IVY

Robert A. Ivy, editor-in-chief of Architectural Record magazine since 1996, has been named executive vice president and CEO of the national American Institute of Architects (AIA), Washington, D.C. He assumes his new role on Feb. 1. The magazine, like ENR, is a unit of The McGraw-Hill Cos. and, until Dec. 31, 2010, is AIA’s official publication. In January, Architect magazine, published by Hanley Wood, assumes that role. Ivy permanently succeeds Christine McEntee, who resigned in July. He also is a vice president and editorial director of McGraw-Hill Construction Media, overseeing editorial quality of its print and online media, including ENR. Ivy is a former AIA board member and had been a partner in charge of Mississippi architect Dean/Dale, Dean & Ivy.

Paul R. “Bob” Ellis has joined Industrial Contractors Inc., Evansville, Ind., as vice president for energy and strategic alliances. He was vice president of generation engineering at Duke Energy, Charlotte, N.C. His 32-year career to date includes all phases of power generation and utility management, according to ICI.

ELLIS

Hill International Inc., the Marlton, N.J., project manager and claims consultant, has named James B. Biden as executive vice president of its housing technology subsidiary, HillStone International LLC. Hill did not disclose Biden’s former employer and title, but he had been president of Paradigm Global Advisors LLC, a hedge fund, according to published reports. Biden also is the former finance chairman for the U.S. Senate campaign in Delaware of his brother, current Vice President Joseph R. “ Joe ” Biden. Hill also named three new vice presidents in its project management group. Jose Manuel Albaladejo Canedo-Arguelles is promoted from regional manager. He continues to lead Hill’s operations in Latin America. Gary H. Baker joins the firm in Irvine, Calif., from a previous role as director of construction for the Los Angeles Unified School District’s new school construction program. He also had been vice president at MWH Americas. Michael L. Reign has rejoined Hill’s Washington, D.C., office to direct regional business development. He was a vice president with URS Corp. and Tetra Tech.

Thornton-Tomasetti, the New York City-based engineer-architect, has named Carole Benassi as a vice president in its building performance practice. Based in Irvine, Calif., she is the former owner of C Benassi Architecture Inc., a forensic architect also based there. Benassi also owned Birch Construction, a Utah general contractor.

BINNEY

BRANN

Peter Binney has joined design firm Merrick & Co., Aurora, Colo., as national director of sustainable infrastructure. He had been principal of Kiwone Sustainable Solutions. Binney also is former director of sustainable planning at Black & Veatch and former director of the city of Aurora’s water utility. He is the current chairman of a tripartite industry group developing a sustainable infrastructure certification and rating system, which will be managed by the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure, a non-profit corporation formed by the American Society of Civil Engineers, the American Council of Engineering Companies and the American Public Works Association. Binney has been named an ISI board member.

The Shaw Group Inc., Baton Rouge, La., has elevated Gentry Brann to vice president of investor relations and corporate communications. She was corporate communications director since joining Shaw in 2009. Brann had been vice president of communications and external affairs at ICF International, Fairfax, Va.

David Hacin has been named a principal of architect Sasaki, Watertown, Mass., as a result of a new “strategic partnership” between the firm and Boston-based H&A Architects, of which he is president. A Sasaki spokesman says Hacin will remain in that role at H&A, and H&A will continue to operate independently. Sasaki ranks 187th on ENR’s list of the Top 500 Design Firms, with $56.5 million in 2009 revenue.