Every organization is only
as good as its people. And at The Project Group, we pride
ourselves on having some of the best, most-experienced people in the
industry.
Mr. Zayac, a civil
engineer, has deep experience in construction and development.
As a principal of the firm, he has exercised primary responsibility
over its major projects – including the $1.4-billion expansion of
Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, the $1.2-billion expansion
of the Cleveland Division of Water and Water Pollution Control and
the construction of the $349-million Cleveland Browns
Stadium.
Before co-founding The
Project Group, he was president of Zayac & Associates,
Inc. That firm specialized in commercial, residential and
industrial development – including power plants, shopping centers,
specialty retail establishments, upscale residential condominiums
and auto-emission testing stations. He also served as a civil
engineer with Havens & Emerson, Inc., during the mid-1970s and
early 1980s.
Mr. Zayac has a long
record of service in public affairs and political office. In
1986, he served as director of marketing in Pennsylvania for Hands
Across America. Prior to that, he was a member of Cleveland
City Council between 1981-1985; and, was an economist with the
National Commission on Air Quality in Washington, D.C., from
1979-1980.
He holds a bachelor’s
degree in civil engineering (BSCE) from Ohio Northern University
(1974); a master’s degree in civil engineering (MSCE) from Clemson
University (1975); and, a master’s degree in regional planning (MRP)
from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1979).
He attended Georgetown University/The Pentagon (1979-1980) seeking a
Master of Arts in Political Science, with a Certificate in National
Security Studies, but did not complete the degree. He also
attended Case Western Reserve University (1991-1983) seeking an
MSCE, with a Certificate in Construction Management, but did not
complete the degree.
Mr. Bustamante, an
attorney, is a principal of The Project Group. He has directed
the firm’s activities on the $1.4-billion expansion of the Cleveland
Hopkins International Airport; and, has had primary responsibility
for monitoring EEO compliance of Cleveland’s Division of Water,
Division of Water Pollution Control, and the construction of the
$349-million Cleveland Browns Stadium. He draws upon his legal
and financial skills to analyze contractual and budgetary
issues.
A practicing attorney
since 1988, Mr. Bustamante has represented several small minority-
and female-owned businesses. He has also represented local and
national non-profit organizations and political
campaigns.
In addition to his
experience as a consultant and attorney, he brings a depth of
knowledge about media, government relations and diversity issues
from his stint as editor-in-chief of Ohio’s largest minority
newspaper, The Call and Post, from 1993 to
1998.
He holds a law degree
(JD) from the California Western School of Law (1985); and, a
bachelor of arts degree (BA) in government from Dartmouth College
(1976). He attended Harvard University (1978-1979) under its
MBA program, but did not complete the degree.
Mr. Copfer is both a
pioneer and a veteran of the software and Internet industry, as well
as a prominent Cleveland-area serial entrepreneur. In 1986, he
founded Copfer & Associates (since renamed Fathom IT Solutions,)
and it later became one of the first companies between New York and
Chicago to pursue web development and currently custom,
on-line software solutions. A year later, he co-founded Visual
Evidence-e/Discovery, LLC, – one of the first demonstrative evidence
production and computer forensic firms in the country. In 2005
he co-founded FathomSEO, one of the largest eMarketing services
firms in the U.S. He continues to serve as chairman of all three
enterprises.
He has extensive
involvement in civic and industry affairs. Mr. Copfer is a past
chairman of the Northeast Ohio Software Association (NEOSA) and a
former board member of NorTech, the Northeast Ohio Regional
Technology Coalition. He is also a past founding board member of the
One Cleveland/One Community digital infrastructure
initiative. In 2001, Ohio Governor Bob Taft appointed him to
the Ohio’s IT Alliance board. Today, Mr. Copfer sits on the boards
of the Cleveland Institute of Art, The Cleveland Film
Commission and The Institute for Management and Engineering (TIME)
at Case Western Reserve University.
Ms. Claus is a marketing
manager with The Project Group. As such, she has participated
on project teams on a wide variety of assignments – including the
$1.2-billion expansion of the Cleveland Division of Water Plant
Enhancement Program (PEP), its $350 million Capital Improvements
Program (CIP), and the Division of Water Pollution Control’s $50
million CIP Program. She is responsible for monitoring
budgetary and schedule compliance on these programs – and also
offers client support on all phases of the project, from the
programming through the post-construction phases.
Ms. Claus oversees the
drafting and preparation of requests for proposals, bid documents
and site evaluation reports for the firm’s clients. She has
also served as project manager on several projects – including the
Hiram College Athletic Complex, Willoughby Municipal Courthouse
Project and Ursuline College Residential Hall
project.
She holds a bachelor of
science degree (BS) in from the State University of New York at
Buffalo (1998).
Mr. Claus handles
financial matters and business plan developments for The Project
Group. He is deeply experienced in the areas of operations,
client relationship management, project management and budget
analysis.
While employed as a
senior financial analyst for the Ford Motor Company, he developed
automated online financial reporting systems, and generated $5
million in internal cost savings through the development of Six
Sigma process improvement initiatives. He later worked in
financial positions for firms in Indianapolis, Portsmouth, New
Hampshire and Atlanta.
He holds a bachelor of
science degree in finance (BS) from Indiana University (1997); and,
an MBA from Case Western Reserve University
(2000).
Ms. Matteo handles
financial and administrative matters for The Project Group. A
former administrative assistant for the prominent brokerage firm of
Prescott, Ball & Turben, she is skilled in tax and accounting
issues.
She has attended Cuyahoga
Community College and Cleveland State University, and has pursued
advanced coursework through the Internal Revenue Service and the
National Association of Tax Professionals.
Mr. Yablonsky is an
intern at The Project Group. He has assisted with the
drafting, preparation and evaluations of multiple projects and
proposals - and has also worked on updating files and the database
of The Project Group.
Mr. Yablonsky graduated
from Trinity High School in the Cleveland suburb of Garfield Heights
- and is currently a sophomore at the Ohio State University.
He is majoring in Civil Engineering, is a participant in its
Environmental Scholars Program - and is a proud member of the
University's Phi Kapa Psi Fraternity.
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