June 10 & 11, 2026 – Music City Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
June 10 & 11, 2026 – Music City Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
The conference program will address key issues facing tower crane owners and users, including risk mitigation, safety, crane inspections, wind monitoring, construction activity forecasts and legislation.
Sponsored by
Breakfast Sponsored by
The largest tower crane company in North America – reflects on more than a four-decade career spent exclusively in the tower crane sector. He will explore how the industry, equipment, and regulations have evolved over time, the biggest challenges faced along the way, and what has kept him engaged for over 40 years. Juhren will also look ahead, sharing his perspective on the future of the tower crane industry and what lies on the horizon.
A comprehensive lift plan is the key to success on a jobsite. Drawing on real-world experience, Maxim Crane Works’ Dan Durrett, P.E., will discuss the engineering and planning strategies required for both single-crane operations and complex multi-crane lifts, highlighting how lift plans can help you land the project, mitigate risk, improve execution and assure more productive operations.
Brasfield & Gorrie’s JR Moran will lead a panel discussion about tower crane operations with a storm in the forecast. The panel will explore how tower cranes are engineered to withstand wind and weather, how wind tolerances are established, best practices for preparing for a storm and how to approach a storm’s aftermath. They will wrap up with a “lessons learned” review.
Sponsored by
Three of the most prolific attorneys in the realm of tower crane litigation and contract law will give separate presentations regarding important legal considerations to make when operating tower cranes.
A Q&A with all three attorneys will be held after their presentations.
The law continues to evolve related to borrowed servant and appropriate contractual protections that should be in every tower crane operations contract. Once an accident happens, everyone wants to rewrite or disavow the contracts, so it’s more important now than ever that all parties have a “meeting of the minds” before any lift as to what the contract controls, who is the lift director, who is the controlling entity, whose insurance applies, and many other provisions.
Callen will offer an important update on current tower crane litigation and notable verdicts in crane-related litigation. He will also address legal risks to be aware of/guard against as crane owners/lessors/manufacturers and discuss “how your customer’s problem can become your problem.” Don’t miss this important session that will cover the considerations that need to be made if you find yourself in litigation, such as the importance of identifying/preparing corporate representative witnesses, document preservation and the like.
We are now seeking suggestions for speakers and topics for case studies, technical presentations and panel discussions at the 2026 TCNA. Proposed topics should primarily be of interest to tower crane owners and users, including rental companies and contractors.
General Manager
ALL Tower Crane LLC.
Shareholder
May Potenza Baran & Gillespie, P.C.
Topic: The ‘Borrowed servant’ concept and minimising contract risks
Founder/Chairman
Crane Risk Logic Inc.
Topic: Preparing for severe wind and weather conditions
President & COO
Morrow Equipment Company
Topic: Site report: Crazy Horse Memorial – three generations of passion
Vice President & CEO Espamex Mexico
The Rise Tower, Mexico: how tower cranes can optimise CapEx and OpEx on a major project
Executive Vice-President at Vita Industrial
Topic: Using technology to improve worker safety and site productivity for lifting operations
Principal Engineer
Structures and Fabrication, WireCo
Topic: Synthetic rope versus wire rope: the two distinctions
Kennedy Wire Rope
Topic: Synthetic rope versus wire rope: the two distinctions
Associate, Hartline Barger
Topic: Heavy Lifting to Avoid Legal Pitfalls
Partner, Bowman and Brooke
Topic: Heavy Lifting to Avoid Legal Pitfalls
Owner
Finnco Services
Director of Engineering & Service, Tower Cranes North America, Manitowoc
President, Compass Equipment (Uperio)
Director of Crane Operations
Brasfield & Gorrie
Director of Marketing, Select Crane Sales
Panel: challenges of workforce development, best practices for luring and retaining employees
General Manager Cranes Americas,
Terex USA, LLC
Panel: challenges of workforce development, best practices for luring and retaining employees
Tower Cranes North America (TCNA) will bring the industry together to network and discuss important topics including safety, product innovation, crane productivity and site planning.
Keep up to date with the latest news and information from the global crane and specialized transport industry in magazine and newsletter format.
Engineering the Perfect Lift Plan
Director of Engineering Services at Maxim Crane Works, L.P.
