Mr. Forstater founded Professional Systems Engineering, LLC in 1986 focusing on building and campus systems design.  Under his leadership, the firm has become nationally known for expertise in design and engineering of complex systems for Security, Fire Protection, Life Safety, Communications, Acoustics, and Transportation Lighting. With more than 30 years experience, Mr. Forstater has directed the firm toward specialization in the integration of varied systems within complex building envelopes. He has considerable experience managing projects for highly specialized facilities including corrections; high-rises; educational campuses; and diverse corporate, manufacturing, and industrial complexes.

A Professional Engineer registered in over a dozen states, Mr. Forstater has provided consulting services to hundreds of companies and institutions throughout the nation. He has provided expert witness testimony related to fire sprinkler head design. Previously, Mr. Forstater worked ten years for a major E/A firm where he served as Director of Special Systems.

His recent counter-terrorism/security mission in Israel with other top-ranking security, justice, military, and counter-terrorism officials provided extensive security briefings for numerous types of building facilities in culturally significant locations. Concentration was focused on secure entry ports in buildings and reductions of progressive collapse to protect structures from both seismic and blast effects.

Philco Ford Technical Institute
BS with Distinction in Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Graduate Studies in Engineering, Drexel University
Additional Professional Studies, XL Design
Law Enforcement Academy, University of Alabama

Registered Professional Engineer: Califorinia, Connecticut, Delaware, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Texas, and Virginia.

National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES), Professional Engineering Registration

National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET), Fire Protection Engineering Technology, Automatic Sprinkler System Layout, and Fire Alarm Systems

Construction Specifications Institue (CSI)

Outstanding Engineering Achievement Award 2007 from the PA Society of Professional Engineers (PSPE) for high-tech security systems at North Branch Correctional Institution super-maximum correctional facility in Maryland

• American Correctional Association (ACA)
• American Jail Association (AJA)
• American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS)
• Construction Specifications Institute (CSI)
• Delaware Valley Acoustical Society of America (DVASA)
• Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
• Engineers Club of Philadelphia
  
  

• 2008 Israel Security and Counter-Terrorism Mission Training Program, sponsor by Shurat HaDin Israel-Law Center. Training program consisted of an intense counter terrorism training review with leaders of Israel’s IDF, Shin Bet, Moussad, ISS, and Air Force.
• 2007 Annual Construction and Maintenance Institute for Criminal Justice Agencies (CMI-CJA) Conference and Technology Exposition, Williamsburg, VA
  Topic: Fence Applications and Detection Technologies
  2007 – invited Co-Speaker
• National Center for State Courts (NCSC)
  10^th National Court Technology Conference, Tampa, Florida
  Topic: Paradigm Shifts in Security
  Fall 2007 – invited Speaker
• Carl Vinson Institute of Government - The University of Georgia
  Topic: Technology in Prison Management
  Summer 2007 – invited Speaker
  
• ASIS International Greater Philadelphia Chapter
  Topic: North Branch Correctional Institution (NBCI)—The Movie
  Spring 2007 – invited Speaker
  
