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Professional Firms Employee News
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SWBR News
SWBR Announces Two Employees Election to Board of Directors; Architect Earns WELL Accreditation; Two Promotions; Three New Team Members; and, New Central New York Leader
Chris Jahn, AIA Matthew Weber, PE Elizabeth Reynolds, AIA Jasmine Calhoun
Tom Thompson Nikki Coley Micaela Foster Regina Startzel
SWBR announces the election of Chris Jahn, AIA, and Matthew Weber, PE, to its Board of Directors. Board members’ responsibilities include the implementation of corporate procedures and controls and formulation of overall business plans, operations, market objectives and strategies.
Senior Associate and Senior Project Manager Chris Jahn has spent most of his career designing facilities for higher education. His recent notable projects include the Alternative Energy Building at SUNY Morrisville, the new Multidisciplinary Building at Cornell, and the award-winning Townsend Hall at the University at Buffalo. In addition to his design portfolio, he leads the firm’s higher education business development efforts. Jahn earned a master of architecture and a master of science in civil engineering and construction management from the University of Illinois.
Senior Associate and Structural Engineer Matthew
20 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER AUGUST 2022 Weber was re-elected to the board and provides structural analysis and innovative and collaborative design solutions for educational, industrial, commercial, and affordable housing projects. He serves on the finance committee and provides leadership within the structural department. Weber earned a bachelor of science in civil engineering from Clarkson University.
SWBR also announced that Project Architect Elizabeth Reynolds, AIA, has completed the required exam and is now a WELL Accredited Professional (WELL AP).
Administered by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), WELL is the leading tool for advancing health and well-being in buildings globally. New and existing buildings can strive to achieve the standards set forth by WELL to receive a Silver, Gold, or Platinum certification for their project.
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As a WELL AP, Reynolds works with clients who are interested in pursuing a WELL certified project and helps them design healthier and more focused buildings using the established WELL standard. She earned her bachelor of science in Architectural Technology from SUNY College of Technology at Alfred and has been with the firm since 2017.
The firm also announced the promotion of Jasmine Calhoun to Senior Finance Specialist and Tom Thompson to Construction Administration Department Manager. Thompson now manages the firm’s inhouse construction administration team, which ensures accuracy and integrity of the project design through project completion.
Calhoun joined the firm as a finance specialist in 2020. In her new role, she is responsible for payroll processing, software training, expense report management, and assisting the controller with monthly and year-end reporting. She graduated from the University at Albany with a bachelor’s in actuarial science and a minor in business and economics.
Thompson brought significant client-based construction management experience to SWBR when he joined the firm as a construction administrator in 2020. In his new role, he is responsible for managing the construction administration phase, including staff supervision, procedure training, and performing field visits to ensure that projects are meeting the design intent and clients’ expectations. He received a bachelor of arts and science in education from Syracuse University and a master of science in project management from Boston University.
“In addition to his considerable construction administration experience, Tom is a dedicated client relationship manager,” said President Tom Gears, AIA. “His commitment to focusing on the customer, and the customer’s stakeholders, aligns with our mission to positively impact lives through meaningful design.”
SWBR would also like to welcome finance specialist Nikki Coley and administrative assistants Micaela
professional firms employee news Foster and Regina Startzel.
Coley brings significant accounting experience and a strong bookkeeping background to the firm. As part of the finance department, she is responsible for financials for the firm’s Troy office and corporate accounts payable. She has a bachelor of science in business management.
As part of the administrative team, Foster is responsible for various business agreements, proposal letters, and coordinating the firm’s continuing education sessions. She has a bachelor of science in business management from Keuka College.
Startzel brings over 25 years of experience to her role as administrative assistant. She provides construction administration support and assists with various business agreements, technical documents, and proposals.
Jeffrey Spenard, AIA, has been hired to manage the Central New York operations.
In a career spanning 35 years, Spenard has worked at several national design firms in Regina Startzel multiple roles. In his new role, he provides staff leadership and project and business operations management for the firm’s Syracuse office. He is also responsible for identifying and developing new business opportunities. “I am proud to provide leadership to the great team we have in Syracuse,” said Spenard. “I am looking forward to further developing our existing client relationships and expanding our diverse portfolio in this region.
