Principals
As CCI Principals, we establish a foundation and culture based on the values and mission of CCI. Through collaborative leadership and active engagement, we leverage the experience, knowledge, and specialized expertise of the CCI team to develop effective solutions. We are accessible, we are responsive, and we are committed to the success of our clients.
W. Matt Austin, PE, SET, has been with CCI since 1996, and he became a Principal in 2026. Matt’s fire protection systems expertise includes fire sprinkler, special suppression, and fire alarm systems. He has extensive experience in providing cost effective designs of fire protection and fire alarm systems for a wide range of market sectors including retail, distribution centers, mixed-use, corporate, health care, higher education, high-rise, hospitality, institutional, government, and military.
Matt is an active member of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE).
Matt holds an Associate of Science degree in Architectural Technology from Ranken Technical College – Saint Louis. He is a registered Professional Engineer in multiple U.S. states.
Patrick Cox, PE joined CCI in 2012 and became a Principal in 2023. He has provided fire protection and life safety consultation on many complex projects in the northeast, across the U.S., and internationally. His wealth of experience spans multiple market sectors and facility types including high-rise office and residential, mixed-use, cultural, education, hospitality, transit, large assembly, and sports venue occupancies. Patrick has managed many complex projects in New York City and Florida such as Hudson Yards, Manhattan West Development, MoMA expansion, Penn Station Reconstruction, Tampa Water Street Development, and the Miami Brightline Terminal and Overbuilds.
Patrick is actively involved in the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) including the Cultural Resources Committee. Patrick is also actively involved with the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE) and code development committees in New York City.
Patrick holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Fire Protection Engineering from the University of New Haven and a Master of Science in Construction Administration from Columbia University. He is a registered Fire Protection Engineer in New York, Florida, and Nevada.
Jake Hemke, PE, P.Eng. has been with CCI since 1997, and he became a Principal in 2010. Jake’s expertise includes fire alarm, mass notification, the fields of fire protection engineering, and information and communications technology (ICT) systems consulting. Jake's experience in the fire protection and ICT industry allows CCI to provide innovative and cost-effective design and consultation services for a wide range of market sectors including retail, distribution centers, mixed-use, corporate, health care, high-rise, institutional, government, and military.
Jake is an active member of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and serves on the NFPA 72 Technical Committee on Protected Premises Fire Alarm Systems. In addition, Jake is a member of the Automatic Fire Alarm Association (AFAA), the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE), the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME), the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), and Missouri Society of Professional Engineers (MSPE).
Jake holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Bradley University and is a registered Fire Protection Engineer in multiple U.S. states and Canadian provinces.
Paul Kahle, PE joined CCI in 2005 and became a Principal in 2018. Paul’s expertise includes fire alarm, mass notification, and information and communications technology (ICT) systems. Paul manages innovative and cost-effective designs for a wide range of market sectors. His areas of expertise include retail, distribution centers, mixed-use, corporate, high-rise, hospitality, institutional, government, and military.
As an active member of the NFPA, Paul serves on the NFPA Technical Committee on Protected Premises Fire Alarm and Signaling Systems, as well as the NFPA Technical Committee on Single- and Multiple-Station Alarms and Household Signaling Systems. Paul previously served on the NFPA Technical Committee on Public Fire Reporting Systems. Paul is also a member of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE) Greater St. Louis Chapter, and the Automatic Fire Alarm Association (AFAA).
Paul holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering through the joint Engineering Degree program of the University of Missouri – Saint Louis and Washington University. He is a registered Electrical Engineer in multiple U.S. states.
Jim Kinslohr, PE, LEED AP joined CCI in 2013, became a Principal in 2018, and has been actively involved in the fire protection industry since 2003. Jim’s fire protection systems expertise includes fire sprinkler, clean agent, special suppression, and fire alarm systems. He has extensive experience in providing cost effective designs of fire protection and fire alarm systems for a wide range of market sectors including apartments and condominiums, commercial, distribution centers, health care, hotels, industrial, manufacturing, mixed-use, retail, sport, and research + technology.
Jim is an active member of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and serves on the NFPA 13 Technical Committee on Sprinkler System Installation Criteria and the NFPA 409, 415 and 423 Technical Committee on Airport Facilities. Jim is also a Professional Member of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE), and he has served on the SFPE Building Information Modeling Task Group.
Jim holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Kansas and a Master of Engineering in Fire Protection from the University of Maryland. He is a registered Fire Protection Engineer in multiple U.S. states.
Amy Murdock, PE joined CCI in 1998, and became a Principal in 2010. Amy’s fire protection and life safety expertise fulfills a crucial role in the completion of projects across multiple market sectors including corporate, education, entertainment, hospitality, large place of assembly, mixed use, residential, retail, and sport facilities. Managing projects within the Fire Protection and Life Safety Consultation Group, Amy provides creative solutions to fire protection and life safety code challenges that are in-line with CCI’s vision. Many of Amy’s projects require the development of alternate means or methods of construction and complex equivalency formulation to achieve approval from the Authority Having Jurisdiction. Fulfilling a leadership role, Amy provides all aspects of project management and contract administration.
Amy is actively involved in the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE), Society for College and University Planning (SCUP), Urban Land Institute (ULI), Innovating Commerce Serving Communities (ICSC), International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM), St. Louis Forum, and the UMD Department of Fire Protection Engineering Board of Visitors and Curriculum Advisory Committee.
