Amy Nash Joins Midwest BankCentre Women Connect Advisory Board
Amy Nash, director of operations at Nash Properties, LLC, has been elected to the Midwest BankCentre Women Connect advisory board.
She leads Nash Properties’ operations, resource management, accounting and investor relations. She has been instrumental in forming investor groups to fund the company’s real estate developments by engaging small investors committed to revitalizing the city of St. Louis and surrounding areas.
Nash Properties and its affiliates have grown during the last 20 years from rehabbing single-family homes to developing and managing hundreds of multifamily residences. Its developments are located in diverse St. Louis neighborhoods, including DeBaliviere Place, the Central West End, Southwest Gardens, Compton Heights and south St. Louis County.
Nash is a trustee of Villa di Maria Montessori School and an active member of the Institute of Real Estate Management. She graduated from Loyola University in Chicago with a bachelor’s degree in communication.
Midwest BankCentre is St. Louis’ second-largest locally owned bank with assets exceeding $2 billion and deposits of $1.5 billion. A mainstay of St. Louis community banking since 1906, the bank employs a staff of about 280 working at 17 bank locations in the City of St. Louis and St. Louis, Jefferson and St. Charles counties.
KAI Hires Aleksandar Milenkov as Director of Mechanical Engineering of Dallas-Fort Worth Area Offices
KAI Enterprises proudly announces the hiring of Aleksandar Milenkov as Director of Mechanical Engineering of its Dallas-Fort Worth area offices.
In his new position, Milenkov provides necessary direction for planning the activities and work of the mechanical and plumbing department. He also provides oversight and leadership for all phases of work and coordinates efforts with other leaders in the firm heading up safety, quality, drafting standards and standardized project procedures.
Milenkov is responsible for the overall quality control of the mechanical and plumbing department and for leading the recruiting, hiring and onboarding of appropriate talent to provide the professional expertise required to meet client and project needs.
He has 16 years of industry experience, having previously worked as a Senior Mechanical Engineer for BW Design Group in Fort Worth, Texas; Director of Engineering Services for Axxis Building Systems in Fort Worth, Texas; and Senior Mechanical Engineer for Jacobs Engineering Group in Fort Worth, Texas.
Milenkov has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington and is a member of ASHRAE and ASPE. When not working, Milenkov, who resides in Fort Worth, Texas, enjoys cooking, photography, coaching soccer and spending time with his two sons.
KAI Enterprises is a national design and build firm providing delivery-oriented building solutions with a diverse portfolio of experience, in-house multi-discipline professionals, and expertise in both design and construction delivery. Founded in 1980, KAI has grown into one of the largest minority-owned firms in the AEC industry. To learn more about KAI, visit www.kai-db.com.
Chuck DeFosset Promoted to Vice President Project Management & Engineering at G&S Architectural Products
St. Louis-based Golterman & Sabo has promoted Chuck DeFosset to Vice President Project Management & Engineering at G&S Architectural Products, a division of Golterman & Sabo. In this position, DeFosset is responsible for Building Maintenance, Safety, Engineering and Product Development, as well as Manufacturing equipment acquisition and set up. He will continue managing the Project Management Department, which he was previously doing as Director of Project Management.
In his new capacity, DeFosset works with the Project Managers in G&S Acoustics and G&S Architectural Products, as well as product development and engineering for both groups.
DeFosset earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Technology with a Construction Concentration from Eastern Illinois University. He has been with Golterman & Sabo for 23 years, starting as a Project Manager for the National Sales Group until working his way to becoming the Director of Project Management for the Architectural Products Group.
July 17, 2020
Naomi Cohen Named to Wood Industry’s Prestigious 40 Under 40
Cohen Architectural Woodworking announces Naomi Cohen, director of design and engineering, has been named to Wood Industry’s prestigious 2020 class of 40 Under 40, a celebration by Woodworking Network of the next generation of industry professionals who are making an impact on the North American wood products manufacturing industry.
Cohen, age 32, joins a select group making an impact at their jobs, and in the community. Through innovation, motivation or inspiration, honorees are contributing in the areas of productivity, profitability, social good (locally or globally), ingenuity, innovation, peer inspiration, product development, and organizational leadership.
“It’s always difficult to select the best of the best when it comes to judging the 40 under 40 nominees. In addition to building successful businesses and careers, the Class of 2020 was rocked by the COVID-19 pandemic, the biggest challenge most of us have ever faced,” said Harry Urban, publisher of Woodworking Network. “I applaud this year’s honorees for their ability to keep their companies moving forward in the toughest of times while dedicating themselves to their communities and public causes. These are outstanding women and men who paint a bright future for our industry.”
