SAME Charleston Monthly Luncheon – March 2024
WHEN: Wednesday, March 13, 2024 | 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
WHERE: ECPI University Auditorium
(First door on the left after you enter ECPI main entrance)
3800 Paramount Dr, North Charleston, SC 29405
The greater Charleston region has been a Coast Guard center of operations for over 230 years, and its importance to the service has increased throughout history. In October 2015, Base Charleston was officially commissioned. Throughout the past 8 years, Base Charleston delivered customer-focused premier support to all Coast Guard members, assets, and mission partners from Northern Florida to South Carolina. Moreover, the Base generates Coast Guard global operational readiness.
Base Charleston will become the operational center of gravity for USCG East Coast assets over the next 10-15 years, with notional homeporting for 10 major cutters.
Since the Coast Guard acquired 60+ acres of waterfront land in North Charleston in 2021, significant planning, design, contracting, and construction milestones have been accomplished.
In the fall of 2023, Whiting-Turner and their subcontractor, Russell Marine, mobilized to initiate the recapitalization of Pier November. This $110M+ project includes the demolition of the existing pier, construction of a new pier, and reconstruction of a collapsed bulkhead. Once complete, this pier will support up to 5 National Security Cutters – some of the Coast Guard’s newest multi-mission assets that complete out-of-hemisphere patrols.
In June of 2023, FDCC awarded a $50M+, design-build, contract to RQ-AECOM JV to construct a 50,000 square foot administrative facility to support Base Charleston’s Command and administrative functions. In addition to meeting resiliency goals, the building aims to accomplish net-zero through the use of photovoltaic cells. RQ Architecture recently completed the 65% design remains eager to start construction.
The FDCC Design Team continues to develop the requirements for the next project, a site-wide utilities and infrastructure improvement project that seeks to enable the new Base Charleston campus for ongoing operations.
John Houck, Lieutenant Commander, US Coast Guard Base Charleston
Lieutenant Commander John Houk is currently assigned to the Facilities Design & Construction Center (FDCC) where he serves as the Senior Project Manager and Contracting Officer’s Representative in support of 2 new construction projects at Coast Guard Base Charleston. FDCC is a team of 75 professionals, both civilian and military, who primarily reside in Norfolk, VA, and Seattle, WA. The team of highly dedicated public servants strives to innovate and deliver future-focused infrastructure. The FDCC program encompasses all new construction, including all phases of project execution: analysis of requirements, acquisition planning, environmental consultation, design, procurement, construction, and asset commissioning and transition to operational service and sustainment.
LCDR Houk’s previous assignments include US Coast Guard Cutter TAMPA, postgraduate studies at the University of Illinois, Civil Engineering Unit Miami, and Base Charleston Facilities Engineer. His personal awards include Coast Guard Commendation Medals and the Commandant’s Letter of Commendation, as well as various unit awards. He is also a recipient of the Society of American Military Engineers Oren Medal for outstanding contribution to Coast Guard Civil Engineering.
LT Matt Fann, CEM, Facilities Engineer, US Coast Guard Base Charleston
LT Matt Fann serves as Base Charleston Facilities Engineer, providing technical guidance for design, construction, and maintenance of Base Charleston’s $152M shore infrastructure, supporting 1200 members including 19 tenant commands/detachments, 7 cutters, and 8 other government agencies. He also serves as the Shore Infrastructure Logistics Center (SILC) lead electrical engineer, preparing technical analyses and recommendations on behalf of the Technical Warrant Holder for Design Standards and Technical Suitability.
LT Fann’s previous assignments: CEU Providence and C3CEN. Before joining the Coast Guard, LT Fann worked as an electrical engineer in the private sector, designing, reviewing, and stamping electrical drawings to include power distribution, lighting, fire protection, and communication systems for commercial, higher education, and government clients. A native of Charleston, LT Fann is a 2012 graduate from The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering. He earned a Master of Science degree in Project Management in 2016 and a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering in 2017 from The Citadel Graduate College. He direct commissioned into the Coast Guard in 2017. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in the states of South Carolina and Virginia, a certified Project Management Professional, and a LEED Accredited Professional for Building Operations and Maintenance. His personal awards include one Coast Guard Commendation Medal, one Coast Guard Achievement Medal and multiple team and unit awards.