THOMAS David B. Thomas has joined engineer-architect Gannett Fleming, Harrisburg, Pa., as a senior vice president and national director of transit and rail. Now based in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., he was executive vice president and director of infrastructure operations and client development for ARCADIS. Granite Construction Inc., Watsonville, Calif., announced on May 17 a planned leadership transition, as of Sept. 1. James H. Roberts, executive vice president and chief operating officer since last September, has been named as president and CEO. He replaces William G. Dorey, who retires Aug. 31 after four years in the positions and 42 with the

Stephen T. Ayers, acting chief of the office of the Architect of the Capitol for the past three years, has been confirmed for a full, 10-year term as the Capitol Architect. Related Links: Bio of Stephen T. Ayers Ayers' Senate confirmation came on May 12 by unanimous consent. President Obama had sent his nomination to the Senate on Feb. 24. The "AOC" is in charge of maintaining and operating the Capitol building, Library of Congress, Supreme Court and other federal facilities on Capitol Hill. Ayers, a licensed architect, joined the AOC's office in 1997 and has been its acting head

MARTIN James W. “Jay” Martin has been elected president of ASFE/The Geoprofessional Business Association, a national group of geo-professional firms which provide geotechnical, geologic, environmental, construction-materials engineering and testing as well as related services. He is also a Nashville-based vice president and principal of AMEC’s earth and environmental division and leads the firm’s rail-services and levee groups. John L. Heffron has joined the construction solutions group of financial adviser FTI Consulting Inc., Baltimore, as senior managing director in New York and Philadelphia of capital program advisory services. He was national director of construction advisory services at Ernst & Young. ENRIQUE

SIMONELLI Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corp., Oak Brook, Ill., has named David E. Simonelli to the new position of president of dredging operations. He had been senior vice president of operations. The promotion comes as part of a restructuring at the company. As a result, Great Lakes has eliminated the position of chief operating officer, held by Richard M. Lowry since 1991. Lowry has left the company, which says it is the largest U.S. dredging contractor. Simonelli joined Great Lakes in 1978. John G. Voeller , senior vice president of the federal division at Black & Veatch, Overland Park,

HAGERTY Oates Associates, an engineer-architect in Collinsville, Ill., has named new officers. Joe Hagerty, formerly vice president, is now CEO. Bruce Schopp, previously chief structural engineer, has been promoted to president and chief operating officer. Founder David Oates was appointed chairman. Doosan Infracore Construction Equipment, a global alliance of the construction equipment businesses of Doosan Infracore Co. Ltd. and its affiliates, has appointed Anthony C. Helsham as CEO. Helsham joins the Seoul-based manufacturer after 30 years with the Volvo Group, where he was CEO of its construction equipment unit from 2000 to 2008 and head of its Korean operations from

Christine McEntee, executive vice president and CEO since 2006 of the American Institute of Architects, will leave her post July 23, the professional and lobbying group for 83,000 international architects, said April 19. No successor was named for McEntee, who is set to become executive director of the American Geophysical Union, a non-profit organization of 50,000 international geophysicists. MCENTEE AIA said that McEntee and the group’s “staff of seasoned professionals” will continue to run the group during the transition, and that a national search for a successor is under way. McEntee, the 153-year-old group’s first woman CEO, formerly served in

SKOG Architect-engineer Harley Ellis Devereaux, Southfield, Mich., has promoted Gary L. Skog from chief marketing officer to CEO. In that role, he replaces Dennis M. King, who remains chairman. King also becomes interim managing principal of the Detroit office, replacing James W. Page, who retired. Enrique Suarez has been named managing principal in Chicago. Formerly corporate and commercial studio leader, he replaces John H. Nelson, who is retiring. Lawrence H. “Larry” Roth, executive vice president and deputy executive director of the American Society of Civil Engineers, Reston, Va., will join ARCADIS U.S. Inc., the Highlands Ranch, Colo., engineering and services

Photo: AP/Wideworld A photo of the daring rescue last June of a stranded boater in Des Moines, Iowa, by construction worker Jason Oglesbee won a Pulitzer Prize on April 12 for photographer Mary Chind of the Des Moines Register. She captured Oglesbee, part of a bridge construction crew for contractor Cramer & Associates, Grimes, Iowa, as he reached for Patricia Ralph-Neely. Oglesbee was named a 2009 ENR Newsmaker for his effort and on behalf of Cramer’s quick-thinking crew.

STONE Dewberry, an engineer-architect based in Fairfax, Va., has named Donald E. Stone Jr. as its new CEO. He had been chief operating officer and infrastructure engineering services practice-area leader. Additionally, Dan M. Pleasant, president of Dewberry’s Southeast division, has been promoted to replace him. Environmental engineer Tetra Tech, Pasadena, Calif., has appointed Daniel L. Johnson as vice president, based in its Golden, Colo., office. He is previously vice president and principal with GEI Consultants. David LaFrance has been named executive director of the Denver-based American Water Works Association, effective on May 3. He had been the finance director for

MAGGIO FISHMAN Robert E. Fishman has joined nuclear and alternative-energy firm AREVA Inc., Bethesa, Md., as president and CEO of its new global solar business unit. He had been chairman and CEO of solar-power-generator developer Ausra, Mountain View, Calif., which AREVA acquired on Feb. 8. Fishman will be based in Mountain View to lead the unit, the name of which will be announced in late March, says an Ausra spokeswoman. The acquisition reflects AREVA’s intention “to be the world leader in concentrated solar power and to further strengthen and diversify its renewables portfolio,” says the firm. Charles Maggio has joined