This year marks Woodworking Network’s fifth annual awarding of the 40 Under 40. Entries were solicited in print, email and online at WoodworkingNetwork.com, with more than 140 nominations. The candidates were judged by a team of editors.
“The Wood Industry 40 Under 40 represents some of the talented people in our industry and I am most humbled to receive this special recognition,” Cohen said. “Much of the credit should really go to our clients who have allowed us to design and build customized commercial woodworking projects for over three decades, and of course to my team members at Cohen Architectural Woodworking.”
Cohen started from the ground up in this family owned business performing in a variety of capacities including working on the shop floor. Always interested in science and engineering, she built a remote controlled car that won an ACE international design award at age 14 and built a nitro-powered remote-control car the following year which took first place in both ACE national and international competitions. An excellent problem solver she has been involved with the company for some 15 years, has grown and taken on more responsibility, and is an integral part of the Cohen ownership group.
Founded in 1982, Cohen Architectural Woodworking is a family-owned architectural design/build woodworking firm headquartered in St. James, Missouri. Recently named a Forbes Small Giant as one of the top 25 small businesses in America, two things are obvious to anyone walking through our doors–we care about relationships and we care about excellence. For more information visit https://cohenwoodworking.com
July 10, 2020
Andy Howell Joins McCarthy as Business Development Manager
His role involves expanding McCarthy’s specialty market footprint within the industrial sector.
Andy Howell joined McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. as Business Development Manager for the firm’s Industrial business unit.
In this position, Howell cultivates relationships with potential clients and project partners within the industrial sectors. His focus is on positioning McCarthy to successfully pursue process, chemical process, power and petrochemical facilities throughout the company’s 28-state Central Region.
Prior to joining McCarthy, Howell served as senior field engineer at Hilti, Inc., where he provided technical expertise and training to structural engineers, architects, consultants, inspectors and contractors. He previously held technical engineering positions at Heitmann and Associates and Antea Group.
“Andy’s new role at McCarthy capitalizes on his strong engineering background, engaging personality and passion for industrial construction,” said McCarthy Vice President Aaron Lich. “He’s a great asset to our team.”
Howell earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Missouri. He’s pursuing a MBA with a focus in business project management from Missouri University of Science and Technology, with an anticipated graduation date of May 2021.
An active supporter of the local construction industry, Howell serves on the golf and trap committee for the Council of Owners and Construction Associates, Inc. (COCA), a local Construction Users Council serving the Metro-East area of Southwestern Illinois. He’s also a member of the St. Louis Council of Construction Consumers (SLCCC).
McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. is the oldest privately held national construction company in the country – with more than 150 years spent collaborating with partners to solve complex building challenges on behalf of its clients. More information about the company is available online at www.mccarthy.com or by following the company on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.
Western Specialty Contractors Announce New Branch Managers in St. Louis, Los Angeles
Western Specialty Contractors announces the appointment of two new Branch Managers: Carter Pogue at its St. Louis Concrete Restoration Branch and Guillermo Villegas at its Los Angeles Branch.
As Branch Managers, Pogue and Villegas are responsible for managing sales, daily operations and field personnel, plus developing new projects within their branch’s territory.
Carter Pogue, Branch Manager at St. Louis Concrete Restoration Branch
Pogue started his career at Western Specialty Contractors in 2003 as a General Cement Mason where he learned all aspects of Western’s restoration/waterproofing business. He moved into a General Foreman role in 2004, and in 2005 he was promoted to General Superintendent where he oversaw, coordinated, and executed multiple construction projects and subcontractor operations. In 2012, he was promoted to Project Manager and in 2016 was promoted to Assistant Branch Manager where he oversaw the successful completion of multi-million-dollar restoration projects. He has successfully overseen more than 1,200 restoration projects as a Superintendent and Project & Assistant Manager at Western.
The St. Louis Concrete Restoration Branch has served customers throughout Eastern Missouri and Southwestern Illinois since 1915. Commercial specialty services offered by the branch include caulking and sealants, carbon fiber reinforcement, chemical grout injection, concrete restoration, deck coatings and sealers, parking deck restoration, post tension repair, waterproofing and more.
Pogue is PTI Level 1 Certified through the Post-Tensioning Institute and is an active member of the Great Plains Chapter of the International Concrete Repair Institute (ICRI). The St. Louis Concrete Restoration Branch is recipient of the 2017 Building Enclosure Council Waterproofing Project of the Year, CETCO Waterproofing Project of the Year in 2012 and 2017, and Great Plains ICRI Project of the Year in 2014.
