Harold E. “Bud” Nelson, known to many as “the most influential fire protection engineer of the 20th century” and the father of the emerging discipline, died on July 21 in Fairfax, Va., from complications after a fall, according to the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE). He was 82 and lived in Bethesda, Md.Fire protection engineering is considered a unique subset of construction, but its high-profile industry status today may stem from the pioneering 60-year career of Nelson, who developed many innovations in fire protection design, modeling and systems ap-proaches that have improved building safety, particularly in high-rise structures. Nelson began
DAVEY Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick announced Aug. 4 that he will appoint Richard A. Davey as Transportation Secretary and CEO of the state Dept. of Transportation, effective Sept. 1. Davey will replace MassDOT Secretary Jeffrey Mullan, who said in July he would resign. Since 2010, Davey has served as MassDOT’s rail and transit administrator and as general manager of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. He also had been general manager of Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad, a private firm that operates the authority’s commuter rail system. According to published reports, Mullan is returning to the Boston law firm of Foley Hoag,
JOHNSONCarol A. Johnson has been elevated to president and project manager of Washington Closure Hanford (WCH), overseeing its $2.3-billion River Corridor Closure project at the U.S. Energy Dept.'s Hanford nuclear-waste cleanup site in Washington state. Johnson has been closure director at WCH—a limited-liability firm owned by URS Corp., Bechtel National and CH2M Hill—since joining in 2010. Previously, she was infrastructure executive director at the Sellafield nuclear site in the U.K., responsible for critical nuclear safety-related infrastructure and support services, commercial fuel transport and security, among other things. Johnson also managed more than 1,900 employees and an annual budget of about
Gabriella L. Turnay, a New York City-based editorial researcher who worked for McGraw-Hill's education division and Engineering News-Record during her 48-year career, died on July 20 following a long illness. She was 82.Turnay joined ENR in 1967 as an editorial research associate; she compiled the ENR Index, a semi-annual listing of topics covered in the magazine, until it was replaced in 1984 with computer databases. Turnay also proofread the magazine, managed payments to freelance writers and supervised reprint permissions. Prior to joining ENR, Turnay worked for 16 years as an editor in McGraw Hill's education division, where she was involved
BRANUMW. Howell "Hal" Branum, president of Professional Service Industries Inc., an Oakbrook Terrace, Ill.-based engineering and environmental consulting firm, died of a heart attack on July 1 while visiting Denver. He was 69.President since 2000 and, before that, chief operating officer, Branum oversaw the integration of numerous acquisitions as the company grew. Now boasting 125 offices and 2,500 employees, the firm specializes in geotechnical engineering, construction-materials testing and engineering, and industrial hygiene. A 32-year veteran of the firm, he led many of its high-profile projects, including Denver International Airport and the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington,
Evan Futterman wears conservative suits, loves his two daughters and has worked in the aviation planning business for 32 years. He also has a life partner of the same gender and a goal to help other lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people build confidence that they can succeed in business while not having to lie about their identities. Photo by Dennis Drenner Evan Futterman started GALA to support industry members who identify as gay and lesbian. Graphic by Justin Reynolds An ENR Special Feature. Related Links: Main Story: Where a New Inclusiveness Is Changing the Face of the Construction
GrebbienVirginia Grebbien has been promoted to president of Parsons Water & Infrastructure Inc., a division of engineer-contractor Parsons Corp., Pasadena, Calif. She was vice president and global business development manager. Prior to joining Parsons in 2008, she was the western division manager for MWH Americas Inc. The Sheet Metal Workers International Association has announced that Joseph Nigro will become president of the Washington, D.C.-based union, which has 150,000 members in construction and shipbuilding work, it says. Nigro's elevation from secretary-treasurer follows the July 1 retirement of Michael Sullivan, who had led the union for 12 years.Forrester Construction Co., Rockville, Md.,
John C. Truesdale TRUESDALE, a Democratic former chairman of the National Labor Relations Board and five-term veteran, died on July 3 from cancer in Annapolis, Md., said the board. He was 89. Truesdale served under recess appointments by Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, retired once, and then served again as chairman in 2001 at age 80. In 1995, he upheld an NLRB administrative ruling that the carpenters' union could not fire 10 independent union group members for “disloyalty” during a 1991 organizing drive. He and two other board members ordered Sigurd Lucassen, then union president, to re-instate and compensate
Richard C. Halpern, a Chicago-based construction manager who oversaw numerous high-profile domestic and international building projects during a 50-year career, died July 3 of complications from cancer treatment in Houston. He was 78. Photo: courtesy of Rebecca Halpern Richard Halpern As an executive at former building firm Morse Diesel, Halpern managed the construction of the Sears Tower, the world’s tallest building when it opened in 1974. He was among three executives cited by ENR in 1974 for their roles in the landmark project, which included the industry’s first major effort to recruit minorities into its workforce.In 1976, Halpern co-founded CM
HELLMUTH PageSoutherlandPage, the Washington, D.C.-based architect-engineer has named George W. Hellmuth as executive vice president and regional director of business development. Most recently, he was principal of architect Perkins + Will and market-sector leader of its commercial, civic and corporate practice. Peter J. Wallace has rejoined Hill International, Marlton, N.J., as senior vice president in its construction claims group, based in Philadelphia. He was founder and principal of the capital projects consulting practice at Deloitte Financial Advisory Services LLP. Wallace originally joined Hill in 1977, leaving as a senior vice president in 1996.Ann Massey, formerly president and CEO of MACTEC,
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