Alabama

Gallet & Associates Inc. recently announced the appointment of the following employees: In Birmingham Jennifer Yurek was hired as a environmental scientist II, Josh Green hired as a mid-level CMT technician, and Joseph Vaughan was hired as a receptionist. The Marietta office, Gallet & Associates of Georgia, has hired Mary Jo Watson as a mid-level CMT technician and Greg Pass was hired as a staff geologist II. The Cullman office hired Carl Goldman as a senior CMT technician. In Niceville, Gallet & Associates, Gulf Coast, hired Dawn O’Hara as an environmental technician. Also, Paul Safko, senior project geologist for Gallet & Associates Gulf Coast has received his Mississippi professional geologist license.

Dave Rodgers has been named director of development for Dominion Partners LLC, headquartered in Birmingham, Ala. Rodgers has more than six years experience in the development field and was previously vice president of capital investments for Daniel Corp.

At Dominion he will be responsible for development activities in the mid-Atlantic and southeastern United States.

He earned a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and a degree in business from Auburn University.

Rodgers is a member of the Urban Land Institute and the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties.

Dominion Partners, headquartered in Birmingham, focuses on the development and management of residential apartments and senior living communities.

TAG/The Architects Group Inc. of Birmingham recently announced that Meghan Young Shehi has joined TAG’s design team as an intern architect. Shehi received a master’s of architecture degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 2004, during which time she was a graduate teaching assistant and participated in a joint studio with Harvard GSD Studio. She earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental design from Auburn University in 2002 and participated in Auburn’s Rural Studio under the guidance of the late Samuel Mockbee. She has worked for prominent design firms in Illinois and Alabama.

At TAG, her responsibilities will include client contact, programming, design, preliminary cost estimating, interdisciplinary coordination, construction drawings, construction observation and presentation design. Shehi’s design experience includes educational facilities, office expansions, churches, recital halls as well as residential projects. She has experience in project and office management, production and field administration. In addition, Shehi has worked on several LEED accredited projects.

Brice Building Co. of Birmingham has promoted Tom Abernathy, David Laney and Dan Price to the position of senior project manager. Brandon McDonald has been promoted to senior estimator and Scott Ferguson and Brandon Rooks have been promoted to the level of project manager.

Abernathy has been with Brice since 1996 and has managed a number of projects for the firm. He has demonstrated his skill gained in 15 years in the construction industry by successfully completing projects for high profile customer such as Honda, Southern Company and Seohan Auto USA. He graduated from Auburn University with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in 1991.

Laney began his career with Brice in 2000 as a project manager and has a total of 17 years of experience in the construction industry. In his tenure at Brice, David has demonstrated excellent leadership and dedication to challenging projects such as The Church of the Highlands and Burr Forman Office Renovation in the Wachovia Tower. He has a bachelor’s degree in building science from Auburn University and is a former ABC Board of Directors member.

Price was hired by Brice in 2001 as a project manager and now has a total of 13 years of construction experience.

Price graduated from Auburn University in 1995 with a degree in civil engineering and is a member of the Associated Builders & Contractors and Associated General Contractors.

McDonald has been a Brice employee for more than 10 years and has had involvement with some of their largest and highest profile projects during his tenure. McDonald holds a bachelor’s degree in building science from Auburn University and is member of the Associated Builders & Contractors and Associated General Contractors.

Both Ferguson and Rooks were co-op students with Brice while completing their bachelor’s degrees in building science at Auburn University.

Upon graduation in 2005 they became full time employees and have demonstrated the skill and knowledge necessary to advance to the position of project manager.

Ferguson is a long time volunteer for Habitat for Humanity and Rooks is a member of both the Associated Builders & Contractors and Associated General Contractors.

Brice Building is headquartered in Birmingham, Ala.

LBYD Inc., a consulting civil and structural engineering firm in Birmingham, Ala., recently announced that Daniel M. Franklin has been certified as a Licensed Professional Engineer by the State of Alabama by successfully completing all the requirements to practice engineering in Alabama.

Franklin received his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Auburn University, and holds a master’s degree in civil engineering from Purdue University.

Arkansas

He was the sales manager for Granite Mountain Quarries (GMQ) for 38 years.

He retired recently and moved to Bella Vista to be close to his daughter and two grandchildren who reside in Springdale, Ark.

The Arkansas Chapter of AGC is avoluntary trade association of commercial general contracting firms, specialty contractors and supply and service firms.

