CURRICULUM VITAE OF

 

JOHN BYRON PAGELS, PE

Forensic Electrical Engineer

 

Licensed Professional Engineer in:

Minnesota

Wisconsin

South Dakota

Illinois

 

 August 27, 2009

 

(Obtained and Printed from PagelsEngineering.com)

 



EDUCATION

St. Cloud State University - 1996

B.Sc. Electrical Engineering.

 

Anoka-Ramsey Community College - 1990

Associate in Applied Science - Electronics Technology

 

Anoka-Ramsey Community College - 1989 to 1993

Courses applying to B.Sc. Electrical Engineering.

 

University of Minnesota - 1987

Courses required for Secondary Education Teaching License in Vocational Education.

 

Anoka Technical College - Electronics - 1982

Diploma in Electronics Research and Development

 

North Hennepin Community College - 1980

Associate of Arts Degree

 

Park Center Senior High School - 1977 - Diploma

Brooklyn Park, Minnesota

 

 

Seminars – Courses Taken By Me

North Dakota IAAI Annual Conference, Fargo, ND

August 19 - August 21, 2009

 

What’s Hot In Fire Litigation

Presented by Whitemore Fire Consultants et al, May 1, 2009

 

Electrical Grounding – NEC Article 250

Presented by North Central Electrical League, Paul Archambault, January 13 & 20, 2009

 

Investigation of Electrical Appliance Related Fires

IAAI/AHAM (Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers), June 20-22, 2007

 

Auto Theft in the 21st Century - by Mike Bender, VINTrack

AVCAM, April 26, 2007

 

Packaging Evidence

MN IAAI Quarterly Meeting, December 13, 2006

 

North Dakota IAAI Annual Conference, Vehicle Fires, Fargo, ND

August 23 - August 25, 2006.  Tested

 

Vehicle Theft Immobilizer Systems – by Walter O. Herndon, presented by

AVCAM and IASIU, May 4, 2006

 

Building Strategies for Today’s Fire Investigations –

Presented by Whitemore Fire Consultants et al, April 21, 2006

 

North Dakota IAAI Annual Conference, Fargo, ND

August 24 - August 26, 2005.  Tested

 

Minnesota IAAI Annual Conference, St. Cloud, MN

March 30 - April 1, 2005.  Tested

 

Asbestos awareness for fire investigators, certificate issued,

MN IAAI Quarterly Meeting, September 10, 2003

 

Lightning 101 - by Kim Marsden of Vaisala, May 6, 2003

 

Interviewing Techniques – by AVCAM and IASIU, April 24, 2003

 

Minnesota IAAI Annual Conference, St. Cloud, MN

March 26-28, 2003.  Tested

 

“Anatomy of An Arson Case”; A Case Study, by Ward & Whitemore et al,

October 25, 2002

 

Minnesota IAAI Annual Conference, St. Cloud, MN

March 27-29, 2002.  Tested

 

Automotive “Black Box” Technology – by Scott Palmer of Injury Sciences, presented by AVCAM and IASIU, March 25, 2002

 

Lightning 101 - by Jared Brumley of Global Atmospherics, March 20, 2002

 

"Metallurgy at the Fire Scene" - by Dave Kramer, MN IAAI Quarterly Meeting,

December 12, 2001

 

“Tomorrow's Fire Claim in Today’s Environment” A Hypothetical Fire Claim Case Study, by Ward & Whitemore et al, October 11, 2001

 

LP & Propane Gas Explosion and Fires by Bill Mahre, MN IAAI Quarterly Meeting, September 12, 2001

 

Household Appliance Failures by Keith Beecher- Appliance Analysis, MN IAAI Quarterly Meeting, June 13, 2001

 

Minnesota IAAI Conference, St. Cloud, MN

March 21-23, 2001.  Tested

 

WILDFIRES - MN IAAI Quarterly Meeting, September 13, 1999

LOW VOLTAGE FIRE ALARMS – 4 hr hands-on training in installing, wiring, and troubleshooting.   Presented by Edwards Signaling Company for the Minnesota Electrical Association at Viking Electric, Rochester, Minnesota – May 10, 2000

 

Vehicle Fires and Investigation – Walter Herndon – Anoka-Hennepin Technical College - 12 vehicle fires of various scenarios and vehicle manufactures, October 12, 1999

 

NFPA 921, MN IAAI Quarterly Meeting, September 8, 1999

 

