Dive Brief:

• Suffolk has nabbed the city of Boston's highest-ranking construction executive, in an effort to build and expand the construction firm's relationships in government and business.
• Beginning April 16, Boston Chief of Operations Patrick Brophy will join Suffolk as senior director of external affairs in the Northeast. 
• A 26-year veteran of Boston city government, Brophy served in administrations for three mayors, including Marty Walsh, who recently left the city to become U.S. Labor Secretary. The Operations Department includes the city's property management, inspections and public facilities departments and is responsible for executing Boston's multi-year, $900 million capital building program, according to a city press release.

Dive Insight:

Brophy, who was named operations chief in 2015, authored and implemented Boston's COVID-19 control plan which was instrumental in maintaining safe municipal facilities and consistent operations throughout the pandemic. He also wrote the city's COVID-19 safety guidelines and return-to-work protocols and oversaw the city-wide construction restart.

Boston was the first major U.S. city to halt work during the start of the coronavirus outbreak last spring. Brophy and Walsh reopened it several weeks later with detailed protocols and paperwork in place.

Brophy also oversaw the community engagement, design, permitting and construction of multiple police stations, fire stations, community centers and schools throughout Boston's neighborhoods, including the Bruce C. Bolling Municipal Building, Boston Police Department Roxbury Police Station, Dearborn STEM Academy and Roxbury Branch Library.

Other notable construction projects completed under his guidance include:

• The Boston Marathon bombing memorial.
• The Johnson Building renovation.
• The Leventhal Map Room and the Rare Books Depository at the Main Branch Library in Copley.
• The $80 million renovation of Boston's City Hall Plaza. 

In a statement emailed to Construction Dive, Suffolk said that Brophy was hired to strengthen the Boston-based construction firm's role as a policy leader on issues critical to construction, real estate and development.

"After a longstanding, successful career in the public sector, we are fortunate Pat has decided to begin a new chapter of his career by joining our Suffolk family at such a pivotal moment in our company history," said Nick Dhimitri, Suffolk senior vice president of external affairs. "His experience in external affairs, strong leadership and operation skills, and long-term relationships with local government and community leaders will strengthen Suffolk's position as a policy leader and allow us to play a key role in addressing the challenges facing our region and industry." 

Boston Mayor Kim Janey has appointed Dion Irish, who currently serves as commissioner of the city's Inspectional Services Department, to take over the chief of operations role.