About Our Research Professionals

Taylor Research Group has research professionals completing work in a variety of legal matters from environmental, to asbestos/mass tort, to product liability. Our staff takes pride in our past, but focuses on the present and the future. We strive to combine the best assets of larger research firms with the innovation of a smaller one.

Our Team

John A. Taylor

John A. Taylor

Founder / President / Research Professional

As the Founder and President of Taylor Research Group (TRG), John is the lead historian and visionary behind our approach to developing targeted, cost-effective research strategies. Over the last two decades, he has worked closely with Fortune 500 clients and major law firms on multi-million dollar cases. John draws on his comprehensive knowledge of federal, state, and local records collections to answer our client’s historical and environmental questions. He previously served as the Deputy Director of Litigation Research and Senior Historian at a history, archives, and museum company.

Education

  • Holy Names University, BA in History with honors
  • St. Mary’s College, California Secondary Teaching Credential in Social Studies
  • San Francisco State University, MA in Modern European History with a minor in Latin American History

Professional Research Experience:

  • Historical research into polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) contamination at sites and in waterways around the U.S.; investigations into the industrial equipment used, the presence of PCBs in various industrial processes and products, and the illegal disposal or dumping of PCB-containing materials (Clients: Law Firms)
  • Due diligence investigation to identify potentially responsible parties (PRPs) and track down corporate successors adjacent to a historic waterway in the northeastern U.S. (Client: Fortune 500 Company)
  • Research to document the regulation, use and disposal of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) such as Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) fire suppressant utilized at various military facilities around the country (Clients: Law Firms, U.S. Department of Justice)
  • Investigation into the history of municipal publicly owned treatment works (POTW), wastewater treatment plants, private sewers, combined sewer outfalls (CSO), etc., in order to understand the history of alterations, additions, modifications, maintenance, development and regulatory actions over time through review of federal, state and local records (Clients: Law Firms and Fortune 500 Company)
  • Documentation of historical business-government contractual relationships at a former ordnance assembly and test site in California (Client: Law Firm)
  • Research into a former Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) research production facility, including contracts and indemnification clauses, through an extensive review of Department of Energy, Energy Research and Development Administration, AEC and Nuclear Regulatory Commission materials, as well as public and private documents (Client: Law Firm)
  • Investigation into perchlorate contamination in a western U.S. community’s groundwater to identify additional PRPs to share in the cost of the clean-up (Client: Law Firm)
  • Research related to a toxic tort matter involving former uranium and vanadium mines, mills and tailing piles in the Colorado Mineral Belt (Client: Law Firm)
  • Historical research to document a company’s, and its predecessor’s, relationship with hundreds of mines in the southwestern U.S. (Client: Fortune 500 Company)
  • Research to identify the presence of asbestos-containing products or insulation aboard a variety of U.S. Navy, Coast Guard, Maritime Commission, and other vessels (Clients: Various Law Firms & Former Military personnel)

Kylie Armo

Research Professional

Kylie has been with Taylor Research Group since 2017 and serves as a Research Associate specializing in complex environmental and historical investigations. With a background in environmental geography and sustainability, she has managed numerous projects involving potentially responsible party (PRP) investigations and corporate succession research, as well as projects analyzing historical pollutants and hazardous chemicals at industrial and military sites. She has conducted and led field research at public and private repositories across the United States. Kylie brings a strong academic foundation and a detail-oriented approach to deliver clear and thorough research on behalf of our clients.

Education

  • Colgate University, BA in Environmental Geography
  • University of Edinburgh, MSc in Environmental Sustainability

Professional Research Experience:

  • Historical research into petroleum, chemical, and heavy metal processing operations within heavily industrialized watershed areas (Clients: Law Firms and Fortune 500 Companies)
  • Corporate succession research to identify potentially responsible parties (PRPs) with operations dating back to the 1800s (Clients: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Law Firms; Fortune 500 Companies)
  • Investigation into WWII-era sources of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination at a Superfund site (Client: Law Firm and Fortune 500 Company)
  • Legislative research to ascertain the meaning and intent of laws related to the transfer of property within a U.S. territory (Client: U.S. territorial government)
  • Research into a chemical company to determine if its products historically contained the types of hazardous substances present in local groundwater (Client: Law Firm)
  • Research at the United Nations regarding a foreign relations matter (Client: Law Firm)
  • Research to document the history of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) usage and contamination at military facilities (Client: U.S. Department of Justice)
  • Synthesized document productions obtained in response to discovery requests by conducting an in-depth review and building a detailed chronology (Client: Law Firm)
  • Investigated the environmental history of contaminated rail yard sites (Client: Engineering Firm)
  • Archival research related to historical mining operations in the Southwest (Clients: Law Firms)
  • Research in coordination with federal courts and archivists at federal repositories to locate early-20th century court case records (Client: Law Firm)
  • Research into the environmental, architectural, and ownership history of an 18th century home in Montgomery County, Maryland (Client: Real Estate Firm)

