New COO for CB&I as Trial Looms in Nuke Deal Dispute
Duane L. Kenagy, a former senior vice president of design firm Moffat & Nichol, will become interim CEO of the Port of Long Beach, Calif., as of Oct. 31. He has been the port’s capital programs senior executive lead, a newly created position, in 2014, to oversee its $4-billion upgrade. Kenagy will replace Jon W. Slangerup, who will become CEO of Mxi Technologies, an Ottawa aviation software firm. Slangerup departs after two years in a three-year contract, says the Long Beach Press-Telegram. Long Beach officials and Kenagy said in a statement that the engineer will not be a candidate for the permanent CEO role, but neither cited a reason. A search is underway. Media report that the search for Slangerup, formerly FedEx Canada president, took one year.
Port officials say its infrastructure investment is the largest of any U.S. port and includes replacement of the aging Gerald Desmond Bridge and the Middle Harbor Container Terminal, each budgeted at $1.3 billion. Another $1 billion is set to boost on-dock rail capacity. The city-owned port handles $180 billion in annual trade. But reports say future uncertainties include the status of an investment in the port’s largest terminal by South Korea’s Hanjin Shipping Co., which filed for bankruptcy last month, and competition from the expanded Panama Canal.
Chicago Bridge & Iron Co. NV (CB&I) has elevated Executive Vice President Patrick K. Mullen to chief operating officer, the first time the role has been filled since 2014, when Lasse Petterson retired. Mullen also was president of engineering and construction. He joined CB&I in 2007 with its buy of Lummus Global. CB&I is based in Holland, but its global administrative headquarters is in Texas. Last month, the firm noted the award of its first contract—by an “unnamed” North American refiner—to license its CDAlky sulfuric acid alkylation technology at a U.S. Gulf Coast facility. CB&I reported second-quarter revenue and earnings drops and lowered its 2016 earnings guidance, but CEO Philip Asherman said CB&I is “encouraged” by the technology group’s potential. Credit Suisse analyst Jamie Cook on Sept. 26 said CB&I is “well-positioned” on two LNG jobs in Mozambique. Also, she noted a Nov. 7 court hearing set for CB&I’s suit against Westinghouse Electric related to the former’s 2015 sale of its nuclear construction business to the latter. Cook says while the litigation “will likely continue to be a drag” on CB&I share value, firm management “remains confident” in its legal position.
Environmental engineer-constructor Brown and Caldwell, Walnut Creek, Calif., has elevated Chief Operating Officer Rich D’Amato to the added role of president. He succeeds Jim Miller, who now is vice chairman. The firm also promoted Cindy Paulson to chief technical officer, a newly created position. She was a senior vice president and head of its national water-resources practice. Paulson also is executive director of the California Urban Water Agencies, a nonprofit of 11 key agencies involved in state water-supply policy development.
Suffolk Construction named Roddy L. Boggus executive vice president of aviation. A former senior vice president at Parsons Brinckerhoff, he was national aviation director and global aviation market leader. Boggus also is immediate past chair of the Airports Council International World Business Partners advisory board. Suffolk also hired Timothy G. “TG” Mason as a project executive and western region aviation director. He was a principal at Phoenix consultant Transcendent Management Group.
Louisville Water Co., which serves 850,000 customers in the Louisville, Ky., metro area, has elevated Spencer Bruce to president and CEO. In those roles on an interim basis since January, he was vice president and chief engineer.
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