Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH) has welcomed senior leaders Brian Pailes and Dustin Turnquist, who bring advanced corrosion and materials engineering capabilities and project experience to the firm’s Engineering Mechanics & Infrastructure (EMI) group. 

“SGH values the insights and problem-solving capabilities that materials-focused experts can bring to our projects,” said SGH Head of EMI Jesse Beaver. “Brian and Dustin are top-notch engineers and team-builders who bring experience and new expertise in metallurgy, corrosion, and cathodic protection to SGH.”

“It is great to welcome these two accomplished experts to SGH,” said SGH Chief Technical Officer Niklas Vigener. “Brian brings world-class corrosion mitigation expertise and an entrepreneurial, founder mindset to our brand-new Tampa location. Dustin comes with tremendous experience in forensic and metallurgical work and brings the steely-eyed focus of a seasoned and compelling investigator to our Denver office. Both have a national practice, so we look forward to seeing their impact across the entire firm.” 

Brian Pailes, Ph.D., P.E.

Brian Pailes joins SGH as an Associate Principal. Based in Tampa, he will collaborate with SGH experts in Florida while drawing on the firm’s technical resources across the United States. He specializes in nondestructive evaluation (NDE), material testing, structural evaluation, cathodic protection, and corrosion on a wide variety of structures. Brian is an Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP)-certified Cathodic Protection Specialist (CP-4) and Professional Engineer in several states.  

“I know from first-hand experience that SGH has a reputation for solving some of the most challenging problems in the industry,” said Brian. “I spent two semesters as a co-op student here, which laid the foundation for my career, and I am honored to rejoin the team and bring my skills and approaches to Florida and beyond.”

Brian chairs the AMPP Concrete Infrastructure Standards Committee and is an active member of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Corrosion Committee; the American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) Infrastructure Committee; and the Coasts, Oceans, Ports, and Rivers Institute (COPRI) Asset Management Task Force. He has published many peer-reviewed papers and presented at conferences across the industry.

Dustin Turnquist, P.E., CFEI 

Dustin Turnquist joins SGH as a Project Director, partnering closely with team members across the United States while bolstering the technical capabilities of our Denver office and SGH’s Applied Science & Research Center. He brings extensive expertise in metallurgy, engineering investigations, failure analysis, and testing, with specializations in fatigue and fracture characterization, corrosion analysis, and damage assessment for components and systems across a wide range of industries. Dustin is a Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator (CFEI) and a Professional Engineer in several states. 

“I am excited to join SGH and partner alongside the firm's many thought leaders, including our growing collection of metallurgical and materials engineers and scientists,” said Dustin. “SGH excels at delivering advanced analyses to solve complex design challenges and failure investigations, and I am eager to contribute to our success here in Denver and across the country.”

Dustin enjoys sharing his expertise across the industry, both as a member of the American Society for Metals (ASM) International, Failure Analysis Society (FAS), and National Association of Fire Investigators (NAFI), and as a technical reviewer and editorial board member for the Journal of Failure Analysis and Prevention.