West People: August 2025 | Engineering News-Record

On July 1, Dina El-Tawansy was sworn in because the thirty fifth director of the California Dept. of Transportation (Caltrans). She’s going to handle a virtually $20-billion finances and greater than 22,000 workers who oversee the state’s 50,000 lane miles of freeway, 20,000 bridges and greater than 400 public-use airports. El-Tawansy was beforehand the Bay Space District 4 director, and she or he was the primary lady to carry that place. She has been with Caltrans for 3 a long time.

Skanska has expanded its Portland management group with the promotions of Mark Engleking to vice chairman, account supervisor, and Matt Richardson to vice chairman, preconstruction. Engleking, a 28-year firm veteran getting back from the Seattle workplace, will oversee strategic shopper relationships and lead initiatives for Portland Public Faculties, Washington College for the Deaf, Oregon Well being & Science College and Columbia Memorial Hospital. Richardson, with almost 20 years of business expertise, will handle preconstruction technique for the agency.

Everett, Wash.-based Fluke Corp. not too long ago appointed Parker Burke as president and group president of Fortive’s Linked Reliability Group, efficient July 7. On this twin function, Burke will lead Fluke and Fluke Reliability in delivering expertise and providers that assist clients all over the world scale back downtime, improve security and unlock operational resilience. Burke brings 15 years of management expertise throughout Fortive companies. Most not too long ago, he served as group president of Fortive’s environmental well being and security group, the place he superior mission-driven innovation in related security and environmental well being and security software program.

John Fisher has been promoted to California regional government at WSP, overseeing enterprise efficiency and shopper engagement throughout 19 places of work. With greater than 25 years of expertise, he may also proceed as California transportation regional chief till a successor is known as. Fisher joined WSP in 2008 and brings robust experience in authorities relations and infrastructure. He goals to develop the agency’s presence in water assets, renewable power and sustainable design.

Scott Kuebler has been chosen as Seattle-based KPFF’s president and CEO, succeeding John Gavan, who stuffed the function for 14 years and now will function government chair to make sure a clean transition. With 27 years at KPFF and management of the particular initiatives group, Kuebler is a seasoned structural engineer recognized for innovation and empowering groups. He emphasizes collaboration and persevering with KPFF’s legacy of engineering excellence.

Tyler Kautz has been named vice chairman for knowledge facilities at PCL Development, main the mission crucial heart of excellence amid booming digital infrastructure demand. A 20-year PCL veteran, Kautz will drive nationwide technique from Seattle, constructing on his success increasing PCL’s Northwest presence. Andrew Fernandez succeeds him as Seattle district supervisor, overseeing main regional initiatives.

Emily Cohen will turn out to be CEO of United Contractors (UCON) on Jan. 1, 2026, succeeding Mark Breslin, who has led the group for greater than 40 years. Presently UCON’s government vice chairman, Cohen has pushed membership development, expanded political affect and led management initiatives. The transition begins instantly to make sure a seamless handoff. Cohen is acknowledged for her strategic imaginative and prescient and robust advocacy inside California’s development business.

Citrus Heights, Calif.-based Deacon Development has named Rebecca Freeman its new CFO, bringing over 20 years of finance and public accounting expertise to the function. Beforehand CFO at Chordline Well being, Freeman will oversee monetary operations from the Sacramento workplace and collaborate with management to make sure a clean transition and assist ongoing firm development.

Ankrom Moisan has appointed Murray Jenkins as president, succeeding Dave Heater. With 25 years on the Portland, Ore.-based agency, Jenkins will lead the expansion in housing, sustainability and innovation whereas sustaining the agency’s collaborative tradition. Heater transitions to enterprise improvement, supporting Ankrom Moisan’s long-term management plan.

Parametrix has named Nicole Mackie vice chairman of development and technique. With greater than 25 years in AEC advertising and marketing and 17 years at Parametrix, she is going to lead strategic advertising and marketing and enterprise improvement in Washington, specializing in increasing the agency’s market presence and strengthening shopper relationships throughout a number of enterprise strains and areas.

Peter Wijsman has joined BKF as enterprise sector chief for water assets, primarily based in Oakland, Calif. He brings 20 years of expertise and is a frontrunner in infrastructure and concrete innovation, having led high-impact, multiyear initiatives throughout the U.S., together with many in California. Initially from the Netherlands, Wijsman started his profession within the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, contributing his experience in levee and flood safety to assist U.S. restoration efforts. He spent the final 19 years at a world engineering agency, the place he most not too long ago served in a regional technique management function.

Mitra Memari has been employed as regional director for neighborhood within the Americas West Area at HKS. Primarily based in Los Angeles, Memari will lead strategic development and regional coordination efforts for the corporate’s well being, schooling and life science practices. Memari, a licensed architect, joins HKS with greater than three a long time of expertise delivering work throughout well being care, larger schooling, life sciences and civic markets.

Swinerton not too long ago introduced two management promotions. Chris Chany, primarily based in San Diego, has been promoted to steer nationwide markets, whereas Derek Jaschke, primarily based in Seattle, has been named director of nationwide accounts, succeeding Chany. Beneath Chany’s management, the nationwide accounts gross sales mannequin grew from $350 million to greater than $1 billion in simply 4 years. Jaschke, a 22-year Swinerton veteran with almost 40 years within the development business, has overseen account administration, improvement administration processes and operational excellence for main purchasers.

BEI Development has promoted Michael C. Kramer to director of Well being Care Applied sciences after greater than a decade of management and contributions to the corporate’s rising well being care portfolio. Kramer, primarily based in Alameda, Calif., has led complicated initiatives for Bay Space establishments equivalent to Stanford Well being Care and the College of California at San Francisco, delivering safe fiber optic networks, structured cabling, sturdy knowledge facilities and built-in entry management programs. In his new function, Kramer will proceed to increase BEI’s well being care capabilities, specializing in customized, dependable expertise infrastructure that helps innovation in affected person care, medical analysis and hospital operations.

Irvine, Calif.-based Ware Malcomb has employed Daniel Gehman as director of multifamily. He’ll give attention to increasing the agency’s architectural presence within the multifamily sector alongside the West Coast, working intently with management to advance alternatives for large-scale structure initiatives. For the previous 27 years, Gehman served as a principal, studio director and senior designer at varied Southern California companies, focusing nearly completely on residential infill and semi-urban, city and transit-oriented multifamily initiatives.

Dewberry has promoted Maxwell Hardy to regional market section chief for its Northern California water follow. On this function, Hardy will proceed to handle the water/wastewater structural engineering group in Northern California and can lead water-related advertising and marketing efforts. He presently serves as Dewberry’s lead structural engineer on a brand new wastewater remedy facility on the Marine Corps Air Floor Fight Heart in Twentynine Palms, Calif.