Evans

Ginger S. Evans will become aviation commissioner in Chicago on June 1, Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced on May 10. She has been vice president of engineering for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority since early 2014, overseeing construction at Reagan National and Dulles International airports and on the Silver Line Metrorail project. In her new role, Evans replaces Rosemarie Andolino, who became aviation vice president at Jacobs Engineering in December.

Former U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, who Chicago media characterized as one of Emanuel’s closest political friends, assisted in the search, although a search firm also was hired. Another candidate for the job reportedly was George H. Casey, President and CEO of Vantage Airport Group Ltd., a subsidiary of Vancouver International Airport Authority in Vancouver, B.C.

Evans will face issues that include the final phase of adding runways and building new terminal space at O'Hare Airport, projects that key tenants United Airlines and American Airlines have not supported, say local reports.

An authority spokesperson says a search is underway to replace Evans in Washington. In the interim, Roger Natsuhara replaces her in the aviation role and Charles Stark on the rail project, she says. Stark is project executive director.

Last month, the agency announced $76 million in added first-phase Silver Line design change costs and a 13-month project delay. The agency says the phase is still within budget, but according to The Washington Post, the now $5.7-billion project is more than $220 million over budget and its second phase may not open until 2020.

Evans also was a senior vice president of Parsons Corp., responsible for global aviation, and is former director of aviation at Denver International Airport. In that role, she was the first woman to receive, in 1994, ENR's Award of Excellence, for cutting red tape to build the facility. "I've been in the business long enough to recognize what a rare opportunity this is to build key facilities and put in place the business framework for the next generation of air travel and the next wave of global connectivity for Chicago," Evans told ENR.

Emanuel also named Dorval Carter Jr. on May 5 as president of the Chicago Transit Authority. He now is acting chief of staff to U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. Carter will become the first African-American in the CTA role, says the Chicago Tribune. He replaces Forrest Claypool, who becomes the mayor's chief of staff.

Dahlberg

Teresa A. Dahlberg will join Syracuse University, Syracuse, N.Y., as dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science, effective on Aug. 1. She has been dean of the Albert Nerken School of Engineering at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York City since 2013, and was named to the added role of university chief academic officer in 2014. Syracuse says she boosted Cooper Union's engineering freshman class enrollment by 47% and doubled it for the master's program.

Cooper Union began charging undergraduate tuition for the first time in its history last year, but there has been friction between the school board and faculty over its finances and the tuition change, according to published reports. The state attorney general also is probing its financial situation.

Ray Clark has joined engineer Ghafari Associates, Chicago, as executive vice president. He had been managing principal there for HOK, and also led Perkins + Will's Chicago and London practices as managing director.