MEET OUR 2022 CANSTRUCTION HOUSTON JUDGES
THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR JUDGES – YOUR PARTICIPATION IS GREATLY APPRECIATED
BRANDI SMITH
digital anchor, news personality, khou
Brandi Smith is the social media anchor for HTownRush, KHOU 11’s morning newscast. She comes to Houston from a little town called Umpqua, Ore., population 112. (Yes, just 112.) As the saying goes, she wasn’t born here, but she got to Texas as fast as she could. Brandi might be a small-town girl at heart, but she loves life in the big city! When she’s not on air or sleeping (her favorite pastime), you can find her trying local IPAs, exploring new greenspaces and eating all the amazing food Houston has to offer!
Rhonda D. Holcomb
Former president of Canstruction Houston inc
Executive Administrator, mcs architects
RHONDA D. HOLCOMB is Executive Administrator for MCS Architects, LLC for over twenty years. Her greatest passion is getting involved in her community as well as being able to give back. In 2004, she became a member of SDA (Society for Design Administration) and served as board member in many positions through her tenure. Since Canstruction was created by a SDA Member Cheri Melillo back in 1992, she became interested in this event on how the design community coming together to build structures made by canned food, then donated to the local food banks. Rhonda’s firm participated in their first Canstruction event back in 2006 and she has been involved ever since. She soon volunteered to be on the Canstruction Board and served for fifteen years and retired as President in 2021. After years of involvement in various capacities, she is excited to “try on one more hat” as a judge. This event is the recipe for much of her career……”Start with a little design/construction, add in some collaboration, mix in new acquaintances and old friends and the final product benefits and gives back to the community”.
Brian Greene
President, Houston Food Bank
Brian Greene is president/CEO of the Houston Food Bank, the largest Feeding America food bank in the nation by distribution. Since taking this role in 2005, Greene has led the organization to unprecedented growth and development, and in 2015 it was recognized as Food Bank of the Year. He leads the staff to be visionaries in each of their roles, enabling the organization to be flexible and creative to best serve our community, with the mission of food for better lives and a vision of getting to a world that doesn’t need food banks.
Greene received the John van Hengel Fellowship award at Feeding America’s 2019 Hunger’s Hope Awards. The award honors the ideals of the late John van Hengel, who developed the concept of food banking in the 1960s. It recognizes an executive of a member food bank for his or her excellence in leadership, local impact and national influence, and entrepreneurial spirit in the area of hunger relief.
Quinn Hoang
Director of Events, Houston Business Journal
As the Director of Events for the Houston Business Journal, Quinn oversees the conception and execution of Houston’s premiere awards and recognition events for the local business community. She has been in the hospitality industry for more than 20 years. Following her graduation from Sam Houston State University with a Fine Arts degree in Radio, Television and Film and a minor in Broadcast Journalism, Quinn worked in radio, TV, and with start-up internet companies before beginning her career in event planning in 2001. She has led the catering and event departments at River Oaks Country Club and Houston Country Club and was a key member of Live Nation’s opening team for House of Blues Houston and the rebranding of the Verizon Wireless theater to the now, Bayou Music Center. Additionally, she served on the Houston Super Bowl Host Committee as Event Services Director in 2017.
Keith E. Carlson
Principal, MCS Architects
Keith Carlson is an architect with over 40 years of extensive building design and land planning experience in Texas and throughout the United States including the Caribbean. His completed projects range from high density residential, restaurant, and hotel design, to multi-block office building developments and shopping centers. He has implemented designs for residential and recreational projects, hotels, shopping centers and convention facilities. Special interest includes research and development of amenity facilities for recreation/resort developments, and adaptive reuse and retro-fitting of existing buildings.
Education: Arizona State University, Bachelor of Architecture
Registered Architect: Arizona, California, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, New York, Tennessee, Texas, Nevada, Maryland
Professional Affiliations: Certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, Member of the American Institute of Architects, Member of the Texas Society of Architects.
Mark Shepard
Founder & Owner, SCA Consulting Engineers
Mark is the founder and owner of SCA Consulting Engineers, leading the vision and strategic direction of the firm – with decades of experience in structural engineering and business. He guides a team of talented professionals offering structural engineering services throughout the United States and remains involved in projects from inception to completion ensuring the design quality and client service. Mark is a progressive thinker staying at the forefront innovative construction products, technology, and ideas.