As the Director of Engineering Services at Maxim Crane Works, L.P., Dan brings over 17 years of experience in crane planning, operations, and rigging. Dans role involves overseeing crane planning, engineering design work, establishing engineering standards, and providing both internal and external training. Dan is dedicated to developing innovative tools and ensuring the highest quality of engineering support for our equipment rental options.
Panel Discussion - Wind, Weather and Rising Storms.
Director of crane operations, Brasfield & Gorrie
JR started his career with B&G Equipment and Supply, a division of Brasfield & Gorrie, LLC, almost 20 years ago and currently serves as director of crane operations. He manages strategic industry relationships and oversees crane and hoist asset management. JR’s collaboration with Brasfield & Gorrie’s Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) team is generating opportunities for improved coordination in the crane and hoisting scope of work. By overlaying in-house parametric crane models with project models and drone data, project teams are seeing an impact in the areas of mobilization safety, tieback coordination, and efficiency of hoisting design. JR graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2004 with a degree in Industrial Distribution and earned his MBA from Auburn University at Montgomery in 2015.
Panel Discussion - Wind, Weather and Rising Storms.
Director of Engineering & Service, Tower Cranes North America, Manitowoc Potain
Christopher K. Noblit has served as Director of Engineering & Service for the tower crane product in North America since January 2023. In this role, Mr. Noblit is responsible for all aftermarket engineering, structural repairs, standards compliance, as well as all aftermarket functions in the service department including parts, warranty, and field service. Prior to his current role, Mr. Noblit served as Director of Engineering for Tower Cranes in North America from 2002 to 2023.
Prior to Potain, Mr. Noblit served as Chief Applications Engineer with Maxim Crane Works from 1999 to 2002. Prior to Maxim, Mr. Noblit served as a field engineer with Kiewit on the Halifax I-95 Bridge Construction project from 1996 to 1999.
Mr. Noblit holds an Master of Engineering in Structural Engineering from Norwich University and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Tennessee Technological University.
Panel Discussion - Wind, Weather and Rising Storms.
Owner, Finnco Services
With over 35 years in the industry, Matt Finnerty is a dedicated specialist in the tower crane and manlift field. While starting his business in 2006, Finnco Services, Inc. is a full service support company for tower cranes, construction elevators, and anti-collision/zoning systems. Headquartered in Fontana, CA, Finnco Services serves North America, South America, the Caribbean and wherever needed.
Panel Discussion - Wind, Weather and Rising Storms.
Posch Engineering
Rob Posch is a licensed professional engineer in 33 states and the District of Columbia. With nearly 40 years of experience, he has been a leading industry expert providing engineering design and consulting services for construction equipment including tower cranes, personnel hoists and concrete placing booms for customers worldwide.
Constant Evolution in Contract Law
Equity Partner and Shareholder at May Potenza Baran & Gillespie, P.C.
Jesse Callahan is an equity partner and shareholder at May Potenza Baran & Gillespie, P.C. in Phoenix, Arizona, where his practice focuses on complex commercial litigation, construction law, real estate disputes, and business and professional torts. With extensive trial and appellate experience, he has represented clients in high-stakes matters before juries, judges, and arbitration panels, including many of Arizona’s largest construction, lumber, and equipment companies.
Constant Evolution in Contract Law
Litigation Partner at May Potenza Baran & Gillespie
Jason Covault is a litigation partner at May Potenza Baran & Gillespie in Phoenix, Arizona, where he represents clients across a broad spectrum of heavily regulated industries, including mining, manufacturing, commercial construction, transportation, cannabis, and utilities. With over 18 years of experience, he focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation and trial advocacy as a means of resolving lawsuits quickly.
The Verdict on Legal Risks
Partner, Bowman and Brooke
Clayton Callen is a seasoned trial lawyer and litigator who represents companies in complex, high-stakes commercial, product liability, and general negligence litigation. This includes significant experience representing motor vehicle, commercial truck and heavy equipment manufacturers, sellers and operators. Callen has successfully represented clients in state and federal courts across the country, including trying cases to jury verdict in five states and presenting appellate oral argument in four states. He also has extensive experience advising clients in mediation and arbitration proceedings. In his free time, Callen enjoys spending time with his wife and five sons, almost any outdoor activity and watching and playing sports.
