Leadership

Joseph R Reynolds

Joseph R Reynolds, PE MEWI MAE, is the founder, president and CEO of the RTI Companies led by RTI Group, LLC headquartered in Annapolis Maryland with a west coast office in San Francisco CA.  Other RTI companies are Anamet, Inc. in San Francisco CA, and the London based firm Reynolds Technological Inquiries Limited, RTI Ltd. with offices in the Middle East and South America.  He has been practicing as a forensic engineer since 1975 and is now considered to be a principal in his field.  Mr. Reynolds is also the co-founder and past president of FTI Consulting, Inc. (FTI), now trading on the New York Stock Exchange as FCN.

Mr. Reynolds is internationally recognized as a major casualty forensic engineering investigator and expert witness. He is an authority regarding the reconstruction and analysis of aircraft accidents, fires, utility equipment failures and accidents, and systems reliability research and safety studies, as well as forensic investigation training, emergency response preparedness scenarios, major casualty litigation, and continuing education programmes.  He has given evidence to governmental boards and commissions, international arbitration hearings, and various courts of law.   Prior to his work in forensic engineering Mr. Reynolds was involved in military COMINT operations and research with the USAF airborne EWCM systems.

Mr. Reynolds is a graduate of The Johns Hopkins University with degrees in Electrical Engineering and post-graduate studies in Physics and Mathematics.  He is the founding Chairman of The Johns Hopkins University Society of Engineering Alumni and continues his relationship with Hopkins as a guest lecturer and Chairman of The National Advisory Council for the Whiting School of Engineering.  He also serves as a member of the Biomedical Engineering External Advisory Board and is a member of the University Board of Trustees.  He has completed professional classes at the University of Leeds, the University of Liverpool, and the Royal Society of Medicine in the United Kingdom.  He is the author of numerous professional papers, publications and presentations.  In addition, Mr. Reynolds has appeared on the BBC, Sky News, and major US networks to provide authoritative commentary on topical accidents and investigations. 

Mr. Reynolds is a professional member of several international organizations related to accident and fire investigation, as well as risk and safety analysis including; the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the Power Engineering Society, the Aerospace and Electronic Systems Society, the International Society of Air Safety Investigators (ISASI), and the Royal Aeronautical Society, and is a Fellow of the Institute of Civil Procedure & Emergency Management. He is also a fully vetted member of the Expert Witness Institute (EWI), and the Academy of Experts (AE) related to his practice in British courts.

Orlando Allard

In addition to managing RTI operations in Panama, Captain Orlando Allard, President of RTI Latin America Inc., participates actively in several professional organizations that deal with port and maritime industry issues, as well as with corporate social responsibility.  He is the current vice president of the Maritime Chamber of Panama, the organization that groups the Panamanian maritime cluster.

Besides shipping out, Captain Allard worked in the Panama Canal for over 30 years, first as a towboat master and then as a pilot.  Later, as part of the Canal management team, he was in charge of the maritime training programs that made it possible for Panama to comply with the US-Panama Treaty obligation of a 100 percent Panamanian work force.

Captain Allard served as Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Panama to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) during a three-year period in which he actively participated in developing the ISPS Code and the Voluntary Audit Scheme, among other important legislation.  He was one of the founders and the first Rector of the International Maritime University of Panama.  Captain Allard has received several local and international awards for his contributions to the industry and maritime training, particularly in the area of shiphandling simulation technology and its applications to the training of marine pilots.

Thomas Butler

Thomas W. Butler, PhD, is Principal Forensic Engineer and Director of the Materials Engineering and Sciences Department at RTI Group.  His educational backgrounds includes a Bachelor of Engineering Science from Johns Hopkins University; a Master of Science in Engineering – Applied Science from George Washington University; and a PhD in Solid Mechanics and Materials from Brown University.

Dr. Butler specializes in the analysis of failures of objects made of metal, plastics, ceramics, wood and composite materials, as well as failures of welds and fasteners. He utilizes his knowledge and experience gained in 30 years as a professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department of the United States Naval Academy to analyze the failures of components such as gears, wire rope, and pistons in aircraft, ships, motor vehicles, cranes, and other mechanical equipment. He has consulted with various Navy departments and DARPA on materials, aircraft and shipboard issues.