Structural Collapse for Investigators by Kevin Vito, MN IAAI Quarterly Meeting,

June 9, 1999

 

Minnesota IAAI Conference, St. Cloud, MN

March 24-26, 1999.  Tested

 

Lightning 101 Seminar – Global Atmospherics, Dan Curtis, Global Atmospherics,

May 21, 1998

 

Motor Controls Specialty Class - Minnesota Electrical Association,

Jack Hammerstrom, Allen-Bradley/Rockwell Automation, March 20, 1998

 

Motor Controls Specialty Class - Minnesota Electrical Association,

Sam McCullough, General Electric, January 23, 1998

 

Christmas Tree Fire Sets - MN State Fire Marshals Office, Denise DeMars DSFM,

May 4, 1997

 

"Electrical and Set Fires" - Hennepin Technical College Fire Training Division

for Instructor Jim Miller, April 4, 1997

 

"Arson Burns, Electric/Gas Appliances & Metallurgy", Anoka Technical College,

March 10, 1994

 

"Arson Live Burn", Anoka Technical College, May 21, 1993

 

"On-Scene Fire/Arson Investigation", at Anoka Technical College for the

National Fire Academy, October 1991

 

"Electrical Fire Investigation”, Anoka Technical College, December 14, 1990

 

"Live Burn Structure Level II", Anoka Technical College - September 14, 1990

 

International IAAI Conference, Dearborn, MI

May 6-11, 1990.  Achieved Certificate of Attainment.

 

Hennepin Technical College Fire Training Division - 1989

Fire/Arson Investigation I.

 

Hennepin Technical College Fire Training Division - 1989

Fire/Arson Investigation II.

 

Hennepin Technical College Fire Training Division - 1989

Fire/Arson Investigation III.

 

Annual Fire and Fraud Investigators Conference. Kansas City Arson Task Force,

September 12, 1989

 

"Electrical and Set Fires", including live burns, for Morrison and Coggins,

Marinette, Wisconsin and Menomonee, Michigan, August 23-25, 1989

 

"Electrical Fire Investigation" for the Minnesota State Fire Marshal's office, including lecture, lab and "hands-on" fire sets and scene investigation of structures, appliances, and vehicles.  Assisted/Instrumented.  November 1-3, 1988

 

 

Seminars/Courses - Taught By Me

“Arc Mapping (Simplified)”

For the Wright County Fire Investigation Task Force, September 4, 2008

 

Tools for Failure Analysis”

North Star Imaging, August 7, 2008

 

Vehicle Fires, Presented with Brian Haag of Whitemore Fire Consultants, John Wehrs of State Farm, and Attorneys Larry & Jeff Baill of Yost & Baill –

Part of the We Didn’t Start The Fire seminar Presented by Whitemore Fire Consultants

April 21, 2006

 

"Electrical Investigation of Vehicle Fires"

For the Key West Fire Department, April 9, 2007

 

North Dakota IAAI Annual Conference, Vehicle Fires, Presented with Mike Herrold

Fargo, ND August 23 - August 25 2005. 

 

Anatomy of a Vehicle Fire, Presented With Brian Haag of Whitemore Fire Consultants, part of Building Strategies For Today’s Fire Investigations –

Presented by Whitemore Fire Consultants et al, April 21, 2006

 

"ARC MAPPING (SIMPLIFIED) - IN STRUCTURES"

For the Key West Fire Department, March 31, 2006

 

"ARC MAPPING (SIMPLIFIED) - IN STRUCTURES AND VEHICLES"

For the North Dakota IAAI, August 25, 2005

“TOMORROW'S FIRE CLAIM IN TODAY’S ENVIRONMENT” A Hypothetical Fire Claim Case Study, by Ward & Whitemore et al, October 11, 2001

 

“ATF ELECTRICAL FIRE INVESTIGATION COURSE” for the Kane County Arson Task Force, and the DuPage County Arson Task Force.  Lecture and Hands-on training in electrical fire causation and elimination, including live-burn fire sets in electrically energized structures.  Taught with Dr. Robert J. Svare P.E., Mark Svare of SPE, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms Certified Fire Investigators. Chicago, IL 

40 Hours, June 18-22, 2001 

 

“ADVANCED ELECTRICAL FIRE IVESTIGATION AND ELECTRICAL FIRE SETS” – Conduct lectures and hands-on laboratories for the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) annual certified fire investigator (CFI) recertification program,

Kinston, North Carolina – March 20-23, 2000

 

“The Multiple Step Fire Investigation” for Minnesota Association of Farm Mutual Insurance Companies (MAFMIC)  05/25/99

 

“Vehicle Fire Investigations” for the Minnesota IAAI Annual Conference, St. Cloud, MN   March 24, 1999.

