Arbitrator Bios
All arbitrators listed below meet the required criteria to serve as a New Home Warranty arbitrator pursuant to N.J. State regulations.
RAY FALLS
BIO
Ray Falls has spent his entire professional career practicing Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). He served as the Deputy Director of the New Jersey Office of Dispute Settlement and personally served as a court appointed mediator in over 300 cases involving a wide range of subjects including construction, environment, partnership disputes, personal injury and insurance coverage.
He was responsible for training and managing architects, engineers and construction code officials for construction arbitration programs including the ADR components of the State’s New Home Warranty Program, Residential Warranty Corp. and 2-10 Homebuyers Warranty. Mr. Falls also trained attorneys and retired judges to serve as mediators for the New Jersey’s Superior Court Mediation Program and was responsible for designing and implementing various ADR programs including a statewide mediation/arbitration procedure for resolving claims relating to damage to underground utilities.
His current business, Falls Dispute Settlement Services LLC, provides mediation and arbitration for construction disputes.
EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATIONS
Graduate – College of New Jersey
Course of Study for Building Inspector. Residential Commercial Specialist as set forth in NJAC 5:23 – 5:20(d)1, and examination module 1A-Building One-and Two-Family Dwelling.
National Certification Program for Construction Code Inspections
PUBLICATIONS
Mediation: A Blueprint for Regionalization, N.J.
Municipalities, Vol.72, October 1995
PRESENTATIONS
Speaker at major law firms, legal and construction conferences
WILLIAM HULANICK
BIO
“Fellow Grade” ASCE Civil Engineer. Licensed Professional Engineer in NJ, DE, & PA. 30+ years of Arbitration experience. Construction Project Manager and Project Engineer for utility installations as well as extensive structural design work across the full breath of structures. He has practical residential and commercial design and construction experience across all aspects of the building trades.
TONY SHUPENKO
BIO
Professional Engineer in New Jersey – License #24GE03004500
Building Inspector - ICS - State of New Jersey – License #08479
Plumbing Inspector - ICS - State of New Jersey – License #08479
Mechanical Inspector - 1 & 2 Family - State of NJ – License #08479
Licensed Home Inspector – State of New Jersey – License #24GI00037600
Board Certified Structural Engineer – SECB Member #1453-1106 – 2010 to March 2022
Radon Measurement Technician – State of New Jersey – License MET10178
Commercial/Industrial/Residential Building Inspections and Evaluations: Over 8,000 buildings have been inspected over 35 years of experience.
Forensic Engineering: Investigations of building construction defects and building-related
components concerning personal injury.
JOHN DAMATO
BIO
Mr. Damato has extensive experience in the construction field. He started as a teenager working in his family’s construction business. He then branched out starting and successfully owning his own company for 30 years. While in business he did work for Fortune 500 companies such as Toll Brothers and Garden Homes to name a few.
He then started his second career as an Inspector. He was acting construction official for New Jersey Department of Community Affairs. He was responsible for overseeing the day to day construction operations for Xanadu/American Dream, New Met Life Stadium, New Giants Training Facility, Meadowlands, Meadowlands Train Station in addition to many large projects for the State of New Jersey.
While employed by the State of New Jersey some of his jobs included:
Doing damage assessment for Superstorm Sandy
Claims analyst for State of New Jersey, New Home Warranty
He was involved in many bureau decisions and arbitrations for the State of New Jersey
He appeared in court as an expert witness on behalf of the State of New Jersey
After working for the State of New Jersey for 15 years, he accepted a position as Sub-code official for the Township of Union where he is currently working. He also serves as Acting Construction official for Berkley Heights Township. In addition, he is an Adjunct Professor at Middlesex County College in Edison, New Jersey. His courses include: International Residential Codes, International Building Codes and Administrative Codes for the State of New Jersey.
Certifications & Licenses:
UCC License #008485
Construction Official
Sub-Code Official
Building HHS
UCC License #MD0824
Multi-Dwelling
James Maccariella, Ph.D., P.E.
BIO
Licensed Professional Engineer with 28 years of engineering/construction experience. Served as a design engineer, project manager, department head, college professor, and owner of an engineering practice. Taught college courses in structural engineering, contracts and specifications, and construction cost estimating. Experience arbitrating home construction claims, cost arbitration, and major structural defects.
EDUCATION
Ph.D. Higher Education, Old Dominion Univ., 2015
M.S. Civil Engineering, Drexel Univ., 1996
B.S. Civil Engineering, Drexel Univ., 1992
B.S. Architectural Engineering, Drexel Univ., 1992
PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATIONS
Professional Engineer, State of N.J, License No. 39926
Professional Engineer, State of PA., License No. 52129
Professional Engineer, State of N.Y., License No. 74553
Robert Nylund
BIO
Mr. Nylund’s experience includes over 30 years in the Construction Industry, and 15 years working for the State of New Jersey New Home Warranty Program. He mediated disputes between builder and homeowner and inspected new homes to facilitate the issuance of the State Warranty. He currently serves as an independent arbitrator for the State Warranty Program.
Uniform Construction Code Inspector Licenses Held:
Highrise Hazardous Specialist Building Inspector for class 1,11 and 111 buildings
Industrial and Commercial Specialist Fire Protection Inspector for class 1 and 11 Buildings
Inspector of Hotel and Multiple Dwellings
Uniform Construction Code Administrative Licenses:
Construction Official
Subcode Official