Guillermo Villegas Branch Manager of Los Angeles, CA Branch
Villegas has more than 16 years of construction industry experience. He started his career at Western in 2013 when he was hired as a Project Manager at the Los Angeles Branch. He served in that position for nearly five years until he was promoted to Assistant Branch Manager in 2017, then recently appointed Branch Manager. Prior to Western, he worked as a Department Manager at JTS Construction and Modular in Bakersfield, CA and as a Project Manager for Almira Restoration & Construction in Brea, CA.
Western’s Los Angeles Branch has been serving customers throughout Southern California since 1993. The Los Angeles office specializes in building cleaning, concrete restoration, epoxy and chemical grout injection, exterior wall coatings, masonry restoration, waterproofing, historical restoration and more.
In 2019, Villegas and his team were awarded the California Preservation Foundation’s Preservation Design Award for Technology and Craftsmanship for the branch’s role in conserving the Streamline Moderne facades of the historic Saban Building in Los Angeles. Villegas is a member of BOMA and IIBEC.
July 3, 2020
KAI Design Expands with Addition of Two
KAI Design proudly announces the hiring of Michael Andresen, AIA, CDT, LEED AP, as Project Manager.
As Project Manager, Andresen acts as the primary point of contact and the liaison between the owner/client and the design team on both public and private projects. He is responsible for the work quality, schedules and budget compliance for the project team.
He has 14 years of industry experience, having previously worked as a Project Manager for Vessel Architecture and Design in St. Louis and as an Architect at RDG Planning & Design in Des Moines, Iowa.
“Having Mike Andresen join our KAI Design team is a next growth plateau for our organization. He is a seasoned project manager with a wide range of project experience – including a particular emphasis with social infrastructure-driven markets such as community, education, healthcare and housing. Mike brings a well-rounded personal portfolio of solid business management, technical acumen and a passionate drive for design excellence. His alignment with KAI values, culture and mission are just terrific,” said KAI Managing Partner Brad Simmons, FAIA.
He is a Registered Architect with the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), LEED AP with the U.S. Green Building Council and CDT with the Construction Specifications Institute.
Over the last four years, he has worked as a Project Manager on six new construction and renovation projects in St. Louis totally more than half a million square feet of planning, design and construction. Prior to relocating to Missouri, Andresen spent 10 years working in central Iowa where he managed the sustainable design process on over 3 million square feet of new construction, including certifying 30 LEED projects – 10 of which achieved LEED Platinum certification.
Andresen has a Bachelor of Architecture with a Minor in Entrepreneurial Studies from Iowa State University. Andresen and his wife live in Olivette with their son.
KAI Engineering is proud to announce the addition of Ramona Nicula, PE LEED AP as Director of Electrical Engineering of its St. Louis office.
In her new position, Nicula will lead electrical engineering project design, work planning, electrical discipline recruitment and staff development. She will provide project oversight of St. Louis-led projects and lead the overall quality control of the electrical department.
“Ramona is a home run hire and a truly welcome addition to our KAI Engineering team. She brings a passion and commitment to engineering design excellence and meshes well with our KAI mission, culture and values,” said KAI Managing Partner Brad Simmons, FAIA. “Ramona is a mature industry veteran that brings a wide range of project experience. As a seasoned group leader, she is well known in our industry, understands our seller-model and is a proven performer with alternative delivery.”
Nicula has had a successful 25-year career in the industry, having previously served as Vice President of EDM Inc. and Engineering Manager at PayneCrest Electric, both of St. Louis.
She earned her engineering degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Transylvania University in Romania and an M.B.A. from University of Missouri – St. Louis. She is a member of the Electrical Board of Missouri and Illinois and is a licensed Professional Engineer in Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona, Texas, Maryland and California. She is also a LEED Accredited Professional through the U.S. Green Building Council.
When not working, Nicula enjoys skiing and biking. She resides in St. Louis with her husband and daughter.
KAI Enterprises is a national design and build firm providing delivery-oriented building solutions with a diverse portfolio of experience, in-house multi-discipline professionals, and expertise in both design and construction delivery. Founded in 1980, KAI has grown into one of the largest minority-owned firms in the AEC industry. KAI Enterprises is comprised of four distinct business units—KAI Design, KAI Engineering, KAI Build and KAI 360 Construction Services. To learn more about KAI, visit www.kai-db.com.