Alabama

Hoar Construction LLC of Birmingham, Ala., recently announced the promotions of Brian Cook to Texas Division Manger and Michael Parks to Florida Division Manager.

Cook and Parks started their careers with Hoar as co-op students while pursuing their degrees in building science at Auburn University. Each will be responsible for all management and operations in their respective offices.

"Both of these individuals have outstanding leadership skills. Combined with their strong work ethic and guided by Hoar Construction's core values, we expect them to lead our regional divisions to the next level of achievement," said Rob Burton, president and chief executive officer.

Hoar Construction, established in 1940, has offices in Houston, Nashville, Birmingham and Orlando.

Arkansas

McClelland Consulting Engineers Inc. of Little Rock, Ark., recently announced that the following employees have passed the Arkansas Professional Engineering Exam and are now Certified Professional Engineers: Dan Beranek, Daniel Barnes, Stacy Akin and Ryan Gill.

Beranek was the project engineer on many projects in central Arkansas, including Heifer Project and the Clinton Presidential Library. He is a graduate of Marquette University and has been with MCE for seven years.

Barnes is a native of Fordyce, Ark., and has been the project engineer on several airport projects across the state. He is a graduate of Louisiana Tech University and has been with MCE for five years.

Akin has been the project engineer on several projects in central Arkansas as well as the cities of Hazen and Dumas. He is a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and has been with MCE for four years.

Gill has been the project engineer on several airport projects in northwest Arkansas. Ryan is a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and has been with MCE for three years.

Also, MCE has hired Eric Richardson of Benton as its newest project engineer. Richardson has more than four years experience in civil design, including construction experience with large civil projects. He is a graduate of Arkansas State University and has a BSCE from that institution.

Louisiana

James Construction Group LLC of Baton Rouge, La., recently announced that its executive chairman, Robert Tinstman, will retire from his current position in April and assume a role on the company's board of directors. JCG also announced the immediate implementation of key changes in the company's upper management structure.

Assuming the leadership responsibilities is Michael Killgore, who has been appointed chief executive officer. Killgore began his career in 1977 as an estimator/engineer for T. L. James & Co. and has served as president of JCG's Industrial Group since 1993. He has a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Louisiana Tech University, is a licensed professional engineer and has 30 years of experience in highway, industrial and environmental construction.

Danny Hester has been named chief operating officer with responsibility for the overall field operations of the company. Hester joined JCG in 2002 as senior vice president of the company's Heavy Civil Group after a successful career with Morrison-Knudsen. He has a bachelor's degree in construction management from Northern Arizona University and nearly 35 years of industry experience.

Donald Bonaventure, JCG's chief financial officer, will continue to serve in that capacity. Bonaventure joined the company in 1993 as CFO of James Industrial Constructors. His résumé includes experience in the construction, engineering and pipe fabrication industries. He has a bachelor's degree in accounting from Southeastern Louisiana University and 35 years of professional experience.

James Construction Group provides quality construction services to both public and private clients.

The Lemoine Co. LLC of Lafayette, La., recently announced the addition of four new employees.

John Barton has joined The Lemoine Co. as senior project manager. Barton comes to Lemoine with more than 25 years of experience in the construction industry. Previously employed by Harrison, Walker & Harper Inc. of Paris, Texas, he has been involved in many diverse projects.

Byron Law comes to The Lemoine Co. as a senior estimator from Carl E. Woodward LLC of New Orleans. Law has more than seven years of estimating experience.

Allen Westerchil joins The Lemoine Co. team from Azteca Construction. He will be stationed in Lafayette as a project manager.

Loren White has joined The Lemoine Co. as a senior project manager. White comes to Lemoine with more than 10 years of construction experience. Previously employed by Walton Construction Co. of New Orleans, he will be stationed in the Baton Rouge area.

The Lemoine Co. provides construction management, general contracting and design-build construction services in the southern region markets.

Grady C. Golden, president and chairman of Builders Supply Co. Inc. of Shreveport, received the Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce's "Business Leader of the Year" award during a recent Chamber event in Shreveport, La.

"Under Grady Golden's leadership, his company has grown from one to eight operations located throughout Northwest Louisiana. This, plus his faithful service to the community, made him most deserving of this special recognition," said Bob Hamm of Berg Inc. of Shreveport, chairman of the chamber's Senior Council and a past chairman of the chamber's board of directors.

Hamm also lauded Builders Supply for "maintaining a record of supporting the chamber and the construction industry for more than a decade."

Builders Supply Co. has furnished concrete and building materials for homes, apartments, commercial buildings and other projects including the newly opened Libby Glass Regional Distribution Facility and Shreveport's new convention center and parking garage.

The chamber annually presents the award to a Northwest Louisiana business owner or leader who is an established business executive, a proven leader and has made significant contributions for the betterment of the city.

