Hakim

Veronique "Ronnie" Hakim was appointed on Feb. 24 as executive director of New Jersey Transit, which serves New Jersey and parts of New York and Pennsylvania. It is the largest statewide public transit system and, by ridership, the third-largest U.S. provider of bus, rail and light rail. She replaces James Weinstein, who has stepped down. Hakim is formerly executive director of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, which manages that roadway and the Garden State Parkway. She also was senior vice president and general counsel for New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority's capital construction unit. Hakim appeared aboard at least one NJT line and met commuters early on March 3, her first weekday in the new role. According to the New Jersey Star-Ledger on March 5, the agency also will replace its directors of rail and bus operations.

Replacing her at the New Jersey authority is Joseph Mrozek, who was deputy commissioner at the state Dept. of Transportation. Weinstein, who led NJT since 2010, is a former vice president of consulting firm AECOM and senior vice president at Amtrak. He did not disclose his next position, but The Record newspaper speculates he could become CEO of the bi-state Delaware River Port Authority. Its current chief, John Matheussen, resigned in January and is nominated by Gov. Chris Christie (R) to be a state Superior Court judge. Agency spending is now under a U.S. probe.

HNTB Corp. has elevated Florida-based executive Jim Ely to senior vice president. Ely, who joined the firm in 2010 and is chairman of its national toll practice, had been executive director of Florida's Turnpike Enterprise.

David W. Huchel has joined engineering firm Moffatt & Nichol, Long Beach, Calif., as general counsel. Previously, he was an AECOM vice president and chief counsel of its West region and North America water groups. Huchel also was general counsel of Boyle Engineering, which AECOM acquired in 2008.

 

Regan

Timothy J. Regan is named president and CEO of The Whiting-Turner Contracting Co., Baltimore, succeeding Willard Hackerman, who died on Feb. 10 (ENR 2/24-3/3 p. 24). Executive vice president since 2009, he is a 34-year firm veteran and only its third chief in 105 years. Regan is a trustee of the Greater Baltimore Committee, a regional economic development group.

Construction risk-management firm Thacher Associates LLC, New York City, has named Michael Wilmer chief operating officer. Formerly a senior associate at consultant Booz Allen Hamilton, he succeeds Joseph Deluca, who becomes president. Thacher was acquired by K2 Intelligence Inc. in 2013.

Piers Fothergill, president of TERA Environmental Consultants, Calgary, Alberta, is set to join CH2M Hill Cos. in a new executive role following the U.S. firm's Feb. 28 agreement to buy the 450-person Canadian company. TERA specializes in the power and oil-and-gas sectors, says CH2M Hill. It did not disclose Fothergill's new title or terms of the deal, which is set to close in the second quarter.

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority has named Ginger S. Evans vice president for engineering. She was senior vice president of global aviation at Parsons

Evans

Corp. Formerly, as director of aviation at Denver International Airport, Evans was the first woman to receive, in 1994, ENR's Award of Excellence, for cutting red tape to build the facility. She now oversees construction at Reagan National and Dulles International airports and on the Silver Line Metrorail project.