Executive Team

Ron G. HoltDownload CV

President and CEO

Mr. Holt is a successful and distinguished leader with more than 30 years in the engineering, environmental and construction industry. With a strong background in operations and business development, Mr. Holt has served in numerous executive management positions and owned and operated several of his own companies.

Mr. Holt began his career with EFI as vice president of the Real Property Services Division where he managed a wide range of services, including environmental site assessments, remediation, asbestos and lead-based paint consulting, indoor air quality/mold testing and remedial design, compliance audits and property condition assessments. 

He was promoted to COO where he oversaw all field operations and subsequently promoted shortly after to his current position as president and CEO.

He holds a Bachelors of Science, summa cum laude, from Sam Houston State University, a Masters of Arts from the University of Houston, and has attended numerous executive education programs from the Wharton School of Business, New York University and Rice University. 

Lee Burckle, P.E.Download CV

Vice President, Finance and Corporate Services

Mr. Burckle has more than 30 years experience in consulting engineering. He currently serves as the firm’s vice president of finance and corporate services. Historically, he operated as office manager and controller.

He has performed asbestos, lead and property condition assessments. His responsibilities include proposal preparation, conducting building surveys, preparation of plans and specifications, bidding, contract negotiation and administration, and project reporting. 

Mr. Burckle is a registered professional engineer in the state of Texas and is a certified asbestos consultant by the Texas Department of Health. He holds a Bachelors of Science in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University, and an MBA in Finance from the University of St. Thomas.

Ted M. Cleveland, P.G.Download CV

Vice President, Operations

Mr. Cleveland has over 25 years of management experience with multi-disciplined engineering services specializing in environmental and industrial hygiene related projects.  He is responsible for the overall management and supervision of EFI Global’s regional and branch offices. He has experience with a wide variety of projects including schools, hospitals, universities, commercial properties, government facilities and industrial sites.  He has performed asbestos/lead-base paint inspections, environmental assessment, indoor air quality investigations, landfill evaluations and geologic recharge assessments.  He has prepared asbestos management plans, operations and maintenance plans, abatement specifications, and air quality reports.  Mr. Cleveland also has extensive project management experience throughout all phases of projects including proposal generation, investigation, project design, bidding, contract administration, and construction.

Mr. Cleveland serves as the Director of EFI Global’s Catastrophe Response Team.  He has been involved in the planning and execution of EFI’s response to the 2008 Iowa floods, Hurricanes Ike, Dolly,  Katrina, Rita and Wilma as well as other large scale wind and storm events.

E. Metts Hardy, IAAI-CFI, CFEI, CHMTDownload CV

Regional Vice President, Eastern Region

Mr. Hardy has more than 35 years of experience conducting fire service and insurance-related investigations, specializing in fires and explosions in residential and commercial properties, vehicles etc. He has conducted in excess of 3,000 fire origin and cause investigations.  He has also attended and instructed numerous seminars and continuing education programs related to fire investigation and NFPA 921 for the public and private sector.  Mr. Hardy has also provided expert witness testimony in state and federal courts in origin and causes of fires and explosions in Mississippi, Louisiana, Kentucky and Tennessee. 

He has pursued coursework in Business Administration from Delta State University, is a licensed private investigator and has numerous certifications, including Certified Fire Investigator, Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator, Certified Fire Causation Instructor, Certified Hazardous Materials Technician and is a licensed private investigator in Tennessee, South Carolina and Georgia.

Daniel W. Heyer P.E.Download CV

Vice President, Engineering

Mr. Heyer has more than 40 years of experience in engineering and failure analysis, with extensive expertise in the evaluation of damaged and failed residential, commercial, industrial and petrochemical structures as a result of weather, fire, explosion and man-made causation.

He has managed large, complex projects that have necessitated the skills of various engineering disciplines and technical specialists. His experience also encompasses architect and engineer errors and omissions claims, structural design and construction review, construction delay claims and disputes, construction arbitrations and accidents and code compliance. He holds a Bachelors of Science in Civil Engineering from Purdue University and is a registered professional engineer in 15 states.

Jock MarshallDownload CV  

Regional Vice President, Southern Region

Mr. Marshall has more than 26 years of experience in the environmental field including technical expertise in asbestos, lead based paint, mold, environmental site assessments, property condition assessments and construction consulting. He has experience with a wide variety of facility types including commercial properties, educational, government and industrial sites. He also has extensive experience as an environmental contractor and consultant providing proposal generation, design, bidding, contract administration and construction over site.

Over the last 15 years, Mr. Marshall has experience in building and growing individual branch offices, developing and implementing marketing plans, and hiring sales and technical personnel for the environmental industry. Mr. Marshall holds a Bachelors of Arts in Marketing from Southeastern Louisiana University.

Joe Nowikowski, P.E., CFEI, CVFI Download CV  

Regional Vice President, Western Region

With more than 30 years of experience, Mr. Nowikowski has a well-rounded background in Engineering, Construction and Management in the private sector, and also in the public sector where he proudly served in the United States Air Force. He has experience in a wide variety of projects including forensic engineering, fire and explosion scene examination, and vehicle fire analysis. He is a Professional Engineer in a number of states as well as a Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator and a Certified Vehicle Fire Investigator. In addition to his business experience, he is a part time College Instructor where he serves as the Lead Faculty Area Chair of the Mathematics Department.

Mr. Nowikowski holds an MBA from Jacksonville University, a Bachelors and Masters of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Missouri, and a Bachelors of Science in Mining Engineering, 

Keith Pokorny, LEED APDownload CV  

Regional Vice President, Northern Region

Mr. Pokorny has more than 25 years of experience in environmental, engineering and construction management services.  He has experience in a wide variety of projects including engineering and environmental insurance claims, public and municipal environmental remediation and hazardous materials management programs, public housing comprehensive modernization, private retail/commercial remediation programs and high-rise, university and hospital settings. Specializing in publicly funded programs, he assists in grant development, public program budgeting and implementing construction-related capital improvement programs. 

Mr. Pokorny holds a Bachelors of Science in Industrial Hygiene and Environmental Toxicology from Clarkson University and is certified by the U.S. Green Building Council in Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) with a specialty in Building Design and Construction. He is also an EPA Model Lead Risk Assessor and NAHRO Certified Public Housing Manager.    

Cynthia RandallDownload CV

Vice President, National Sales

Ms. Randall has more than 30 years of experience in the environmental field including technical expertise in laboratory analysis, process development research, environmental management and sales experience in the industrial, insurance, water treatment and commercial laboratory sectors. She holds a Bachelors of Arts in Chemistry from Anderson University and a Masters of Arts in Environmental Management and Natural Resources from Ball State University.