NOHILLY

Terriann Nohilly
A company leader in green building
24, Project Engineer
Turner Construction Co.
San Diego

While attending the University of California, San Diego, Terriann Nohilly worked with Habitat for Humanity Green Home Design. That experience turned her studies toward green building. In 2008 she joined Turner Construction Co. By 2010 her work had moved far beyond home building. Nohilly was part of the Turner team working on the $1-billion design-build Terminal Development Program at San Diego International Airport. Now she is a project engineer, leading a $17-million baggage handling system at the airport. Turner views Nohilly as a leader, noting that she spearheaded the San Diego office's LEED GA courses and works with Turner's national sustainability group. She is involved with the ACE Mentor program in San Diego.

PRIMMER

Marnie O’Brien Primmer
Advocate for major funding for transportation projects
38, Executive Director
Mobility 21
Irvine

Since Marnie O'Brien Primmer took over as director of Mobility 21, a nonpartisan advocacy group representing the 21 million people who live and work in Southern California, the organization has worked to see construction and transportation projects launched in the region—though its budget is just $500,000. Mobility 21's work has led to an initiative to speed project delivery and to several federal TIGER grant awards to fund key Southern California transportation projects. She also was on a statewide task force for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which led to $1 billion being made available directly to regional transportation authorities. Under her leadership, Mobility 21 advocated successfully to have $50 million for positive train control technology included in the 2010 federal transportation appropriations measure.

SEEGERT

James Seegert
From a family of contractors, he now leads a firm
39, President
Modern Building Inc.
Chico

James Seegert grew up in a family of contractors and spent his college summer and holiday breaks working on concrete crews. After graduation, he moved to estimating and then project management. Today, as president of Modern Building, he mentors, trains and leads many young project engineers to develop their skills. His notable projects include the 400,000-sq-ft, $13-million Seminis Vegetable Seeds World Headquarters in Oxnard. Last year the firm started construction on a $110-million, 100,000-sq-ft brewery addition for Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. in Asheville, N.C.

STINSON

Josh Stinson
Launched PCL subsidiary that far exceeded financial targets
39, Special Projects Division Manager
Nordic PCL Construction
Honolulu

Although Josh Stinson is from an engineering family, he says he initially resisted becoming an engineer himself. While earning a business administration degree from Oregon State University, Stinson worked as a laborer on industrial projects, which he credits with igniting a passion for construction that continues to this day. Since 2008 Stinson has funneled that energy into the Nordic PCL Construction Special Projects Division. He launched the PCL Construction Services subsidiary to serve clients whose projects would benefit from a large contractor's resources and financial stability and from the personal attention a small company can offer. He started the division by himself, aiming for $20 million a year in revenue. Four years later, the unit has revenue twice that and a staff of 12. The division has completed more than 70 projects, including work for the JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa in Oahu and Hawaiian Airlines. His work on the St. Damien of Molokai Church won the General Contractor Association of Hawaii 2012 Build Hawaii Award of Excellence in the category of building construction between $1 million and $10 million.