Mr. Dizon is responsible for overseeing all facets of the planning, design, engineering, cost development, and project coordination and management of over $20B of worldwide diplomatic capital construction projects in development. OBO is the single real property manager for all U.S. diplomatic facilities around the world, managing a portfolio of properties in over 291 locations around the world, valued at over $73 billion. Mr. Dizon has over 30 years’ experience in the design and construction industry and has previously served in the real estate and design and engineering offices at the U.S. Department of State. He has been recognized with numerous awards for leadership and superior performance at the Department of State.
Dean Reed led DPR Construction’s Lean Construction for over 24 years and was awarded the Lean Construction Institute’s Pioneer award in 2021. He is a co-author of the book, Integrating Project Delivery, published by Wiley in 2017. He founded the consultancy, Capability-Building, in 2021 after retiring from DPR to help companies shift from management by results/numbers to focus on the means for improving the delivery of built products.
Center for Innovation is a catalyst to improve the built environment and inspire innovation. We facilitate the exchange of ideas, knowledge, and insights to address challenges and opportunities in our industry.
In 2012, six leaders in the AEC (architecture, engineering, and construction) industry, J. Stuart Eckblad; Nicki Dennis Stephens; Zigmund Rubel; Jim Bedrick; Cliff Brewis; Dave Higgins, Jr.; and Howard Ashcraft came together to found the Center for Innovation in the Design and Construction Industry (CIDCI). The founders were soon joined by Dean Reed and Ian MacLaren.
With roots in the Collaborative Process Institute and Integrated Project Delivery movement, and with the support of the American Institute of Architects, California, the founders were driven by a desire to create a cross-disciplinary opportunity to improve the industry. Initially focusing on the San Francisco Bay Area, “in-person” events brought together diverse speakers sharing compelling stories of innovation.
In 2019 the COVID-19 pandemic shifted the organization to an online platform, and we became a global forum for innovators. Semimonthly webinars invited everyone in the industry to consider diverse issues including industrialized construction, technological advancements, mental health challenges to workers, process improvements, and more. On-demand sessions on YouTube draw people from every continent and time zone, inspiring innovators everywhere.
We also became a charitable organization with a new legal name: The Center for Innovation in the Design and Construction Industry Foundation. And, by 2022, the organization came to be known colloquially, as the “Center for Innovation.”
The Center for Innovation also offers a unique opportunity for emerging leaders to employ design and systems thinking in pursuing an innovative idea called the Innovation Lab. And the Research to Practice Initiative provides support to students seeking to solve a “wicked problem” in the AEC industry.
As the Center for Innovation looks ahead, we thank our founders for their vision. We seek to remain true to our mission of serving as a catalyst to improve the built environment. Join us today.