AVB hires three new employees, one intern

Mohanad Al-najjar has joined the company as a Project Estimator. He has a background in civil engineering. His responsibilities with AVB are to make estimates on project costs and handle construction scheduling for commercial projects. 

He has worked as a Civil Engineer for multiple companies and is proficient in computer programs such as ETABS, Prokon, and AutoCAD. 

Al-najjar earned his Masters of Science in Construction Engineering and Management from Western Michigan University. There he also was a Teaching Assistant for the Civil and Construction Engineering Department.  

Larry Brownyard is the new Residential Project Manager for AVB. He will manage communication between trade contractors, suppliers and clients, as well as overseeing operational aspects of home building projects. 

Brownyard has more than 20 years of experience in the residential construction industry. He formerly was  Project Superintendent with Allen-Edwin homes. Projects he has supervised have won numerous Parade of Homes awards from the Kalamazoo Area Home Builders Association.  With AVB, he will manage overall continuity and safety of residential projects.  

Commercial Construction Engineering Intern Melvin Keli will be working with AVB. Keli is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Entrepreneurial Engineering from Western Michigan University. He expects to graduate  in the spring of 2015.  He has completed research on work flow, observation and data analysis, and is also Green Belt Certified in SIX SIGMA.  Keli is proficient in programs such as Matlab, AutoCAD and Visio.  He joins AVB as a Monroe-Brown scholar for 2014.

Dan Ruple has been hired by AVB as as an IT Support Technician. He joins AV to provide technology systems support and management. His responsibilities for AVB are to integrate computer networking and IT support, oversee technology vendors and solutions.  

Ruple has previously worked for W. Soule and Company, and MPI Research.

Ruple currently attends Kalamazoo Valley Community College. He plans to transfer to Davenport University to obtain a Bachelor’s in Technology Project Management. 

Sources: Krista Manley, AVB; Taylor Brown, AVB