Spenard has an associates of architectural design from SUNY Onondaga Community College. q
AUGUST 2022 The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 21
Professional Firms Employee News
Bergmann News
Bergmann Celebrates Retirement of Two Long-Standing Leaders Mark McAnany and Dave Thurnherr
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Bergmann, an affiliate of Colliers Engineering & Design, is honoring the retirement of two long-standing leaders and notable members of Rochester’s engineering community, Mark McAnany, PE, Principal and Dave Thurnherr, PE, former Vice President, Northeast Infrastructure. Both men have been employed at the firm for nearly 40 years. They were honored in early June at a celebration at the firm’s Rochester office.
Mark McAnany, Principal
McAnany joined the firm’s transportation team in 1983 and over the course of his career held numerous technical and leadership roles. He served as Northeast Highway Practice Leader for many years before stepping into the role of Principal in 2020 to focus on client and government relations. McAnany built an impressive project portfolio and team, which contributed to establishing Bergmann’s reputation as a leader in community-focused, transformative transportation design. He played important roles in numerous critical transportation projects across the region, including the transformation of the Scajaquada Corridor (Route 198) in Buffalo, upgrading of the NY17/I-81 interchange in Binghamton, the City of Rochester’s Inner Loop North transformation study and the City’s Aqueduct Reimagined project, which is in progress today. He served on many industry and community boards, served on Bergmann’s Board of Directors and was named 2013 Engineer of the Year by the Rochester Section of the ASCE. McAnany’s final day at the firm was June 3, 2022.
John Hubert, Bergmann’s Vice President, Northeast Infrastructure shared: “Mark has been instrumental in promoting Bergmann’s transportation practices over the last 30 plus years, guiding some of our most prolific transportation projects and growing our reputation with such key clients as NYSDOT, NYSTA, City of Rochester, and Monroe County. His years of external involvement with industry and regional organizations in many ways made him the face of Bergmann in the NYS transportation market. We are sad to see Mark go, but he has left us in a great place and well positioned for continued growth.”
Thurnherr retired from his role of Vice President, Northeast Infrastructure in October 2021 after 37 years with Bergmann. He has since been serving in an advisory capacity. Over the years Thurnherr applied his civil and structural engineering expertise to a wide range of projects, including rail, bridge, waterways and buildings. Under Thurnherr’s leadership, the Northeast Infrastructure group experienced record growth, expanding service offerings, deepening the bench of impressive talent and contributing to some of the most notable road, bridge and structural projects across the region. He encouraged an entrepreneurial mindset among staff and focused on delivering the highest quality of work for clients. Over the course of his career, he established an impressive resume that includes flagship projects such as the Corning Bypass for NYSDOT, Stutson Street Liftbridge, Manayunk Railroad Bridge for SEPTA in Philadelphia, Walkway Over the Hudson in the Hudson Valley and numerous Erie Canal Rehabilitation projects. Thurnherr served multiple terms on Bergmann’s Board of Directors and held professional affiliations with ASCE, AISC and AREMA.
John Hubert, Bergmann’s Vice President, Northeast Infrastructure shared: “Under Dave’s leadership, a culture of teamwork and entrepreneurship was fostered within the Northeast Infrastructure group, which led to a consistent pattern of growth and development. Dave went out of his way to establish personal relationships with staff and support them in their careers, which has resulted in many key staff having long tenures, some for their entire careers. This continued after his formal retirement last year, actively supporting me as his successor and our integration with Colliers Engineering & Design. We thank Dave for all he has done to set us on this path of continued success.” q
22 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER AUGUST 2022 professional firms employee news
Fisher Associates News
Fisher Associates Adds Director of Plannng and Landscape Architecture Talent in Rochester
Donald Naetzker
John Reddington
Michael Paw
Fisher Associates continues to expand and recently added new talent in its Rochester office. The recent hires — which include new leadership for its growing Planning team — reflect the firm’s commitment to serving clients’ evolving needs through responsible and sustainable growth.
