SOCHOLJeremy Sochol has been named to the newly formed position of chief administrative officer for RS&H, Jacksonville, Fla. Prior to this appointment, Sochol served as the firm's senior vice president and human resources director. In this new role, his responsibilities will also include oversight and direction of the information technology group. Sochol joined RS&H in 2013. Related Links: Director of Clemson Wind Energy Research Center Eyes Innovation The Southeast's Top 20 Under 40 In Charlotte, RS&H promoted Kenneth Herring to vice president. Herring, who joined the firm in 2010, previously served as transportation-infrastructure leader for North Carolina. RS&H also promoted
After project budget constraints caused all four short-listed bidders to drop out of a design-build competition for a $520-million convention center renovation contract, the city of Miami Beach, Fla., is scrapping the approach in favor of soliciting a new round of proposals for a construction manager-at-risk firm.The Feb. 11 decision by the Miami Beach city commission came about after the last remaining bidder, Clark Construction, informed officials in early February that it also could not deliver the 1.4-million-sq-ft renovation within the city's budget without significant deviations from the program. The other three short-listed bidders—Hensel Phelps Construction, Hunt Construction Group and
Developed and built primarily as a testing and research center for wind-turbine drivetrains, Clemson University's Energy Innovation Center in North Charleston, S.C., is still ramping up operations. However, it's already producing results, says Nikolaos Rigas, the facility's director and the guiding force behind the unique test center's development. Powered by two massive test beds, with capacities of 7.5 MW and 15 MW, respectively, the center's test equipment uses unique engineering to put wind-turbine drivetrain manufacturers' latest designs through a simulation of 20 years of field conditions in just six months. Photo courtesy Clemson University Restoration Institute Nikolaos Rigas, director of
In terms of national importance, Georgia Power's $14-billion-plus Plant Vogtle nuclear expansion project nearly stands alone. At a 2014 ceremony finalizing the project's $6.5 billion in federal loan guarantees, Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz noted as much when he said, "This energy infrastructure build-out is not only for Georgia, not only for the United States, but for the world." Photo courtesy Georgia Power The Plant Vogtle nuclear expansion project has experienced significant delays to date, and continues to face schedule challenges. Related Links: Plant Vogtle Construction: The Two Sides to the Story ENR's Top 25 Newsmakers JACOBSInitial industry hopes for
Early in the process of building Florida Polytechnic University's $60-million Innovation, Science and Technology building, architect Santiago Calatrava expressed his doubts to Skanska USA Building's project leader, Chuck Jablon, about the ability of U.S. craft workers to deliver the quality the architect envisioned. Considering that the complex, glass-sheathed, 162,000-sq-ft structure—topped by a massive, 250-ft-long operable skylight system—was also Calatrava's first guaranteed-maximum-price contract, his doubts may be understandable. Photo courtesy Skanska USA Building Santiago Calatrava, right, discusses details with Skanska's Chuck Jablon during a visit to the Florida Polytechnic University project site. Photo courtesy Skanska USA Building The Florida Polytechnic University
The Southeast's reputation for population and business growth appears to be playing out again, as metro areas from Miami to Atlanta are driving significant gains in construction activity.
Tom Murphy, founder, chairman and CEO of Coastal Construction Group, doesn't get out to the field as often as he'd like these days. And that's a bit of a shame, for even after more than 45 years in the industry, a construction site is where he's happiest. Photo by Angel E. Valentin Image courtesy Coastal Construction Coastal Construction is currently renovating and significantly expanding the historic Surf Club. Related Links: Engineering News Record Architectural Record "I like watching sites get turned into buildings, then going back to them years later," he says. "There's nothing like seeing a good project and
Pat Rodgers' tenure at Charlotte-based Rodgers Builders was supposed to last only two days—a temporary assignment as a receptionist to help the newly transplanted Midwesterner get her feet on the ground. Photo courtesy of Rodgers Builders Photos courtesy of Rodgers Builders Building community assets Rodgers Builders, along with joint-venture partners Barton Malow and R.J. Leeper, built the BB&T Knights Ballpark in Charlotte, which won ENR Southeast's Best Projects award in the sports/entertainment category. Related Links: Rodgers Builders Melds Traditional Values, Innovation B.D. Rodgers, 89, Founded Charlotte-Based Rodgers Builders Fortunately for the company and the Southeast's construction industry, she never left.
The board of directors of Orlando-based TLC Engineering for Architecture named Michael Sheerin to succeed Debra Lupton as CEO of the firm. Sheerin, currently serving as the firm's director of health care engineering, was selected following a search of internal and external candidates. Sheerin will assume the role in early 2015, with an orderly transition until Lupton's retirement on May 1, 2015. In announcing the leadership change, Lupton stated: "Michael brings 20 years of tenure and significant leadership experience with TLC, and he has been intimately involved in the evolution of the firm. He is a strategic thinker and relationship-builder
John White was promoted by Skanska USA to the position of senior vice president and account John Whitemanager for the firm's Atlanta office, where he will lead the firm's Georgia operations. A 39-year industry veteran, White has been with Skanska for eight years, previously serving as managing director of Skanska's Houston and Las Vegas offices. Most recently, he worked with Skanska's aviation center of excellence. Related Links: Engineering News Record In a related move, Fred Hames, Skanska USA Building's general manager for Florida, will expand his role to include Georgia. Hames already oversees the company's work in Florida and will
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