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Amundson says. “Mike conveyed an interest, even an excite- ment, in these cast iron pipes that had to be genuine. You can’t fake that. He loved what he did and he demonstrated that. I really enjoyed working with him every day I had the opportunity.” Burgess’ passion for the industry was contagious and he put it to good use through his involvement with ASHRAE, the trade association focused on building systems, energy effi- ciency, indoor air quality, refrigeration and sustainability. For more than 20 years, he served in a variety of roles with- in the organization, including its board of directors and var- ious councils and committees. Mark Bender of Bender Dean Engineering says, “Mike con- vinced me to become more involved in ASHRAE. He was good at getting people to volunteer. Really, Mike just loved ASHRAE, helping our local chapter and being involved.” “Mike’s energy and smile was contagious within ASHRAE,” added Karine Leblanc, the organization’s director and re- gional chair. Bay Area attorney Tyler Berding worked with Michael on a number of client projects over the years, in- cluding one that he described as their most difficult, which was resolved earlier this year. “He was creative, inventive and very easy to work with,” Berding says. “He was a fine expert and a wonderful col- league. Everyone at Berding & Weil will miss him.” WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? Xpera is looking for additional experts and thought leaders to move forward with the tremendous momentum that Burgess had established though his prolific output as an engineer. “Mike was clearly a well-loved individual whose outsized personality, love of life, and sheer brilliance left an indelible mark on all those that knew him. His memorial service was so packed, they were running out of chairs to fit everyone.” “Mike was clearly a well-loved individual whose outsized personality, love of life and sheer brilliance left an indelible mark on all those that knew him. His memorial service was so packed, they were running out of chairs to fit everyone,” Bumgardner says. “We can rest assured that any issues that God has with plumbing and HVAC in heaven will soon be resolved. “Seeing the impact that Michael had on so many people, it makes us realize how special and important business rela- tionships are to each of us personally. It’s what makes what we do worth doing. We are all very fortunate indeed when we can do what we love to do for people we love doing it for.”

the time, the entire AEC industry was still very much im- mersed in the Great Recession. “While not a lot of new construction was happening at the time, there was still plenty of litigation from the boom times that required the substantial expertise that someone like Mike possessed,” Bumgardner says. As the economy turned around and projects started mov- ing forward once again, there was a huge need in the indus- try for proactive risk management – especially helping proj- ect teams understand new building codes and other regula- tions. “Mike’s thought leadership, combined with the incredible hindsight afforded through participation as a designated expert on more than 200 disputes, proved invaluable to our clients.” “Mike’s thought leadership, combined with the incredible hindsight afforded through participation as a designated expert on more than 200 disputes, proved invaluable to our clients,” Bumgardner says. “By combining energy efficien- cy and sustainability consulting with practical risk manage- ment, Mike’s practice was definitely in growth mode as his illness took hold.” COLLEAGUES AND CLIENTS SHARE MEMORIES. Burgess worked with attorney Ann Rankin on the team representing the plain- tiff on the landmark case of Beacon Residential Community Association vs. Catellus Third and King, et. al., which they took over in 2011. The biggest challenge in the case, which would end up changing California law and the standard of care for design professionals, was the existence of solar heat gain that caused some units to experience elevated temper- atures as much as 30 degrees higher than the outside air. Previous legal teams had engaged a number of mechanical engineering firms, none of which could suggest a solution. “When we brought on Mike, he established a team that in- cluded electrical engineers, mechanical engineers, structur- al engineers, cost estimators and more. “They quickly analyzed the problem and found a solution,” Rankin says. “Mike was always passionate about his work, and could explain complicated technical concepts to lay peo- ple in an interesting and understandable way. Although he had been a mechanical engineer for over 30 years, he was still very excited about the field and about solving real prob- lems for real people.” “Excitement,” “enthusiasm” and “passion” are words that came up repeatedly when talking about Burgess and his work. Steve Amundson of the law offices of White Amundson Kish & Sweeney worked with Burgess for more than 10 years on a number of cases involving cast iron pipes. “We worked together on issues with a very narrow focus,”

THE ZWEIG LETTER July 25, 2016, ISSUE 1161

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