Christopher O. Ward, who left in October as executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, has joined Dragados USA, the New York City-based unit of the Spanish contractor Dragados SA, a Dragados USa official confirms. Ward says he will abstain from the firm's intended bid to the authority on an upgrade of the aging Goethals bridge, according to a published report. Ward joined the agency in 2008, from a previous role as managing director of the General Contractors Association of New York Inc.Cindy Wallis-Lage has been elevated to president of the global water business for

Boston-based construction management firm Shawmut Design and Construction has elevated Les Hiscoe to chief operating officer and executive vice president. He was vice president of development in the firm's New York, New Jersey and Connecticut region and also oversaw its national retail and gaming group. Shawmut ranks at No. 80 on ENR's Top 400 Construction Firms list, with $558.1 million in 2010 revenue.AREVA Inc., the Bethesda, Md.-based North American unit of the French nuclear and alternative energy developer, has named two new senior vice presidents. Tom Franch joins its reactors and services business group, based in Charlotte, N.C., overseeing areas

Skanska USA, the New York City-based contractor, has named Denny L. Quinn executive vice president of its new Midwest region based in Evansville, Ind. The role follows the firm's Dec. 29 acquisition of Industrial Contractors Inc., also based there. Quinn had been president of ICI. Skanska says the firm, which specializes in industrial and energy markets, will be integrated into its Skanska USA Civil unit under the name Industrial Contractors Skanska. Alan Braun, ICI chairman and CEO, becomes chairman emeritus and an advisor to Skanska. He is a 48-year firm veteran. Skanska also acquired three ICI affiiliate firms: Professional Consultants

  GREBBIENParsons Corp., Pasadena, Calif., has announced new roles for two top executives, following a corporate restructuring announced on Nov. 30. Virginia L. Grebbien is named president of the firm's new global environment and infrastructure group, which combines its former commercial technology and water infrastructure groups. Formerly president of the latter, she joined Parsons in 2008 from a previous role as western division manager for MWH Americas Inc. Parsons also named Michael M. "Mike" Walsh as president of its new Parsons Australasia group. His base location is still being determined, says the firm. Walsh was president of the commercial technology

Melinda B. Peters has been appointed by Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) to head the state highway administration. She is the first woman to run the agency, one of the state's largest with an annual budget of $1.1 billion and a staff of 3,100. A civil engineer who joined the agency in 1995, Peters had been, since 2006, project director of the $2.5-billion Intercounty Connector (ICC). The 18-mile, six-lane toll road, the largest single highway construction project in Maryland's history, opened in late November. Peters was named an ENR Newsmaker (ENR 1/17 p. 36) for her achievements on the project,

  HEITMANNMichael Heitmann has been named president and CEO of Garney Construction, Kansas City, Mo., replacing in those roles, respectively, Robert Millwee and Montie Tripp, who retired. At the firm since 1990, Heitmann was vice president. Garney also named Wes Weaver as president of its wholly owned subsidiary, Weaver Construction Management Inc. The change follows Garney's Oct. 17 acquisition of Weaver General Construction, an Englewood, Colo., water-wastewater contractor, of which he was founder and principal. Weaver is based in Englewood.Infrastructure Corp. of America, a Brentwood, Tenn.-based program management firm, has hired Phil Stevens as chief operating officer. Most recently, he

Darryl Schimeck has joined Veolia ES Industrial Services Inc., League City, Texas, as president and CEO. He previously had been president of Atlantic Plant Services Inc., an industrial services firm, and is a former executive at Waste Management Inc. Veolia ES Industrial, a unit of Chicago-based Veolia Environmental Services North America Corp., is the largest industrial cleaning services company in North America.Matheson Financial Advisors, a McLean, Va.-headquartered financial adviser and investment banking consultant to engineers, environmental firms and contractors, has elevated David Cohen to the position of managing director. He continues to head the firm's Boston office. Matheson also has

HAUSSMANN  Louis D. Haussmann has been elevated to chief operating officer of Baxter & Wodman Inc., a Crystal Lake, Ill.-based municipal engineering firm. A 14-year veteran, he had been head of its transportation group and joined the board in 2009. Baxter & Woodman is ranked at No. 352 on ENR's list of the Top 500 Design Firms, with $27.5 million in 2010 revenue.Thomas Clinard has joined Chicago transportation engineer Alfred Benesch & Co. as vice president and Tennessee division manager. The move follows the Oct. 3 acquisition of Clinard Engineering Associates, a Brentwood, Tenn., design firm, Clinard was a managing

  BURCHAMU.S. Army Col. Margaret W. Burcham was selected on Sept. 18 to command the Corps of Engineers' Great Lakes and Ohio River Division, based in Cincinnati. She is the first woman to serve as a division commander and engineer on a full-term basis, says the Corps. Burcham will lead seven Corps districts in a 17-state region that includes 4,800 staffers and an annual operations and construction budget exceeding $2 billion. She formerly served as an Army division chief at the Pentagon and as a Corps district commander in Iraq, among other posts. Col. Janice Dombi was named temporary commander

Ken Portnoy has joined Balfour Beatty Construction, Dallas, as vice president of public-private partnerships. He will coordinate the firm's U.S. activity using alternative financing approaches. Portnoy was president of the public facilities division of Garfield Traub Development LLC, Dallas.WILSONFluor Corp., Irving, Texas, has made a top executive change at Savannah River Nuclear Solutions LLC, the company-led partnership that manages and operates the U.S. Energy Dept.'s Savannah River site complex in Aiken, S.C. Dwayne Wilson has been named president and CEO, replacing Garry W. Flowers, who will be the corporate senior vice president for environment, safety and health, the company said.