The latest People in the News highlighting new hires, promotions, honors & recognition of the men and women in the St. Louis building community.
S. M. Wilson Hires Chris Kopp as Project Manager and Michael Mounce as Project Engineer

S. M. Wilson & Co, has hired Chris Kopp as Project Manager and Michael Mounce as Project Engineer. Kopp will be responsible for handling all administrative functions for a project, including scheduling, holding progress meetings, generating meeting minutes, tracking costs and maintaining logs for all project information.
Kopp has a B.S. from the University of Missouri-Columbia and an M.B.A. from University of Missouri – St. Louis. He has 31 years of construction experience. As a project engineer, Mounce will be responsible for helping establish procedures with the design professionals, consultants and Owner of projects for information flow, approvals, meetings and reporting. He will also track shop drawings, submittals, material deliveries and RFIs through the duration of projects and assist the Project Manager with MBE/WBE participation and workforce inclusion.

Mounce has 18 years of design and construction experience. He holds a B.A. and a Master of Architecture in Architecture from the University of New Mexico School of Architecture and Planning. He also has his SEED (Social Economic Environmental Design) Certification.
S. M. Wilson is a full-service construction management, design/build and general contracting firm with headquarters in St. Louis. S. M. Wilson posted $230 million in 2017 revenues and ranks 271 st in Engineering News-Record’s 2017 list of Top 400 commercial contractors nationwide. For more information, visit www.smwilson.com .
Jeff Patterson Named Chief Estimator for Murphy Company

Jeff Patterson has been promoted to chief estimator for Murphy Company, the area’s largest mechanical contracting and engineering firm. The announcement was made by Kevin Suiter, vice president, estimating. Patterson has worked in the industry nearly 30 years, with a strong emphasis on HVAC piping and ductwork. He joined the Murphy team in 2016 as an estimator. Prior to that, he managed a pre-construction services department and created design standards for sheet metal fabrication. He attended both St. Louis Technical School and St. Louis Community College.
Commenting on the promotion, Suiter said, “Jeff has done an exceptional job estimating and assembling complex projects. His attention to detail, comprehensive design build knowledge and his passion for estimating will add value to our estimating group and long lasting sustainability to Murphy Company.”
Murphy Company is one of the nation’s top mechanical contracting and engineering firms delivering innovative solutions to the commercial, industrial and institutional markets. For more information, visit www.murphynet.com.
April 20, 2018
John Dzarnowski Named President of FGM Architects Inc.

FGM Architects announced that John Dzarnowski has been named President of the firm. John joined the firm in 2007 and has been integral to the growth of FGM’s municipal and recreation practices. Enhancing Communities by Creating Quality Environments is the mission of the firm and the cornerstone of John’s 30 year career in public architecture. FGM’s CEO, John Ochoa commented, “I’ve known John as an insightful, respected leader; FGM is in very good hands moving forward.”
FGM Architects FGM Architects has specialized in the planning and design of environments for work, study and play since 1945. From early strategic facilities planning through building and interior design to furniture selection, our team of more than 75 professionals supports the needs of our clients with a total commitment to service. We offer a unique combination of experience, talent and proximity to our clients. Commitment to service means approaching small renovation assignments with the same enthusiasm as large, highly visible projects. We build relationships as well as projects. www.fgmarchitects.com
David Murphy Named Project Manager at Drilling Service Co.

Murphy, who has worked at DSC for 13 years, was promoted from general labor foreman to project manager. He is part of the third generation of the Murphy family to work at the firm. He followed in a family tradition, by beginning his career at the 63-year-old company in a crafts position.
Other members of the Murphy family working at Drilling Service are: Mark Murphy, president; Jeffrey Murphy, executive vice president; Bruce Murphy, vice president; Michael Murphy, mechanic; Austin Murphy, laborer; and Alexander Murphy, Laborer
In his new position, Murphy will perform estimating and project management services. He will also be assisting the management team in setting and attaining the company’s yearly goals. David Murphy has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree from Lindenwood University.
Western Specialty Contractors Promotes Crystal Moyer to Senior National Account Program Manager

Western Specialty Contractors has promoted Crystal Moyer of Eureka, MO to Senior National Account Program Manager. She was a National Account Manager for the past two years.
Western recently restructured its Marketing/Business Development/National Account Department into two main focuses – National Account Program and National Account Asset, each headed by a Senior Manager. Moyer will head the National Account Program and oversee a pair of National Account Managers.
Moyer and her team will focus on strategically identifying organizations they believe will be a good fit for national partnership and work with regional development teams to expand work with this client evenly across all branches, establish new accounts and manage the list of prospective accounts. Additionally, the team will create and modify the department’s go/no go process for continual evaluation of accounts, identify and implement Master Service Agreement options for accounts, and maintain and nurture the national contacts for each account.
Western launched its National Account Program in 2010 to provide property managers with a single-source for exterior repairs and restoration services on their nationwide facilities. Western has 30+ branch locations to serve their clients’ needs anywhere in the United States.
“What we are trying to do by restructuring our National Account Program is provide facility managers and owners with a single contact at Western to manage the building envelope maintenance on all of their facilities, no matter where they are in the country,” said Moyer. “This way the process becomes more streamlined and efficient for the facility manager.”
Moyer has 10 years of business development experience. Prior to Western, Moyer worked as Director of Employer Relations at Kaplan University in St. Louis, MO and as a Recruiter for Career Education Corporation in Fenton, MO.
She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Missouri Baptist University and a Masters in Business Administration from Webster University.
Family-owned and operated for more than 100 years, Western Specialty Contractors is the nation’s largest specialty contractor in masonry and concrete restoration, waterproofing and specialty roofing. For more information about Western Specialty Contractors, visit www.westernspecialtycontractors.com.
CRG Announces New Senior Leadership Team

CRG today announced the appointment of Shawn Clark as group president effective immediately. Clark, former Vice President of Finance at CRG and son of Clayco CEO and Chairman Bob Clark, has over a decade of experience in the real estate industry with a focus on project and fund-level financing activity. Former President Chris McKee will assume the role of Chief Development Officer and Bob Clark will take on duties of Chief Executive Officer.
“CRG is a culture-first developer focused on performance and providing real estate solutions to our clients. Our new leadership team represents the best in the business with proven track record for delivering results,” Clayco CEO and Chairman Bob Clark said. “I am honored that Shawn is leading CRG is this capacity and playing such an important role with an accomplished team of senior leaders that reflects the strength and diversity of our organization.”
CRG is the private real estate development arm of Chicago-based Clayco that buys, develops and operates real estate assets. CRG’s total revenue grew nearly 18 percent to $484.5 million last year, up from $412 million in 2016.
Earlier this year, CRG launched three new industrial projects in top tier markets across the United States. The Cubes at DuPont is master planned as a 1.6 million square foot institutional quality business park on the former Intel campus in DuPont, Washington. The Cubes at Etna 70 is a 155-acre land development is centrally located in Etna Township in Columbus, Ohio and The Cubes at Inland 85 is a 324-acre site in Spartanburg County, South Carolina.
Last summer, CRG completed the Everly on the Loop, a 14-story student high-rise building on the east end of the Delmar Loop. Currently, CRG has two multi-family developments underway in Chicago’s Uptown and Bucktown neighborhoods.
Shawn Clark is the founder of Illumination; an immersive theatrical event that raises money for rare disease research and Co-Chair of the associate board for the Greater Chicago Food Depository.
Seasoned Client-Side Veteran Joins Crb’s Business Development And Strategy Team

