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Professional Firms - Employee News
Passero Associates News
Passero Associates Welcomes New Shareholders
Passero Associates proudly announces the addition of new shareholders, including the first female shareholder of the firm, Mira Mejibovsky.
Expanded Firm Ownership
Firm ownership creates opportunities for key Passero staff to invest in the firm and help drive its culture and strategic plan. Long-tenured shareholders Andrew Holesko, CM, CEO; Jess Sudol, PE, President; and David Passero, CFO realized the achievement of this key strategic goal with the addition of the following new shareholders:
Mira Mejibovsky, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Associate / Senior Project Architect. Ms. Mejibovsky has over 36 years of experience in the industry, and over 16 years of service within the firm. Ms. Mejibovsky is based in the firm’s Rochester, New York office and is the first female shareholder in the firm’s 50-year history.
“I am honored to be a first female shareholder and feel privileged to be a part of leadership team of Passero Associates. I look forward to using my experience and expertise to contribute to the growth and success of our outstanding firm.” – Mira Mejibovsky, AIA
David Cox, PE, MBA, Associate / Manager of Civil Engineering. Mr. Cox has over 21 years of experience in the industry and over 11 years of service within the firm. Mr. Cox is based in the firm’s Rochester, New York office, leading the civil engineering department in New York state.
“It is truly amazing to work for such an incredible company like Passero. The greatest people, serving top notch clients, on cool projects with cutting edge technology. It doesn’t get much better than that.” – David Cox, PE
Peter Wehner, AIA, LEED AP BD+C Vice President / Director of Architecture Services.
Mr. Wehner has over 31 years of experience in the industry, and over 14 years of service to the firm. Mr. Wehner is based in the firm’s Rochester, New York office.
“My 14 years of client service and management at Passero Associates have prepared me well for this new role. I am honored and excited to be an integral part of firm leadership as an Architect.” – Peter Wehner, AIA
Mr. Bonecutter has over 26 years of experience in the industry, and over seven years of service to the firm. Mr. Bonecutter is based in the firm’s Dayton, Ohio office.
”It is an honor and a privilege to be a new shareholder in the firm. Passero Associates is fortunate to have extremely talented people within all levels of the organization, and I look forward to helping the leadership team as we continue to grow, serve our clients, and bring value to the communities in which we work.” - Jeff Bonecutter, PE
Bradley Wente, PE Vice President / Director of Southeast Aviation Services.
Mr. Wente has over 24 years of experience in the industry, and over four years of service to the firm. Mr. Wente is based in the firm’s St. Augustine, Florida office.
“I am so grateful to be affiliated with Passero Associates. We are blessed with great people, exceptional clients, and meaningful projects. I look forward to a bright future with PA: expanding our existing services and developing new capabilities while maintaining our strong customer focus.” – Bradley Wente, PE q
Bergmann News
Bergmann's Laura Cooney Honored Among 2021 Rochester Business Journal Women of Excellence
Rochester Business Journal has selected Laura M. Cooney, AIA, NCARB, Northeast Architecture and Interior Design Discipline Leader at national architecture, engineering and planning firm Bergmann, as a 2021 Women of Excellence honoree.
Cooney joined Bergmann in 2015 and has been a dedicated and effective leader for the growing team, ensuring staff receive the necessary professional development to succeed in their roles while providing critical architectural and code compliance expertise for a range of clients across the company’s portfolio. Her commitment to the industry and professional advancement extends beyond her role at Bergmann as well, having played an important role in the initial development of Rochester Institute of Technology’s Master of Architecture program.
“Laura has a natural ability to mentor staff and model the way for developing architects and interior designers. Her approachability and tireless investment in our young professionals are consistent with Bergmann’s values and those of the American Institute of Architects,” said Andrew Raus, AICP, senior vice president, Bergmann. “Laura embodies the purpose of this award. She is a leader in her profession, a mentor to up and coming professionals, a technical expert and an active volunteer. We are proud to count her as a valued member of our team.”
Cooney serves as a diligent champion for women in architecture, both those currently in the industry and future practitioners. She is an active member and leader of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), previously serving as president and as a board member for many years of the Rochester chapter, and as Rochester’s AIA NYS State Director. In 2013, Cooney launched “Girls in Architecture” (now known now as “Girls in Architecture and Engineering”) with the Rochester chapter. The program introduces female middle school students from across Monroe County to career opportunities in these traditionally maledominated STEM disciplines and encouraging them to take STEM classes in high school
Prior to joining Bergmann, Cooney started her own business, offering building code consultations to design professionals. To provide further value to fellow architects and engineers in the community and statewide, Cooney also developed continuing education programs to teach peers about the latest in continuously changing building codes, extending her compliance expertise to projects throughout New York State, and establishing herself as a trusted advisor for clients and colleagues alike.
"The 2021 Women of Excellence honorees are at the pinnacle of their careers. They are making a difference at work, at home and in their communities," said Suzanne Fischer-Huettner, group publisher of the Rochester Business Journal. "In addition, they are mentoring other women to achieve greatness. We at the Rochester Business Journal are pleased to celebrate their many accomplishments."
Established in 2018, the Women of Excellence awards recognize high-achieving women for their professional experience, community involvement, leadership, and sustained commitment to mentoring. Forty winners were selected by a panel of judges comprised of previous Women of Excellence and Circle of Excellence honorees. The Women of Excellence awards will be presented at an online celebration at 5:30 p.m. May 25.