Louisiana Workers' Compensation Corporation (LWCC) recently announced the hiring of Bruce Lambert as director of safety and loss prevention. In this position, Lambert will oversee the strategic direction for LWCC's loss prevention services programs for policyholders.

Lambert previously was a safety management specialist and ergonomist for the Maine Employers Mutual Insurance Company (MEMIC) in Portland, Maine. He also has held positions with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Department of Navy.

Lambert earned a bachelor's degree in industrial technology from the University of Southern Maine. He is a Certified Safety Professional and a Certified Construction Health and Safety Technician and is a member of the American Society of Safety Engineers and International Industrial Engineers.

LWCC is a private, nonprofit mutual insurance company based in Baton Rouge.

SJB Group LLC of Baton Rouge recently announced that Scott Guinn has joined the Parks & Planning Group as senior landscape architect.

Guinn joins SJB Group with 14 years of experience and a large project portfolio.

In his new role, Guinn will be responsible for providing and managing land planning and landscape architecture services for community, residential, institutional, commercial, mixed-use and recreation projects. These services include conceptual and schematic designs, site and master plans, landscape and irrigation plans and specifications, cost estimates, construction documents and construction administration.

Some of his management duties and responsibilities will include project scheduling, monitoring project budgets, supervising staff and maintaining client relationships.

Prior to joining SJB Group, Guinn was a landscape architect with Jeffrey Carbo Landscape Architects in Alexandria, La. He earned his bachelor's degree in landscape architecture from Louisiana State University in 1993 and is a registered landscape architect in Louisiana.

SJB Group provides planning, engineering, land surveying, construction and real estate services, recreational consulting and coastal restoration and environmental services to commercial, industrial, institutional and governmental clients throughout the Southeastern region of the United States.

Mississippi

Mississippi Associated Builders and Contractors Inc. (MABC) recently elected Tom Black, vice president of Harrell Contracting Group LLC of Ridgeland, Miss., the association's 2007 chairman of the board.

Black, a native of Tennessee, began his construction career in 1986 in Jackson following graduation from The University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn. Throughout Black's 21-year career, he has held management positions in all work groups for HCG and currently leads the company's work acquisition discipline. HCG is a southeast regional general contractor providing construction services primarily in the private sector.

ABC is a national, non-profit construction trade association united to serve all commercial building trades.

Tennessee

Rentenbach Engineering Co., a Knoxville, Tenn.-based general contracting firm, recently announced the following promotions: Brent Blalock, vice president; Marty Gibbs, assistant vice president; Doug Pettit, assistant vice president; Michael Powel, assistant vice president; and Tiffany Fleming, assistant project manager.

Rentenbach Engineering Co. is one of the largest Knoxville-based general contracting companies. Founded in 1946, the company has built several of Knoxville's notable facilities.

Michael Brady Inc., a full-service architecture/engineering firm headquartered in Knoxville, Tenn., recently announced that Mike Brady, founder and president, has been promoted to chief executive officer.

In addition, the company promoted Louis Cortina to president. He has been with the company since 1996 and has held the position of senior vice president for the last year.

Chuck Grant has assumed the role of senior vice president of architecture. With the company since 1991, Grant previously held the position of vice president.

Also, Jacene England was promoted from architecture associate to architecture vice president. She has been with the company for nearly 10 years. Mark Graham, after joining the company last year, has been promoted to vice president.

He will be in charge of the Civil Engineering Department. Jeremy Spurgeon is the new senior tech assistant for the Structural Engineering Department, Jeremy Nichols is the new CAD manager for the Architecture Department and James Ellis is now senior CAD designer for the Electrical Engineering Department. Additionally, Tabatha Queen has been promoted to assistant director of public projects.

VP Buildings of Memphis has promoted Chad Beery to manager of learning and development.

Beery will be responsible for VP University, including the internal and external training it provides. He will oversee customer training as well as looking for new ways to help employees develop their technical skills. One of his main focus areas will be matching class offerings with business needs.

Beery is a graduate of North Carolina State University with a degree in business administration. He has been with VP Buildings for 12 years and has served in several capacities, including drafting, customer service, technical training coordinator for the North Carolina Service Center and a VP University trainer.

Based in Memphis, Tenn., VP Buildings engineers and manufactures steel building systems for low-rise commercial applications, including manufacturing, warehouse, school and commercial applications.

The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) recently elevated Robert A. Bunn, a Nashville consulting engineer, to the grade of Fellow ASHRAE.

Fellow ASHRAE is a membership grade that recognizes distinction in the arts and sciences of environmental technology. The honor is earned through achievement as a researcher, designer, educator or engineering executive.

Regional

R. J. Griffin & Co. President Stephen A. Touchton became chief executive officer in January. Former CEO R. J. "Jim" Griffin Jr. remains as chairman.

Touchton is one of Griffin's three 1985 founding principals. R. J. Griffin is headquartered in Atlanta, Ga.