Mountain States & Southwest People News for October
Sundt Construction, Tempe, Ariz., has promoted President Cade Rowley to the added role of CEO. Formerly chief operating officer, he succeeds Mike Hoover in the CEO position. Hoover is now executive chairman. Rowley also had been president of Sundt’s industrial group, with the firm noting its expanded work in markets including water-wastewater, heavy industrial, mining and advanced facilities. Rowley, who also was a senior vice president in Sundt’s transportation group, is a current board member of The Beavers, a professional group in heavy civil construction, and also co-chairs the Transportation Task Force for Greater Phoenix Leadership. Sundt also promoted Jasen Bennie to transportation group senior vice president, leading operations and growth in the Intermountain region that includes Utah, Idaho and Montana. He joined Sundt in 2019.
W.E. O’Neil Construction has promoted Todd Guthrie to chief operating officer. He was regional president for Arizona, Colorado and Tennessee, leading three of the company’s fastest-growing business units. Guthrie is a 35-year veteran of W.E. O’Neil.
Industrial Constructors/Managers has promoted Devyn Novak and Clint Thurston to newly created operation manager positions. Both have been with the firm for more than a decade, starting shortly after graduating from Colorado State University-Pueblo with B.S. degrees in construction management. Novak, who is located in Pueblo, has successfully led many of the firm’s larger industrial projects, including the Whitlock water treatment plant in that city. Projects that were led by Denver-based Thurston include the overhaul of a 600,000-lb car shredder at the Evraz steel recycling plant that received ENR Best Project recognition in 2024.
Shelby Gustafson is AEI Denver’s new director of business development. She leads efforts to expand the company’s presence in the region, strengthen relationships and support high-performing project delivery. Gustafson’s previous experience includes marketing roles for DIG Studio, DPR Construction and Adolfson & Peterson Construction.
Karen Simpson has been named environmental group manager for the mountain region of Burns & McDonnell. In her new role, she oversees a team providing environmental studies, consulting services, remediation and design-build services for environmental projects. She has more than 20 years of experience in environmental consulting and project management in areas that include solar development, transmission lines, substations, gas pipelines and data centers.
Danielle Scharf, managing principal at Sanbell (formerly Sanderson Stewart), has been elected to the international board of direction for the Institute of Transportation Engineers, the second Montana-based executive to serve in that role. The first was Sanbell’s current president and CEO, Michael Sanderson.
David Morris has joined global architecture and design firm HKS as principal and office director of its Denver studio. He has shaped some of Denver’s most recognizable projects, including 1401 Lawrence and One Platte. Morris will lead the firm’s regional growth strategy while strengthening its presence across the mixed-use, commercial office, residential, hospitality and health sectors.
Christian Green is the new senior business development manager for The Weitz Co. in its Arizona office. With more than 20 years of experience in both public and private sectors, he brings expertise in economic development, public-private partnerships and large-scale capital investment. Green has led public economic development and private teams to manage and win more than $40 billion in public and private investment, according to the company.
