Awards, promotions, and new hires

Freese and Nichols, Inc. bolstered its energy services by adding Oil & Gas Group Manager and Practice Leader Dan McKenzie, P.E. McKenzie has almost four decades of experience in gas processing, treating, gathering, compression design, construction, operation, and optimization. Freese and Nichols, Inc. hired three planners in its Urban Planning + Design Group in Texas and Oklahoma: Chance Sparks, Dawn Warrick, and Eleana Tuley. Sparks has more than 15 years of planning and management experience and has worked for the Cities of Buda, San Marcos and Bulverde in Central Texas. Warrick is a project manager in Tulsa and has more than 23 years of municipal planning experience, including seven years as the City of Tulsa’s planning director. Tuley is based in Freese and Nichols’ Dallas office and has more than six years of experience in both the public and private sectors. The firm also hired John Fishburne, P.E., a former top engineer for the City of Charlotte, to expand water/wastewater services in North Carolina. He has almost 20 years of experience through both the city and his own firm in managing a variety of pipeline rehabilitation and replacement projects.

Mehrafarid Ghoreishi, Ph.D., P.E., joined Cardno as a senior structures engineer in the company’s Clearwater, Fla., office. He has more than 20 years of experience in structural and bridge engineering and transportation planning.

Neel-Schaffer, Inc. promoted Sonny Smoak, P.E., to a senior vice president role, and Steve Cockerham, P.E.; Richard Sullivan, P.E.; and Stan Wright, P.E., are now vice presidents with the firm. Smoak, with almost 20 years of experience, manages transportation and environmental projects and works in business development for the firm throughout the South Texas area. Cockerham has 25 years of experience, including 20 years as a project manager for civil, environmental, and water resources projects. Sullivan, with more than 20 years of experience, serves as Tennessee operations manager, overseeing the Nashville, Murfreesboro, and Memphis offices. Wright has more than 20 years of experience in the design, management, and marketing of transportation and roadway projects.

OHM Advisors added three new shareholders: Lambrina Tercala P.E., ENV SP; George Tsakoff, P.E.; and Matt Wendling, P.E. Tercala started her career with OHM Advisors in 2014 as a wastewater design engineer in the firm’s environmental water resources group. With more than 20 years of experience, Tsakoff provides leadership for several major municipal partners in southeast Michigan. Wendling has more than 22 years’ experience, including feasibility studies, alternatives analysis, structural design, roadway design, non-motorized network design, and wetland mitigation oversight.

Baxter & Woodman, Inc. appointed Rebecca Travis to the position of Florida Division manager, overseeing business development efforts of the West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and Key West offices. Throughout her 35-year career, Travis has served in both managerial and technical roles related to municipal stormwater, roadway, and utility projects.

Roderic A. Sechrist, P.E., joined GPI as transportation operations and asset management specialist for its New York State offices, which include Buffalo, Rochester, Albany, Manhattan, and Long Island. He joined GPI after a 32-year career with New York State Department of Transportation, from which he retired in 2016.

Albert Meyer, Jr., and Lea Cosenza were named associates at  The Harman Group, a firm specializing in structural engineering and parking planning and design. Meyer has 26 years of structural design experience across a variety of project types, including hospitality, gaming, and residential. Cosenza specializes in structural engineering for new buildings, expansions, overbuilds, and historic renovations.

Waldrop Engineering hired James Ink, P.E., as director of operations for the firm’s downtown Fort Myers, Fla., office. His more than 35 years of consulting experience includes waterfront-related development, including marinas, resort-hospitality, residential design, and jurisdictional permitting and compliance. Waldrop also hired Fred Drovdlic, AICP, as principal planner/senior project manager in the firm’s Bonita Springs, Fla., office. He has 20 years of experience in planning and development consulting, with specialization in zoning entitlements, land use and comprehensive community planning, master site design, and public outreach.

Stantec expanded its water practice in North Carolina, hiring Stephanie Holloman as water/wastewater practice leader in Raleigh where she will mentor and manage a team of design professionals and technicians. She has extensive experience in the municipal water/wastewater infrastructure field, ranging from collection and conveyance to potable water treatment and wastewater reclamation.