Stephen L. Cabano
President & Chief Operating Officer
Pathfinder, LLC
United States
About
Stephen L. Cabano, FAACE, serves as the President of Pathfinder, LLC, a premier project management consulting firm specializing in the planning, development, and execution of complex capital construction projects worldwide. With over 35 years of project engineering and management expertise in both industrial and commercial facility sectors, Stephen has led transformative projects and delivered key project controls such as cost management, scheduling, and procurement. His extensive portfolio spans numerous industries—including Petroleum, Petrochemical, Chemical, Environmental, Pharmaceutical, Industrial, and Commercial—where he has provided invaluable guidance to owners and government clients globally.
Stephen holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Villanova University and is a dedicated member of leading industry organizations, including AACE International (AACE), Construction Industry Institute (CII), Engineering and Construction Contracting Association (ECC), and Project Management Institute (PMI). His contributions have been widely recognized; he was honored as an AACE International Fellow in 2023 and has received prestigious awards, including the AACE O.T. Zimmerman Founder’s Award (2016) and the AACE Brian D. Dunfield Education Service Award (2021). In addition, he was presented with CII’s 2021 Richard L. Tucker Leadership & Service Award, celebrating his commitment to advancing project management excellence.
To connect with Stephen, visit his LinkedIn profile.
Technology Speaker
Mastering Cost Accuracy: The Best Estimating Options for Owner Success
Today’s owner organizations face growing pressure to secure more accurate project cost estimates, especially in the heavy industrial sector. As an owner/operator, you’re likely aware of the cash sensitivity heightened by the pandemic’s lasting impacts. With each project phase, you expect precise cost estimates that meet—or even exceed—the standards outlined in your capital project delivery process. Yet, with reduced internal resources for developing early estimates, many owner organizations now turn to front-end engineering contractors. Unfortunately, this approach often falls short due to biases, conflicting objectives, and a lack of cost experience on the owner’s side.
To bridge this gap, a growing trend is transforming project estimating: outsourcing. By tapping into outsourced cost-estimating support, you gain access to skilled experts who deliver reliable, accurate, and timely estimates on demand. These outsourced estimators bring both company and industry benchmarks, providing an independent perspective free from internal pressures and biases. With advanced estimating tools, proprietary and industry data, and risk analysis systems, you can achieve a high level of accuracy that supports confident decision-making.
This session will provide you with a practical roadmap and checklist for effectively utilizing outsourced estimating support. You’ll discover how to avoid common pitfalls and learn the essential elements of a well-implemented process that empowers you to drive project success with precision and confidence.
Here’s what you’ll gain by attending this session:
- Discover the full range of cost-estimating options available to owner organizations, and understand which strategies best align with your project’s needs and complexities.
- Gain insight into how these estimating options are executed to enable more informed decision-making.
- Get a clear comparison of the different cost-estimating options to determine the best fit for your various project types.
- Understand how to effectively document your selected cost-estimating approach within your Project Control Plan.
Presentation Category: Professional/Career Development
Competency Level: Intermediate