Ward

Christopher O. Ward has joined AECOM as senior vice president and CEO of design and consulting services in its metro New York region, five months after leaving a top executive role he held since 2011 at Dragados USA, a unit of the Spain-based contractor and concessions firm.

Ward left the Dragados role as executive vice president for major projects at the end of 2014, telling Crain's NY Business that the expected public-private-partnership construction market "was not as large as it had been." The firm was part of a design-build team that had been short-listed for the $4-billion Tappan Zee replacement bridge but canceled its bid unexpectedly in 2012, citing unspecified project risk issues.

AECOM, bolstered by its 2014 acquisition of URS Corp., claims strength in the New York regional market. The firm led designers in New York-New Jersey revenue, with nearly $600 million reported for 2014 in recent rankings by ENR N.Y., a regional publication of ENR. The firm noted strong demand in water, transportation and facilities markets, particularly in commercial and sports sector design. AECOM is working on the National Tennis Center stadium roof upgrade in Queens, N.Y. The firm also projects more investment in asset management, cybersecurity and resilient design. Ward also is a former executive director of the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey and had led the New York City Dept. of Environmental Protection and the General Contractors Association of New York.

Birmingham, Ala., contractor Robins and Morton has elevated COO Robin Savage to the additional role of president. In the new role, he succeeds Bill Morton, who continues as CEO and chairman. Savage has been COO since 2002.

Jane C. Penny has been elected president of the Society of American Military Engineers. She is group CEO for national governments at AECOM, responsible for the firm's U.S. federal business "and relationships with other governments globally," says SAME, which adds that Penny is the first woman and among "only a handful" of non-uniformed professionals who have led the group since its founding, in 1920.

 

Sesay

Hannah Sesay

Donald D. Graul has been elevated to president of the construction group at Parsons Corp., responsible for infrastructure design-build in North America. He succeeds Garry Higdem, who is retiring. Graul rejoined the firm in February as executive vice president of the design-build unit. He had been senior vice president and managing director of alternative delivery at AECOM.

Jay Ibrahim has joined Houston-based KBR Inc. as president of engineering and construction for its

Ibrahim

Management consultant Ernst & Young LLP (EY) has named Tom Pelnik as managing director in its Washington, D.C.-based infrastructure advisory practice. He was senior vice president of business development for the North American infrastructure development unit of contractor Grupo ACS. Sue Lee also is promoted to principal in the EY practice.

Amec Foster Wheeler plc, London, has named as a senior vice president in its Houston-based Americas unit and as global head of health, safety, security and environment. She is formerly vice president of safety, health and environment at BAE Systems, a position she held since 2006. Her current employer was formed last year, when Amec acquired Foster Wheeler in a $3.2-billion transaction.Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Now based in Abu Dhabi, U.A.E., he had been managing director for major projects development at Australia-based WorleyParsons. He is a 26-year veteran of that firm.