While with the National Institute of Standards & Technology, Dr. Butler was responsible for the testing and design of force and strain measuring transducers. Dr. Butler combines training and experience in both materials science and mechanical engineering to analyze failures caused by modes such as fatigue, corrosion, stress corrosion cracking, hydrogen embrittlement, brittle fracture, ductile overload, and manufacturing and design deficiencies.  He is also experienced in the analysis of failures of medical devices including catheters, arthroscopic scissors, stents, and needles, as well as orthopedic implants.

A published author of mechanical and materials related articles, Dr. Butler also holds a patent for his design of a tension-torsion testing machine.  He is a member of the International Mechanical Engineering Honor Society, Pi Tau Sigma, and the Scientific Research Society, Sigma Xi. 

Dr. Butler has provided expert testimony, both nationally and internationally, regarding a wide range of materials and engineering issues. For example he has testified regarding many medical devices ranging in size from implanted catheters to walkers and crutches. He has testified regarding failures of components of ocean-going ships, mine cars, and aircraft. Dr. Butler has also testified regarding utility and transportation issues and failures of products made of metal, wood, and plastic such as piping and gears. In addition, he has testified in matters regarding patent infringement and trade dress issues.

Steve Cameron

Steve Cameron joined RTI in 2011 as Marine Director, focusing on business development for the marine sector and associated services.  He brings to RTI decades of experience in global marine transport logistics, including the areas of liner shipping, ports and terminals, purchasing strategy, and business and trade.  Prior to joining RTI, Mr. Cameron was founder and principal of Cameron Maritime Resources (CMR), a consultancy providing market research, business development, and focused briefings for the maritime industry and businesses in Africa.

Earlier, Mr. Cameron spent 20 years with OT Africa line, and was part of the original team employed to manage and develop a specialized ro-ro/container line between Europe and West Africa, where safety and risk management were essential for the success of the business.  As operations director, his responsibilities included ship management, container fleet logistics, ship cargo handling services, and corporate business development.

Mr. Cameron began his career at Cunard, serving in various roles at sea and ashore.  He is a Director of Business Council for Africa, an Associate Fellow of the Nautical Institute, and a member of the Chamber of Shipping, Society of Maritime Industries (Ports and Terminals Group), Anchorites, and Royal African Society.

Les Chapman

Les Chapman, BEng MBA, is Chief Operating Officer of RTI and is directly responsible for the overall operation and management of RTI’s European, Central and South American, and Middle East businesses covering aviation, marine, rail, nuclear, and other energy industries.  Mr. Chapman is also the Managing Director of Marine Accident & Risk Consultants (MARC) Ltd., a joint venture of RTI and ConsultISM that specialises in marine safety and risk management.  Mr. Chapman is a global marine professional with more than 30 years of business development, operations, security, and management consulting experience in the maritime environment.  He has spoken and written articles on a wide range of topics from business risk and contingency planning to government and agency policy on security and maritime matters.

Previously, Mr. Chapman held positions as head of a maritime consultancy group for a leading classification society; Maritime Security Director for a leading international business risk consultancy; the Export Promoter for the UK Government for the ports and security industries; and the Marine Operations Manager for one of the most prestigious ports in the UK.  He is a former Canadian Forces and Royal Navy submariner who was responsible for the management of large numbers of personnel and £1 billion of nuclear assets in four command appointments.

Mr. Chapman is a director of the London Shipping Law Centre – Maritime Business Forum, as well as Somerset Consult (a construction project consultancy), and provides the Secretariat for the International Maritime Conciliation and Mediation (IMCAM) Panel and the Association of Average Adjusters (AAA).  He is also the chairman of the London branch of the Nautical Institute.

Mr. Chapman is a Fellow of the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science & Technology and the Institute of Civil Protection & Emergency Management; an Associate Fellow of the Nautical Institute; and a member of the Honourable Company of Master Mariners, The Security Institute, The Worshipful Company of Arbitrators, and The Worshipful Company of Shipwrights.  He earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical/nuclear engineering from The Royal Military College of Canada and has a MBA specialising in corporate financial metrics. 

Kevin Darcy

Kevin Darcy, Director of RTI Forensics LLC, manages the west coast office in California, and is a specialist in aviation safety and accident investigation with over 30 years of experience.  He has participated in investigation support activities on over 100 fatal and non-fatal accident and incident investigations for the world’s aviation industry and government, including general aviation, military, and major airline crashes.