Amy holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Fire Protection Engineering from the University of Maryland and is a registered Fire Protection Engineer in multiple U.S. states.
Cory Ogle, PE, RCDD, has been with CCI since 2007, and he became a Principal in 2026. Cory’s expertise includes fire alarm, mass notification, and information and communications technology (ICT) systems.
Cory's experience in the fire protection and ICT industry allows CCI to provide innovative and cost-effective design and consultation services for a wide range of market sectors including retail, distribution centers, mixed-use, corporate, health care, higher education, high-rise, hospitality, institutional, government, and military.
Cory is an active member of the Automatic Fire Alarm Association (AFAA), the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE), and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). He serves as Chair of the NFPA Technical Committees on Single- and Multiple-Station Alarms and Household Signaling Systems and as a member of the Correlating Committee on Signaling Systems for the Protection of Life and Property. He is a Principal member on the following UL Standards Technical Panels: 2524: In-Building 2-Way Emergency Radio Communication Enhancement Systems and 2572: Mass Notification System Communication and Control Units.
Cory holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Missouri-Rolla (now known as the University of Missouri Science + Technology). He is a Registered Communications Distribution Designer (RCDD) and is a registered Professional Engineer in multiple U.S. states.
Chris Prueher, PE joined CCI in 2015, and he became a Principal of the Los Angeles office in 2018. Chris has over 20 years of professional experience devoted to complex, large, private and public sector projects. He has consulted on numerous aviation, corporate office, education, high-rise, hospitality, mixed-use, residential, retail, courthouse, detention, and correctional projects.
Chris is a Professional Member of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers and is actively involved in the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), previously serving on the NFPA 101 Technical Committee on Assembly Occupancies.
Chris holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Master of Science degree in Fire Protection Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, as well as a Master of Business Administration from California State University. He is a registered Fire Protection Engineer in California.
Vicki Rinehart, CPA joined CCI as Chief Financial Officer in 2001, and became a Principal in 2018. She has over 30 years of experience as a financial executive and is a Certified Public Accountant. Vicki oversees all aspects of financial operations, including business planning, budgeting, and forecasting.
In addition, Vicki leads CCI's committee overseeing the ongoing implementation of project management and billing integrated systems to reduce project risk and improve customer satisfaction.
Vicki is a member of Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA).
Vicki holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the University of Tulsa, and a Master of Accounting degree from the University of Missouri – St. Louis.
Terry Schultz, PE joined CCI in 1996 as a project consultant in the Fire Protection and Life Safety Code Consultation Group, became a Principal in 2004, and has served as President since 2015. As President of CCI, Terry focuses on leading key firm initiatives, growing the firm, client relationships, and promoting the CCI core values and mission. Terry also continues to manage consultation services related to fire protection, life safety, and accessibility.
Terry is an active member of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and has served on multiple NFPA 101 Life Safety Code Technical Committees including: Health Care, Ambulatory Health Care, Board & Care, Detention & Correctional, and Mercantile & Business. He is a member of the American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE), Association for Healthcare Accreditation Professionals (AHAP), Missouri Society for Healthcare Engineering (MOSHE), the Firestop Contractors International Association (FCIA), and the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE).
Since 2015, Terry has also been an active member of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO), a global leadership community of chief executives.
Terry holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Fire Protection Engineering from the University of Maryland and is a registered Fire Protection Engineer in multiple U.S. states.
Will Smith, PE, P.Eng. joined CCI in 1998, became a Principal in 2010, and has been actively involved in the fire protection industry since 1989. Will has significant experience in cost effective fire protection systems design for a wide range of market sectors. His experience includes thousands of projects for a multitude of the nation's premier retailers, as well as warehouse and distribution facilities. In addition, Will has extensive special hazards experience including hazardous materials and high-piled storage.
Will is a member of the National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA) and is also a Professional Member of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE). As an active member of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Will serves as Chair of the Technical Committee of NFPA 13: Sprinkler System Installation Criteria and Sprinkler System Discharge Criteria.
Will holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering through the joint Engineering Degree program of the University of Missouri – Saint Louis and Washington University. He is a registered Fire Protection Engineer in multiple U.S. states and Canadian provinces.
Alex Zivnuska, PE, CHFM joined CCI in 2007, and became a Principal in 2021. Alex leads the CCI Facilities Group which provides detailed fire protection and life safety consultation services for health care facilities. Surveying existing health care facilities for compliance with accrediting organization fire protection and life safety requirements is a key service provided by CCI's health care staff.
Alex is an active member of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), serving on NFPA 101 Technical Committees on Fire Protection Features, Board and Care Facilities, and Health Care Occupancies. He is a member of the American Hospital Association (AHA), American Society of Healthcare Engineering (ASHE), Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE) Greater St. Louis Chapter, and Missouri Society for Healthcare Engineering (MOSHE) where he currently serves on the Advocacy Committee, and previously served on the Board of Directors. He is a UL Qualified Inspector for the installation of firestop systems and is an active member of the Firestop Contractors International Association (FCIA), serving on the Inspection Committee. He is also a Certified Healthcare Facility Manager (CHFM).
Alex holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Missouri – Rolla and is a registered Fire Protection Engineer in the state of Missouri.