MWH Global announces chairman of the board transition

BROOMFIELD, COLO. — MWH Global announced that the firm’s executive chairman, Robert B. Uhler, stepped down from his executive chairman role and became chairman emeritus on Dec. 14, 2012. Uhler’s decision to retire from the board follows a remarkable career with the global environmental engineering company spanning more than three decades of continuous service to the firm and its shareholders.

Uhler’s move to chairman emeritus represents the culmination of a leadership transition that began in November 2011 when Uhler and the company selected Alan Krause to take over the role as president and chief executive officer. In addition to his current role, Krause was named chairman of the Board of Directors on Dec. 14, 2012.

As executive chairman for the last year and CEO for the 11 years prior, Uhler has been an inspirational leader, developing MWH into a global engineering, consulting and construction firm that consistently sits high in global industry rankings. During his tenure as CEO, MWH increased its revenue 66 percent to annual revenues of more than $1.5 billion. The company now employs a team of 7,500 people in 35 countries.

“I have great admiration for Bob’s energy and accomplishments, and his leadership has been pivotal in the growth of MWH into a truly global enterprise,” said Krause. "Thanks to Bob’s strategic direction and brand emphasis, MWH is the world’s leader in the wet infrastructure sector. On behalf of the Board of Directors, our shareholders and employees, I am grateful for his innumerable contributions to the company and his distinguished tenure as executive chairman and as CEO.His conscientious stewardship helped create a sustainable business that positively influences employees, clients and communities around the world."

"Leading MWH has been a real privilege," Uhler said. "I am proud of all of my colleagues who have worked side-by-side with me to expand our service offerings and geographies to have MWH recognized for its wet infrastructure brand and purpose of Building a Better World."

During his career with MWH, Uhler was instrumental in charting the private company’s growth and expansion, focusing on a single water-related sector.

Uhler’s career began following graduation from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. His distinguished military career included decorated combat command in Vietnam. While serving in the U.S. Army, Uhler earned his master of engineering degree at the University of Florida. Following his military service, Uhler joined Water and Air Research in Gainesville, Fla. In 1976, he joined James. M. Montgomery, the U.S. predecessor to MWH, as a water and wastewater treatment design engineer in the company’s former Pasadena, Calif., headquarters. Throughout his career, Uhler held a succession of management positions at MWH including regional manager, chief of corporate strategy, industrial and federal sector COO and Americas president. In 2001, Uhler assumed the CEO role and added the role of chairman in 2009.

Uhler completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School. He is a certified Professional Civil and Environmental Engineer, a diplomat for the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and a Certified Value Engineer for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. He currently serves on the Dean’s advisory board for the University of Florida and the University of Colorado, Denver business school, and he is a member of the board of directors for the Smithsonian Institute’s National Museum of American History.