GEI board of directors elects Raymond Hart as president

BOSTON — GEI Consultants, Inc. announced that its two-year company leadership transition has culminated with the election of Raymond D. Hart, P.E., G.E., as the firm’s new president by GEI’s board of directors. Hart had served as GEI’s chief operating officer for the past seven years. He replaces Francis D. Leathers, P.E., F.ASCE, D.GE, who will return to full-time client practice after serving as GEI’s president for the past 14 years. As previously announced, Ronald Palmieri, P.E., formerly GEI senior vice president and central region manager, has been named GEI’s new chief operating officer, replacing Hart in that position.

Ray Hart, P.E., G.E., is a seasoned business operations leader who, prior to joining GEI in 2003 and serving as GEI’s COO for the past seven years, enjoyed a 25 year career at the California Department of Water Resources (DWR). He held numerous positions at the DWR, having led the development of the 1993 State Water Plan, having directed the State’s flood response efforts during the great floods of 1997 and 1998, and having managed the SWP through the 2001 energy crises in California. Mr. Hart was part of the National Levee Safety Review Team in 2008, where he reviewed work and provided suggestions for development of a strategic plan for a national levee program. A registered professional civil and geotechnical engineer, Hart joined GEI through its acquisition of venerable California water resources firm Bookman-Edmonston Engineering in 2003.

Leathers joined GEI in 1974, and in 1995, he became the first non-founder to serve as company president. Said Leathers: "I step away from the president’s role thrilled and invigorated by what GEI has become. Our guiding principles of client service, technical excellence, collaboration, and mutual respect are what drive GEI, and what drives me. I now desire to return to my roots in direct client engagement, while continuing to serve GEI as a member of its board of directors."

This leadership transition continues the strategic development of a national, integrated company leadership and management structure. Hart is based in GEI’s West region headquarters in Rancho Cordova, California, a suburb of Sacramento. New GEI COO Ron Palmieri is based in GEI’s Central region headquarters in Libertyville, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. Corporate and East region headquarters is located in Woburn, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston.