Meet
Our Leaders.

The BYLD team is a collaboration of technology, design, engineering and construction professionals, dedicated to innovating in ways that increase efficiency, reduce costs and eliminate waste for the design and build industry. 

Leadership

Executive Team.

Del de Windt

CEO & Executive Director

Del co-founded Cardinal Group and served as its CEO where they invested in more than $2B of assets and won more than 50 national awards.

Marcin Kakol

President, BYLD Technologies

Marcin brings 15 years of experience in the software industry, specializing in pioneering software technologies and establishing scalable engineering teams and R&D centers from inception.

Grzegorz "G" Staszczyk

VP R&D

G has been involved in Research & Development activities in the construction industry for the past nine years where he has built and led large teams focused on innovation.

Michal Wanic

VP Design & Engineering

Michal has over a decade of experience in structural engineering across the US and European markets, specializing in steel construction. 

Brendan McDonough

EVP, US Operations

Brendan has over a decade of experience in technical sales in the construction technology space. He brings a diverse customer network from around the country.

Erin Hamilton

Director, Technical Sales

A licensed architect, Erin brings more than 18 years of experience working in the construction industry, specializing in prefabrication, construction technology, and code compliance. 

Pawel Rachwalski

VP Design & Architecture

Paweł is a licensed architect with over 15 years of experience, specializing in multifamily developments across Europe. 

Cesar Salas

VP Field Operations

Cesar brings over 20 years of construction experience, leading large subcontracting companies specializing in light gauge steel framing, exteriors, and drywall.

Dade Pham

VP Controller & HR

Dade brings more than 15 years of startup and leadership experience in the accounting field to BYLD. Dade spent the majority of his career in private equity real estate.

Leadership

Founders.

John Vanker

Co-Founder & Executive Chairman

John co-founded a light gauge steel framing and software construction technology company in 2007, where he served as CEO for seven years. 

Michael Lastowski

Co-founder & Executive Director

Michael co-founded a construction technology company in 2007 and led its software and product development. 

Leadership

Board of Directors.

John Vanker

Co-Founder & Executive Chairman

John co-founded a light gauge steel framing and software construction technology company in 2007, where he served as CEO for seven years. 

Michael Lastowski

Co-founder & Executive Director

Michael co-founded a construction technology company in 2007 and led its software and product development. 

Del de Windt

CEO & Executive Director

Del co-founded Cardinal Group Companies in 2008 and served as its CEO until 2019.

Greg Ralph

Director

ClarkDietrich is a leader in the steel stud market. Greg leads the largest team of cold-formed framing engineers nationwide and the company’s R&D efforts. 

Phil Potter

Director

A prolific VC investor, focusing on industry-changing technologies, fintech, real estate and crypto platforms, where he co-founded the stablecoin Tether.

Leadership

Board of Advisors.

Chris Hirst

CBG Building Company

Chris Hirst serves as Sr. VP of CBG Building Company, one of the nation’s largest multifamily builders. For more than 20 years, Chris has been an early adopter of innovative construction technologies.

Cody Dailey

McClure Engineering

Cody is the VP of Structural at McClue, a role he has served in since 2015, and a member of the American Institute of Steel Construction, the National NCEES Structural Exam Committee and the Cold Formed Steel Engineers Institute. 

Chad Bickford

Steel Dynamics

Chad Bickford was appointed Vice President, Steel Fabrication for Steel Dynamics, Inc. in May 2024. In this role, Chad oversees the company’s New Millennium Building Systems division, comprised of seven steel joist and deck manufacturing facilities located throughout the U.S. and Mexico.

Jim Harris

JR Harris & Co

Jim is one of the world’s most highly regarded structural engineers and building code committee members. Jim’s work spans far and wide, including the design of hundreds of structures ranging from single-story to multi-story buildings. 

John Abisch

Roland Architecture

John Roland Abisch is a licensed architect with over 15 years of industry experience working for some of the top architectural firms in the country. Currently, John holds active licenses in NY, VA, NC and SC. 

Matt Peron

Janus Henderson Investors

Matt Peron is Global Head of Solutions at Janus Henderson Investors and portfolio manager on the firm’s suite of equity research strategies, as well as serving as chair of the Portfolio Oversight Team that monitors risk for the portfolios.

Del de Windt

CEO & Executive Director

Prior to BYLD, Del co-founded Cardinal Group Companies in 2008 and served as its CEO until 2019. Cardinal Group is a Denver-based company that invested in more than $2B of assets, had operations in 37 states with 3,000 employees. Regularly recognized as one of the top Places to Work and Top Cultures in the country, Cardinal amassed more than 50 national awards throughout its business verticals, which include: multifamily real estate investment, management, marketing, and development & construction management of multifamily and hospitality. Del graduated from Stanford University with a degree in Science, Technology, and Society.

