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Top Engineering Executives Join Forces with Finley

Top Engineering Executives Join Forces with Finley

TALLAHASSEE, Florida – Two former senior executives at engineering powerhouse Parsons Corporation have joined forces with mid-sized specialty engineering firm FINLEY Engineering Group (FINLEY). Jim Shappell, former president of Parsons Transportation Group, joined the FINLEY Board of Directors, while former Senior Vice President T.A. (TAG) Goodwin is now a Director, focused primarily on leading FINLEY’s strategic business development. 

Founded in 2004, FINLEY is recognized nationally and internationally for its expertise in complex bridge projects of all kinds. Founder and CEO Craig Finley spent three years at Parsons after it acquired his prior firm, Finley McNary, Inc., in 2001. 

“We’re thrilled to have these two top-notch industry leaders join our firm,” says Finley. “I reported to Jim at Parsons and he is the best that I’ve ever worked with at strategy, corporate positioning and playing the game ‘over the horizon.’ He keeps FINLEY focused on the business in the long term, as opposed to getting sidetracked by day-to-day issues. He brings us a perspective that we just didn’t have. 

“TAG and I also worked together at Parsons and he is a big-time, business development pro,” continued Finley. “He is as good at building relationships as anyone I’ve ever met. The fact that Jim and TAG are joining us speaks volumes about how a relatively small firm of 40 people can have a major impact in a niche market like ours.” 

In addition to its Tallahassee headquarters, FINLEY has an office in Prague, Czech Republic. While it has worked on significant bridge projects coast-to-coast, domestically and throughout North America, FINLEY’s portfolio also includes current and past projects in Asia, Europe, Africa, South America and the Middle East. 

“I’ve known Craig a long time and I consider him a pioneer in applying engineering solutions to make the bridge construction and rehabilitation process more efficient and cost-effective,” says Shappell, who spent 45 years at Parsons and also served as Group Executive for parent Parsons Corporation. “They’re not a big company, but they have a national and international reach. One of my roles will be to keep the focus on that, because this is an industry where you can very quickly find yourself becoming a regional firm. That’s not who they are.” 

Goodwin says, “I’m thoroughly impressed with the highly educated, innovative and enthusiastic team of technologists that FINLEY has assembled. The investments that FINLEY’s leadership has made in world-class technology and computer modeling, placed in the hands of an A-plus team, is the ideal platform to allow us to continue providing uniquely efficient design and construction solutions for complex bridges to our growing set of valued clients.” 

Shappell and Goodwin also bolster FINLEY’s knowledge, experience and capabilities in design-build and public-private partnership (P3) projects.