Michael J. Rzeznik

Experience

Michael Rzeznik is a renowned expert in fire protection engineering, including fire/life safety analysis, egress design, fire protection system design and analysis, code consultation, loss investigation, and related services for a wide range of facilities and systems. Over his career, he has managed operations, led project teams, and participated in numerous design, consulting, and loss investigation projects. His experience includes both new and existing buildings of virtually every occupancy type throughout the United States and around the world.

Prior to joining WJE, Mr. Rzeznik was associate director of global fire and safety at Starwood Hotels, where he oversaw all aspects of fire protection and life safety for eleven hotel brands and more than 1,200 global properties. His experience also spans nearly twenty-five years of fire protection engineering management and operations, including eleven years as managing director for a large international fire protection engineering firm in their New York tri-state office. During his career, Mr. Rzeznik has also served as principal fire protection engineer and senior fire protection engineer at various other fire protection engineering firms.

REPRESENTATIVE PROJECTS

Fire/Life Safety Assessment/Egress Assessment

• Brookhaven National Laboratory - Upton, NY: Multibuilding fire and life safety assessment
• Multiple hospitality fire protection reviews of various sizes throughout the United States
• Westin DFW - Irving, TX: Fire/life safety assessment

 

Fire Protection System Design/Analysis

• American Dream - Meadowlands, NJ: Smoke control system commissioning
• Crosspoint 20/30 Warehouse - Dallas, TX: Evaluation of an existing early suppression, fast response sprinkler system, and development of an alternative design solution
• MARTA Train Station Evaluation - Atlanta, GA: Fire modeling evaluation  
• Watterson Towers - Normal, IL: Fire separation evaluation and repair design

 

Loss Investigation/Litigation Consulting

• Confidential Evaluation - Fort Worth, TX: Fire stopping and fireproofing evaluation of an occupied residential building
• Confidential Evaluation - Houston, TX: Automatic sprinkler failure investigation in an iconic theater
• Philadelphia Airport - PA: Spray-applied fireproofing investigation and evaluation

 

Passive Fire Protection Consulting

• Evaluation of Residential Apartments - Raleigh, NC: Fire stopping and fire proofing evaluation
• High-Rise Luxury Hotel/Condominium - Honolulu, HI: Fire proofing
• Denver Sheraton Downtown - CO: Fire barrier and egress analysis

 

Code Development

• Starwood Hotels and Resorts - Worldwide: Global fire protection and fire life safety requirements; global standard *

 

Peer Review

• Moynihan Station - New York, NY: Fire protection and life safety building code consulting and design review for existing mixed-use office building
• Multiple hospitality fire protection reviews of various sizes throughout the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia *
• Warren Hotel - New York, NY: Peer review of automatic sprinkler, fire alarm, and smoke control system design

* Indicates with previous firm

Professional Affiliations

National Association of Fire Investigators
National Fire Protection Association
Society of Fire Protection Engineers - Fellow 
Society of Fire Protection Engineers - NY Metro Chapter
Society of Fire Protection Engineers - NJ/NY Metro Education Foundation, president

Registrations

Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator
Certified Fire Door Inspector
Certified Fire Investigator Instructor
Fire Protection Engineer in MA and TX
Professional Engineer in CT, GA, NC, NY, PA, and WI

Education

State University of New York at Albany
Bachelor of Science, Physics, 1989

Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Master of Science, Fire Protection Engineering, 1994