Prior to joining RTI, Mr. Darcy was president of Safety Services International, a leading provider of aviation safety consulting services for the world's aviation industries and government authorities.  At SSI, he led the investigation of accidents and resolution of safety issues in all parts of the world, managing relationships with operators, manufacturers, and investigative and regulatory authorities.  Mr. Darcy began his career as an investigator at The Boeing Company’s Commercial Airplanes Division.

Mr. Darcy has acted as liaison between NTSB, FAA, foreign regulatory authorities, airlines, manufacturers, and engineering/management in accident investigation activities, and has experience in the management of investigations and translation of engineering documents for investigating authorities.  His wide range of experience in the aviation and aerospace investigation industry also includes helicopters and space vehicles.  Mr. Darcy has provided expert testimony as to his findings in courts of law.

Steve Hull

Steve Hull, Safety and Investigations Director of RTI, is responsible for the aviation business in the UK and Europe, and is the lead for aviation matters in the Group.  Mr. Hull has over 40 years in aviation, as a senior air safety investigator/air safety manager, licensed aircraft engineer and flight engineer.  He has investigated over 50 incidents and accidents and led a team to investigate the causal factors and compile comprehensive reports that included recommendations to the airlines' boards to prevent recurrence. Mr. Hull has extensive flight operational experience with over 8,500 flying hours as a flight engineer on the B747 and Concorde.

Mr. Hull was the editor of FLYWISE, the BA corporate safety magazine which was considered an industry leader and a benchmark in the reporting of safety information. He was the former Chairman, now Vice-Chairman, of the UK Flight Safety Committee (UKFSC).

Mr. Hull gives regular talks and presentations to several major ‘Blue Chip’ companies including, Shell, BP, NATS, CAA Aviation Medics, Aviation Underwriters plus new pilots and engineers. He has also lectured at the European Centre of Aviation Training and Cranfield University.

Mr. Hull is an Incorporated Engineer, a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, and Member of the International Society of Air Safety Investigators, and was the initial airline lead investigator after the B777 accident at London Heathrow Airport in January 2008.

Richard Loucks

Richard Loucks, PhD, PE, is Vice President of Engineering at RTI, focusing on complex technical issues affecting litigation. He is also charged with the management, growth, and development of the sophisticated group of dedicated professionals that form the technical nexus of RTI Group.  Dr. Louck’s technical area of specialization is in mechanical engineering, particularly in thermal and fluid sciences, with emphasis on explosions of all types and their effects.  He provides risk analysis of the effects of explosions to public and industrial structures, equipment, and personnel, with causes ranging from industrial accidents to terrorist actions.

Prior to its acquisition by RTI, Dr. Loucks was founder and president of the Loucks Group, a forensic engineering consulting firm.  Earlier, he spent five years with FTI Consulting as the Director of Mechanical and Materials Engineering.  There, he directed a staff of over 40 professionals, and consulted on several high profile matters involving blasts and explosions caused by a number of energetic sources, such as the November 1996 explosion in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, and the February 1999 CSI explosion in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

After receiving his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 1986 from Virginia Tech, Dr. Loucks began his career as a Project Engineer for a heavy construction firm in Baltimore, Maryland.  While working on his master’s degree in mechanical engineering at the Johns Hopkins University, he was offered a position with the U.S. Army’s Ballistics Research Laboratory at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland.  There, Dr. Loucks worked to design and build a facility to simulate the blast, shock, and thermal effects created by nuclear weapons. He then directed the effort to test equipment and small structures using these facilities.  After receiving his Ph.D. in engineering, he moved into developing tools to predict transport and dispersion from chemical and biological weapons.

Ken Pytlewski

Ken Pytlewski, PE, is the Director of Engineering and Laboratories at Anamet, Inc., a full-service metallurgical, mechanical, and chemical testing and engineering failure analysis laboratory in the San Francisco Bay Area, and an affiliated RTI company.

Anamet employs a staff of highly qualified and experienced materials engineers, metallurgists, and chemists with credentials from BS to PhD and a team of skilled technicians who perform testing and analysis to industry standards, with particular expertise in performing customized mock-up tests to meet specific customer testing requirements.  Anamet’s facilities include a fully equipped, dedicated suite to host third party laboratory examinations for insurance and legal matters.

