Acentech hires Hornsby, and Zaman; Briskie earns PE license, Murphy earns WELL and Newmark promoted

Cambridge, MA Acentech has hired three new employees, a promotion, and several awards and accolades.

Christopher Hornsby, RCDD, joined Acentech, as an IT and security consultant. He provides a range of IT and security consulting on higher education, commercial and institutional projects, from the design of wireless network systems, data centers and structural cable media to AV and network surveillance equipment integration. Hornsby is a BICSI certified Registered Communications Distribution Designer (RCDD), with certificates from Leviton’s Copper and Optical Fiber Communications Cabling System; BICSI ICT Design Fundamentals; and the University of Mass., Boston’s Practical Project Management Certificate Program.

Khaleela Zaman recently joined the architectural acoustics group. She received her master of science in Architectural Acoustics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, earning a Faculty Graduate Recognition Award for academic achievement in acoustics. She also completed her bachelor of architecture degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology, with double minors in Construction Management and Music.

Jack Briskie, a recent addition to Acentech’s noise and vibration group, received his Professional Engineer in license in Mechanical Engineering. Briskie works primarily on vibration, environmental and industrial projects, but also has a wide range of project experience, from site surveys to acoustics for performing arts spaces. He received his bachelor of science degree in Acoustical Engineering and Music from the University of Hartford. 

Kristen Murphy, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP, senior consultant, recently earned WELL accrediation. Murphy’s acoustics consulting practice includes educational, healthcare, performing arts, commercial, and residential projects, with a special focus on sustainable design. She earned her BS in Architecture from the University of Michigan, and her MS in Architectural Acoustics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Kristen will be sharing her knowledge at Greenbuild 2019 this November.

Marc Newmark was recently promoted to director of Acentech’s Noise and Vibration Group. Along with his management of the group’s workflow and resources, Newmark will continue consulting on a range of projects – from higher education facilities and research labs to transportation and environmental markets. He received his MS in Mechanical Engineering from Boston University, and a BS in Business Administration from Babson College. He has been with Acentech for 11 years, and works on high profile construction monitoring and vibration mitigation projects for clients, including Yale University, Harvard University, Boston College, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

At the INCE winter meeting, principal consultant Eric Wood was elected Fellow of the Institute by the INCE board of directors. (The designation of Fellow is awarded to INCE members that have made notable contributions to the institute and the field of noise control engineering.) Eric has provided exceptional consulting in this area for over 50 years. He has served in multiple executive roles at INCE-USA including president from 2012 to 2014. He is currently the president of the INCE Foundation, a position he has held since 2009. Wood also serves on the advisory board and is the proceedings editor for the Technology for Quieter America (TQA) program. Wood began his career at Pratt & Whitney Aircraft in 1967 and moved to Bolt Beranek and Newman (BBN) in 1972. He is one of the founders of the current incarnation of Acentech, which secured its independence from BBN in 1991. During his half century of consulting, he has applied his skills to hundreds of industrial and environmental noise projects, authored numerous industry reference manuals, and has published and presented papers to leading industry associations.

At the same INCE-USA board meeting, Acentech principal consultant Michael Bahtiarian, INCE Bd Cert, was elected by the board of directors to become INCE’s executive vice president/president-elect. Bahtiarian will become the INCE president at the end of the winter board meeting in January 2020, and will then serve two years as president. Until then, he serves as an executive vice president.

At INCE’s Noise-Con 2019 in San Diego, Eric Wood received the Distinguished Service Medal for his service to INCE-USA as a long-time active member, director,  past president of INCE-USA and current president of the INCE Foundation. Andy Carballeira, senior consultant, was recognized for achieving his Board Certification; Jim Barnes presented with Peter Beiter on Trends in Managing Industrial Worker Noise Exposure; and Mike Bahtiarian presented a paper titled Can Digital Newspapers Save the Pressman’s Hearing?

The Institute of Noise Control Engineering (INCE-USA) is a non-profit organization that promotes noise control solutions to environmental, product, machinery, industrial and related noise issues. INCE-USA members who are Board Certified in Noise Control Engineering have attained the highest professional status in the field.

Ben Markham, director of architectural acoustics, who was selected from the Engineering News Record (ENR) regional Top Young Professionals for the national Top 20 under 40 list. President Jeffrey Zapfe said “I am very proud of my colleague Ben Markham for being recognized as one of ENR’s Top 20 Under 40. Ben is a tremendous asset to our firm and is extremely deserving of the award. Congratulations Ben.”

Anthony DeMarte is a new member of Acentech’s Architectural Acoustics group, having joined the Philadelphia, team. DeMarte earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering and Acoustics from the University of Hartford, and worked for a San Francisco-based acoustics and vibration control firm prior to joining Acentech. His work will include the assessment and design of acoustic and vibration control solutions for a variety of project types.