Ralph Grant, a chemical engineer with 28 years of experience leading high-performing project teams, has joined CRB’s Central region as the director of business development. Grant’s strong engineering skills and personal interests as an award-winning photographer and painter are the perfect mix of science and art that will benefit business development at CRB. These skills bring an understanding of client needs in the evolving world of engineering consulting and sourcing of capital projects.
Grant was previously the senior director of engineering at Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, managing capital strategy for its generics businesses. He has worked in many market segments, including engineering consulting, construction, process safety, skid fabrication, specialty chemicals, pharmaceuticals, biofuels, food, beverage and dairy. Grant has executed hundreds of projects, aligning business with capital strategy and finding economic solutions to technical engineering problems.
“In my previous position, working with CRB helped me be successful on many projects. I’m excited to be a part of CRB’s culture of technical excellence, entrepreneurialism and relentless pursuit of success,” Grant said.
Grant will focus on cultivating relationships with new and existing clients—getting to know their strengths and opportunities. He will address their needs by accessing CRB’s deep bench of experts in engineering, consulting and construction. While Grant will be based in St. Louis, he will support clients in the nine-state region and clients who have offices abroad.
“Ralph brings a keen strategic eye to his work that is pragmatic yet always creative. We have witnessed his talents when partnering with him on projects over the past 10 years,” Central Region Leader Tim Greenwald, said. “We are thrilled to have his innovative thinking and dry wit as part of our entrepreneurial team. I’m confident our clients will find tremendous value in his expertise.”
CRB is a full-service network of engineers, architects, constructors and consultants, assisting advanced technology organizations in the planning, design, construction and operational support of facilities across the globe. For more information, visit crbusa.com.
Midas Hospitality Promotes Lucinda Fryman to Corporate Director of Revenue Management

Midas Hospitality, a premier hotel management group, recently promoted Lucinda Fryman to Corporate Director of Revenue Management.
In this position, Fryman will oversee the revenue management team while providing direction and leadership that is in accordance with the company’s mission. She will also be responsible for training, systems and standards in order to achieve growth and innovation. Fryman will oversee the development, execution, and measurement of the organization’s strategic planning for all market segments and revenue streams.
Fryman has more than 20 years of hospitality experience. Prior to this position, she served as the Director of Revenue Management at Midas Hospitality. She previously held directorial and managerial positions at various properties owned by Hilton Hotels Worldwide.
“Lucinda has played an integral role at Midas Hospitality for more than six years, and this promotion is to acknowledge her hard work, industry expertise and skillset to further enhance our hotel revenue performance,” said Kurt Furlong, EVP Sales & Marketing and Principal.
Founded in 2006, Midas Hospitality has developed, opened and currently manages numerous properties including 40 hotels in 14 states. For more information, call (314) 692-0100 or visit http://www.midashospitality.com.
April 13, 2018

Gary Hahn joins Subsurface Constructors, Inc. as Business Development Manager for the North Central Region
Subsurface Constructors is excited to announce the opening of our third satellite location with an office in Minneapolis, MN. Gary Hahn, P.E. was recently hired to be the Business Development Manager – North Central Region, covering primarily Minnesota, Wisconsin, North and South Dakota. Having a business development manager and geotechnical/structural engineer in this region will allow us to better support engineers, contractors, and owners in the decision making process when it comes to soft soil construction projects.
Gary grew up in Milwaukee, WI and attended the University of Minnesota. Following graduation from the University of Minnesota in 2009, Gary worked in geotechnical consulting and special inspections and construction materials testing for nearly 4 years in both Milwaukee, WI and Minneapolis, MN. From 2013 until early 2018 he worked as a structural design engineer and project manager in Minneapolis. He currently lives in Minneapolis with his wife and young son. He is an avid golfer as well as marathoner, ultra-marathoner and triathlete.
Subsurface Constructors has served the construction industry for over 100 years in Missouri and adjacent states, bringing innovative, cost-conscious and practical approaches to design and construction of deep foundations, earth retention systems and ground improvement.
Bloomsdale Excavating Announces New Executive Leadership Team Member – Pete Buback Rejoins Company

