People

Joseph W. Hallberg, PE

President/Principal, Mechanical Engineering
Mr. Joseph Hallberg, PE, has over 24 years of experience in mechanical engineering design and business leadership.

Mr. Hallberg holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of St. Thomas and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Minnesota. He is active in numerous associations and is past President of the Consulting Engineering Council of Minnesota. He has presented seminars on HVAC systems, indoor air quality, unit ventilators, troubleshooting ventilation systems, and mechanical systems commissioning. Mr. Hallberg has also been actively involved in legislative activities pertaining to the consulting engineering industry and has chaired the committee that created Commissioning Guidelines for Minnesota Public Schools.

Mr. Hallberg is highly regarded in the industry as an expert in mechanical systems for educational facilities. He maintains a hands-on interest and a professional, thoughtful approach to projects to assure systems and relationships that endure. Mr. Hallberg is a Registered Professional Engineer in Minnesota (#18481), and 48 other states.

Ward Arms

Ward Arms, PE, joined Hallberg in 2009. He brings 17 years of electrical engineering, design, and electrical construction experience - including heavy industrial, commercial, data centers, government, education, and retail facilities. In addition, he spent several years in Target Corporation’s Construction and Property Development Department, where he developed an understanding of an Owner’s unique perspective to the construction process and a focus on the scope, schedule and budget for every project. Arms understands all facets of the construction process and has managed many projects that were in excess of $100 million. He is LEED accredited.

Tom Gunderson

Tom Gunderson joined Hallberg in 1994 and has over 25 years of experience designing plumbing, piping, and HVAC systems for educational, commercial and institutional facilities. His knowledge and background in mechanical systems have expanded his responsibilities to include project management and client development. Gunderson’s broad design background encompasses a wide range of projects for educational, religious, and commercial facilities. He has extensive project management experience in the educational sector and has collaborated with several Minnesota school districts on the mechanical design included in the construction of new elementary schools, additions, school remodeling, indoor air quality, and deferred maintenance projects. He is also an active member of several professional organizations devoted to K-12 educational facilities throughout the state.

Rick Lucio

Rick Lucio, PE, has over 19 years of mechanical engineering and commissioning experience. Prior to joining Hallberg in 1998, he had spent six years gaining experience as an Application Engineer for a major HVAC equipment manufacturer. This experience gave him product knowledge along with a strong background of systems design, operation, installation, and maintenance. He has applied this knowledge and experience to directing Hallberg mechanical and commissioning projects. As an integral leader of Hallberg’s Mechanical and Commissioning Department, Lucio is responsible for project planning, scheduling, and coordination. He has the capability of managing multiple projects and project teams. Lucio possesses excellent communication skills, decision-making ability, job knowledge, judgment, planning and organization, leadership, and problem solving which makes his role an essential part of a design project. He is LEED accredited.

Tim Rabbitts

Tim Rabbitts has been with Hallberg since 1999 and has more than 30 years of experience in electrical engineering design and project management. While working in Europe, Rabbitts’ experience with multi-discipline design/build companies developed his skills in mechanical and electrical coordination, budget control, and contract law. Throughout the years, Rabbitts has developed specific expertise in designing lighting, dimming, and sound systems for auditoriums, worship spaces, and other large places of assembly. His experience in the United States has been concentrated on educational facilities where he has been responsible for projects at over 140 schools and colleges throughout the state as well as technology work for 40 school districts. Rabbitts is responsible for project management, planning, design, specification preparation, field observations, and project closeout. In this role he maintains effective communications and facilitates discussion with the architect, owner, contractors, and design team. As General Manager, Rabbitts also supervises administration at the company.

Kyle Simonson

With over 21 years of experience working on school projects across Minnesota, Kyle Simonson has specialized expertise in designing mechanical systems for educational facilities. Simonson joined Hallberg in 1988 as a designer where he designed commercial heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. He also applied his technical knowledge in preparing specifications and working mechanical drawings. This hands-on experience has given Simonson unique insight into his current all-encompassing role of project manager. As a project manager, he maintains close communication and facilitates discussion with the architect, owner, and contractors. He also maintains responsibility for mechanical systems management, design, specification preparation, field observation, and project closeout.

Ken Snare

Ken Snare joined Hallberg in 2002 and has over 25 years experience in engineering design and project management for institutional, municipal, and educational facilities. He has an exceptionally strong background in working with retail and restaurant clients throughout the United States with project involvement exceeding 10,000 projects nationwide. Snare is an instrumental leader of Hallberg’s retail department who understand the demands of retail construction and knows how to meet the deadlines and exceed the expectations of our clients. In this fast-paced and competitive market he applies his experience in project management, construction administration, and creating and maintaining specifications to ensure client satisfaction. His vast industry knowledge, attentiveness, and dedication make him an invaluable asset to a project team.

Cory Sutherland

Cory Sutherland joined Hallberg’s Retail Team in 2009 and brings with him over 30 years of experience in project management and technical expertise for retail and restaurant clients nationwide. At Hallberg, he has applied this vast knowledge and background to take on the position of managerial responsibility for numerous retail clients along with their respective projects needs. Sutherland also participates in technical responsibility for mechanical systems engineering for the majority of retail projects undertaken by the firm, including prototype development and quality assurance programs. Sutherland is an asset to clients with his extensive understanding of all mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems utilized in commercial construction projects.