San Antonio, TX – April 15, 2017
Protection Development, Incorporated (PDI) is pleased to announce the following Corporate Appointments, as well personnel additions to the PDI team:
David R. Emler, B.Sc., ICC CBPE, ICC CFPE
Vice President – Codes and Permitting
PDI is pleased to announce that David Emler has been promoted to Vice President – Codes and Permitting. Prior to his promotion, David was Senior Fire Protection & Code Analyst and Permitting Section Manager.
Misty M. Emler, BSOE
Vice President – Administration
PDI is pleased to announce that Misty Emler has been promoted to Vice President – Administration. Prior to her promotion, Misty was Contracts & Proposals Administrator, Executive Assistant & Office Manager.
James R. Griffith, P.E., B.Sc.
Vice President – Engineering
PDI is pleased to announce that Jim Griffith has joined PDI as Vice President – Engineering and Senior Fire Protection Engineer.
As Vice President of Engineering and Senior Fire Protection Engineer, Jim will lead PDI to meet the needs of our clients, including the conceptual development and design of fire protection systems, regulatory code review, life-safety analysis, thermal analysis and modeling of fire dynamics, design and analysis of smoke control systems, and commissioning of fire protection systems. Jim also brings extensive experience in conducting large-scale fire testing programs for the rail / transit, construction, offshore, petrochemical and nuclear industries and various government agencies.
Immediately prior to joining PDI, Jim worked with the Development Services Department with the City of San Antonio (2013 – 2017). During this period he established and managed the Special Projects Review Team and was responsible for coordinating expedited plan review by all trades. Later, he managed the Fire Plans Review Team, working closely with the San Antonio Fire Department for compliance review of fire protection systems permits and approval of alternative methods of protection proposed through the Code Modification Request (CMR) process.
From 2008 to 2013, Mr. Griffith served as Senior Fire Protection Engineer and Manager for the Center Institutional Safety Services (CISS) contract at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Johnson Space Center (JSC). Major areas of responsibilities included safety, fire protection, training, maintenance of fire protection systems, test safety, safety information systems, and special projects at JSC, the Neutral Buoyancy Lab (Sonny Carter Training Facility) and Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base.
Prior to 2008, Mr. Griffith worked with Southwest Research Institute’s Mechanical Engineering Division and the Department of Fire Technology where he was responsible for large-scale testing programs and research for the transportation (especially rail and transit), construction and nuclear industries and various government agencies.
Education
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
The University of Texas at San Antonio – 1987
Licenses/Certifications
Licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.)
Mechanical Engineering Branch Specialty – 1993
Fire Protection Engineering Branch Specialty – 1995
Texas Board of Professional Engineers
State of Texas (No. 77757)
About Protection Development, Incorporated (PDI)
Founded in 1985 as a fire protection engineering firm, PDI provides a full spectrum of fire protection engineering services including sprinkler and fire alarm design, fire and smoke modeling, and performance-based designs offering innovative solutions to complex fire and life-safety challenges. In addition, PDI provides consulting services for fire, building, and life-safety code compliance, including plans review and the issuance of commodity letters. PDI also provides government third-party plan review services on behalf of local, state, and federal agencies. In addition to its engineering and consulting services, PDI, through its Permitting Section, assists its clients in negotiating the complex permitting process, managing that process from initial application, through all necessary inspections, to final Certificate-of-Occupancy.
To learn more about PDI, visit our website at www.pdifire.com.
About PDI Rail Solutions
In June 2009, PDI expanded its commitment to the rail / transit consulting business by launching a new, dedicated division, aimed specifically at that industry. That division is called PDI Rail Solutions.
To learn more about PDI Rail Solutions, visit our website at www.pdirail.com.
PDI is a Texas Registered Engineering Firm (Firm Number F-2816), licensed under the authority of the Texas Board of Professional Engineers (TBPE).
PDI Announces Corporate Promotions and Personnel Additions to the PDI Team (pdf version)
