Midwest People: July 2023
Burns & McDonnell has selected Jamey Bertran (left) to lead its transmission group, the largest business within the $7-billion company. He succeeds John Olander (right), who now is full-time chief operating officer focused on company-wide transformation, the firm says. Its health care architecture team also named Nan Knecht as hospital consumer experience director. She is a 25-year veteran of a health care system in the Kansas City area. Her new role includes growing the team and its portfolio.
Indianapolis-based engineering firm American Structurepoint has promoted Catherine Pallotta to vice president. Her primary focus is growing the company’s utility infrastructure practice for drinking water, wastewater, stormwater and natural gas systems. Pallotta has 25 years of experience leading multidisciplinary design projects.
JLG Architects has promoted Tom Betti to practice director of its sports studio. He joined the firm as a senior principal in that studio with the merger of 292 Design Group and JLG Architects in 2022. An original partner at 292 Design Group, Betti brings more than 35 years of experience in sports and community-based projects. JLG has offices in Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota, Massachusetts and Florida.
Sondra Rotty has been promoted to senior vice president of St. Louis-based Tarlton Corp. A 17-year veteran of the contractor, she directs project teams and focuses on member development and diversity and inclusion efforts.
Consulting firm Woolpert has named Donna Becco Schroder as Chicago-based public market director to lead strategy and client development for public sector architecture and engineering nationally and globally. She had been a Stantec principal for facility and occupancy strategies as well as a studio lead and project executive.
Alyssa DeWilde has joined consulting firm Hanson Professional Services in St. Charles, Mo. She will work as part of a multidisciplinary team on planning and design of inland ports, river terminals, multimodal freight facilities and industrial site development projects.
Alysen Abel has joined Garver as municipal team leader in transportation for a region that includes the Kansas City metro area and all of Missouri. She had worked for other regional consulting firms. Garver is an employee-owned engineering, planning and environmental services firm with more than 1,000 U.S. employees.
Luke Van Santen has joined HNTB as a principal project controls business analyst in Minneapolis. He will oversee project controls and analytics related to complex infrastructure projects. Previously, Van Santen had served in various roles at the Minnesota Dept. of Transportation for more than 25 years.
Clint Moreno has been promoted to associate managing director at Syska Hennessy in Chicago. He has expertise in design and management of telecommunications and electrical systems, including current and emerging wireless technologies, voice systems, design for local and wide area networks and design of cable infrastructure for voice, data and video.
Andre Ghelfi-Thomas has been hired by Gilbane Building Co. as project development manager in Milwaukee. The firm says he has worked in construction for more than seven years and will focus on client relationships and community partnerships in southeast Wisconsin markets.
