ACTON

BMW Constructors Inc., Indianapolis, has elected Brian K. Acton to president and chief operating officer in a planned corporate succession action. He had been executive vice president, since returning to the firm in 2009 from a previous role as president of an affiliated company in Seattle. While in that position, he launched the firm’s entry into the semiconductor, biotechnology and aerospace construction sectors. Acton also serves on the advisory board of the construction and engineering dept. at Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind.

Hill International Inc., the Marlton, N.J.-based global project and risk management consultant, has announced several executive appointments and promotions in the U.S. and internationally. Kevin O. Ellis has joined the company in London as vice president and managing director of cost management services; he had been director and international operations manager for U.K.-based Currie & Brown. Pierre-Yves Paquette has been named vice president of international finance, based in Athens; he had been project director for AECOM and also served as executive program director for Parsons Brinckerhoff. Karim A. Yazbek is promoted to vice president in charge of the Middle East sales and marketing division for the project management group, based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; he joined Hill in 2007. Osama A. Abu Sitta, based in Doha, Qatar, is elevated to vice president in charge of Qatar operations, also for the group; prior to joining the firm in 2003, he was deputy program manager at URS Corp. Lastly, Nicholas Balagurchik Jr. has joined the company in Washington, D.C., as health-care practice leader and head of all mid-Atlantic health-care initiatives for the project management group; he had been president of Ramello Corp., a health-care consulting firm, and, prior to that, chief operating officer of the Southern Maryland Hospital Center in Clinton.

Jerry D. Phillips has joined URS Corp., San Francisco, as its water-wastewater program director, based in the firm’s Orlando, Fla., office. He formerly served as vice president and eastern water practice leader for Jacobs Engineering Group and as director of environmental services in Florida for HNTB.

BAXLEY

William M. Baxley has joined Omaha, Neb.-based architect-engineer-planner LEO A DALY as vice president and director of design in the firm’s Minneapolis office. He had been a partner at the BKV Group, also based there, for the last 12 years.

Perkins Eastman, the New York City-based architect and planner, has named Aaron B. Schwarz, a principal and executive director, to lead the expansion of its Mumbai, India, office, in September. The office was opened in 2008, and its staff will grow by at least 20 in the next year, says the firm. Schwarz will continue his firm-wide responsibilities as well, according to the company. Perkins Eastman has also promoted Smita Rawoot, director of business development in Mumbai, to associate principal. Further, the firm named Christine Albright, based in New York, to principal.