Will Armstrong

Historian / Research Professional

Will has been with Taylor Research Group as a Senior Associate since 2017, and specializes in military and industrial history. He has over two decades’ experience as a professional public historian, using his extensive knowledge of historical research methods and project management skills on behalf of numerous major law firms and Fortune 500 clients involved in high-stakes toxic tort, environmental, and product liability litigation. He writes detailed historical reports and has testified as an expert and fact witness in deposition and as a fact witness in U.S. District Court. Will has also developed historical exhibit content for corporate and museum clientele, and has penned three photographic history books about his historical passion – 20th century American military history.

Education

  • Towson University, BS in History and Political Science

Professional Research Experience:

  • Historical research into federal, state, and local records to document potential sources of waterway and/or groundwater contamination from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substancers (PFAS), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), trichloroethylene (TCE), heavy metals, and other hazardous substances, in proximity to historical military and industrial sites across the U.S. (Clients: Law Firms, Fortune 500 Companies, U.S. Department of Justice)
  • Documentation of federal contracts and procurement, research and development projects, government-contractor interaction, and government/military specifications and regulations in relation to product liability and government contractor defense matters (Clients: Law Firms and Fortune 500 Companies)
  • Collection and analysis of documentation regarding the production of munitions, aerospace craft, and strategic materials on behalf of the U.S. Government, including detailed investigations of both government-owned and contractor-owned industrial sites (Clients: Law Firms and Fortune 500 Companies)
  • Research to document the history and environmental impact of former military installations across multiple states and representing all service branches in support of the Defense Environmental Restoration Program – Formerly Used Defense Sites (DERP-FUDS) (Clients: Environmental Firms under contract to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)
  • Investigation of historical mines, mining and milling operations, and real property records associated with uranium production for the Atomic Energy Commission and Department of Energy (Clients: Law Firms, Local Government)
  • Research team leader and lead author of a Site Ownership and Operational History report documenting a former industrial plant’s contracts with the Atomic Energy Commission, in support of the Formerly Used Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP) (Client: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)
  • Corporate succession, property ownership, and operational history research for over 150 companies within a major industrial watershed area. (Clients: Law Firms and Fortune 500 Companies)
  • Military records research to document individual service and unit histories, as well as histories of weapons, vehicles, and equipment (Clients: Museums, Museum Planning and Design Firms, American Battle Monuments Commission [ABMC], Law Firms, Public Defenders, and Genealogists)
  • Preparation, submission, and monitoring of targeted Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to obtain public records from various federal agencies and military commands (Clients: Law Firms, Fortune 500 Companies)
  • Extensive primary source research (textual and photograph) to write the following photographic history publications: Images of America: Maryland in World War I (2017), Images of Aviation: Marine Air Group 25 and SCAT (2017), and Images of America: Baltimore in World War II (2005)

Tyler Goodmanson

Research Professional

Since joining Taylor Research Group in 2009, Tyler has played a key role as both a Research Associate and Marketing Director leading much of TRG’s asbestos litigation, railroad valuation map, cartographic, and real property research. Tyler has a unique blend of sales, project management, and research experience, which he initially gained in the field of real estate development and which he incorporates into our nationwide research efforts. From 2000-2009, he was the Owner and Managing Member of The Goodmanson Group. Prior to that, Tyler was Senior Real Estate Planner for Howland Homes LLC. His responsibilities there included growing the company and managing the front-end process for real estate development.

Education

  • Seattle Pacific University, BA in Communication

Professional Research Experience:

  • Collection of Railroad Valuation Plans, Land Acquisition Schedules and Land Appraisal Field Notes from Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) records at NARA. (Client: Law Firms and Consultant Groups)
  • Archival research at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in College Park, Maryland, to locate ship histories, deck logs, muster rolls, product lists, and other relevant materials for numerous asbestos litigation projects (Clients: Law Firms)
  • Research to identify the presence of asbestos-containing products or insulation aboard a variety of U.S. Navy, Coast Guard, Maritime Commission, and other vessels (Clients: Law Firms; Former Military Personnel)
  • Federal, state, and local due diligence research to identify potentially responsible parties (PRP) and compile information on corporate successors adjacent to a historic waterway in the northeast (Clients: Law Firms and Fortune 500 Companies)
  • Research into federal procurement and contractual records related to contaminated industrial sites (Clients: Law Firms and Fortune 500 Companies)
  • Investigation of WWII-era sources of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination at a Superfund site (Client: Law Firm)
  • Research to document the history of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) usage and contamination at military facilities (Client: U.S. Department of Justice)
  • Investigation of historical uranium mines in the Southwestern U.S. and associated Atomic Energy Commission contracts (Clients: Law Firms)
  • Presentation to a Maryland-based Land Surveyor Group about locating and the significance of Interstate Commerce Commission documents at the National Archives (Client: Chapter of a Society of Surveyors)

