George (Jud) Daniels, the co-founder of Salt Lake City-based design firm EDA, died Jan. 9 at the age of 94. More than 65 years ago, Daniels and his partner Ralph Edwards helped introduce architectural modernism to Utah when they founded EDA in 1955. Beginning with the design of several homes and small retail centers, Daniels led the design of regional modernist landmarks like Carbon County High School, Cottonwood High School, the First Congregational Church of Salt Lake City, the Fine Art and Architecture complex at the University of Utah and the iconic Salt Lake City Main Library, now called the Leonardo. Daniels became a Fellow with the American Institute of Architects in 1992. 

Joshua Hendershot has been promoted to principal in the Denver office of SmithGroup. Hendershot has 20 years of experience in health care planning. He joined the firm in 2015.

Cory Moore was recently named chief executive officer of Utah-based Big-D Cos. and assumes responsibility for its 14 offices nationwide. Previous CEO Rob Moore has become the company’s executive chairman. Also, Michael Sant, former senior vice president, has been named chief strategy officer, and Shaun Orr, former vice president, has been named chief information officer. Beyond the company headquarters, John Kemp was named vice president,  and Trevor Hunsaker was promoted to vice president/managing director.

Clyde Cos. has promoted Scott Okelberry to executive vice president/COO of the company and Mark Elder to president of Sunroc Corp., effective Jan. 1. Okelberry will take on the restructured role of Jim Golding, former president of the construction materials and services group at Clyde Cos. He retired at the end of the year. Since 2019, Okelberry has been serving as president of Sunroc, and he previously worked as vice president/COO of sister company WW Clyde. 

Elder was vice president of Sunroc’s Idaho region, a position he’s held since 2019. Sunroc’s remaining vice presidents, Mark Wimmer, vice president of construction; Russell Leslie, vice president of construction materials; and the newly appointed vice president of masonry, Ryan Dalling, have taken on expanded roles to handle Elder’s former duties.

Garry Lawrenz, executive vice president and co-founder, recently retired from Encore Electric. His retirement caps nearly 40 years of work in the electrical industry. Lawrenz’s career landmarks include many strategic initiatives, business planning, succession planning, ownership strategy, short-term and long-term incentive programs, core client development and strategic growth.

POWER Engineers Inc.’s division manager David Leslie has assumed the role of executive vice president of power delivery as of Jan. 1. Holger Peller, who has held that position since 2018, has transitioned to the role of chief operations officer.

Global architecture and design firm Perkins&Will has appointed new leaders in its Denver studio. Ernest Joyner has stepped into the role of managing director, and Jeff Chermely has become operations director. Joyner succeeds Andy Barnard, who has served as managing director since 2017 and as president of Sink Combs Dethlefs before the firms merged in 2009. Barnard will retire this spring.