• Construction and Maintenance Institute for Criminal Justice Agencies (CMI), Arizona Department of Corrections, NBCI: The Movie, a presentation on the recent National Geographic Channel MegaStructures Program, Scottsdale, AR, Fall 2006 – invited Speaker
• Justice in the City, Digital Video Surveillance: Technical and Legal Impact, American Institute of Architects (AIA), San Diego, CA, Fall 2005 – invited Co-Speaker with colleague (legal)
• American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS), Moving from the Information Age to the Security Age: How Enhanced Security Will Change Principles and Practices of Physical Security, Philadelphia, PA, Fall 2002, Panel Member and Session Chair
• National Warden’s and Superintendent’s Conference, Security and Technology, Niagara Falls, NY, Spring 2002 – invited Speaker
• AIA New York City
  American Institute of Architects (AIA) Committee on Architecture for Justice
  Security in the Civic Realm: Techniques and Tactics
  Justice Security Technology
  Winter 2000
• International Communications Industries Association, INFOCOMM
  Cabling for Multimedia Facilities and Multimedia Integration
  Spring of 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999
• American Jail Association
  AJA Training Conference & Expo
  Master Control Centers Integration and Safety and Secure Custody of Juvenile Offenders
  Spring 1998
• American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS)
  Secured Parking Facilities
  Fall 1996
• Construction and Maintenance Institute for Criminal Justice Agencies Connecticut Department of Corrections
  Master Control Rooms
  Fall 1996
• Construction and Maintenance Institute for Criminal Justice Agencies
  Ohio Department of Corrections
  Master Control Rooms
  Fall 1998
• National Institute of Corrections and Massachusetts DOC
  Master Control Rooms
  Spring 1995
• Philadelphia Building Superintendents' Association
  Emergency Power Systems for Life Safety in High Rise Buildings
  Fall 1994
• Society of Fire Protection Engineers
  Satisfactory Alarms for Fire Evacuation (SAFE)
  Winter 1993
• Audio Engineering Society
  Computerized Analysis of Noise Vibration Acoustics and Sound (CANVAS)
  Summer and Fall of 1991
• Harrisburg Chapter of the American Society for Industrial Security
  Security in the Future
  Spring 1984
  
  

• Faculty professor for International Communications Industries Association since 1996
  
  

• Principal-in-Charge for critical infrastructure homeland security projects for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), New York Power Authority, PATAPSCO, Bell of PA, PEPCO, and many energy producers/ distributors including nuclear, fossil fuel, and hydro-dam clients.
  
  
• Principal-in-Charge for design of security, tele/data, and courtroom technology systems for the Kent County Courthouse Complex, Delaware renovation project. Security will include card access system, CCTV surveillance, optical turnstiles, and wired/wireless duress. Communications design includes tele/data system, CCTV, and video messaging. Courtroom technology design provides video display for each courtroom, evidence presentation systems, video annotation system, court reporting system, courtroom audio recording system, touch screen A/V control system, and a digital matrix audio mixing system.
  
  
• Principal-in-Charge for Lehigh County Courthouse, Pennsylvania - provided services for security, holding/detention control systems, courts security and allied building security communications and electronic security system upgrades. Authorized specifications, conducted field audits and resolved owner comments and issues.
  
  
• Principal-in-Charge for complete electronic renovations to courthouse and government agency buildings for Delaware County Courthouse and Government Complex, Pennsylvania. Provided audio, intercom, video, security, card access, parking control, and judges’ chamber protection system for 120,000 sq. ft. facility.
  
  
• Principal-in-Charge for Alameda County Juvenile Justice Center, Alameda, CA - provided Commission Authority Services for this new $130 million juvenile justice center. Commission services included reviewing all design documents, commissioning plan schedule development, review of all submittals, construction checklists, observation of starting, and review of all functioning testing. A building security systems final testing plan was implemented. The methodology of the plan was based upon standard operational activities that would be expected within the building to assure security systems would respond as designed.
  
  
• Principal-in-Charge for transportation security and public safety projects in ten cities throughout the U.S. for security, fencing, intrusion detection, access control, and computer aided dispatch of emergency responders – includes national railroad, commuter rail, shipping ports, and airports
  
  
• Principal-in-charge for Elizabeth City Police and 9-1-1 Center including all dispatch and communications operations, planning and implementation.
  
  
• Principal-in-Charge for $100 million site development and all communication infrastructure, security, perimeter fencing, and life safety for the State of Maryland’s North Branch Correctional Institution that is the subject of a National Geographic special on the extensive technology designed by the firm.
  
  
• Principal-in-Charge for technologies for $60 million Lexington-Fayette Detention Center, Kentucky. Provided complete universal wiring infrastructure with fiber optics, ATM twisted pair, and redundant source distribution. Project involved 24 video arraignment systems, over 3,000 digital termination outlets, digital PBX, digital video editing/broadcast suite, and full level 3 to high-speed ATM/fiber loop.
  