Mr. Pytlewski specializes in failure analysis of metal and plastic components and devices, and in metal corrosion evaluation.  He has over 20 years of experience in micro-structure and fractograph evaluations of metals, plastics, and ceramics, performs on-site engineering investigations, and provides expert witness testimony.  Mr. Pytlewski is an active member of several national materials engineering professional societies and local technical groups.               

Jeremy Reynolds

Jeremy Reynolds is Director of Corporate Communications for RTI, and leads RTI’s visual aid consulting services group, Magic Motion Studios.  Mr. Reynolds is an experienced interactive design and graphic communications professional, specializing in visual aids for litigation support.

Mr. Reynolds founded Magic Motion Studios in 2003, with a focus on video forensic analysis, animated accident reenactments, and illustrations for patent infringements.  Magic Motion Studios has supported high profile cases in a number of industries.  The group also produces the visual aid materials for AVICON, RTI’s bi-annual conference for aviation legal and insurance professionals that illustrates considerations for forensic analysis and dispute resolution using a fictional aircraft accident case study. 

Mr. Reynolds began his career as a multimedia producer and IT specialist at FTI Consulting.  He earned an MFA in design and motion graphics, and a BFA in interactive design from Savannah College of Art and Design.

Tony Tesar

Tony Tesar is Security and Risk Management Director for RTI, opening the company’s offices in Bahrain, and managing the global development, marketing and operations of RTI’s Security and Risk Management Division, as well as other services, throughout the Middle East.  Mr. Tesar has over 20 years of security and risk management experience, previously running his own company and acting as chief security advisor in the corporate and industrial sectors in the U.S., the Middle East, and Asia.

Mr. Tesar’s most recent work with major financial sector organizations in the Gulf, the Middle East, and North Africa has included security risk assessments, system guidelines and security and safety plans for facilities and personnel, security system design, implementation of security procedures and policies, and risk mitigation.  He has worked with major institutions, financial organizations, and the petro-chemical sector across Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, Qatar, Kuwait, Kurdistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq.

As a bomb disposal and nuclear, biological, and chemical device specialist, Mr. Tesar was appointed by the U.N. in 2003 to lead weapons inspection teams in Iraq prior to the war.  He later worked in post-war Iraq for the U.K. Government and U.S. administration to assist in intelligence and counter-terrorism operations.  A number of terrorist incidents against foreign interests in the Middle East led to the requests from the corporate sector for assistance in protecting institutions, facilities, and employees that prompted his permanent move to private practice.

Earlier, in response to the events of 9/11 in New York, Mr. Tesar was invited to work with U.S. Federal and Intelligence Agencies and the U.S. Department of Defense. He acted in an advisory capacity to train Agency and Special Forces operatives, both domestically and prior to their deployment to Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq, on counter-terrorism and attack mitigation techniques involving vehicle-borne devices and explosive/incendiary devices.

During his distinguished career in the British Army, Mr. Tesar conducted operations within Northern Ireland, East Timor, Sierra Leone, The Balkans, South and Central America, and The South Atlantic.

Matthew Wagenhofer

Matthew Wagenhofer, PhD, is a Senior Mechanical Engineer and the Director of the Mechanical Engineering Department at RTI Group.  Doctor Wagenhofer holds BS, MS, and PhD degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Maryland.  He is an expert in the deformation and fracture of engineering materials and components.

Dr. Wagenhofer’s continuing research activities focus on the characterization and quantification of the interactions among multiple material deformation and fracture phenomena.  He then uses the knowledge gained from these studies to develop physically-based, computational tools that are capable of describing these relationships in material or component failure scenarios.  These efforts, in collaboration with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, have resulted in the development of such a tool for the characterization and prediction of fracture in steels used to form nuclear reactor pressure vessels.  Dr. Wagenhofer’s work on this model and other topics has been published in numerous technical journals.

Dr. Wagenhofer has over 15 years of experience investigating material and mechanical component performance related matters spanning a wide range of metals, polymers, and coatings.  Some examples include: failure analysis of roller bearings in a continuous casting machine, analysis of cracked residential CPVC plumbing, corrosion analysis of commercial circuit breakers, nondestructive inspection of steel components in electric power plants, failure analysis of carbon fiber composite bicycle component, failure analysis of a logging truck boom, vibration inspection and analysis of commercial HVAC system, and computational fluid dynamics analysis of a molten zinc spill at a galvanizing facility.

Dr. Wagenhofer has provided expert testimony on a range of matters in both federal and state courts.