The latest People in the News highlighting new hires, promotions, honors & recognition of the men and women in the St. Louis building community.
Luthy Joins Louer Facility Planning
Brittany Luthy has joined Louer Facility Planning as an Interior Designer to work with its commercial clients on workplace design.
Brittany recently graduated from Southern Illinois University Carbondale with a Bachelor of Science Degree, Interior Design Specialty. At SIUC, she was the president of the student chapter of IIDA (International Interior Design Association), and was chosen to represent her class in the “Next” student design competition which is a national event. She also represented her class as at the IIDA Student Design Charette at Neocon, the premier commercial furniture exhibition and conference held each year in Chicago.
“I am pleased that Brittany has chosen to join our team of design professionals,” said Jane Louer, the Collinsville-based firm’s founder and president. “She brings a fresh new perspective, and a lot of enthusiasm to our team.”
Louer Facility Planning has been in business for 23 years, offering the latest trends and innovations in smart workspace furniture for clients across the St. Louis metro region. Louer Facility Planning’s clients include those in the corporate, financial, healthcare, government and educational sectors.
Kevin Davis Joins Remiger Design as Business Developer
Kevin Davis will assist in Remiger Design’s business development. The firm provides sustainable and functional architectural and design services for clients throughout the United States.
A St. Louis native, Davis has a diverse background in commercial real estate. He worked for U.S. Bank Corp. for seven years in a number of positions. He served as an asset manager in U.S. Bank’s Community Development Corp., overseeing more than $400 million in equity investments. Additionally, he provided project management for construction loans that were part of the bank’s tax credits.
His industry experience includes retail, higher education, residential, multifamily, industrial, healthcare, utilities and infrastructure. He also worked in his family’s construction business for several years.
“We are fortunate to land someone with Kevin’s background to enable Remiger to sustain its growth,” said Vern Remiger, founder and president of the firm. In particular, his expertise will help us further penetrate the higher education and healthcare fields.”
A graduate of Indiana University with a bachelor’s degree in finance, Davis lives in Chesterfield, MO, with his wife and four-year-old daughter.
Bill Wannstedt Elected President of Home Builders Association (HBA) of St. Louis & Eastern Missouri
Bill Wannstedt, vice president and division manager of Consort Homes, has been elected the 86th president of the Home Builders Association (HBA) of St. Louis & Eastern Missouri. The HBA is a local trade association of more than 600 member firms representing the residential construction industry.
KAI Hires Radhika Dharanipalan as Senior Project Manager
KAI announces the hiring of Senior Project Manager Radhika Dharanipalan, RA, NCARB, PMP, LEED AP BD+C, of Milton, Georgia at its Atlanta office.
As Senior Project Manager, Dharanipalan will be responsible for managing budgets, deliverables and schedules for multiple architecture and engineering projects of various sizes and across different sectors. She will interface with clients, prepare proposals and pricing, in addition to preparing prime- and sub-contracts in coordination with upper management and managing multi-office execution of projects.
“I pursued a position with KAI because it is a design-build firm, and I believe my work experience in the past makes it possible for me to be equally engaged with both design and construction,” said Dharanipalan. “My goals are to manage and successfully deliver a wide range of projects of different sizes across various sectors. Maintaining existing client relations and helping KAI extend their client network is an important part of my current role.”
Prior to KAI, Dharanipalan worked as Project Manager in Facility Design and Construction Services at Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Georgia; as a Project Coordinator at Smallwood, Reynolds, Stewart, Stewart & Associates, Inc. in Atlanta; and as a Junior Architect at Shilpa Architects in India. She has 15 years of industry experience.
Dharanipalan has a Bachelor of Architecture from Anna University in Chennai, India and a Master of Architecture and a Master of Science in Construction Management from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign.
She is a member of the Project Management Institute (PMI), National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) and U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).
Dharanipalan is a group fitness gym enthusiast and believes in adopting a healthy lifestyle. She is married and has two daughters. In her spare time, she serves on the Architecture Review Committee in Waterside Neighborhood and volunteers at Meals by Grace food pantry.
About KAI Enterprises
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. To learn more about KAI, visit www.kai-db.com.
November 8, 2019
Tim Simon Joins Holland Construction Services As A Senior Project Manager
Mike Marchal, President of Holland Construction Services (Holland), is pleased to announce that Tim Simon has joined the Holland team as a Senior Project Manager.
Tim comes to Holland with more than 10 years of experience in construction management working on a range of projects in multiple markets throughout the St. Louis area and the Metro East including K-12 Education, Multi-Family, Senior Living, and Commercial.
“What attracted me to Holland was the opportunity to work for a growing company,” Simon said. “I believe Holland is well diversified and respected in the industry and has the opportunity for self-growth.”