Bloomsdale, MO – Bloomsdale Excavating has announced longtime industry veteran, Pete Buback will rejoin the company as Executive Vice President after spending the previous six years with sister company, Nexus Construction Service Group. Pete originally joined Bloomsdale Excavating in 2004 as Regional Manager of the St. Louis region and for eight years served in a variety of roles. In 2012, he was one of the founding members of Nexus Construction Service Group, as Vice President of Business Development focusing on constructability analysis, budgeting & estimating, GPS file building, site civil construction management and owner’s representation to a variety of owners and general contractors in Missouri, Illinois and Arkansas.
As Executive Vice President, Pete will oversee all day-to-day business operations, implement corporate business plans, interact with top priority clients, and evaluate organizational success, among other responsibilities.
According to Scott Drury, President of Bloomsdale Excavating, “We are excited to have Pete rejoin the Bloomsdale Excavating side of our business. He has been instrumental in our growth both with Nexus Construction Service Group and Bloomsdale Excavating prior to that. His re-joining is a result of our long term strategic vision for growth and our focus on setting the bar in the industry.
Pete’s college education at Missouri University of Science & Technology (former University of Missouri-Rolla) has seen his career cover working for civil engineering firms, home builders and excavation and grading contractors in project and executive capacities. Through Nexus Construction Service Group, Pete has recently been instrumental in projects such as the Washington University East End Campus Transformation project in St. Louis, Stanberry Reclamation project near St. Joseph, MO and Marketplace West in Rolla, MO.
Bloomsdale Excavating, a wholly owned subsidiary of Heptacore, Inc., founded in 1946 by Marvin Drury provides excavation, grading, site utility and concrete services for the residential/ commercial, quarry/mining, landfill, public construction sectors. Bloomsdale provides construction services across Missouri, Illinois, and Kansas.
MHS Legacy Group Announces Hire of New Chief Financial Officer

Joseph F. Huss brings years of experience and leadership to new role
MHS Legacy Group, a national holding company of specialty contractors based in St. Louis, announces the hire of Joseph F. Huss as Chief Financial Officer. Huss brings a diverse and deep background in all areas of executive financial management with success at building and leading a high-performance finance organization.
“We are very excited to have Joe join the MHS family,” said Walt Hatfield, president of MHS Legacy Group. “His forward-thinking and creative approaches to our financial functions will be a great addition to our company as we continue to grow.”
Most recently, Huss was the CFO at a biodiesel manufacturing company in south Roxana, Ill. Throughout his extensive career, Huss was responsible for financial reporting and treasury functions, cash flow forecasting and budgeting, coordination with outside legal/tax counsel, management of banking relations, risk management, employee benefit programs and much more. He is a Certified Public Accountant.
MHS Legacy Group was founded in 1895 in St. Louis and holds a diverse group of specialty contracting companies in the roofing, custom metal fabrication, building enclosure and glazing, and industrial scaffolding industries. For more information, visit www.mhslegacygroup.com.
MC Hotel Construction Hires Director of Operations
Randy Wild has more than 25 years of commercial construction and business experience

MC Hotel Construction, a general contractor specializing in new hotel construction and renovations, recently hired Randy Wild as Director of Operations. In this position, Wild will create and implement procedures, as well as manage and supervise daily operations. He will oversee business development, monitor financial oversight, and cultivate both vendor and subcontractor relationships. Wild’s responsibilities include maintaining and enforcing the corporation’s safety programs to ensure OSHA compliance. He also will oversee job safety site practices.
Wild has more than 25 years of commercial construction and business experience. Prior to joining MC Hotel Construction, he founded and eventually sold Paragon Certified Restoration, one of the area’s largest disaster recovery and restoration businesses with offices in Swansea, Ill., Columbia and St. Louis, Mo.
“Randy’s ability to face challenges by developing cutting edge solutions makes him an integral asset to our management team,” said Jim Heinz, Vice President. “He is the perfect fit when it comes to our mission of providing excellent hotels for our clients, and we look forward to incorporating his vision of growth and opportunity into our future.”
MC Hotel Construction, which is also located at 1804 Borman Circle Dr. in Maryland Heights, MO, specializes in hotel construction and renovations with projects currently underway in six states. MC Hotel Construction builds for leading brands such as Hilton, Marriott, IHG, Starwood and Legacy Suites. For more information, call (314) 339-6600 or visit http://www.mchotelconstruction.com