We're only a few weeks in to the new year and many U.S. construction companies have already announced changes in leadership, including Suffolk, Granite Construction and Swinerton. Here, Construction Dive rounds up all the latest executives moves for C-Suite and other top leadership positions at large firms. As you'll see for yourself, women and people of color are predictably underepresented in this round.
AECOM
Karl Jensen, Executive Vice President, Americas region national government practice
On Feb. 4, AECOM shared the news that it had brought on federal government contracting veteran Karl Jensen as executive vice president of its Americas region national government practice. The work in that division includes infrastructure, facilities, energy, environment, disaster resilience and civil projects. Jensen will help the practice continue to be a major growth driver, according to the president of the company's design and consulting services, Steve Morriss.
Jensen, who will work out of AECOM's Washington, D.C. offices, was most recently employed by Swiss military contractor RUAG and previously held executive positions at Raytheon, SAIC and CACI. Jensen was also involved in growing CH2M's national governments business, as well as the sales integration for the CH2M and Jacobs merger.
Todd Musterait, Senior Vice President, strategy and growth, design and consulting services
Not even a week after the Jensen announcement, AECOM named Todd Musterait its new senior vice president of strategy and growth for the environment practice of the Americas region design and consulting services division. Musterait has 25 years of experience in the environment business sector and served as president of Ecology and Environment's (E&E) US operations prior to joining AECOM. At E&E, Musterait turned the business to profitability in fewer than six months. Before his tenure at E&E, Musterait worked at WSP Global Inc.
Granite Construction Inc.
Kyle Larkin, Executive Vice President and COO
Granite Construction Inc. named Kyle Larkin as its new COO and executive vice president. Larkin joined Granite's Reno, Nevada operations in 1996 as an estimator. Through the years, Larkin held various roles throughout the company, including project engineer, project manager, chief estimator and manager of construction. From 2011 to 2013, Larkin served as president of Granite subsidiary Intermountain Slurry Seal Inc. before moving back to Granite as vice president and Nevada regional manager. In 2017, he was promoted yet again to senior vice president and California group manager before assuming the role of senior vice president and manager of the company's construction materials operations, which encompasses the California group, the northwest group, the infrastructure services group and materials facilities.
In his new role with Granite, Larkin will oversee daily operations of the company, stay on as a member of the executive committee and report directly to James H. Roberts, president and CEO.
Katerra
Jeffrey Hoopes, Member, Board of Directors
Modular and construction technology company Katerra announced on Jan. 29 that Jeffrey Hoopes, former CEO of commercial construction firm Swinerton Inc. has joined Katerra's board of directors. Hoopes spent a 35-year career at Swinerton, working his way up from project engineer to executive team and then finally to CEO in 2013.
Hoopes retired from his position at Swinerton after leading the company's diversification strategy into the design, construction and management of projects like solar power plants in the hopes of insulating the company from the ups and downs of real estate cycles. Swinerton was also at the helm when the company re-branded and brought all of the company's divisions under one umbrella.
Hoopes, said Michael Marks, co-founder and CEO of Katerra, will give the company added construction industry expertise at a time when Katerra is "executing on our strategy to transform construction through the integration of technology.”
Skanska USA
Charlie Foushée, Vice President of development for Skanska USA Commercial Development
Skanska USA announced Feb. 6 the promotion of Charlie Foushée to vice president of development of Skanska USA Commercial Development in Seattle. Foushée, who has 12 years of real estate development experience across many different sectors, will focus on market strategies for local operations and will work with Murphy McCullough, executive vice president. In his new role, Foushee will work on land acquisitions, development, design, construction management, leasing and divesting.
Before Foushée joined Skanska USA in 2016, he was a development manager at Talon Private Capital, where he was responsible for the design and construction teams on more than 75 development repositioning projects in Seattle. Before that, he was a development manager at Tarragon.
