Bechtel National Inc. has named Margaret "Peggy" McCullough as project director for the estimated $12.2-billion nuclear-waste vitrification project at the U.S. Energy Dept.'s Hanford site in Washington state. A principal vice president, she replaces Frank Russo, who is taking on a new assignment for Bechtel in the U.K. Bechtel did not disclose its scope.

MCCULLOUGH

McCullough was Bechtel project director of the Daunia coking-coal project in Queensland that was developed by Australia BHP Billiton and Mitsubishi Alliance. The $1.5-billion project is set for full production in 2014. She also had been deputy general manager of Bechtel SAIC, the management-operations contractor for DOE's Yucca Mountain, Nev., nuclear-waste repository project.

Bechtel is designing and building and will commission the Hanford plant, which will be the world's largest radioactive-waste treatment facility when completed, it says. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz is set to announce, by the fall, a plan to address design issues that have slowed construction, says a published report in Richland, Wash. (see related links).

SWEENEY

Kenneth L. Sweeney, former chief engineer of the Maine Dept. of Transportation, has joined Orono, Maine-based Advanced Infrastructure Technology as president and chief engineer. The firm is the exclusive worldwide license holder of bridge technology developed at the University of Maine, including the so-called bridge-in-a-backpack composite system for short spans that the Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials has approved (see related link). Sweeney also is chairman of AASHTO's technology implementation group.

Russell Conda has been named president of Brinderson LP, a Costa Mesa, Calif., energy-sector contractor. The new role follows its July 1 acquisition by pipeline services company Aegion Corp. He had been president and CEO of Brinderson since 2012, succeeding Gary Brinderson, who became chairman. Brinderson is not joining Aegion, says the contractor. Conda also had been a senior vice president in California for Australia-based WorleyParsons. Brinderson now is a wholly owned subsidiary of Aegion. 

WIENCEK

John Wiencek, dean of the Tampa-based University of South Florida College of Engineering, will join Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, in August as senior vice provost for administration and strategic initiatives. He has been in his current role since 2007. Rafael Perez, professor and associate engineering dean for academic affairs, will be interim dean during a national search for a permanent successor.

Geosyntec Consultants Inc., Atlanta, has named Michael Giorgione as principal and director of federal services. Based in San Diego, he is formerly the energy-services market leader and vice president of RBF Consulting, Irvine, Calif. Giorgione, a retired U.S. Navy rear admiral, also had been commander of the Naval Facilities Engineering Command's Pacific Division.

Parkway Construction & Associates LP, Lewisville, Texas, has elevated Chief Operating Officer Rick Wojciechowski to president and CEO, effective on Jan. 1, 2014. He succeeds Joe Elmer, who remains a board member. Succeeding Elmer as chairman is company founder John Elmer. Vice President Vaughan Hancock is promoted to COO. Joe Elmer has been CEO since 2002. Parkway ranks at No. 372 on ENR's Top 400 Contractors list, with $133.6 million in 2012 revenue.

OLYAI

Koorosh Olyai has joined design firm Stantec as a senior principal in its Dallas transportation practice. He had been assistant vice president of mobility programs for the Dallas Area Rapid Transit. Gregory Hill also joins as a principal based in Redmond, Wash. The role follows the firm's June 29 acquisition of Roth Hill, a Bellevue, Wash., water-wastewater engineer, of which Hill was president. About 30 Roth Hill employees are joining Stantec.

Mark Bosch is elevated from senior vice president to president and CEO of Bossardt Corp., a Minneapolis construction manager. The new role follows the company's June 26 acquisition by Wenck Associates Inc., a Maple Plain, Minn.-based engineer. Bossardt will become part of Wenck subsidiary Wenck Construction and Remediation, says a spokesman. Bosch succeeds Bossardt founder John Bossardt. Bossardt joins the Wenck Construction and Remediation board.

William J. Hoffman has joined Fay, Spofford & Thorndike Inc., the Burlington, Mass., engineer, as a vice president and associate. The move follows the firm's June acquisition of DeLuca Hoffman Associates Inc., of which he was co-founder and president. Hoffman will be based in South Portland, Maine. About 22 DeLuca Hoffman employees also have joined.