Our Team

Ryan Phillips grew up in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, where time spent working on his family’s Christmas tree farm and timberland gave him an early appreciation for practical problem-solving, hard work, and the built environment. That hands-on background continues to inform his approach to engineering, claims analysis, and repair evaluation.

Ryan earned a Bachelor of Science in Engineering with a Mechanical Specialty from the Colorado School of Mines, where he also played baseball, served as a resident assistant and peer mentor, and later served as an assistant baseball coach after his playing career ended. He later earned a Master of Science in Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics from Columbia University and is a licensed Professional Engineer.

Ryan’s professional background spans construction, forensic engineering, claims analysis, surety consulting, expert testimony, and engineering education. He began his career with a commercial and residential construction firm in Colorado before moving into forensic engineering and construction consulting. Over the next 14 years, he helped establish and led a team of consultants focused on construction claims, cost analysis, and expert opinions in litigation. His work has included more than a thousand construction-related claims involving a wide range of project types, defects, failures, delays, repair issues, and damages. He has also provided sworn testimony approximately 75 times in depositions, arbitrations, and trials.

Ryan also served as a surety engineer for a national surety bond provider, where he evaluated contractor defaults, assessed project completion issues, and helped identify and mitigate construction-related risks. In addition, he helped create the Colorado School of Mines construction engineering program, where he has served as adjunct faculty. His combined experience in construction, engineering, claims, litigation, surety consulting, and teaching informs his practical approach to evaluating building issues, assessing repair considerations, and communicating technical opinions clearly.

Outside of work, Ryan and his wife, Brenna, have four children: Sawyer, Carson, Parker, and Chase. He enjoys live music, sports, camping, working out, and family time. He also continues to work through an ever-growing list of home improvement projects that are, by his own estimate, always “almost done.”

Peter Marxhausen was born in Amsterdam, New York, and raised in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. His early involvement in athletics, scouting, music, and the outdoors helped shape the practical, disciplined approach he brings to engineering, forensic investigation, and teaching.

Peter moved to Colorado in 1990 and attended Columbine High School, where he met his future wife, Lara. His background in construction began while he was working his way through school as a home inspector and with multiple construction companies. He earned his undergraduate degree from Colorado State University and completed his graduate studies at the University of Colorado Denver.

Peter’s professional work spans construction, forensic engineering, structural failure investigations, building code analysis, construction defect evaluation, structural rehabilitation, and expert testimony. As Director of Forensic Engineering at dux, LLC, he evaluates complex building and structural issues for construction claims, insurance matters, and litigation. Over his three-decade career, Peter has investigated more than 10,000 buildings involving a wide range of structural conditions, failures, performance issues, and repair scope considerations.

Since 2007, Peter has also served as a faculty member in the College of Engineering, Design, and Computing at the University of Colorado Denver, where he has taught and mentored future engineers. His combined experience in construction, engineering, forensic investigation, teaching, and expert testimony informs his methodical approach to evaluating building issues, identifying causes of damage or distress, and communicating technical opinions clearly.

Outside of work, Peter and Lara have raised four children: Luke, Nate, Lexi, and Cynthia. Their family has remained active in scouting and outdoor adventure, with Luke, Nate, and Lexi each earning the rank of Eagle Scout. Peter and Lara have traveled through all 50 states and are now focused on visiting every U.S. National Park and all seven continents. Peter also enjoys cycling, skiing, hiking, SCUBA diving, via ferrata, ice climbing, and canyoneering. In January 2025, he completed a 30-year goal of skiing every run and riding every lift in Colorado.

Nicholas Bass was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. His interest in the built environment developed through his education and early professional experience, where he became focused on structural systems, building performance, and the investigation of building failures.

Nicholas earned his undergraduate degree and master’s degree in Structural Engineering from the University of Colorado. His academic and professional work has focused on forensic assessments, structural evaluation, and rehabilitation planning for buildings affected by fire, vehicle impacts, environmental forces, and other sources of damage or distress

Nicholas’s professional background includes forensic engineering, structural analysis, building code evaluation, and hands-on building operations. Before focusing on forensic engineering, he worked as a building engineer in multiple high-rise buildings throughout Denver, where he gained practical experience with building systems, including large-scale refrigeration chillers, specialized HVAC systems, and other complex building infrastructure. That experience gave him a broader understanding of how buildings function beyond the structural frame alone.

At dux Forensics, Nicholas evaluates building and structural conditions, analyzes causes of damage or distress, and helps develop practical, code-informed opinions for construction claims, insurance matters, and repair-related evaluations. His combined experience in structural engineering, building systems, and forensic investigation informs his practical approach to evaluating complex building issues and communicating technical findings clearly.

Outside of work, Nicholas enjoys exploring the Colorado mountains with his wife and their two dogs. He remains committed to continued learning and to applying engineering judgment in a way that supports safe, practical, and well-reasoned outcomes.