Our Story

Our core legacy company was established over 30 years ago. In 2018, we added personnel in key areas and now operate as “Wolf Trail Engineering, PLLC” (WTE). We now provide many services that a facility department needs: building enclosure, structural engineering, civil engineering, and project management services.

Meet the Team

Doug Buchanan, PE, LEED-AP
President

Doug Buchanan served Mecklenburg County as a Project Manager and Designer for 31 years and was responsible for many different projects, including roof replacement, waterproofing, and parking lots.  Mr. Buchanan also performed complete analysis/feasibility studies for future projects within the County, cost estimating, and requesting funding for projects. He served as the project manager from concept to completion – funding; hiring consultants; and overseeing the design, bidding, construction, post construction, and troubleshooting any problems.  Mr. Buchanan is considered an expert in project management and construction administration.

While working for Mecklenburg County, Doug developed a process for tracking and approving changes in the amount of the contract during projects.  This process has been a success and has been adopted by other counties and contractors.

Nelson Hall, FRCI, RRC
COO

Nelson Hall has 40+ years of experience in the roofing industry, providing consulting and expert witness services on a nationwide basis to customers in various industries.  Mr. Hall is recognized nationally as an expert in the field of roof consulting. Beyond inspecting and analyzing existing roof structures, he has provided consulting services in hundreds of millions of dollars of roof replacement projects.

Mr. Hall has published articles and lectured for national and international audiences on roof-related subjects.  He has served as International President of RCI (now IIBEC), on the Board of Directors, on the Executive Committee, and on the committees and task forces that established the first legally defensible RRC, RRO, and RWC exams.  He was instrumental in the formation of the Carolinas Chapter of IIBEC. By his many contributions to IIBEC and the industry, Mr. Hall attained the honorable recognition as a Fellow of RCI (FRCI) in 2004. His reputation in the industry is marked by voluntary efforts to “raise the bar” for professionals serving the roofing industry internationally.

Mr. Hall holds and has held active memberships in other local and national roofing associations and has participated in numerous national and international roofing symposiums and conferences.  He has served on the advisory councils of several major manufacturers to provide input about product and system performance in the roofing industry.

Jerel Burris, RRC, LEED-AP
VP, Building Envelope

Jerel Burris joined our team after serving Fieldcrest Cannon Mills, (Kannapolis, NC) for 30+ years in their engineering department.  His responsibilities included designing and managing construction projects. Mr. Burris was exposed to a wide range of projects from machining parts to entire building design and construction.  He has managed projects including large air compressor installations, large HVAC and chiller installations, new building construction, building renovations, structural design and analysis, and power distribution systems. On many of these projects Mr. Burris was the senior project manager.  Mr. Burris has extensive knowledge in maintaining the proper conditions in the high humidity textile field. Using his varied background, he is able to anticipate and resolve potential construction conflicts.

Mr. Burris has designed and managed many building envelope projects, including: low-slope and steep slope roofs, windows, walls, and skylights. Mr. Burris is also a Certified Asbestos Inspector in NC and SC.

Chris Tucker, RRO
Project Manager

Chris Tucker has more than 25 years of experience in the construction industry. Mr. Tucker managed many projects in the Charlotte Metro and surrounding areas requiring hands-on participation to ensure a quality result. Chris has had a direct influence on the design, engineering, fabrication, and installation of luxury staircases throughout North and South Carolina on both a commercial and residential platform. Mr. Tucker has years of experience in reading/interpreting construction documents/drawings, quality assurance, scheduling, meeting deadlines, and maintaining project budgets. Mr. Tucker is an FAA certified sUAS remote pilot (drone pilot).

Ayodeji “DJ” Ajidahun, LEED Green Associate
Project Designer

Ayodeji “DJ” Ajidahun recently earned his Masters of Science in civil engineering.  While in school, he worked on research focusing on enhancement and modification of concrete façades to curb greenhouse gases.  He interned with Wolf Trail Engineering during the Summer of 2023 and joined staff full-time in January 2024.

Mr. Ajidahun’s experience includes research, various CAD programs, building design and construction, and highway construction.

Rick Benton, RRO
Quality Assurance

Rick Benton joined Wolf Trail Engineering in February, 2019.  Mr. Benton retired from Union County Public Schools, where he was a project manager overseeing numerous project renovation/repair projects that included paving and reroofing.  He has decades of experience in prioritizing facility projects, reading/interpreting construction documents/drawings, quality assurance, meeting deadlines, and maintaining facilities with a tight budget.

Scott Elms
Quality Assurance

Scott Elms started his career at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools June 1st, 1991 and transferred to Union County Public Schools in 2006.

Mr. Elms retired from UCPS in 2023.  During his career with CMS he oversaw all glass projects, including measuring, cutting, and installing all types of windows with a replacement budget of over $1M each year. After transferring to UCPS, he oversaw countless renovations, repair projects, and roofing projects. Mr. Elms has more than 30 years of experience with facilities maintenance, quality assurance, meeting deadlines, and maintaining approximately one million square feet of roofing.

Ben Rabon, RRO
Quality Assurance

Mr. Rabon looks after our roofing projects, comparing the work performed with the drawings and specifications.  In cases where existing construction or work performed does not match detail drawings, he works with the contractor to resolve discrepancies.  Prior to joining Wolf Trail Engineering, Mr. Rabon oversaw the maintenance for 11 residential rental properties, performing needed maintenance and identifying and supervising contractors as needed. Mr. Rabon is an FAA certified sUAS remote pilot (drone pilot).