Salt Lake City-based Jacobsen Construction Co. has named Heather Soderquist as the firm’s first-ever vice president of construction innovation, the company announced in a June 27 release shared with Construction Dive.

Jacobsen created the position with the goal of investing in innovation as a core construction management process long-term, per the release. Soderquist has been with Jacobsen for 18 years, and was previously director of operations training and development. 

“We recognize that our project teams’ ability to innovate will continue to be a key element to gaining and keeping a competitive edge,” Soderquist said in the release. “Looking ahead, it is clear that innovation in construction and the strategic use of leading technologies will be important differentiators separating good contractors from excellent contractors.”

Soderquist has already made an impact on the company in her new role — she led the addition of a comprehensive technology fair to the company’s quarterly operations workforce training sessions, according to the release. The firm’s tech vendor partners and its in-house tech experts attended the inaugural event to give demonstrations showcasing the latest uses of construction technology.

Soderquist’s appointment is another in a growing trend in tech-related personnel moves. Providence, Rhode Island-based Gilbane appointed Kelly Benedict as its head of innovation and transformation earlier this year, and more recently, created the role of director of operations technology, which is filled by Rawle Sawh.