Marcin Kakol

EVP Technology & Ops

Marcin has 15 years of experience in the software industry, focused on new technologies and data driven solutions. His previous position was Head of Technology where he built and led a team of 200+ engineers. Prior to that, Marcin worked for Autodesk and HP Inc. He graduated with an MSA in Finance from the Cracow School of Economics and received a postgraduate degree in Software Engineering from the AGH University of Science and Technology.​ 

Grzegorz "G" Staszczyk

VP R&D

G has been involved in Research & Development activities in the construction industry for the past nine years where he has built and led large teams focused on construction, engineering, BIM, new technologies and project management initiatives, hardware, and software platforms. G graduated from the AGH University of Science and Technology with a Master’s degree in Computer Science and Mechanical Engineering.​

Michal Wanic

VP Design & Engineering

Michal has over 10 years of experience and expertise in structural engineering with specialization in light-gage steel structures. He graduated from Cracow University of Technology with a faculty in Steel Structures. During studies Michal started his professional carrier as a structural engineer for real-estate and industrial markets. He obtained a professional license and became a professional engineer in 2017. Since then, he is sharing knowledge with younger colleagues and developing himself in engineering and project management areas. In his previous work he was managing growing, engineering team as a Director of Design & Engineering with over 60 engineers on board. He is target oriented and his approach to design is holistic.

Brendan McDonough

VP Customer Engagement

Brendan has over a decade of experience in technical sales in the construction technology space. He has extensive knowledge and experience in construction and code compliance. While with his previous venture, Brendan sold over 10 million square feet of light gauge steel multi-unit projects around the country and cultivated a pipeline of over 100 million square feet of new prospects annually. Brendan has a BA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a focus in Economics and Rhetorical Studies.​

Erin Hamilton

Director, Technical Sales

A licensed architect, Erin brings more than 18 years of experience working in the construction industry, specializing in prefabrication, construction technology, and code compliance. Prior to joining BYLD, Erin worked as a Construction Owner’s Rep for Forum Real Estate, and for a light gauge steel software, manufacturing, and construction company, where she held several roles in design and specialized in technical compliance, product development, and integration with design team partners.

Pawel Rachwalski

VP Design & Architecture

Paweł is a licensed architect with over 15 years of experience, specializing in multifamily developments across Europe. His specialty includes an in-depth understanding of the design and development process, particularly in Europe. Prior to joining the team, he led the initiative for a proprietary, structural light gauge framing system to obtain full certification in the EU. Pawel graduated with an MSA from the Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning at the Cracow University of Technology.

Cesar Salas

VP Field Operations

Cesar brings over 20 years of construction experience to BYLD leading large subcontracting companies specializing in light gauge steel framing, exteriors, and drywall. He has extensive experience in Project Management and administration, OSHA & safety compliance, materials procurement and buyout, and site logistics and construction management. Cesar has led teams building millions of square feet of multifamily and commercial projects in 13 states.​

Dade Pham

VP Controller & HR

Dade brings more than 15 years of startup and leadership experience in the accounting field to BYLD. Prior to joining, Dade held leadership roles at the publicly traded REIT, Macerich, Grand Peaks Investments, and Virtus Real Estate Capital, a $10B private equity group based in Austin, TX. Additionally, Dade served as the Principal Accounting Officer of two successful start-ups. Dade has a B.B.A. in Management from Chapman University. ​

John Vanker

Co-Founder & Executive Chairman

John built his first cold formed steel multiunit building in Chicago in 1998.

During his career he has built and developed over a thousand residential units.

 

In 2007 he co-founded a cold formed steel framing software, manufacturing, and construction company where he served as CEO for seven years, during which time the company grew from three to more than two hundred employees.

 

John has 30 years of experience in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry, leading his companies in developing urban infill multifamily, mixed use multifamily, and single-family residential communities. John has a BS in Biology and Chemistry from Northern Michigan University.

