SUMMIT

Product Showcase Application

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From Rule of Thumb to Real Results: Practical Ceiling Acoustics in the Field

Presented by: Mike Dickerson, INCE

Strong Minds and Safe Sites: Mental Resilience and Leadership Agility in Construction

Presented by: JR Kuo

JR is a national speaker, trainer, and coach who inspires people to make positive changes in their lives. He is also the founder of CoffeeWithJR, a company that specializes in providing culturally responsive mental health and leadership training. JR has 20 years of experience in professional speaking. He has trained college students and professionals on mental health at over 50 universities and dozens of organizations across the country. JR is also an instructor for Mental Health First Aid. As a culturally responsive expert and trainer, JR has facilitated numerous workshops for Fortune 500 companies, as well as locally for companies. He has taught at the University of Colorado at Boulder on leadership, cultural competency, and mental health.

In addition to being a professional speaker, JR has over 15 years of experience managing and running nonprofit organizations and small businesses. He was the CEO of DASi Integrator, a construction company based in Denver, Colorado, for three years. JR was the Operations Manager of NAAPIMHA, a mental health nonprofit, for nine years. Since 2017, he has been the Owner of CoffeeWithJR.

JR has over 20 years of experience in acting, improv, and playback theater. He is the founder and creator of Storytelling Theater for Healing. Storytelling Theater is dedicated to advocating mental health awareness and resilience through the transformative power of storytelling and the theater arts. Since 2023, Storytelling Theater has collaborated with various community-based organizations, delivering fifteen live performances throughout Los Angeles County.

As an immigrant who has struggled with the immigration system, JR is passionate about advocating for immigration reform and supporting immigrants in the United States. JR’s mental health journey as an immigrant is featured in a short documentary called “Coffee Talking Out of Mental Coffins,” and in the Harvard Kennedy School’s Asian American Policy Review.

In 2022, JR published his first research paper as one of the authors of “International Student Identities and Mental Well-Being,” a book that strives to provide valuable insights on international students’ mental well-being based on research, promising practices, and practitioners’ experiences.

To learn more about JR Kuo’s life story and achievements and watch “Coffee Talking Out of Mental Coffins,” please visit www.coffeewithjr.com/meet-jr

Special Technology Session You Do Not Want to Miss!

Elevating Performance: The Strategic Impact of Tech in Ceiling Solutions

Presented by Kathy Case of Quantify, this session explores how strategic technology collaboration is transforming the way ceiling solutions are designed, specified, estimated, and delivered. Drawing on insights and integration points with Siteline, Plexxis, Quantify North America, Spec-ID, Buzz Bid, and Clearstory, the discussion showcases how connected construction technologies are driving measurable performance improvements across the industry.

Attendees will gain a real-world perspective on how digital tools streamline workflows, improve coordination, and enhance visibility from early-stage specification and takeoffs through bidding, project execution, and financial management. The session will highlight how aligning technology platforms across teams reduces risk, increases accuracy, and supports smarter, faster decision-making.

Through practical examples and industry experience, Kathy Case will illustrate how technology partnerships create scalable value for contractors, manufacturers, and design teams—while addressing adoption strategies, interoperability, and the growing role of data in ceiling and interior construction.

This session is ideal for contractors, estimators, project managers, and industry leaders seeking to understand how technology collaboration is elevating performance and shaping the future of ceiling and interior system industries.