Midwest People: Updates About Construction Professionals for September 2019
Alfred Benesch & Co. of Chicago has named Kevin Fitzpatrick its new president and CEO. Fitzpatrick was elevated from the role of executive vice president and the company’s Great Lakes regional manager, overseeing operations and business development for the Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and the railroad divisions. Fitzpatrick played an integral role in shaping Benesch throughout his more than 20-year tenure with the company. Early in his career he was an important part of Benesch’s Illinois Construction Group, managing projects such as the $250-million Wacker Drive reconstruction. He helped established Benesch as a construction management consultant for the City of Chicago, the Illinois Dept. of Transportation and the Illinois Tollway. He was tapped to lead the Illinois division and successfully held that role for six years. In 2015, he assumed the role of Great Lakes regional manager. Fitzpatrick has been on the company’s board of directors for the last nine years.
Emily Martin, president of Fenton, Mo.-based Aschinger Electric and president of St. Louis chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), has won the 2019 Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) Award from the St. Louis County government.
Josh Bohanon has been promoted to program manager for the Great Lakes region’s water division by the Walsh Group in Chicago. Bohannon is responsible for management of water construction operations across the region.
McCarthy Holdings, parent company of St. Louis-based McCarthy Building Cos., recently announced that Raymond J. Sedey, 42, will become the company’s CEO on Jan. 1, 2020. Sedey will succeed Michael D. Bolen, who will continue his role as chairman of the McCarthy board of directors. Sedey began his career at McCarthy in 2000 as a project engineer in the firm’s Southwest region. He then moved through several core operations roles including superintendent, project manager and director, before being promoted to vice president, operations for the Las Vegas office in 2009.
“With Ray Sedey at the helm, the opportunities in front of McCarthy are incredibly bright,” Bolen said.
Obituary
Steve McCandless, who was vice president and director of special projects at Kansas City’s Garney Construction prior to his retirement in June 2018 after 39 years at the company, died in July from complications of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. He was 62. McCandless started with Garney in 1979 as a project manager and became vice president in 1987. He was a trustee of Garney’s employee stock ownership plan, a key member of the safety committee and the corporate secretary before his retirement. He also oversaw Garney’s equipment, insurance and bonding programs for the majority of his career. He was an active member of the American Water Works Association and the National Utility Contractors Association throughout his career.
“The remarkable quality that Steve brought to Garney was the ability to take a genuine interest in helping those around him. He made everyone feel special and always took time out of his busy day to talk with and mentor his fellow employee-owners. If he sensed you were struggling, he would be there to pick you up,” said Mike Heitmann, CEO of Garney.