Michael Lastowski

Co-founder & Executive Director​

Michael has managed the development and construction of large multifamily projects since 2000 and co-founded a light gauge steel construction, technology and manufacturing company in 2007 where he led its software and product development as well as manufacturing process development. He was the chief designer of a proprietary light gauge structural system, the only one of its kind to achieve a high-seismic rating. Michael has been involved in the development and construction industry for 25 years leading a Denver-based real estate development company specializing in high-density multi-family development projects, including mixed-use and urban infill projects. He has an extensive background in design as well as a Master’s degree in architecture and engineering.​

Greg Ralph​​

VP of Business Development​

Greg Ralph is the Vice President of Business Development for ClarkDietrich, the largest manufacturer of cold-formed steel framing in the United States. In addition to his efforts in business development Mr. Ralph oversees the company’s professional engineering firm, ClarkDietrich Engineering Services which is the nation’s largest group of engineers dedicated to cold-formed framing design. Further, he oversees ClarkDietrich Research which is a group of engineers dedicated to the continual development of products for the construction industry. ​
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Greg is active in the industry: Assoc. of Walls & Ceilings International Construction Technology Council, Standards Council for the American Iron & Steel Institute (AISI), Steel Framing Industry Assoc. (SFIA), SFIA Code Compliance Committee, International Code Council and The American Society for Testing & Materials, Steel Framing Alliance, Steel Stud Manufacturers Assoc., Canadian Sheet Steel Building Institute. Greg was actively involved in writing the standard for Light Gauge Steel Framing Systems as a member of China’s Ministry of Construction Research Committee. ​
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Greg holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering from Purdue University.​

Phil Potter

Director

Since graduating from Yale with a degree in physics, Phil has concentrated his career on bridging the business of Wall Street and the technology that drives it. At Morgan Stanley and Bear Stearns, Phil pioneered automated portfolio management technology solutions for traders and brokers and later became a fintech entrepreneur and an early architect of various trade execution technologies for high frequency trading. In 2012, Phil discovered Bitcoin and joined Bitfinex in 2014, serving as Chief Strategy Officer. Phil helped Bitfinex emerge as the leader in price discovery in the cryptocurrency marketplace. Phil also co-founded Tether, the most widely used stablecoin in the industry. ​
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Phil now manages his New York-based family office, which, in addition to crypto trading & lending, focuses on VC investing in early-stage companies and real estate. Phil also serves as CSO of Self ID, a decentralized, self-sovereign identity and personal data start-up targeting a wide array of applications including identity, telecommunications, entertainment, banking, healthcare, and more. ​

Chris Hirst

CBG Building Company

Chris serves as Sr. VP of CBG Building Company, one of the nation’s largest multifamily builders where Chris oversees an average of $150mm of construction annually. For more than 20 years, Chris has been an early adaptor of innovative construction technologies and brings valuable and practical solutions to the table for BYLD. ​

Cody Dailey

McClure Engineering

Cody is the VP of Structural at McClure, a role he has served in since 2015. An expert in cold formed steel, he has millions of SqFt per year of multi-story load bearing cold formed steel, curved structural cold formed steel (based on empirical data and testing/R&D), open web cold formed truss experience. Cody is a member of the American Institute of Steel Construction, the National NCEES Structural Exam Committee, and the Cold Formed Steel Engineers Institute. Cody holds a BS in Civil Engineering and a Masters in Structural Engineering from the University of Missouri.

Chad Bickford

Steel Dynamics

Chad Bickford was appointed Vice President, Steel Fabrication in May 2024. In this role, Mr. Bickford is responsible for the company’s steel fabrication operations, New Millennium Building Systems, comprised of seven steel joist and deck manufacturing facilities located throughout the U.S. and Mexico. Prior to that, Cahd served as General Manager for the company’s Butler Flat Roll Steel Division. Chad has been with Steel Dynamics since 2003, holding various operational and leadership roles with increasing responsibility in both steel and steel fabrication operations, including General Manager for the company’s Engineered Bar Products Steel Division and General Manager of the Virginia steel fabrication facility. Chad earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Ohio University.

Jim Harris

JR Harris & Co

Jim is one of the world’s most highly regarded structural engineers and building code committee members. Jim’s work spans far and wide, including the design of hundreds of structures ranging from single story to multi-story buildings. He has led and is an active member of several committees that produce national standards for structural engineering practices. In 2005, Jim was elected to the esteemed National Academy of Engineering.​

John Abisch

Roland Architecture​

John Roland Abisch is a licensed architect with over 15 years of industry experience working for some of the top architectural firms in the country. John recently went out on his own to focus on multifamily product types, ranging from garden style to high-rise construction throughout the country. Currently, John holds active licenses in NY, VA, NC & SC.​

Matt Peron

Janus Henderson Investors

Director of Research at Janus Henderson Investors, where he oversees the firm’s sector research teams and analysts, and leads all research strategies. Matt is responsible for the firm’s centralized equity research effort for all portfolio managers, the head of equities, and the global chief investment officer. Matt also heads the firm’s Portfolio Oversight Team. Formerly, Matt was chief investment officer at City National Bank (the US Private Bank for the Royal Bank of Canada) and the head of equities at Northern Trust in Chicago. Matt received his BS from Swarthmore College and his MBA from the University of Chicago. He has 34 years of financial industry experience.​