On Nov. 6, Chuck Goodrich, who started as an intern at Gaylor Electric in Noblesville, Ind., in 1991 and rose to become the electrical contractor’s president and CEO by 2014, was elected to the Indiana House of Representatives, serving legislative district 29. Goodrich, a Republican who is also a past chair of the Associated Builders and Contractors, will continue in his roles at Gaylor while serving his constituents.

“The plan is to help in workforce development,” Goodrich says. “With the confidence that the public has placed in business folks in the last few years, I thought it’s now or never. So I decided I would get into the race because I think we need as many business people in the political world as possible.”

Goodrich said that he will use elements of Gaylor’s workforce preparation programs—such as the Noblesville – Gaylor Electric Crossing School of Business & Entrepreneurship Satellite Campus, which is an actual high school the speciality contractor created—for future workforce development and preparation legislation.

Ryan Gedney has been hired as national design director of architecture and vice president of HNTB’s Kansas City office. LJ Dickens has been hired at the same office as a project manager/engineer. Sara Henderson has returned to HNTB as an aviation project manager in the firm’s Chicago office.

Blake Andrews, Steven Naggatz and Rachel Will were promoted to associate principals in Wiss Janney Elstner’s Chicago office and at the firm’s national headquarters in  Northbrook, Ill. Jonathan Lewis was promoted to principal and unit manager in WJE’s Chicago office. Lewis, a structural engineer, was involved in a variety of structural investigations, condition assessments, repair designs and peer reviews prior to his promotion.

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill has hired Julie Michiels as associate director and design leader of the firm’s interiors studio in Chicago.

Dana Gilberti was promoted to associate in Griskelis Young Harrell Architects’ Chicago office.

Quinn Evans Architects has hired the leadership team of Detroit’s Centric Design Studio. Saundra Little, Damon Thomas and Shanita Rutland have joined the Quinn Evans’ Detroit office. Centric has closed and transferred current projects to Quinn Evans Architects.

Brad Rostron has joined Principle Construction as an assistant project manager in Chicago.

John Skok was promoted to principal in McIntosh Poris Associates’ Birmingham, Mich., office.