Marchal added, “Tim’s skillset and background will serve our clients’ needs on a variety of project types. His personality, attitude and work ethic are an excellent fit with our team and culture. We are proud to have Tim with us.”
Tim graduated from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville with a degree in construction management. He currently lives in Granite City with his wife and two sons.
Holland Construction Services is a full-service construction management, general contracting, and design/build firm based in Swansea, Ill., guided by the principle of providing clients the best possible building experience on every project. Holland has been providing quality construction services throughout Illinois and Missouri since 1986, when it was founded by company CEO Bruce Holland.
Murphy Company Adds Professional Staff
Jonathan Pool has joined Murphy Company, the area’s largest mechanical contractor, as account manager. The announcement was made by Ryan Kramer, service sales manager.
Pool most recently served as a new business development account manager for a large international manufacturer of commercial and residential HVAC equipment. Prior to that, he was a manager for health, safety and environment in a three-state Midwest region for the same manufacturer. From 2012 to 2013 he oversaw three production lines for Schreiber Foods Inc.
A veteran, Pool was in the U.S. Army from 2007 to 2012, serving as the 18th Airborne Corps safety officer in charge and also as the 18th Airborne redeployment and reintegration officer in charge at Fort Bragg. N.C., among other duties. He served in the U.S. Forces’ Iraq Enduring Operations as an executive officer, coordinating logistics, communications, supply and security for several sections.
He was deployed as an Air Defense artillery platoon leader in Iraq where he conducted and led daily convoy operations in and around Baghdad. He also was the executive officer in charge of maintenance for more than $40 million in government equipment.
Pool holds a bachelor’s degree from the Virginia Military Institute. Advanced studies include the Ingersoll Rand Sandler based methodology and Harvard mentor courses in project management, coaching and process improvement. He also attended the U.S. Army Airborne School.
He is a member of the National Airborne Association and is active in Big Brothers-Big Sisters.
Dennis J. Dudenhoeffer, CPD, has joined Murphy Company as senior project estimator. The announcement was made by Kevin Suiter, P.E.,vice president of estimating for the mechanical contractor.
A certified plumbing designer (CPD) by the American Society or Plumbing Engineers, Dudenhoeffer has been employed as a plumbing estimator/project manager and designer since 1989. He has broad experience designing interior plumbing, and site water mains/service lines as well as fire sprinkler, medical gas, and fuel oil systems for clients in the healthcare, higher education and technology markets.
He holds an associate’s degree in architectural engineering technology from Bailey Technical School. He also completed the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling-Contractors (PHCC) of America project management training course at Purdue University.
Greg Schaller Promoted to Chief Risk Officer at Midwest BankCentre
Greg Schaller has been promoted to chief risk officer at Midwest BankCentre. He was formerly senior vice president-audit.
Schaller is responsible for leading the bank’s risk management department, including the compliance department, loan and appraisal review, vendor management, business continuity processes and administrative oversight of the internal audit department. He partners with different bank business lines to review existing processes, evaluate risk tolerance, assist with implementing strategic initiatives, and assess new strategies to achieve efficiencies, expand audit coverage, and analyze data for meaningful insights into emerging risks, processes and performance measures.
Schaller is a 16-year veteran of the banking industry. He joined Midwest BankCentre in 2016.
“Greg brings a deep understanding of Midwest BankCentre’s business to his expanded role as chief risk officer,” said Marsha Benney, chief operating officer of the bank. “His consultative, strategy-focused approach and extensive industry background strengthen our leadership team.”
Schaller has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He continued his studies in community banking at the Graduate School of Banking at Colorado, recently graduating with honors. Schaller is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Missouri Society of Certified Public Accountants. He serves on the finance committee for Variety the Children’s Charity of St. Louis.
Midwest BankCentre, a mainstay of St. Louis community banking since 1906, 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. The bank works to empower people, enable business and energize neighborhoods through the strength of its financial services, including personalized consumer and business banking, business cash management, mortgage lending, home equity loans, financial planning and investments, insurance and digital banking. It ranks among St. Louis’ largest locally owned banks with assets exceeding $1.9 billion and deposits of $1.4 billion.
The bank is a local leader in the St. Louis Regional Unbanked Task Force and its Bank-On Save-Up St. Louis initiative. Since 2001, Midwest BankCentre has consecutively achieved the Bauer Financial 5-Star Superior financial rating each quarter. It was the national winner of the 2018 National Community Bank Service Awards by the Independent Community Bankers of America® (ICBA) for its success in bringing mainstream financial services to unbanked and underbanked citizens in the region.
October 27, 2019
Murphy Company Adds Professional Staff
James Green has joined Murphy Co., the area’s largest mechanical contracting and engineering firm, as an engineer. The announcement was made by Dan Murphy, HVAC manager for the Missouri Engineering Group. Green holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He is an engineer-in-training with the State of Missouri and is a member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE).
