Ronald A. Balmer, PE, SE
16719 Chesterman Road, Peosta, IA 52068
563 599 5217 (C)
exvorte@gmail.com
Education
BA Architecture, Iowa State University, 1981
MS Structural Engineering, Iowa State University, 1987
Professional Licensure
Initial Structural Engineering PE license, Iowa 1988. Initial Architectural license, Wisconsin 1991.
Professional Engineer: IA
Structural Engineer: IL
Architect: IL
Experience
1979 Todd & Sargent, Ames, IA. Placed reinforcing bar for slip-form cast-in-place concrete grain elevator construction near Fort Dodge, IA. Post-slip breakdown and site clean-up.
1979-1982 Hoffman Construction Co., Ames, IA. Estimator and project manager for new construction and renovation projects generally less than $1MM. Worked full time summers and part-time over the last year of undergraduate school.
1982-1987 Rietz Engineering Consultants, Ames, IA. Ink on mylar and CAD drafting, design engineer, project manager. Involved with prime design for projects generally less than $1MM, and structural consulting for projects generally greater than $1MM. Preliminary design, estimating, architectural and structural design, project specifications, plan preparation, bidding and negotiation, submittal review, addressing construction issues, and project close-out. Worked full time through graduate school.
1987-1989 Brooks Borg & Skiles Architects Engineers, Des Moines, IA. Project structural engineer, nominal involvement with architectural design. Participated in a wide range of new construction and renovation projects: institutional, commercial, non-profit, education, etc. Duties were predominately structural design, specifications, and hand/CAD drafting of plans and details; coordinating with in-house project architects and MEP engineers.
1989-1991 Hansen Lind Meyer, Iowa City, IA. Staff structural engineer for major health care facilities nationwide. Project structural engineer for the John Pappajohn Pavilion cast-in-place reinforced concrete vertical expansion top-out at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Structural design, specifications, directing plan and detail drafting, submittal review, and resolving construction issues.
1991-2015 IIW, P.C., Dubuque, IA. Member of the IIW Board of Directors and Corporate Officer beginning in 1995. Vice President of Finance, Corporate Treasurer, and Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) Trustee. Broad experience with primarily building projects: new construction, renovations, historic restoration/preservation, assessments, and forensics. Full service design and construction administration, cost estimating, preliminary design studies and long range planning for public and private clients. Structural Engineer of Record for major projects including the 1996 expansion of the Mercy Medical Center – North Iowa, and the 2003 National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium. Corporate responsibilities included annual budgeting, debt management, 30+ vehicle fleet management, employee benefits administration, and ownership transition planning.
2015-present exvorte, LLC. Managing member of LLC providing professional services in building design, building renovations and remodeling, structural engineering, and forensic investigations of property and casualty claims for insurance companies, independent adjusters, and attorneys. exvorte also investigates tornados, researching a novel tornadogenesis hypothesis that could lead to the possibility of tornado prevention.