Joining Fisher Associates in Rochester are:
Donald Naetzker, RLA, ASLA, CNU, APA is the firm’s new Director of Planning. With over 39 years of diverse experience as a consultant, owner, businessman, agency staff, and builder, he brings a wealth of knowledge to the firm. Don’s work ranges from entrepreneurial private-sector ventures to public sector planning and capital improvements.
Joining Trowbridge Wolf Michaels (TWMLA), a Fisher Associates Landscape Architecture Studio, in Rochester are:
John Reddington, RLA, ASLA is a Senior Project Manager. He has nearly 25 years of experience in the fields of landscape architecture, planning, and land development. He is an expert in sustainable design practices, stormwater management, and the LEED certification process. John previously worked at Fisher Associates from 2013 to 2017.
Michael Paw is a Landscape Designer who recently received his bachelor of landscape architecture at State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry. q
Passero Associates News
Fabio Bendaña joins Passero Associates as Aviation Buildings Program Manager
Passero Associates welcomes Fabio Bendaña to our Northeast Aviation Services Team in the Rochester office as Aviation Buildings Program Manager. Fabio joins the firm with over 20 years of experience in the aviation industry. He has worked at CHA Consulting, RW Armstrong, and most recently held the position of Director of Construction Manager Services/ Aviation Team Leader at Popli Design Group. Fabio has collaborated with Passero over the years in various aviation projects such as the Canopy for the Terminal Improvements Program at the Frederick Douglass - Greater Rochester International Airport. Currently, he is working at the Newport News - Williamsburg Airport in Virginia. Fabio’s experience working with governmental agencies, airport authorities, airlines, and regulatory agencies will be a great asset to the firm. Fabio holds a master’s in architecture from Florida International University, and a master’s in chemical engineering from Louisiana State University. Fabio Bendaña q
professional firms employee news AUGUST 2022 The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 23
Professional Firms Employee News
Lu Engineers News
Lu Engineers Announced Valente Earns PE Accreditation
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Lu Engineers announced that Paul Valente, PE, has passed the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam and is now an accredited Professional Engineer licensed to practice in New York State. The announcement was made by Cletus Ezenwa, PE, CEO.
Paul Valente, PE
Mr. Valente joined the Transportation Group in 2019, following graduation from SUNY Buffalo where he earned a BS in civil engineering. In his role as a certified Engineer-inTraining (EIT) with the firm, Mr. Valente has worked on multiple assignments for high-profile public clients, including the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), Monroe County Department of Transportation (MCDOT), New York State Thruway Authority (NYSTA), and the City of Rochester (COR). His diverse responsibilities have included working as a design engineer on multiple access road improvements, including those for the Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport; serving as a transportation engineer for multiple rehabilitation and resurfacing projects throughout Monroe County; construction inspection of multi-million dollar Locally Administered Federal Aid (LAFA) projects to ensure conformance to plans and specifications; assisting with inspection of more than 100 local and State-owned bridges for NYSDOT and NYSTA; hydraulic evaluations of existing and proposed culvert systems; traffic data collection, assessment and analyses; and drafting and review of plans and preparation of engineer’s estimates for bidding.
Paul is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and holds safety and training certifications from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the National Highway Institute (NHI), and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). His community commitments include Habitat for Humanity. q
Beardsley Architects + Engineers News
Beardsley Architects + Engineers announced that Nathan B. Stultz has joined the firm as a plumbing and mechanical designer, and Kyle T. Daddario has joined as a architectural designer in the Auburn office.
Nathan B. Stultz
Mr. Stultz has 13 years of experience with the design of plumbing and fire protection systems and has been responsible for developing designs for new construction, investigating on-site conditions, and reviewing existing documentation to create virtual models of existing building systems. He
24 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER AUGUST 2022 is highly proficient utilizing BIM applications for REVIT, having implemented REVIT systems company-wide and serving as a BIM and REVIT resource for staff.
Kyle T. Daddario
Mr. Daddario is a 2022 graduate of Onondaga Community College with a degree in architectural technology. Mr. Daddario will be working on projects in the higher education and commercial market sectors. q
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