Following graduation in 2016, he worked as a lab technician for Monsanto (now Bayer) and, since 2017, has served as a quality assurance analyst with Wells Fargo. In addition to AutoCAD skills, he is experienced with chemical process unit operation including heat exchangers, pumps, turbines, reactors and distribution columns.
Rodger Dorrah, HFDP, has rejoined Murphy Co. as a senior HVAC designer. The announcement was made by Mike Werdes, vice-president, engineering for the mechanical contracting and engineering firm. Making the announcement, Werdes said, “We are thrilled to have Rodger rejoin our team. He has a total of 23 years’ experience with Murphy and more than 36 years’ experience in the industry working on major health-care, commercial and industrial projects in the St. Louis area and across the country.”
A certified Healthcare Facility Design Professional by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Dorrah also is a contributor to the ongoing improvement of ASHRAE’s certification exam. He is a member of the Missouri Society for Healthcare Engineering (MOSHE) and the American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE).
He holds an associate’s degree in applied science-architecture from St. Louis Community College at Meramec and has completed advanced coursework in HVAC, plumbing system design, building controls, LEAN construction, high-density data centers and healthcare design, just to name a few.
Murphy Co. has also added Adam Young as an engineer in its Engineering Group. A 2019 graduate, Young holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering with a minor in mathematics from the University of Missouri-Columbia. While a student he worked for a building contractor and as a contractor assistant. He also completed a summer mechanical engineering internship with a St. Louis contractor, working on a major hospital project.
Founded in 1907, Murphy Company is one of the nation’s top mechanical contracting firms delivering innovative solutions to the commercial, industrial and institutional markets. The firm employs more than 1,000 people nationwide. For more information, visit www.murphynet.com.
Kwame Building Group Hires Michael Thompson as a Marketing Business Developer
Michael Thompson has joined Kwame Building Group, Inc. (KWAME), one of the nation’s top pure construction management firms, as a Marketing Business Developer. Thompson’s responsibilities are to support KWAME’s diverse business goals and objectives by building and maintaining mutually beneficial, long-term relationships with prospective and existing clients.
Thompson has more than four years of marketing and digital media experience. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Maryville University.
Kwame Building Group, Inc. (KWAME) is one of the nation’s top pure construction management firms, dedicating 100 percent of its resources to project management services. For more information, visit www.kwamebuildinggroup.com or call (314) 862-5344.
Spellman Brady Hires New CFO/COO Patty Boyd
Spellman Brady & Company, an award-winning interior design firm, is pleased to announce that Patty Boyd has joined the firm as its Chief Financial and Chief Operating Officer. In her new role, Ms. Boyd is a member of the firm’s leadership team and is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the firm’s financial, operational and human resources activities.
Ms. Boyd, a certified public accountant, brings over 30 years of financial and operational experience. Previously serving from Senior Vice President to Chief Financial Officer for the FAMCO Group at Ziegler Capital Management, she led strategic initiatives, operational modeling and financial planning. She has developed a reputation for collaborating effectively with companies’ executive leadership to achieve targeted goals and brings a proven record of success in strengthening a firm’s profitability and executing strategic plans. Ms. Boyd graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Accounting from the University of Missouri – St. Louis.
Spellman Brady & Company is an award-winning interior design firm specializing in senior living, healthcare, and higher education environments. The firm maintains design excellence by delivering comprehensive interior design, furniture, artwork master planning, and procurement services. For more information about Spellman Brady & Company, please visit spellmanbrady.com.
S. M. Wilson Promotes Rebecca Cornatzer To Chief Human Resources Officer
S. M. Wilson & Co. has promoted Rebecca Cornatzer to Chief Human Resources Officer.
Cornatzer joined S. M. Wilson in 2017 and has proven to be an integral part of the team. In just over two years, she has led strategic human resources initiatives related to personnel policy, professional development and talent and performance management. In her role as Chief Human Resources Officer, Cornatzer will continue to have ultimate responsibility for all aspects of the company’s Human Resources Department functions. She will also be involved in long-range planning and monitoring business performance and risk management with a focus on developing and executing human resources initiatives in support of the company’s strategic direction.
Cornatzer sits on the company’s Employee Engagement Committee, Planning Committee and ESOP Committee. Outside of S. M. Wilson, she serves as a Board Member and Past President of the Board of Directors for Aim High St. Louis. Cornatzer is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), a Certified Administrator of the Institute for Work Attitude and Motivation (iWAM) and holds a Bachelors in Psychology from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and a Masters in Education from the University of Missouri-Saint Louis.
S. M. Wilson is a full-service construction management, design/build and general contracting firm with headquarters in St. Louis. The employee-owned company is dedicated to going above and beyond expectations for their clients by putting people first. For more information, visit www.smwilson.com.