Louisiana

Gibbs Construction LLC of New Orleans recently announced that Robert S. Wooderson has been named its president. Former president and company founder Lawrence C. Gibbs, who continues his active involvement in the company’s operations, has assumed the title of chief executive officer.

Wooderson has been with Gibbs for 15 years. He began his career at Gibbs in 1984 as a project engineer, while he was still in his last semester of college at the University of New Orleans. He worked several years in the field as an engineer and superintendent before moving into the office as a project manager. In addition to his bachelor’s degree in business, he earned a master’s degree in business administration from UNO in 1988.

In his first nine years at Gibbs, Wooderson managed many negotiated design-build projects, as well as large institutional work. Some of his projects were the East Jefferson General Hospital, Phase 5A, Woldenberg Park, the Walt Disney World Contemporary Resort Hotel renovation in Orlando, Fla., the New Orleans International Airport’s FAA control tower, and renovations of the airport’s concourses A & B.

In 1993, Wooderson left Gibbs and spent nine years working in the residential and commercial real estate development and construction field, ultimately as vice president of construction and design with HCI, the construction branch of Historic Restoration Inc. His projects there included the management of design and construction of the $170 million Renaissance Hotel and Conference Center in St. Louis, Mo.

In February 2002, Wooderson returned to Gibbs, serving as project executive over the $22.5 million Marriott Renaissance Arts Hotel. Most recently, he served as vice president, working in multiple capacities touching every aspect of the company’s operations.

Gibbs Construction LLC is a New Orleans-based commercial general contractor.

Sean M. Johnson, a principal in the firm of Grace and Hebert Architects of Baton Rouge has recently earned LEED Accreditation from the U.S. Green Building Council. The LEED Accredited Professional credential represents the individual’s knowledge of the LEED Rating System and its application in practice.

GHA is committed to Environmentally Sustainable Design. The firm’s new downtown office building is currently in the LEED Certification process along with several other projects that are in various stages of development.

GHA encourages all of their clients, whether or not they are interested in LEED Certification, to incorporate sustainable design practices into the development of their projects.

TOPCOR Cos. LLC, a locally owned parent company to five specialty industrial contractors, recently announced that Johnny B. Bradberry has joined their corporate office as chief operating officer. Bradberry served as secretary to the Louisiana Department of Transportation for one term and as a senior oil and gas manager for ConocoPhillips for 27 years. He is a graduate of LeTourneau University’s mechanical engineering program, LSU’s Industrial Engineering graduate program, University of Pittsburgh’s University Management Development Program, and the manager of the Future Development Program.

He is a member of many programs including the Society of Petroleum Engineers, the American Petroleum Institute, AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials), SASHTO (Southeastern Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials), American Society of Civil Engineers, and is an Executive Subcommittee Member to the Offshore Operators Committee.

TOPCOR Cos. is the parent company of TOPCOR Services Inc., TOPCOR Augusta LLC, TOPCOR Offshore LLC, US FUSION LLC, and the newly acquired TOPCOR BELCO LLC.

Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Corp. (LWCC) recently announced the hiring of Michael Page as director of safety and loss prevention. In this position, Page will oversee the strategic direction for LWCC’s loss prevention services programs for policyholders.

Page was previously director of loss prevention services for Workforce Safety and Insurance in North Dakota and corporate health and safety manager for Remedial Construction Services in Houston.

Page is a graduate of Murray State University with a bachelor’s degree in occupational safety and health. He is a member of the American Society of Safety Professionals and holds the Certified Safety Professional designation.

LWCC is a private, nonprofit mutual insurance company. It is the largest writer of workers’ compensation insurance in Louisiana, covering about 22,000 policyholders in the state.

Tennessee

Building upon the growth experienced by the firm in the past few years, The Lewis Group Architects (LGA) has recently welcomed a new member to its team.

Wayne Chermely will be working at The Lewis Group Architects as a new intern architect. He is a recent graduate of The University of Tennessee, Knoxville where he received his bachelor’s degree in architecture.

The Lewis Group Architects is ranked the largest architectural firm in the Greater Knoxville Area in 2007 by the Knoxville Book of Lists and is a top 15 Design Firm in the State of Tennessee.

J.E. Crain recently announced James Williams as project manager. James compliments the J. E. Crain team primarily in hospitality construction. Additionally, James’s commercial construction experience for the past 16 years includes educational facilities and light manufacturing.

Bob Schaefer has joined the J.E. Crain team as superintendent. Bob brings over 38 years of commercial construction experience that includes industrial, educational and retail projects.