Alabama

LBYD Inc., a consulting civil and structural engineering firm, recently announced the opening of a new office in Huntsville, Ala.

The Huntsville office will offer both civil and structural engineering services. Serving the Huntsville area will be Ashley Carden, branch manager and senior project manager for structural engineering, and Tim Roberts, project manager for civil engineering.

Carden has 12 years experience with the firm and Roberts has 10 years experience, six of those with LBYD.

LBYD has provided engineering services for many projects in the Huntsville area, including the Davidson Center for Space Exploration at the Space and Rocket Center, Redstone Arsenal Systems Software Engineering Annex, UAB School of Medicine, Lawson Ridge Retail Development and Nektar Therapeutics.

TAG/The Architects Group Inc. of Mobile, Ala., announced that Justin L. Lucas recently passed the architectural registration exam and is licensed as a registered architect in Alabama.

Lucas joined TAG in 2005 relocating from Dallas. At TAG, his responsibilities include client contact, programming, design, preliminary cost estimating, interdisciplinary coordination, construction drawings, construction observation, 3D modeling and presentation design.

Lucas received his bachelor’s degree in architecture from Mississippi State University in May 2000. Project experience includes health care facilities, commercial office buildings, educational facilities, financial institutions, museums, theaters, prototypes as well as commercial interiors and remodels.

Lucas is a member of the Mobile Chapter AIA.

Arkansas

The Board of Directors of Cromwell Architects Engineers in Little Rock, Ark., recently announced the election of three new officers at its annual meeting on March 3: Charles J. Penix, chairman and chief executive officer; Gregory B. Cockmon, president; and Daniel K. Fowler, chief operating officer.

Cromwell Architects Engineers is a multi-disciplinary firm recognized for design excellence, innovation and service.  In continuous practice since its founding in 1885, Cromwell provides master planning, programming, design, engineering, interior design and construction phase services.

Louisiana

Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Corp. recently announced the hiring of Peter Gale as senior vice president of insurance services, a newly created position.

Gale brings 23 years of commercial insurance experience with such companies as AIG, Kemper Insurance, Fireman's Fund Insurance, and Brown & Brown. For 28 years, he has resided in the Seattle, Wash., area, where he formerly served as president of R. F. Mattei & Associates and vice president & business technology executive for Eagle Insurance Cos. (now Seabright), a former Kemper subsidiary.

Gale received a bachelor’s degree in business administration, with a concentration in international business, from the University of Washington.

He holds the designation of associate in risk management.

LWCC is a private, nonprofit mutual insurance company that is the largest writer of workers' compensation insurance in Louisiana. The company carries an "A" (Excellent) rating from A.M. Best and, for the seventh consecutive year, was named one of the top 50 property and casualty insurance companies in the nation out of more than 3,000 by Ward Group, a leading authority on insurance industry benchmarking.

Ardaman & Associates Inc. recently announced that Jason P. Manning has been promoted to vice president and named manager of the firm's 41-person office in Baton Rouge, La.

Manning has been with Ardaman for his entire 16-year career. He is experienced in geotechnical and environmental engineering, and construction materials testing. He has a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering from the University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla.

For the past 12 years, Manning has served as assistant vice president and manager of the firm's office in Cocoa, Fla., where he secured and managed contracts with public, industrial and private clients in roadway, bridge, port, municipal, industrial, education, medical and commercial markets.

In addition to its office in Baton Rouge, La., Ardaman has offices in New Orleans, Shreveport, Monroe and Alexandria, and employs a statewide staff of nearly 100. Ardaman & Associates is an engineering practice providing geotechnical, environmental, water resources and facilities engineering, and construction materials testing to public, industrial and private clients worldwide.

Amy Diecidue Savoie, an interior designer with HMS Architects of New Orleans, recently passed the National Council for Interior Design Qualification Examination and earned the prestigious NCIDQ Certificate.

With this, she also became a licensed interior designer with the Louisiana Office of the Governor State Board of Examiners of Interior Designers.

Passage of the examination and earning NCIDQ credential signifies that Savoie has met the standards for education, experience and examination for interior designers in North America. A minimum of six years of combined education and experience is required before being eligible to take the practice-based examination.

Mississippi

Dale and Associates Architects of Jackson, Miss., recently announced that Lindsey Anderson has received her certification for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Commercial Interiors.

Lindsey received her bachelor's degree in interior design in 2006 from Mississippi State University.

She is an interior designer for the firm and an allied member of the American Society of Interior Designers. Recently, Lindsey provided services for the interiors of The Pinnacle at Jackson Place in downtown Jackson and the Cellular South Corporate Headquarters on Highland Colony Parkway in Ridgeland, Miss.

Dale and Associates also announced that Stephanie Boyles has received her certification for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for New Construction.

Stephanie received her bachelor's degree in architecture from Louisiana Tech University in 2005. She is an intern architect for the firm in its Biloxi, Miss., office and is an allied member of the American Institute of Architects.

Tennessee

Garney Construction recently announced that five employee owners have been promoted to the position of vice president. Effective immediately, Matt Foster, Tony Kempf, Scott Parrish, Steve Ford and Jeff Lacy have been promoted to vice president.

Foster, Kempf and Parrish, all located in the company's headquarters in Kansas City, oversee Garney's operations in Colorado, the Midwest and Texas, respectively. Ford oversees Garney's operations in Nashville, Tenn. Lacy serves as vice president-finance in the Kansas City headquarters.

These advancements will fill the roles of several senior officers planning to retire over the next few years.

Garney Cos., incorporated in 1961, specializes in the construction of water and wastewater pipelines, treatment facilities and water storage structures.

AGC of Tennessee, Middle Tennessee Branch board of directors recently named Dennis Woodruff of the Nashville District Corps of Engineers as Educator of the Year.

The board created this award to honor an educator who is dedicated to the advancement of the construction industry and who demonstrates a commitment to enhancing educational standards.

Woodruff teaches construction quality management and has trained more than 175 consruction professionals in Nashville.

He was recently presented this award at the February membership luncheon at Richland Country Club.