Southwest People: Construction business updates for July 2017
Christopher Mundweil has joined Gensler’s Las Vegas office as a senior design architect. Mundweil brings more than 18 years of experience and leadership in hospitality and integrated resorts design to his new role at Gensler. He is expected to provide the creative leadership to multiple project teams and lead the design and development of large-scale hospitality, integrated resort and lifestyle projects. He previously served as design director at Bergman Walls Associates for nearly a decade.
The Opus Group has hired Brett Hopper and Matthew Visnansky to the firm’s real estate development team. Hopper will be responsible for sourcing new development opportunities. Hopper brings 25 years of diverse real estate experience in his role as senior director, real estate development. He is also an adjunct professor teaching real estate law courses at ASU’s W.P. Carey School of Business Masters of Real Estate Development program. Visnansky, as real estate manager, real estate development, will be responsible for managing development efforts. Visnansky has more than a decade of experience in commercial real estate transactions as well as with ventures focused on finance, underwriting and portfolio management.
Ruben Llamas has been promoted to project manager at PENTA Building Group. Since joining the firm three years ago, he has served as senior project engineer on northern Nevada projects including the Nugget Casino Resort, MontBleu Resort Casino & Spa and HYATT Regency Lake Tahoe Resort. As project manager, Llamas will oversee planning design and construction of projects in Las Vegas and Northern California. He is a graduate of Western Nevada College.
Dr. David Peterson has been promoted to senior vice president of operations for education services in the Southwest division for McCarthy Building Cos. The education services team focuses on construction and renovation projects for K-12 schools and community colleges primarily in Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado. In his leadership position, Peterson oversees operations, directs the group’s strategic planning and new market growth, and maintains client relationships in the region. He has three decades of experience in the construction and facilities industry, including 21 years in the educational arena working for school districts. He joined McCarthy in late 2015 as vice president of operations.
Les McCauley has joined W&W Structural Inc. as vice president of operations in the company’s Tempe, Ariz., office. McCauley had formerly spent 16 years at Agate Steel. A native of Walla Walla, Wash., McCauley will assist, direct and coordinate all aspects of operations to improve performance, productivity, efficiency and company profitability. McCauley moved to Phoenix in 1984 and began a career as a structural steel laborer. Over the next 33 years, he worked as a welder, fitter, equipment operator, shop foreman, project manager and general manager.
Rusty Martin has joined Graycor as a project executive. Martin previously worked at Kitchell and The Weitz Co., overseeing Native American, retail, mixed-use, office and tenant improvement projects throughout the Southwest. Martin holds a bachelor’s degree in construction management from Brigham Young University and is a member of the Arizona Builders Alliance, Design-Build Institute of America, International Council of Shopping Centers and NAIOP.
Scott Mims has joined Sundt Construction as its new industrial group safety manager, overseeing health, safety, security and environmental management on all industrial projects. Mims has more than 30 years of experience in the construction industry, including 20-plus years in the area of health and safety. He has also worked on corporate projects in power, oil and gas, and processing. Mims is a member of the American Society of Safety Engineers and is a certified Construction Health & Safety Technician from the Board of Certified Safety Professionals.
