to the limitations and failures of products and systems. He has substantial experience in a variety of materials, corrosion, measurement instrumentation, materials testing, materials processing and processing equipment, chemistry, R&D practices, and project management. Dr. Babcock has a broad General Chemistry knowledge that is invaluable to understanding the interaction of materials on a molecular level. He has extensive experience designing and building experimental apparatus and performing analytical testing of a wide variety of materials, interpreting the results, and providing detailed reports summarizing the findings. He can provide practical and comprehensive testing that is independent and unbiased. He has practical experience performing a broad range of tests to determine the strength, physical, chemical, and wear properties of metals, ceramics, composites, and plastics. Dr. Babcock is the author of over forty technical papers and holds five patents.
View Curriculum Vitae.
Richard J. M. Bidwell, PE - Chemical, Industrial Incident Investigator
Ric Bidwell is a Licensed Professional Chemical Engineer that brings to ITC Expert Services nearly 30 years of multidisciplinary engineering experience. He has fully utilized his diverse hands-on experience in the national and international investigations of fires and explosions involving residential, commercial, chemical industrial facilities and heavy equipment. He has also been responsible for failure analysis and incident investigations relating to industrial and chemical processes or process equipment, chemical exposure, industrial accidents and safety.
Mr. Bidwell has nearly two decades of experience in all engineering aspects of chemical processing and industrial plant operations, including design, maintenance, safety and bulk material handling and transportation. Clients have included major petroleum and chemical producers, fuel gas companies and suppliers, the United States Chemical Hazard and Safety Board (CSB) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Mr. Bidwell Specializes in:
| Fire and Explosion InvestigationNatural Gas, LP and Propane SystemsChemical and Industrial ProcessesIndustrial Incident InvestigationsChemical Release and ExposureBulk Material Transportation Incident Investigation | Plumbing, Piping and Pumping SystemsCombustion & Heating EquipmentIndustrial and Commercial SafetyIndustrial and Heavy EquipmentHVAC and Refrigeration Equipment |
View Curriculum Vitae.
Kevin Pedersen, CFI, CFEI - Director, Fire Investigations
Mr. Pedersen, an investigator for over sixteen years, has extensive training in fire and explosion investigation techniques and experience in many forensic disciplines. He is certified in fire, explosion and arson investigation, holding both CFI (Certified Fire Investigator) and CFEI (Certified Fire and Explosions Investigator) certifications from the International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI) and the National Association of Fire Investigators (NAFI), respectively. He is an Illinois licensed Private Detective, a Wisconsin licensed Private Detective, and a trained and accomplished evidence photographer. He has worked on investigations for both civil and criminal cases involving industrial accidents, traffic accidents and fires involving injuries, fatalities and property damage. He has also worked on criminal investigations involving surveillance, assault and battery, and homicides occurring during shootings, cases of arson, and bombings. Mr. Pedersen spent five years as a major crimes investigator for the City of Chicago Police Department in their Bomb and Arson Unit where he investigated over 1,000 incidents involving many major crimes. His experience includes incidents and explosions involving natural gas and propane, as well as residential and industrial fires, and fires in machinery and appliances.
View Curriculum Vitae.
Richard J. Long, PE, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Long International has over 40 years of U.S. and international consulting experience involving construction contract disputes analysis and resolution, arbitration/litigation support and expert testimony, project management, engineering / construction management, cost and schedule control, and process engineering. As an internationally recognized expert in the analysis and resolution of complex construction disputes for over 25 years, Mr. Long has served as the lead expert on over 300 projects having claims ranging in size from US$100,000 to over US$1 billion. 
Andrew Avalon, PE, PSP is President of Long International and has over 28 years of engineering, construction management and claims consulting experience. He is an expert in the preparation and evaluation of construction claims, business interruption claims, schedule delay analysis, arbitration/litigation support and dispute resolution. He has prepared more than thirty CPM schedule analyses, written expert witness reports, and supported attorneys in depositions, cross-examinations, mediations and settlement negotiations. Mr. Avalon has analyzed construction schedules for owners and contractors to determine the causes of construction delays and to equitably allocate responsibility for delay-related costs.
W. Tom Thweatt is a Principal with Long International and has over 40 years of engineering, construction, and management consulting experience. He has extensive experience in major U.S. and international refining, chemical, petrochemical, pipeline, infrastructure and thermal / hydroelectric power generation projects ranging from US$40 million to US$1.8 billion. He has worked extensively in projects that were executed by multi-national joint ventures on both the owner's and the contractor's sides. Mr. Thweatt has served on Joint Venture and Consortium Executive Committees and has participated directly in claims negotiations and settlement agreements in excess of US$100 million.
