Insights
J.S. Held Acquires Shechter & Everett to Expand Forensic Accounting Capabilities for Family Law Disputes in Florida
Read More
Michael Brinker, PE, CFEI, CVFI, joined J.S. Held in 2020 and is based in Nashville, TN. He is a Senior Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) Engineer within the J.S. Held Equipment Consulting practice. “I work with the global MEP team to assist our clients in determining the origin and cause of failures,” he explains. “I assess the extent of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing damages as a result of a loss and evaluate the cost to return the damaged equipment to a pre-loss condition. I'm always focused on keeping the client updated so that they can resolve the claim as quickly as possible.”
Those who know Michael would agree that he is approachable, adaptable, and positive towards clients and his team. “I am also analytical by nature, which is valuable in the forensic engineering field,” he says. “Being adaptable may be the most valuable thing, given the sheer variety in jobs, equipment, and situations I encounter.”
“Mike Brinker is a great addition to our MEP Group. Over the past year, he has provided strong technical and leadership support, stepping up without hesitation. Mike welcomes challenging opportunities and is dedicated to enhancing his skills to meet the expanding needs of our business. I appreciate Mike’s efforts and support. He has quickly become an integral member of our group.”
Paul Vaulman, PE, LEED AP BD&C
Michael’s interest in engineering has roots in his family. “My dad was a mechanical engineer in the power industry,” he says, “so I started there, too. In the beginning, I worked in the fossil fuel sector, but the world was moving away from fossil fuels, so I transitioned to other opportunities in the mineral and chemical industries, and ultimately into forensic engineering.”
In addition to being a licensed professional engineer (PE), he is both a certified fire and explosion investigator (CFEI) and a certified vehicle fire investigator (CVFI). A J.S. Held opportunity in Nashville, TN, attracted his attention “as a great opportunity for professional development as well as career advancement”, and he decided to relocate and join the J.S. Held team
Michael specializes in HVAC systems, water treatment, fire suppression, and industrial equipment. “I enjoy the variety of assignments that I work on, as well as the ability to balance my time between field inspections, desk work, and travel.” He works with other engineers and estimators in the equipment consulting practice and frequently collaborates with the J.S. Held Building Consulting and Fire Origin & Cause experts. “We serve adjusters, subrogation professionals, attorneys, and other clients all over the country and have had occasional international opportunities in the Middle East and Latin America.”
“In my short time at J.S. Held, I have consulted on a number of large losses,” Michael says. One of these includes a case involving a flooded machinery room that served an entire technical college. “The scope involved differentiating what had been damaged by the flooding and what issues were preexisting.”
In another notable case, Michael was part of a J.S. Held team retained to assess a chlorine facility damaged by Hurricane Laura. “The product manufactured at the plant exothermically reacted to water that intruded through storm-created openings, and, ultimately, the facility caught fire and was severely damaged. We worked to determine the cost to replace the plant, which was constructed in the 1970s, as well as identify and separate the scope related to modern code compliance and capacity upgrades desired by the owner. The combination of those factors greatly increased the complexity of the evaluation.”
“The funny thing about forensic engineering,” says Michael, “is that a lot of people don’t seem to know it exists. In my experience, it was not a career path discussed in high school or college. It’s not often people think about their insurance until, of course, they experience a loss. Insureds are surprised just how many professionals are involved, from engineers to accountants to attorneys.” When asked about the complexities of his work, Michael says that delays between loss and the submission of the claim tend to have the greatest impact on the forensic evaluation and analysis process. “Sometimes we receive an assignment where months or years have passed, and gathering relevant information becomes challenging. Critical pieces of evidence have been discarded or have degraded, and persons with knowledge of the event are no longer available.”
Outside of work, Michael enjoys spending time with his young daughter and teaching her new skills. He enjoys powersports, skiing, fishing, and adventure travel. He noted, “I’d really like to explore Chile and Argentina as soon as I get the chance.”
“The love of family is life's greatest blessing.”
Michael Brinker
Are you interested in learning more about Michael Brinker? Send him an email at [email protected].
Certified Turnaround Professionals (CTP) & Certified Turnaround Analysts (CTA) offer distressed companies significant benefits in a complex business landscape....
Industrial hygiene faces more regulatory complexity due to requirements for PFAS, respirable crystalline silica, heat stress, and expanded chemical controls....
The current risk landscape for severe convective storms, common contributing factors regarding damage and claims disputes, and how resilient construction helps....