 

"Electrical Fire Investigation", for Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) including Vehicle Fires 02/25/98

 

"Product Liability and Forensic Engineering", University of Minnesota IEOR 5321 Industrial Safety Course - May 25, 1995

 

“Electrical Fire Investigation”, Hennepin Technical College Fire Training Division Fire/Arson Investigation Class, May 8, 1991.

 

"Electrical Fire Investigation - On-Scene Fire/Arson Investigation",

Anoka Technical College, April 1991.

 

 

Seminars/Courses (Assisted or instrumented by me)

“Arson Live Burn”- Fire sets for the MN Sectional Fire School, Redwood Falls, MN, Jamie Novak, Assisted/Instrumented 04/16/99

 

“Arson Live Burn”- Fire sets for the MN Sectional Fire School, Lake Crystal, MN, Jamie Novak, Assisted/Instrumented 02/27/99

 

“Live Burn” for the Minnesota Chapter of the IAAI Annual Fire/Arson Conference,

Instrumented - March 11, 1996

 

"Arson Burns, Electric/Gas Appliances & Metallurgy" with the Minnesota State Fire Marshal's Office and Anoka Technical College, Instrumented, March 10, 1994.

"Arson Burns" for Anoka Technical College, Instrumented, March 9, 1994

 

"Arson Live Burn" Anoka Technical College - Coon Rapids, MN.

Instrumented.  August 30, 1993

 

"Electrical System and Appliance Fire Sets" with the Minnesota State Fire Marshal's Office and Anoka Technical CollegeBethel, Minnesota.  Instrumented.  May, 21, 1993

 

"Newton's Apple" for Public Broadcasting (PBS), 1 episode, St. Paul, MN. 

Set up and ran instrumentation, created Time Vs Temperature graphs from the data collected.  May 13, 1993.

 

Fire Sets for "On-Scene Fire/Arson Investigation" Anoka Technical College

Isanti, MN.  Assisted.  October 25, 1991.

 

"Electrical Fire Sets" for BCA Fire/Arson Investigation Class with Deputy State Fire Marshal's Jamie Novak & Kevin Schuman - Maple Grove, MN.  Assisted/Instrumented.  August 31, 1991.

 

"Electrical & Set Fires" for the Minnesota BCA Fire/Arson Investigation Class

with Deputy State Fire Marshal's Jamie Novak & Kevin Schuman

Maple Grove, MN.  Instrumented.  August 30, 1991.

 

"Appliance Fires", Seminar for the 1990 Iowa IAAI Conference.

Assisted.  September 25, 1990.

 

"Electrical Fire Sets" for Minnesota State Fire School and BCA with DSFM Jamie Novak, Coon Rapids, MN, Assisted/Instrumented.  September 10 & 14, 1990.

International IAAI Conference, Dearborn, MI

Assisted with Electrical seminar.  Participant in the conference. 

Achieved Certificate of Attainment.  May 6-11, 1990.

 

Fire Sets for 1990 Minnesota IAAI Conference with DSFM Jamie Novak,

Eden Prairie, MN.  Assisted/Instrumented, April 24, 1990

 

"Appliance Fires", Seminar for the 1990 Minnesota IAAI Conference.

Assisted.  March 1, 1990.

 

"Electrical Appliance Fires - The Chicken or the Egg" at the 22nd Annual Fire and Fraud Investigators Conference.  For the Kansas City Arson Task Force. 

Assisted.  September 12, 1989.

 

"Electrical and Set Fires", including live burns, for Morrison and Coggins. 

Presented to insurance investigators, Michigan State Police, and Wisconsin Fire Marshals, Marinette, Wisconsin and Menomonee, Michigan.

Assisted/Instrumented.  August 23-25, 1989.

 

"Product Failure as a Heat Source" for Jardine, Logan and O'Brien's Fire Loss Workshop, St. Paul, MN, Assisted.  May 24, 1989

 

"Electrical Fire Sets" for Minnesota State Fire School and BCA with DSFM Jamie Novak Woodbury, MN, Assisted/Instrumented.  May 20, 1989.

