ENR Southwest's 2013 Top 20 Under 40 Lead the Way to Southwest's Construction Future

Jennifer Turchin is president-elect of the USGBC in Nevada and chairs the Developing Leaders Institute committee for the state's NAIOP chapter, a commercial real estate association. While continuing to manage green consulting projects for Sellen Sustainability, Turchin started her own architectural practice with her husband, Kevin, focusing on sustainable architecture.

Photo courtesy Sellen Sustainability

As a business unit manager for Burns & McDonnell's growing solar energy practice, Matt Brinkman is set up for a bright future in the power sector. During his six years in this role, Brinkman has become the firm's leading expert in consulting with utilities and other developers of solar energy projects.

Photo courtesy Burns & McDonnell

On any given day, you may find Adam Harrington ensuring prompt payment to subcontractors, performing a safety inspection on a jobsite or setting up the company payroll. With three distinct roles at his family-run general contracting firm, Harrington has helped guide the company to build more than $195 million in commercial projects while, as safety director, maintaining a remarkable record of no lost-time incidents at the company for more than eight years.

Photo courtesy HB Construction

After joining Western Window Systems in 1999 while still completing his college degree, Jason Funk rapidly worked his way up until being promoted to president in 2006 at the age of 29. Since that time, he has led the company toward geographic expansion, greater diversification of job types, creation of new products and a steadfast commitment to customer service.

Photo courtesy Western Window Systems

After five years as a project engineer, Dan Albrecht was promoted by The Noel Co. to chief estimator and helped the company achieve some of its greatest growth ever. Now as vice president of operations, Albrecht currently serves on the board of the American Subcontractors Association of New Mexico.

Photo courtesy The Noel Co.

Hired to start up T.Y. Lin's Albuquerque office three years ago, Eric Froberg became one of the engineering firm's youngest operations managers. Due to his success in this new marketplace, Froberg has been able to mentor other young engineers and CAD technicians while creating new career opportunities.

Photo courtesy T.Y. Lin

Despite his young age, Jeff Wagner is already a veteran of the Las Vegas architecture community. Believing that both academic and professional advancement are the cornerstones of a successful architect, Wagner began a full-time teaching position at the College of Southern Nevada in 2007 that continues to this day. He also serves on the AIA of Las Vegas board, representing and mentoring young architects. In 2012 Wagner formed his own practice, [N]Site Studios.

Photo courtesy Jeff Wagner

When Skanska USA Civil recently expanded into the Phoenix market, it leaned heavily on James Bailey to help make it happen. After two years, Bailey was named division manager. In addition to working with several steering committees of the AGC Arizona, Bailey also volunteers for a local elementary school serving at-risk students.

Photo courtesy Skanska USA Civil

Since joining PK Associates in 2003, Christa Chau has made a big impact on the built environment in Arizona, with projects such as the Banner Estrella Medical Center expansion, the net zero DPR Construction Phoenix Office and the CityScape high rise in Phoenix.

Photo courtesy PK Associates

A Las Vegas native, Jody Walker Belsick founded Walker Engineering in 2003, specializing in civil engineering design for retail, office, industrial and residential projects. Walker Belsick's firm was recently selected to design the engineering for the Las Vegas station of the X Train, a luxury passenger train being developed between Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

Photo courtesy Walker Engineering

A professional engineer, Halleh Landon has spent 13 years designing building electrical systems and controls for government buildings, educational facilities and offices. She is especially passionate in her desire to educate her clients and her fellow staff about the importance of energy efficient design and its impact on energy consumption and environmental sustainability.

Photo courtesy Energy Systems Design

Bryan Richards has grown into an expert builder with enthusiasm for all facets of his work. While managing complex projects such as the $48-million Davidson Mathematics and Science Center in Reno and the Zappos corporate headquarters project in Las Vegas, Richards promotes meaningful collaboration with subcontractors, owners and designers.

Photo courtesy The Penta Building Group

Recently named president of J.B. Henderson Construction Co., John Michael Stroud began his 24-year career at the firm pulling weeds at one of the 53-year-old Albuquerque company's offices. His unique blend of management and field experience, along with a dedication to continuing education, helps him lead by example and maintain the company's excellent reputation for safety and quality control.

Photo courtesy J.B. Henderson

The recipients of this year's Top 20 Under 40 awards have, in just a few short years, enhanced the design and construction fields with their optimism for the future and dedication to the industry.

Image: ENR

Working for PCL's water infrastructure group, Mauricio Ramos has fostered growth that is 50% above plan for new work in 2012. Ramos currently manages more than 20 salaried staff and up to 90 hourly trade workers in small teams working on water projects throughout Arizona.

Photo courtesy Mauricio Ramos

During his 12 years at Adolfson & Peterson, Ben Shunk has delivered numerous commercial projects, including nearly 3 million sq ft of retail space. He is currently serving as the youngest member of Valley Partnership's board of directors. Shunk is also part of the young leaders group at Urban Land Institute.

Photo courtesy Adolfson & Peterson

During Shawn Ingram's 14-year career at McCarthy, he has been promoted four times and has delivered more than $1 billion in water/wastewater projects. He thrives while leading complex projects, such as the $105-million 91st Avenue UP05B Wastewater Treatment Plant in Phoenix.

Photo courtesy McCarthy

With bachelor's degrees in both biology and biochemistry and a master's in architecture, Erin Umberger brings a unique blend of critical thinking skills and rigorous scientific methodology to her creative skills in designing health care, performing arts and historic preservation projects. One standout project was the $42-million transformation of a Las Vegas federal courthouse into the MOB Museum on organized crime and law enforcement.

Photo courtesy WRL

As a portfolio manager for retired public safety personnel, Paul Corens provides investment capital to real estate and engineering projects in the Southwest. During his 20 years in Arizona, he has helped shape infrastructure, land planning, building design and mining projects. Last year he was awarded a fellowship with the Arizona Flinn-Brown Civic Leadership Institute to promulgate infrastructure, construction and utility-related policy.

Photo courtesy Arizona PSPRS

Ryan Rhoades has become a top-performing project manager for CH2M Hill's water business group. He led the $47-million Glendale Oasis Groundwater Treatment Plant project to remove nitrate and arsenic from groundwater to meet drinking water standards, performing value engineering and team collaboration to help reduce the project cost by more than $30 million.

Photo courtesy CH2M HILL

As Nevada's first LEED AP attorney, Melissa Beutler has quickly made her mark as a construction lawyer both regionally and nationally. She is a member of the ConsensusDOCS Advisory Counsel, specifically applying her skills to the LEED Addendum and the 2011 revisions of the ConsensusDOCS documents. She served as editor of the industry's first green construction lawyer book, which was published by the American Bar Association.

Photo courtesy Holland & Hart