Jacobsen Construction Co., Salt Lake City, has made significant changes in its corporate structure, including appointing a new CEO.

Welling

Douglas C. Welling, the company’s president and chief operating officer since 2006, has been appointed as Jacobsen’s chief executive officer. Welling took the reins from Lonnie M. Bullard, who served as CEO for 15 years, as well as Jacobsen’s chairman of the board.

Bullard will retain his post as board chairman and maintain his involvement in strategic planning, business development and community affairs. He will continue as a member of key public and private boards, and as Jacobsen’s chief public spokesman.

A second change within Jacobsen places Gary Ellis as chief financial officer. Ellis joined the firm as company controller in 2000 and was made a vice president in 2006. Ellis succeeds Richard Kirkham, who served as CFO for 23 years. Kirkham, a senior vice president, will continue in his role as corporate secretary and treasurer.

Jacobsen has also reorganized its operating units—each headed by a project executive team—to focus more effectively on its market segments and, ultimately, better serve clients, as follows:

• Executive Vice President John Fortuna will continue to serve as Jacobsen’s overall construction manager and lead the firm’s public and institutional project portfolio along with Vice President Jim Cavey. Jacobsen has completed projects like the Utah State Capitol and 40 higher-education facilities on nearly every Utah campus in the past 10 years.

• Vice Presidents Doug Hronek and Steve Shrader are focused on serving Jacobsen’s private clients. Recent projects include City Creek Center, Workers Compensation Fund Office Tower and numerous luxury resorts.

• Jacobsen’s health-care/technical facility construction is led by Vice Presidents Blake Court and  Matt Radke. The firm’s medical projects include Riverton Hospital and nearly 20 remodels over a seven-year period for Primary Children’s Medical Center. Jacobsen’s current health-care pipeline includes projects of all sizes, from a complex remodel at Logan Regional Hospital to the massive Ambulatory Care Complex, a joint medical campus for PCMC and University of Utah Health Care.

• Vice President Steve Nelson will continue to oversee Jacobsen’s projects in Hawaii. In just the past five years, Jacobsen has completed 15 projects there, with 14 currently under way. Nelson will also continue to lead Jacobsen’s federal market segment.

• Religious projects will be led by Vice Presidents David Wills and Jon Moody. Wills has constructed six LDS temples in the United States, Mexico and Central America. Moody has been involved in the construction of dozens of LDS chapels around the country. Jacobsen’s notable religious projects include The Conference Center and Tabernacle remodel, both located in downtown Salt Lake City.

• Jacobsen’s growing list of industrial projects is managed by Vice President Kirk Dickamore, who previously served as Jacobsen’s liaison over religious projects. With 35 years of expertise in industrial construction, Dickamore assumes the role from Terry Wright, who has been made a senior vice president at Jacobsen. Wright will focus his efforts on preconstruction services and planning for current projects, as well as long-range project development in all market segments.

“I am excited about our realigned executive team,” says Doug Welling, Jacobsen’s president and CEO.  “Our new corporate structure enables us to better tackle the challenges of the market—but most importantly, it enables us to continue delivering high-quality projects for our clients, whatever they may need or wherever

“If the past three years have taught us anything in our industry, it’s that we must adapt to thrive,” Welling says. “Our recent realignment makes for a more efficient approach and, ultimately, a much better company. Our solidified vision, combined with our new corporate structure, positions us for great success in 2012 and well into the future. As employee-owners, we couldn’t ask for more than that.”