Clayco has hired business executive and civic leader Michael Fassnacht as president of the Chicagoland region and the company’s first chief growth officer. Fassnacht will oversee all aspects of the Chicagoland operations, including business development, marketing and sales, and serve as a mentor and coach to the team. He also will support all organizational units to help Clayco meet its growth plans for the next decade and beyond.

Big-D Cos. has promoted Cory Schubert to the role of president of the Big-D Construction Midwest office, which covers Minnesota, Michigan, Missouri and Wisconsin. Schubert was an integral team member when the Midwest office opened 10 years ago and was promoted to the position of vice president of preconstruction. Since its opening, Big-D Construction Midwest has built more than 5,000 housing units and won more than $1 billion worth of work. Schubert was promoted to vice president of operations in 2016 and was named the office’s senior vice president and managing director in 2022.

Henderson Building Solutions has announced four new executive management roles. Earl Wilcox has been named vice president of mission critical. Wilcox will oversee strategic planning, construction and client development for the firm’s critical business unit. Jamison Clark was named vice president of construction operations. Clark will direct construction management, safety and quality assurance firmwide. Nick Lynch has been named vice president of project development and will lead all aspects of project development, including preconstruction services, engineering coordination and business development. Travis Short is now vice president of commissioning and will oversee strategic planning, team development, project execution and client development for commissioning activities.

Craig Thompson has joined construction firm McCownGordon as vice president of field operations in Wichita, Kan. Thompson brings more than 30 years of operations experience including executive construction oversight, design and consulting experience and direct project management and personnel development. Thompson’s background also includes building and leading teams in a wide variety of vertical markets spanning commercial office, retail and mixed use as well as medical facilities, industrial and distribution centers, data centers and historic renovations.

Horwitz, a Minnesota-based specialty contractor, has named Michelle Rose as director of business development. In her new role, Rose will drive growth across all of Horwitz’s offerings, which include HVAC, process piping, plumbing, electrical, industrial ventilation, service, mechanical insulation, building automation and controls, and millwrights. Rose has expertise in pricing, negotiations, communications and collaborating with diverse stakeholders to differentiate both service and product offerings.

Tarlton, a women-owned general contracting and construction management firm in St. Louis, has promoted Sondra Rotty to chief operating officer. In her new role, Rotty is leading construction operations, managing market leaders and working with human resources to attract and retain talent. Rotty joined Tarlton in 2005 as a project engineer and has directed or been an integral part of various projects including the $90-million Olin Business School expansion for Washington University in St. Louis; the East Building addition to the St. Louis Art Museum; the renovation of the Stephen and Peter Sachs Museum at Missouri Botanical Garden; and the renovation of 900 N. Tucker Blvd., the former St. Louis Post-Dispatch building.

Chicago-based HOK has named Rana Lee marketing principal to oversee market growth and business development. She has 30 years of experience in architecture, design and real estate. In addition, Melissa Clark has been named senior project manager to expand the firm’s sports, recreation and entertainment practice. Clark brings nearly 25 years of experience managing diverse project teams and delivering significant facilities. She will focus on expanding HOK’s work in women’s professional and collegiate sports. She is currently managing projects that include a football practice facility for a university and an entertainment venue for a confidential client.

Indiana Ready Mixed Concrete Association, based in Sheridan, has promoted Chad Montgomery to executive director. He began his career at the trade group more than eight years ago as promotions manager. He has also worked as a plant manager at Ozinga Ready Mix Inc.

Sargent & Lundy, the Chicago-based global engineer specializing in power, energy and decarbonization, has elevated the following executives to senior vice president: Chuck Beitel, director of the firm’s energy and industrial division; Shiven Sulkar, director of nuclear power services; Vince Heinz, director of energy consulting and planning services; Eric Soderlund, a director for energy consulting and planning projects; Kevin Lauzze, a director for energy and industrial projects; Nick Vilione, a director for nuclear power projects; and Eric Monson and Romulus Berzescu, directors of electric grid infrastructure projects.

Global engineering, construction and consulting firm Black & Veatch, Overland Park, Kan., has named Ian Bramson as vice president of global industrial cybersecurity, a newly created position. He is responsible for its strategy, commercialization and business growth. Bramson had been global head of industrial cybersecurity at ABS Group and also global head of cybersecurity sales and strategy for Siemens. He is based in Denver.

Mia Blanchett was recently elevated to CEO of Minneapolis-based interdisciplinary design firm HGA. She had been government market sector leader and is a company board member. Succeeding her in the renamed position of public sector market leader is Josh Slowers. Among Blanchett’s notable projects are the Minnesota State Capitol restoration and B.H. Whipple federal building modernization in Fort Snelling, Minn.

Todd Merrihew has rejoined Hanson Professional Services Inc. as a senior vice president and aviation sector principal in its Chicago office. Formerly aviation principal at Jacobs, he had been a project manager and designer at Hanson previously.

Milwaukee-based architecture and interior design firm Plunkett Raysich Architects LLP has elevated Renee Moe to principal, leading its dental architecture studio to advance identity, ergonomics, efficiency and patient-centered care for clients in that sector.

Correction: A photo for Corie Foley in the Top Young Pros article (ENR 1/29/24 p. MW17) was incorrect. The correct photo appears at right.

Corie Foley

A leadership mentor for women
31, Vice President
ARCO/Murray
Milwaukee

A 2015 graduate of the University of Wisconsin – Madison with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, Foley advanced from project manager at ARCO/Murray to director of operations to vice president in just seven years. As vice president, she was charged with the strategic planning, opening and running of ARCO’s first office in Milwaukee. Her responsibilities included completing market analyses, research, networking, business development, office leasing and expanding ARCO’s pipeline in the city. Meanwhile, she balanced her role as a director of operations for the tenant solutions division, overseeing the operations of $137 million of design-build projects that year. Foley developed an onboarding program for new hires, which consists of a six-month training platform and mentorship program. She also created, refined and optimized team policies and procedures for estimating, preconstruction, construction, closeout and field operations. Foley is the driving force behind ARCO’s annual Women in Construction Week event, which grew from one location in 2019 to four national markets last year. She also helped plan a camp at ARCO’s Downers Grove office in 2023 that aimed to empower middle school and high school girls—95% of whom come from challenging circumstances—to improve their self-confidence and gain the skills they need to become future leaders.