After almost a year of lockdowns and business disruption because of the COVID-19 pandemic, construction businesses are still planning for the future through strategic personnel changes that will help them grow in 2021 and beyond.

It's worth noting as the industry gets ready to acknowledge the role of women in construction next month that the contractors included here named five women to leadership roles. 

Adolfson & Peterson Construction

Adolfson and Peterson Construction added three new members to its AP Southwest division –  Melissa Bennett, Amara Boesch and Scott Salyer. New to AP as its director of business development is Melissa Bennett, who will focus on promoting strong relationships with clients and identifying new business opportunities. Before joining AP, Bennett's construction industry experience included roles with CORE Construction and Haydon Building Corp.

Amara Boesch is AP's new regional marketing director. Serving in that role since November, she will increase AP Southwest's visibility, drive culture and shape the division's strategic planning. Prior to joining AP, Boesch was the director of marketing and communications for Hunter Contracting Co. and has 19 years of experience in the architecture, engineering and construction industries.

Scott Salyer, formerly project executive for AP's Gulf States division, was promoted to regional manager of AP Southwest. As part of his new duties, he will develop business plans and risk management programs and drive operational decisions. Before joining AP,  Salyer, who has 18 years of construction experience, worked on such projects as the $1.9 billion renovation and improvement program at Dallas Forth Worth International Airport, where he was part of a team that completed $500 million in renovations.

Joining AP as its new director of communications is Ben Saukko, who will work with AP's executive management team to align the company's messaging and marketing with its goals and priorities. Saukko has almost 25 years of corporate communications and marketing experience and has implemented campaigns for companies such as MasterCard and H&R Block.

AECOM

AECOM also recently announced new leadership. The company has brought on Jennifer Aument, formerly president and CEO of major infrastructure player Transurban's North American business, as chief executive of AECOM's global transportation business. Aument, the company said, will focus on innovative solutions that further its goals of sustainability and cost-efficiency in the transportation systems it provides. Aument will officially begin her new role April 5.

Drew Jeter is also a new hire and will serve as chief executive of AECOM’s global program management business. In this role, Jeter will lead the effort to provide front-end advisory services for large capital programs and to “holistically manage“ those programs throughout the entire project lifecycle in the furtherance of their clients' objectives. Jeter has more than 35 years of experience in delivering multibillion-dollar facilities and infrastructure projects and most recently held leadership roles at Hill international, Jacobs and CH2M.

AECOM also announced that it has appointed Andrew Liu senior vice president and director of growth for its transportation business in the U.S. West. Liu will collaborate with clients to ensure high-quality service and drive growth and business development in that region. Liu’s last position with AECOM was head of the company’s transportation business in Los Angeles.

BOND Bros. Inc.

Boston-based BOND Bros. Inc. has appointed Tony Bond to CEO and president. Bond has been with the company for 15 years and most recently served as president of its civil and utility business. In his new role, Bond will oversee the BOND family of companies — BOND Building, BOND Civil & Utility and BOND Mechanical.

DPR Construction

California-based DPR Construction recently announced multiple new appointments in its Southeast region. Nick Ertmer and Ryan Romanchuk will co-lead DPR’s Southeast division, which is comprised of eight offices and more than 1,500 employees. DPR is building a 100,000 square foot office and prefabrication research and development facility in the Raleigh-Durham area of North Carolina.

Ertmer, who most recently served as the business unit leader in DPR's Raleigh-Durham office, started with DPR in 2006 and has led projects across the higher education, advanced technology and life science sectors. Romanchuk has been with DPR since 2011 and, before his new role, most recently served as the company's South Florida office’s business unit leader. Romanchuk has played a key role in growing DPR’s higher education and healthcare businesses.

Shawn Pepple, who has also held a variety of leadership roles at DPR since he started with the company in 2011, has been appointed to Ertmer's old position of business unit leader for Raleigh-Durham. Pepple's experience at DPR includes life sciences and higher education projects.

Adrian Barrios, who has been with DPR since 2013, will take on Romanchuk's previous role as South Florida business unit leader. Barrios joined DPR in South Florida in 2013 and has developed expertise in the healthcare sector.

Holt Construction Corp.

Holt Construction has promoted Patricia Zugibe, formerly the firm's in-house counsel, to the position of CEO. Zugibe is the first woman to lead the 102-year-old company. In addition to a legal career, Zugibe has held ownership and leadership positions in construction and development companies for 30 years.

She will oversee all of the company's operations, which includes the aviation, healthcare, retail, education and pharmaceutical sectors. Zugibe, according to Christopher Assaro, president of Holt, was instrumental in devising and implementing a successful COVID-19 safety plan for the company and its employees.

Integrated Builders

Integrated Builders has promoted John Concannon from vice president of operations, a position he held for seven years, to president. As president, Concannon will be responsible for construction management, operations for all projects, subcontractor bidding and coordination, the prioritization of jobsite safety, budget and schedule management and client communications.

Palmer-Donavin

Building materials supplier Palmer-Donavin has named Matt Kaufman its new vice president of sales.

Kaufman will lead the company's regional sales managers, who, in turn, will oversee sales representatives in the recently unified and rebranded building materials and doors division.

The State Group Inc.

Industrial contractor The State Group Inc. has appointed Michael Lampert as its new CEO. Prior to joining State, Lampert, who has 20 years of experience in the manufacturing, construction and service industries served as president and CEO of GrayWolf Industrial.

STV Inc.

Engineering, architecture and construction management services company STV announced two new leadership appointments — the addition of Frank Greene as vice president and leader of its justice practice and Joe Thompson as senior vice president and national lead of its aviation practice.

Greene, who previously served as a founding principal of RicciGreene Architects, has 40 years of experience with the design and construction of court buildings, public safety projects and corrections facilities. As head of STV's justice division, Greene will be responsible for growing that business.

During his career, Thompson has been involved in major airport construction projects, at some of the busiest airports in the country, including Los Angeles International Airport, George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. As part of his new role at STV, Thompson's focus will be growing the company's aviation business.

Swinerton

Swinerton recently announced four new leadership appointments.

Terry McKellips, who joined Swinerton in 2000 and most recently served as division manager for the company's San Francisco building unit, has been promoted to senior vice president and region manager. McKellips built his career in construction from the ground up, starting as a laborer.

Lori Dunn-Guion has been promoted from operations manager to division manager of the company's Bay Area building group, which performs work primarily in the affordable housing, education, public/civic and office sectors. Dunn-Guion began her career with Swinerton as an intern.

Swinerton also promoted Jason Chupp from division manager and vice president to vice president and Northwest region manager for its Oregon and Washington offices. Chupp joined Swinerton in 2012 and has been instrumental in growing the company's Pacific Northwest business.

Bobby Jennings will assume Chupp's former position of division manager in Swinerton's Portland office. Starting as a project engineer with Swinerton in 2010, Jennings has been involved with a variety of projects ins sectors such as healthcare, multi-family housing, gaming and hospitality.

TRC Cos.

Engineering, consulting, construction management, and technology services firm TRC Cos. has named Kent Kading as its national director of environmental, health and safety (EHS Services). Kading, who has more than 30 years of experience with companies such as ERM, AECOM and Shaw, will help grow the company's EHS business offerings and help deliver those offerings to clients.