 

"Electrical Fire Investigation - Lectures and Demonstrations" for

American Family Insurance Company.  Assisted.  March 28-29, 1989.

 

"Electrical Fire Investigation" for the Minnesota State Fire Marshal's office Included lecture, lab, and "hands-on" fire sets and scene investigation of structures, appliances, and vehicles.  Assisted/Instrumented.  November 1-3, 1988

 

"Electrical Fire Sets" for Minnesota Bureau of Criminal and Apprehension (BCA) with Minnesota State Fire Marshals and city of Golden Valley. 

Assisted/Instrumented.  October 7/8, 1988.


 

 

MEMBERSHIPS

International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI) -

Membership Number L-4489

 

Minnesota Chapter of the IAAI -

Membership Number 163

 

North Dakota Chapter of the IAAI -

Membership Number ND-180

 

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers -

Membership Number 04156048

 

National Fire Protection Association, Inc.

 

Anti Vehicle Crime Association of Minnesota (AVCAM)

 

Minnesota Chapter of the Society of Professional Engineers.

 

 

LICENSES - AWARDS

Licensed Professional Engineer - Minnesota License # 43344

 

Licensed Professional Engineer - Wisconsin License # 39293-006

 

Licensed Professional Engineer - Illinois License # 062.060227

 

Licensed Professional Engineer – South Dakota

 

Department of the Treasury - Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms -

Certificate of Appreciation for assisting with data-logging and computer equipment for the ATF's Certified Fire Investigator Program.  August 1993

 

State of Minnesota Vocational Teaching License –

"Electronics Technician Occupations/Applied".

 

Epson Factory Authorized Technician - for repair of Computers and Printers.

 

School Bell Award - Video productions for Anoka Technical College

Electronics Department.

 

Carrier of the Week - Post Publications

 

 


WORK EXPERIENCE

 

November 2004 - Present

    Chief Engineer

    President and Owner of Pagels Engineering, Inc.

    Forensic Electrical Engineering

            Conduct defense and plaintiff investigations in matters where electricity or             electrical utilization equipment has been alleged to have played a role.  This             includes fire, equipment failure/damage, electrical shock, electrocution, personal         injury, alarm system malfunction/failure, agricultural suffocations…

            The investigations can occur at the loss site, at salvage facilities, in a laboratory,             or at other facilities with specialized equipment (i.e. X-ray equipment, scanning             electron microscope…).  These investigations include documenting the             fire/accident scene, preserving evidence, working with experts of different             disciplines when they are required, and consultation through out the litigation             process, culminating in providing expert testimony in depositions and trials.  

 

            Client Types That Have Been Represented:

                        Electrical Equipment manufacturers

                        Electrical household appliance manufacturers

                        Electrical contractors

                        Vehicle manufacturers

                        Insurance companies (plaintiff and defense)

                        Law Firms

                        Local, State, and Federal Agencies

 

September 1988 - November 2004

     Svare Professional Engineering

     Consulting & Forensic Electrical Engineers

Conduct investigations of fires and accidents with an alleged electrical cause or involvement on behalf of insurance companies, attorneys, manufacturers, and private parties.  This may include the examination of equipment on-scene and/or in the laboratory, documenting the fire/accident scene, preserving the evidence, and working with other experts of different disciplines.

 

1988 - November 2004

     Prompt Electric

            Apprentice electrician

 

1982 - 1988

     Anoka Technical College

     (Electronics Technical Specialist)

Repair and maintain electronic test equipment, provide instructor preparatory     services, and supervise work-study students.

 


1985 - 1988

     Anoka Technical College

     (Electronics Instructor/Substitute)

Taught Second Year Electronics classes and specialty classes in Pulse Techniques, Digital Mathematics, and BASIC Programming.  Substitute taught in all areas of electronics from Basic to Advanced Electronics.

 

1984 - 1988

     Anoka-Ramsey Community College

Taught Electronic Engineering Technology labs including AC/DC Electronics, Discrete Semi-Conductor Devices, Linear Devices, and Digital Electronics.

 

1983 - 1984

     Basic Systems and Supplies Inc.

     Epson Factory authorized warranty repair technician.     

Set up and maintained the service department, repaired computers, printers, and other computer peripherals in shop and on-site.  Also assisted in sales.

 

1981 - Present

     Self-Employed

Circuit board design and fabrication, proto-typing, electrical testing, electrical equipment wiring/assembly, consumer electronics repair, inventing and production of product repair support equipment.

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