Suffolk Construction
Ann Klee, Executive Vice President
Also this week, Suffolk Construction announced that Ann Klee, former General Electric Company (GE) vice president. would be joining the construction company as executive vice president. Klee will be in charge of business development, as well as external and government affairs, with the goal of expanding the company's presence nationwide.
Klee filled many roles at GE. including leading the company's headquarters search, which resulted in its ultimate move to Boston; oversight of the company's Boston offices renovation; serving as community liaison through her position as the president of the GE Foundation; and leading other initiatives such as supporting STEM education in local Boston schools, substance abuse education and sustainability.
John Fish, Suffolk's chairman and CEO, said in a press release, “Ann’s proven ability to build relationships, bring people together, solve complex challenges and push the boundaries of what is possible will help expand our presence in new markets, attract the best new talent and cement our reputation as an industry disruptor.”
Swinerton Inc.
Eric Foster, CEO
General contractor Swinerton Inc. has promoted Eric Foster from president and COO to CEO, the replacement for retired former CEO Jeffrey Hoopes. Foster started with Swinerton in 1982 in the position of project engineer in the company's structural division in San Francisco and then rose to project manager, division manager and then president and COO. Foster also serves on the board of directors for both Swinerton and The Swinerton Foundation.
Foster's appointment makes him only the twelfth CEO in Swinerton's 132 years in business.
Dave Callis, President
Also moving up is Dave Callis. Most recently senior vice president and region manager for Swinerton's Southern California and Pacific Northwest division, Callis will step into the role of president of the employee-owned company. Callis joined Swinerton in 2001 as a senior project manager for the company's Orange County division.
Callis' duties will include management of the company's business processes and overseeing the execution of work.
Thornton Tomasetti
Engineering firm Thornton Tomasetti announced a major executive shift this year, effective Jan. 1.
Peter DiMaggio, co-CE
Former Managing Director Peter DiMaggio and Former Managing Principal Michael Squarzini are now co-CEOs.
DiMaggio has been in the industry for 25 years, first at Weidlinger Assoc. and then at Thornton Tomasetti. He is an expert in special structures and protective design and security, and, as a result has been in charge of the company's most high-profile and challenging projects around the world, including more than 75 embassies, federal facilities and courthouses. He has also been a consultant to legal teams, specializing in structural and blast issues as they relate to protective design.
Michael Squarzini, co-CEO
Squarzini started with Thornton Tomasetti straight out of college and has expertise in structural analysis, as well as design and review of a wide range of building types, including sports venues, commercial buildings and healthcare facilities. He is a past president of the Structural Engineers Association of New York and also has taught at Cornell University, Princeton University and Manhattan College. Squarzini currently serves as vice chair of the NYC Building Code Committee.
Wayne Stocks, President and co-lead of the firm's business unit
Former CEO and Chairman Tom Scarangello, also in New York, is now executive chairman, while former Managing Principal Wayne Stocks, based in Washington, D.C., is now president. Co-leading the company's business units along with Stocks is Managing Director Gary Panariello, who is in the company's San Francisco office.
Tom Scaranegllo, Executive Chairman
Scarangello, who has 35 years of experience in the field of structural engineering, is in charge of strategy and oversight for Thornton Tomasetti as executive chairman but still will still deal directly with clients, projects and staff development.
Stocks' experience in the industry includes structural design, construction and project management of both new and historic structures, but he has also participated in private sector and government education, hospitality, healthcare, entertainment, office and mixed-use projects. Stocks is also on the board of governors of the Thornton Tomasetti Foundation and performs outreach to elementary and middle school students about careers in engineering.
Gary Panariello, Managing Director and co-lead of the firm's business unit
Panariello, a forensic engineering and seismic evaluation expert, was part of Thornton Tomasetti's World Trade Center disaster response team. He has more than 20 years of experience in the research, design, investigation and construction of complex structures.
Raymond Daddazio, Senior Consultant
Ex-President Raymond Daddazio is now senior consultant. In the new position, Daddazio will work on the development of services for federal clients, transportation and infrastructure-related initiatives. He will also participate in Thornton Tomasetti's research, development and innovation programs.
