International engineering firm Thornton Tomasetti opened a new office in Denver on Jan 30. The firm, which now has 25 offices internationally, started the Colorado location to better serve current and potential clients in the western region and the mountain states. Senior Principal Steve Hofmeister will oversee the office as manager of the company’s Midwest region.

The new office will offer Thornton Tomasetti clients the services of its building structure, construction support services, property loss consulting and building performance practices. Thornton Tomasetti has been involved in a number of high-profile design projects in Denver, among them the Pepsi Center, Vestas Blades Factory and the Metropolitan Gardens. The firm has also worked on Mountaineer Square at Crested Butte and conducted property-loss consulting work on the Hanging Lake Tunnel near Glenwood Springs.

“The opening of a Denver office provides an opportunity to deepen and expand our relationships with contractors and architects in the area,” said Hofmeister. “We are eager to assist new and longstanding clients to create new projects and improve existing structures throughout the region.”

Joining Hofmeister will be Senior Vice President Stan Welton, who will be based in Denver. Welton will be responsible for setting upthe office, hiring personnel and marketing the firm’s services to area architects and contractors. Welton joined Thornton Tomasetti from Lakewood’s Martin/Martin.

He has 34 years of experience in a variety of projects, including the History Colorado Center, Denver Justice Center, Colorado Convention Center and the new Colorado Judicial Center. Welton has worked on stadiums, commercial and residential structures and will leverage his local knowledge to pursue other large-scale projects in the area.

Kansas City project engineer Benjamin Kaan, a Colorado native, will also relocate to Denver as a member of the firm’s construction support services team.