The McDonnel Group, a Metairie, La.-based general contractor, recently announced two new hires. Aubry Pridham is now preconstruction manager. He has more than 25 years of experience in the preconstruction field and is currently preconstruction manager on the St. Margaret's Daughters Home renovation projects and additions to Mercy Medical Center in New Orleans. Richard Fitts is project engineer. He will work closely with project managers and estimators to expedite the construction submittal process.

Landis Construction, New Orleans, has hired Mel Sentilles as superintendent and Mary Katharine Bruce as estimator.

Chris Reinsvold joined Preng & Associates, Houston, as an executive search consultant in the oilfield services and equipment practice. He has more than 25 years of management experience in the energy industry, primarily in upstream oil and gas and oilfield equipment and services sectors. Reinsvold has held senior positions in corporate strategy, operations, marketing and product management in both U.S. and overseas locations for such companies as Shell, Baker Hughes, Smith International, IHS, CERA and A.T. Kearney. Most recently, he was chief executive officer of Decision Strategies.

Nick McIntyre was hired by Vickrey & Associates, Austin, Texas, as project manager. He previously served as branch manager for Ozark Civil Engineering and also had worked for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality within its field operation support division. During his time with the commission, McIntyre inspected, analyzed and reviewed the safety conditions of more than 190 high risk dams.

Freese and Nichols, Fort Worth, Texas, has named five new associates: Tony Bosecker and Ignacio Cadena at headquarters; Dustin Mortensen in Austin; Juan Sierra at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport project site; and Richard Weatherly in Pearland. Brooke Droptini, a project manager based in Tyler, Texas, was also named "an Alum to Watch" by Louisiana Tech University, Ruston. She graduated in 2004 with a degree in civil engineering.

Jerry Brasher and Rich Nadler were promoted to vice presidents of Lincoln Builders, Ruston, La. Brasher joined the firm in 1995 and currently serves on its project management team. Nadler also joined the firm in 1995 and is its senior estimator.