Bennett Koerber

Senior Research Professional

Since earning his PhD in American History from Carnegie Mellon University, Bennett has used his expertise in historical research methods and analysis to assist law firms and corporations with high-stakes CERCLA, toxic tort, brownfields, product liability, corporate succession, and white-collar crime matters. He has served as an expert witness, prepared expert reports, and testified in deposition and in U.S. District Court. Prior to joining Taylor Research Group as a Senior Research Associate in 2023, Bennett taught courses on a variety of topics in American history at CMU and was awarded numerous fellowships and prizes for his dissertation. His work related to American academics and athletics has been published in The Washington Post and he has hosted several interviews on the New Books in Sport podcast network.

Education

  • Louisiana State University, BA and MA, American History
  • Carnegie Mellon University, MA and Doctor of Philosophy, American History

Professional Research Experience:

  • Performed research at federal repositories to locate contractual documents and records of government-contractor interaction in matters related to government contractor defense, indemnity arguments, and assessments of potential product liability (Clients: Law Firms)
  • Research into federal, state, local, and corporate records to document heavy metals contamination at industrial sites during the 20th century (Clients: Law Firms and Fortune 500 Companies)
  • Documentation of potentially responsible parties that may have contributed to local per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination (Client: Law Firms)
  • Research to compile a chronology documenting the historical operations and activities of a rural industrial facility involved in CERCLA litigation (Client: Law Firm)
  • Due diligence research to document the corporate succession, property ownership, and operational history of dozens of companies within a watershed area. (Client: Law Firms and Fortune 500 Companies)
  • Documentation of historical corporate liability regarding a highly sensitive foreign relations matter that spanned multiple countries (Client: Law Firm)
  • Research into the historical usage of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in capacitors and transformers (Client: Law Firm and Fortune 500 Company)
  • Research in coordination with federal courts and archivists at federal repositories to locate elusive and non-digitized early-20th century court case records (Client: U.S. Department of Justice)
  • Targeted research into federal, state, and university archival collections across seven states in support of PhD dissertation titled “Liberal Arts Football: Athletics, Academics, and American Higher Education, 1906-1948”

Maayan Rosen

Research Associate

Maayan joined Taylor Research Group in March 2020 and serves as a Research Associate, using her extensive knowledge of historical research methods in support of a wide array of projects, including environmental and corporate succession matters. She has conducted research at repositories across the United States and routinely assists in compiling comprehensive chronologies and other analytical products. Prior to joining TRG, Maayan took part in a collaborative project to highlight the social and corporate history of a small town in Maryland during her time as a graduate student.

Education

  • University of Maryland, Baltimore County, MD, MA in Historical Studies
  • University of Maryland, College Park, MD, BA in History

Professional Research Experience:

  • Historical research into the corporate succession of various business entities in a highly industrialized area (Clients: Law Firms and Fortune 500 Companies)
  • Research into potentially responsible parties (PRPs) connected to a contaminated industrial property with operations dating back to the late 1800s (Clients: Law Firms and Fortune 500 Companies)
  • Investigation of PRPs that may have historically contributed to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination (Client: Law Firm)
  • Documentation of government contracts, specifications, and procurement records (Clients: Law Firms and Fortune 500 Companies)
  • Performed document review of productions obtained in response to discovery requests to identify key information to be added into a detailed chronology (Client: Law Firm)
  • Collection and analysis of records to compile a comprehensive chronology documenting historical operations and activities at a Superfund site (Clients: Law Firms and Fortune 500 Company)
  • Preparation, submission, and monitoring of targeted Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and right-to-know public records requests to federal, state, and local agencies concerning environmental matters (Clients: Law Firms)
  • Research into the historical usage of equipment containing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) at contaminated industrial sites (Clients: Law Firms)
  • Review of newspaper articles, product manuals, historical trade journals and military literature related to product liability investigations (Clients: Law Firms)
  • Investigation into the use of asbestos and other potentially hazardous substances in military equipment and at shipyards (Clients: Law Firms and Fortune 500 Company)