General contractor Kitchell has appointed Don Haase as president of its construction management firm, Kitchell CEM, located in Sacramento, California, according to an Aug. 17 press release. He will lead more than 330 employees. 

Haase, who joined Kitchell in 2016 as a project director before becoming senior vice president of operations, fills the vacancy left in the CEM division by Wendy Cohen. The Phoenix-based contractor tapped Cohen as president and CEO in May. 

“Don has more than 35 years of experience on the client and consulting side, which gives him a well-rounded perspective of how rapidly our industry is changing,” Cohen said. “I’ve seen firsthand how good he is at collaborating, leading and motivating, as well as his willingness to step in and get involved when the going gets tough.”

During his career, Haase has worked as general contractor, construction manager, consultant and owner. He has played an important role with several of Kitchell’s landmark projects, including a $228.4 million contract for the state of California’s Department of General Services Facilities Management Division. 

The program was established to address over 63 backlog deferred maintenance and special repair projects required on large office buildings located around the state. Jobs included significant renovations on fire and life safety systems, central plant projects, elevator renovations, deferred maintenance, Americans with Disabilities Act upgrades and various sustainability projects including both conserving energy and natural resources. 

Prior to joining Kitchell, Haase was a project director with Sacramento-based construction management firm Vanir. He also served as a general construction manager with the San Juan, California, Unified School District. Haase is a certified construction manager. 

Kitchell has more than 1,000 employees across California, Arizona, Utah, Iowa, Idaho and Texas and is one of the top 200 contractors nationally based on revenue.