  
• Principal-in-Charge for campus-wide Tele/Datacom Service Distribution System Master Plan for Philadelphia Naval Business Center, site of the former 1,100-acre Philadelphia Naval Base.
  
  
• Principal-in-Charge for evaluation, analysis and recommendations as a result of the Primate House fire. Implementation of campus fire detection/alarms, emergency public alarm system using spread spectrum RF communications, pathway and street lighting and card access/security/digital surveillance systems for Philadelphia Zoological Society, Philadelphia, PA.
  
  
• Principal-in-Charge for new high speed connectivity and wireless broadband including data/telephone/media/video communications. These historic buildings (including Frank Furness Bldg.) in a metropolitan setting required special security considerations for academics and collections for Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA.
  
  
• Principal-in-Charge for complete infrastructure design for one of the nation’s largest jail complexes ($400 million), Essex County Correctional Facility, New Jersey.
  
  
• Principal-in-Charge for fast-track design of networks addressable video conferencing and arraignment systems for Philadelphia courts system and police district interconnects. Managed preparation of an RFP completed in less than 30 days.
  
  
• Principal-in-Charge for engineering documentation of communications and fire alarm systems for a two-tower, 12 story federal corrections facility at the Metropolitan Detention Center, Brooklyn, NY.
  
  
• Account Manager and Principal in Charge for a five-year site development project involving master planning, programmatic development and construction documentation for 40- acre. Expansion at Maryland House of Correction, Jessup, MD. Provided engineering for security, surveillance, communications fire protection and related systems.
  
  
• Provided master planning and conceptual schematic design for 400-bed housing unit and modifications to entire site for the Baltimore Penitentiary (MTSC). Project included life safety, sprinkler, fire alarm, security, and communications.
  
  
• Account Manager and Senior Project Engineer for complete electronic renovations to courthouse and governmental agency buildings for the County of Delaware, PA. Provided audio, intercom, video, security, card access, parking control and judges' chamber protection system for 120,000 square foot facility.
  
  
• Chief Systems Engineer for security, card access, central station and CCTV for PNC Building 98 and all remote sites.
  
  
• Provided engineering and ensured conformance for all security systems for site including card access, CCTV, intrusion, and perimeter detection for McNeil Pharmaceutical, Spring House, PA.
  
  
• For the prestigious Friends Hospital, Philadelphia provided all engineering of fire alarm, staff duress, and security alarm, smoke detection, nurse call and intercom systems.
  
  
• Principal-in-Charge of systems renovation for Eaton County Jail, Charlotte, MI. Project included replacement of the oldest correctional touch screen control system in an operating facility. Renovations have taken place during occupancy.
  
  
• Extensive master planning and site analysis for security, locking, electronics, communications and operations components for a Philadelphia Industrial Institutional Complex facility.
  
  
• Chief Engineer and Project Manager for new life safety systems at the Philadelphia House of Correction, one of the nation’s oldest correctional facilities. Fast-track installation of computerized fire alarm and smoke detection systems.
  
  
• Principal-in-Charge for site surveys, documentation and programmatic development for computer network security systems for 450 sites located throughout Delaware and Pennsylvania for Bell Atlantic. Met strict budget and technical constraints.
  
  
• Principal-in-charge for Elizabeth City Police and 9-1-1 Center including all dispatch and communications operations, planning and implementation.
  
  
• Principal-in-Charge and Chief Engineer for security, radio controlled command center, paging, intercom, CCTV for new facility including police headquarters, jail, detective area and other police enforcement areas, for South Brunswick Township Municipal Building, Monmouth Junction, NJ. Work included design and construction of coordinated, radio command and control facility using automated radio integration and state police messaging systems. Also designed police vehicle satellite tracking control and display systems.
  
  
• For the Western Correctional Institution (WCI), Cumberland, MD, provided all security, controls and communications infrastructure consulting services for the site, and systems design for support services/site connectivity.
  
  
• Provided master planning, design and engineering for fencing, security controls and communications for Delaware County Juvenile Detention Center, Lima, PA.